Sunday Mail 5/6/2011 "Fare's fair, but only one way it seems"

[Andrew]

I retyped this by hand as it does not seem to be on the website yet.

Fare's fair, but only one way, it seems
By Terry Sweetman
Published Sunday Mail 5th June 2011, page 61

One of the few advantages in turning a certain age is that you get a seniors card – or a "selfish old bugger ticket", according to one unkind person – and a cut rate go card.  Well, you have to ask for them, as I discovered after sweating on the mail.  (The number of times I have supplied my name, address and date of birth to various arms of government, I sort of thought it might be on auto-pilot)

But it was pretty exciting when it all arrived and doubly exciting when I discovered that I could sign up for automatic top-up on the go card.  I could authorise an online automatic payment whenever the credit dropped below $5, a good thing for TransLink and a great thing for a bloke who has always been organisationally challenged.  Done deal and, come the Monday, the sum of $40 appeared on the wrong side of my credit card account.  Six days after it appeared there – eight days after it was authorised – my go card balance still sat at zero. 

Inquiries revealed it could take up to 10 days to appear, despite the fact the website says 24 hours.  I could be dead before I enjoy a cheap ride.  Ignominiously, I could be hit by a bus full of card-carrying oldies.  What's with these outfits (and TransLink isn't the only one) in which electronic fund transfers seem to be instantaneous – but in only one direction?  Are they really computerised or do they have a bunch of monkeys with abacuses locked in a shiny box?

(end article)

Comments anyone?

[ozbob]

Thanks Andrew, is here --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=432.msg58646#msg58646