TransLink Media Statement: go card retail network to expand again

[ozbob]

http://www.translink.com.au/mediarelease.php?id=87

go card retail network to expand again - Wednesday 6 January 2010

go cards will be rolled out across an additional 94 train stations in the next phase of the shift to a paperless public transport ticketing system in South East Queensland.

TransLink Acting CEO Steve Banaghan and QR Passenger CEO Paul Scurrah today announced that the latest expansion of the go card retailer network would include all manned train stations on the TransLink network.

"We will be a paperless network in 2011 and we are expanding the go card retail network to continue to meet future customer demand," Mr Banaghan said.

"The pre-loaded go cards have been a success since they were introduced late last year and the next step is to extend the availability of go cards to all manned QR stations.

"TransLink already has the largest smart card retail network in Australia and this will continue to ensure we meet demand for the go card as we move towards 2011."

Mr Scurrah said QR stations would sell either pre-loaded go cards or the original "purchase and top-up, go cards", currently available at 34 train stations.

"More than 2000 go cards were sold at QR stations on Monday and we will continue to add to the retail network," Mr Scurrah said.

"The pre-loaded product gives us the opportunities to provide go cards at more stations.

"Our customers will be able to purchase a go card at every manned station on the network by March."

Mr Banaghan said the announcement comes just two days after go card reached a milestone with a record 6664 go cards being sold in a single day on Monday.

"That fact that a record 6664 go cards were issued on Monday and 65,000 go cards were issued in November and December is proof that go card is very accessible for people to purchase," Mr Banaghan said.

"The go card can currently be purchased at 259 outlets - including selected QR stations, newsagents and 7-Eleven stores - across South East Queensland, online at www.translink.com.au or over the phone by calling 13 12 30."

Mr Banaghan said the State Government, through TransLink, would soon be giving away 400,000 go cards preloaded with $10 credit and a combined seniors card-go card is also being developed to make go card easy to access and use for seniors.

"We have more than 500,000 go cards in circulation and almost 70 million trips have been taken since the system was rolled out in 2008.

"go card equipment at train stations on the TransLink network is monitored very closely and meets a world class standard, operating 99.98 per cent of the time.

"We are leading Australia in this technology and it is becoming increasingly popular with commuters."

Customers wishing to find their nearest retailer should call 13 12 30 or visit www.translink.com.au

[ozbob]

Minister for Transport
The Honourable Rachel Nolan
09/01/2010

New measures to aid the switch to Go Card

The number of go card outlets at rail way stations will double on Monday as the State Government steps up its efforts to enable the move to go card for commuters.

Transport Minister Rachel Nolan said new measures meant go cards would be more accessible than ever and acknowledged that more needs to be done to aid the switch for commuters.

"From Monday we'll double the number of go card outlets at railway stations [34 to 68] and have more than a 100 Helping Hands staff selling go cards and providing assistance to people across the network," she said.

"That means almost 90 per cent of train customers will have access to a go card at their home or destination station on Monday and I can also confirm that all attended QR stations [123 stations] will sell go cards when schools goes back."

Ms Nolan said that the fact that more and more commuters would return to work throughout January meant there was a duty to ramp up the go card's availability and dis tribution in coming weeks.

"TransLink staff will continue to assist with questions and additional staff will sell pre-loaded go cards at all major busway stations and key interchanges across South East Queensland from Monday," she said.

"The change from paper tickets to go card is a big change for people to make and I acknowledge  that we could have done more to let customers know how and where they can get their go card."

The move to smart card technology continued across South East Queensland this week as passengers bought go cards in record numbers.

Almost 20,000 go cards were sold across the network from Monday-Friday, in addition to the 65,000 go cards purchased in November and December.

"On Thursday there were 191,288 trips taken across the network using go card, almost four times the average daily number taken during the first week of January 2009," said Ms Nolan.

"We have now distributed more than 550,000 cards and seen almost 70 million trips taken on the go card."

The Minister said more would be done to promote the availability of go cards as more people returned from holidays.

"SEQ has 266 retail go card outlets while Perth has 60 and Sydney and Melbourne are still struggling to roll out their smart card systems," Ms Nolan said.

"One of the advantages of the go card over paper ticket systems is that a go card only needs to be purchased once and then can be topped up at more than 1000 locations across the network."

Ms Nolan said almost 20 per cent of sales last week had been online or via the call centre on 131230.

"If someone has difficulty accessing a retailer in person they can use the website or call centre to order one and almost 4000 people have taken up that option this week alone," she said.

A full list of retailers and top-up options are available at www.translink.com.au.

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[#Metro]

go cards will be rolled out across an additional 94 train stations in the next phase of the shift to a paperless public transport ticketing system in South East Queensland.

I love the way they cover up their mistakes by implying that this was the way it was supposed to happen, in "phases".
The retailers should have all been up and running from the word 'Go' and certainly well before the fare increase.

Catchup phase...