Opposition Statement: Government desperate to increase GoCard uptake

[ozbob]

From http://www.qldcoalition.org.au/news/article.aspx?ID=2200

Government desperate to increase GoCard uptake

Friday, 14 March 2008

LESS than two months after the official roll-out of the GoCard bunny, the State Government is now offering "free ride" carrots so Easter-weekend commuters will use the trouble-prone ticketing system.

Shadow Minister for Transport Tim Nicholls said the promotion showed commuters? were still hesitant about using the ticketing system.

"It has been more than five years since the Government first announced plans for an electronic ticketing system," Mr Nicholls said.

"Commuters have heard years? of excuses from this government as to why it has taken so long to deliver ? and there are still major problems with the system that have yet to be fixed."

The GoCard is still experiencing problems with the GPS system not registering the location of bus readers, while many commuters face a fare increase under the inflexible discount option.

"The Premier says more than 27,000 commuters have bought a GoCard since its release.

That is far from a vote of confidence by South East Queensland public transport users," Mr Nicholls said.

"Until the Government is able to come up with a competitive discount option to the weekly and monthly paper tickets, commuters will continue to shun the system."

Mr Nicholls said an ?early bird? discount option for GoCard users would be a better incentive than four days free travel over the Easter weekend.

"If the State Government is serious about encouraging commuters to use the GoCard, they should be looking at long-term options that are proven to work," he said.

"An early bird discount for GoCard commuters who arrive at their destination before 7am would ease peak hour congestion and encourage commuters to use the GoCard."

[monkey]

From http://www.qldcoalition.org.au/news/article.aspx?ID=2200

"An early bird discount for GoCard commuters who arrive at their destination before 7am would ease peak hour congestion and encourage commuters to use the GoCard."

Have these guys ever actually been on a train at that hour of the morning?

I took a 6 something train to the city yesterday and it was packed tighter than the 7:25 I normally take.  A few months ago I took a 6:08 to the city, and it too was packed.  Talking to people suggests that's the norm.