Article: 'Go easy on go card users'

[ozbob]

From Brisbanetimes click here!

'Go easy on go card users'

'Go easy on go card users'
Steve Gray | July 10, 2008 - 8:20AM

Translink ticket inspectors on Brisbane's rail network have been instructed not to punish go card holders who have insufficient credit on their plastic transit cards.

However the onboard ticket inspectors are still booking those caught without a paper ticket.

Some Transit Officers said the policy discriminated in that only those caught without a paper ticket were liable to fines.

The government is keen to promote the use of the troubled go card system so the Transit Officers were told to go easy on those who had insufficient credit.

Translink admitted as much, stating that "we acknowledge the need for leniency while public transport users become accustomed to the go card system".

The most officers can do is issue warnings, a Translink spokeswoman said.

"TransLink Transit Officers can issue warnings to go card holders with insufficient funds," she said.

"These cards are then registered on a database. Processes are in place to ensure repeat offenders are contacted and made aware of how to use the system correctly."

However, in the case of older-style tickets, "TransLink Transit Officers have discretionary powers to issue warnings or fines if passengers are found travelling without a paper ticket," the spokeswoman said.

While there is a fixed charge for passengers who fail to touch off at journey's end - because the computer system cannot yet calculate the correct charge - this will change once the period of leniency is over.

"A fixed amount is charged if a go card user fails to touch on or off because the system does not have enough information to calculate the correct fare," the spokeswoman said.

"The incidence of fixed amounts is to be expected with new technology like the go card which is why TransLink has set the fixed amount charges at a low level while users become more familiar with the system.

"The TransLink Transit Authority's focus at the moment is education rather than enforcement.

"Once an appropriate amount of time has passed, and we are confident public transport users are well educated about the go card, we will look at more stringent measures," the spokeswoman said.

- AAP

[ozbob]

I had to smile this afternoon. Heading home as I passed through the go gates at Roma St were some folk handing out go cards.  Nearby were the folk handing out the mX, with the the front page story Go soft on fare evaders, No-fines rule for empty go cards ....  Looks like the marketing campaign has begun again with a few strategic stories (Brisbanetimes and mX) to get it GOing !!!

[Huggies]

Isn't it right that you can touch on to the system even with $0.05 credit and you will go into the negative once you touch off ?? Your still paying the fair which is also covered by the $10 deposit. You just can't tag on again until you top up again.

[ozbob]

Yes, that is the situation as far as I understand it too Huggies.
It leaves the door open for some to rort no doubt.  Wonder how it works on the air train touch devices?
Could be some big negative debits on that??

It does seem though that TTOs have a number of mobile go card readers now.  Reports of go card users actually having their cards checked during routine ticket inspections on board.  It does seem all a little coincidental that these stories appear just as the mobile readers become available.   In view of the large number of penalties being received from folks either genuinely forgetting to touch or other perhaps deliberately rorting there is the potential for some bad press as folks cop a $150 fine if they fail to touch on as if you are travelling and go card is not in touch on state you are technically fare evading and it says so in the act.  It will be bad bad news for the go card .....  hence since softly softly stance I suspect.

I have observed some users and honestly, they have no idea if they have touched on or off. I watch yesterday afternoon a user 'touch off' at Oxley and red light appeared, user just carried on in blissful go card happiness ....