2 May 2008: $2000 ?lucky? go card card paid for by ?unlucky? go card users ...

[ozbob]

Media Release 2 May 2008

SEQ:  $2000 ?lucky? go card card no doubt paid for by ?unlucky? go card users

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport commuters has said that $2000 lucky free travel promotion go card for free public transport for a year to be won by a visitor to the INB ?Discovery Day?, is an insult to the present go card users.

These go card users are suffering chronic system failures, overcharging of their go cards, excessive fares, phantom fares, false penalties and where users can check transaction history for incorrect charges are waiting weeks for refunds. The problems are with the go card on buses and ferries in the main (1).

Of particular concern are unregistered go card users who have a very limited window to check their transactions and make a claim.

No wonder a $2000 lucky go card is to be won, such is the extra revenue being extracted from present go card users.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

?This $2000 lucky go card promotion is nothing short of an insult to the go card users who have been ripped off. No wonder thousands of go cards are to be given away on the Discovery day, sales have virtually stopped.?

?The go card system is in a major crisis on the buses and ferries.?

?Ten trip tickets are scheduled to be withdrawn from Brisbane Transport mid 2008.  This will lead to chaos on the buses and ferries. Passengers will not be able to reliably use the go card based on the experiences so far and will be forced to pay cash or somehow access railway stations to buy weekly tickets.

?The Queensland Government and Translink is in denial about the ongoing go card problems. The recent time issue on the bus go card system was hidden from commuters for about two weeks.  How much excessive revenue was ripped off from go card users during this period??

?Apparent secret plans to replace paper integrated ticketing with the presently unreliable go card are in tatters. The Queensland Government and Translink are fast losing contact with go card reality!?

References:

1.  http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?board=27.0

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[ozbob]

Translink web site http://www.translink.com.au/qt/translin.nsf/index/go_tickets still has this information:

ten trip tickets

Ten trip tickets can no longer be used on Mt Gravatt Bus Service, Logan City Bus Service, Veolia Transport or Buslink Queensland bus services.

Brisbane City Council (BCC) and Brisbane Transport Ten Trip Savers can be used until mid 2008.
Last updated 3 April 2008

Accessed 0455am 3 May 2008.