TransLink Media Release: New measures to aid the switch to Go Card

[ozbob]

http://www.translink.com.au/mediarelease.php?id=90

New measures to aid the switch to Go Card - Saturday 9 January 2010

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 distribution 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.

Find out more about Helping Hands activities at; go card - TransLink staff out and about.

[dwb]

"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."

Finally, an admission, no matter how slight.

[O_128]

When telstra launched 3G there was a massive advertising and learning campaign and there still is. We should follow melbourne and open a Go Shop in roma street or central that has customer service people.

[dwb]

IMO this would be better off at KGS at the info/service desk (which btw,  you can buy and charge cards).

As an aside, it would seem to me they may in the future try to work out a way to use a semi closed system at KGS in 2011-2012... they wouldn't need so many staff to check tickets then and buses would load even faster!

[stephenk]

As an aside, it would seem to me they may in the future try to work out a way to use a semi closed system at KGS in 2011-2012... they wouldn't need so many staff to check tickets then and buses would load even faster!

That sounds like a recipe for disaster!

[#Metro]

As an aside, it would seem to me they may in the future try to work out a way to use a semi closed system at KGS in 2011-2012... they wouldn't need so many staff to check tickets then and buses would load even faster!

Closed or semi-closed stations are an idea I like. Perth already does this at many stations where buses drop passengers off in the paid area (yes, that city, the one with the 15 minute rail frequency).

See "controlled stations" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SmartRider

My only worry is that there will be malfunction and disaster galore with TL trying to roll something simple like that out.

Sorry to be cynical, but I can just see it: A media release would go out first announcing the installation of the gate, with much fanfare. Then a single gate would be installed (thinking that is more than adequate), and after a 2 year delay on standby, it would be switched on.

Then the gate will be too small for people with special needs or the wrong size. It might not beep properly. The gate might fail to open on the first day. It will charge people twice (once at the gate) and on the bus. A $ blowout in IT consultants and experts would occur as they try to get the system to ignore accidental touch ons in the bus just for that station. And media releases would rain down upon us all.

[O_128]

As an aside, it would seem to me they may in the future try to work out a way to use a semi closed system at KGS in 2011-2012... they wouldn't need so many staff to check tickets then and buses would load even faster!

Closed or semi-closed stations are an idea I like. Perth already does this at many stations where buses drop passengers off in the paid area (yes, that city, the one with the 15 minute rail frequency).

See "controlled stations" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SmartRider

My only worry is that there will be malfunction and disaster galore with TL trying to roll something simple like that out.

Sorry to be cynical, but I can just see it: A media release would go out first announcing the installation of the gate, with much fanfare. Then a single gate would be installed (thinking that is more than adequate), and after a 2 year delay on standby, it would be switched on.

Then the gate will be too small for people with special needs or the wrong size. It might not beep properly. The gate might fail to open on the first day. It will charge people twice (once at the gate) and on the bus. A $ blowout in IT consultants and experts would occur as they try to get the system to ignore accidental touch ons in the bus just for that station. And media releases would rain down upon us all.

you made me laugh  its 100% true