Off Peak Times

[Frase]

Would it not be wise to shift the off-peak times, especially in the mornings.
Off-peak is 0200 to 0900 and at Ipswich the fist train leaves at 0437. Off peak does not exist for morning commuters
Moving off peak to say 0600 should get people up a bit earlier

[somebody]

It's a valid idea, but the problem is allegedly the Go Card which only allows fare calculation based on "touch on" time, not "touch off" time.  I'm not sure how expensive this would be to change.  If you are coming from Gympie North, you must touch on before 6am to reach the city by 9am.  It is similar but slightly less severe at Nambour and Robina.

The Melbourne plan of completely free before 7am hasn't exactly been a roaring success though has it?

[Mozz]

My experience of Melbourne is that it's a CBD working population that generally starts later than up here in sunny Brisbane 60 - 90 mins I reckon

[somebody]

Sydney is similar.  I'd say 60 minutes later in that case, which works out the same time in daylight savings.

[Set in train]

It's a valid idea, but the problem is allegedly the Go Card which only allows fare calculation based on "touch on" time, not "touch off" time.  I'm not sure how expensive this would be to change.  If you are coming from Gympie North, you must touch on before 6am to reach the city by 9am.  It is similar but slightly less severe at Nambour and Robina.

The Melbourne plan of completely free before 7am hasn't exactly been a roaring success though has it?

It's a good idea Simon, I've always wondered why those on the 24hr Surfside bus are paying full fare at Nobby Beach at 2:03 in the morning.

How serious is the govt about getting cars off roads, especially those travelling long distances day after day? If they were, there'd be incentive to use the train from Varsity or Nambour before 7am in the morning, sure, it might pack the trains out, shock horror, more services or carriages or configurations required, but it would be good to see a real shift off roads on those long distances.

[Gazza]

I've always wondered why those on the 24hr Surfside bus are paying full fare at Nobby Beach at 2:03 in the morning.

Why shouldn't they?

If you are out that late, its not like you are a socially disadvantaged person going to a job interview or a doctors appointment.

You've either been having a few drinks (Have money) or have been shift working (have money)

Its not like people travelling then are easing the load on peak hour services (Well, maybe they are because while everyone else is going to work, they'll be in bed after such a big night, but I digress)
Nor are they doing something that is easing road congestion or 'saving the environment' in a major way.

It's just plain old transport, nothing more, like a taxi.
Doesn't need to be cheap.

[Set in train]

Where do you draw the line Gazza? The drunks & shiftworkers at 1am are better than the 2am crowd?

All attempts should be made at filling the seats, especially to make a sizeable shift in intercity transport modes in peak times. Raise it from the wide average of sub 10% to something more remarkable.

Good to have vision and big plans than all this moaning about money directly tied when there are myriad examples of extra cash tipped into all sorts of departments to distort whatever circumstances.

If money can be spend on building boosts and first home owners' grants, money can be found for PT. Let's move from 6/8 order matter to 3/4 for the election. Campaign starts now, could end June.

[SurfRail]

I've always wondered why those on the 24hr Surfside bus are paying full fare at Nobby Beach at 2:03 in the morning.

Why shouldn't they?

If you are out that late, its not like you are a socially disadvantaged person going to a job interview or a doctors appointment.

You've either been having a few drinks (Have money) or have been shift working (have money)

Its not like people travelling then are easing the load on peak hour services (Well, maybe they are because while everyone else is going to work, they'll be in bed after such a big night, but I digress)
Nor are they doing something that is easing road congestion or 'saving the environment' in a major way.

It's just plain old transport, nothing more, like a taxi.
Doesn't need to be cheap.

Indeed, these services are more expensive to provide due to wages and the fact that Surfside engages security cars to travel up and down the Highway.

[Set in train]

Really? Only after 2am? Lots of crime happens before then, better recover that cost. As usual, I am sure it is not recovered directly from the fares.

[somebody]

My experience of Melbourne is that it's a CBD working population that generally starts later than up here in sunny Brisbane 60 - 90 mins I reckon

Hmm, perhaps the peak spreading idea should be thinking about having the peak service operating later.  Would be nice and easily achievable on the Ipswich line to just make the 7:30am ex-Rosewood service an express on the standard pattern.  The 8:12am and 8:24am ex-Richlands services provide a 12 minute service on the stations bypassed, which is apparently acceptable in the 24 minutes before the 8:12am and the 24 minutes before the 7:12am (still ex-Richlands).

What might be annoying is the 30 minute gap at Richlands between the 6:18am and the 6:48am, and the 18 minute gap between the 5:42am (ex-Rosewood) and 6:48am ex-Richlands for stations Oxley-Auchenflower except Indooroopilly.

[Derwan]

It's a valid idea, but the problem is allegedly the Go Card which only allows fare calculation based on "touch on" time, not "touch off" time.  

This has always bugged me.

The logic applied to weekdays is:

If [Touch On Time] < 2:00 OR ([Touch On Time] > 9:00 AND [Touch On Time] < 15:30) OR [Touch On Time] > 19:00 Then
  Apply off peak discount
Else
  Apply full fare
End If

We just need to change it to:

If [Touch Off Time] < 7:00 OR ([Touch On Time] > 9:00 AND [Touch On Time] < 15:30) OR [Touch On Time] > 19:00 Then
  Apply off peak discount
Else
  Apply full fare
End If

The system would have both times available for the determination of the discount.  I don't see what the problem is.

[somebody]

I don't see what the problem is.

Isn't it giving the coast commuters off peak fares for travelling in peak?

[Derwan]

Isn't it giving the coast commuters off peak fares for travelling in peak?

That would be the case if they based it on touch on time - which I'm against.

I just don't see why they "can't" base it on touch OFF time for before 7am.  I personally think it's more a policy decision rather than a technical one.  They probably think it's "simpler" to base everything on touch-on time.

[somebody]

Oh, sorry!

Probably they asked for a quote and were told 150 days to test!  So said no.

[somebody]

NSW allows off peak anytime after 9am.  It's only on return Cityrail tickets.