All aboard the Santa Express 10-14 Dec 2012

[ozbob]

All aboard the Santa Express 

--> http://www.queenslandrail.com.au/AboutUs/MediaCentre/Campaigns/Pages/SantaExpress.aspx

[Fares_Fair]

Sunshine Coast not forgotten this year, Tuesday 11 December for us.

[ozbob]

From the Couriermail click here!

Children can join Santa on Santa Express

Children can join Santa on Santa Express

    by: Robyn Ironside
    From: The Courier-Mail
    December 10, 2012 9:32AM

DESPITE a jam-packed schedule, the jolly man in red has found time to board the Santa Express - coming soon to a train station near you.

For this week only, children can join Santa on board the special train service for the cost of a normal fare, to sing Christmas carols and score a free candy cane.

Although state schools are still in, a Queensland Rail spokeswoman said Santa was not available any other week in the lead-up to Christmas.

"Santa is a very busy man, but he's made a special exception to join us on the Santa Express which will travel across the South-East Queensland rail network," said Customer Service Executive General Manager Martin Ryan.

The full Santa Express timetable is available on the Queensland Rail website (www.qr.com.au).

The spreading of Christmas cheer coincides with this week's release of the 2013 fare schedule for commuters incorporating a 7.5 per cent increase in the cost of public transport tickets.

Although the fare hike is only half of what was scheduled to occur under the previous Labor government, commuter group Back on Track condemned the increase, which is almost four times Queensland's inflation rate.

From January 7, a zone one go card fare will rise from $3.05 to $3.28, while the cost of a zone one paper ticket will jump from $4.50 to $4.84.

Commuters travelling two zones - the most common type of journey, will pay $3.85 each way instead of $3.58 - while the paper ticket fare will rise from $5.20 to $5.59.

Back on Track spokesman Robert Dow said the fare hikes came on top of a 65 per cent increase in the cost of public transport over the past four years.

"Affordability is still a major issue for commuters and we're concerned that continued fare increases have driven people away from public transport," said Mr Dow.

"We think this latest increase will lead to a further loss in patronage, and we'd again call for an urgent review of the fare system."

The June quarter edition of the Translink Tracker report showed only 47 per cent of train commuters thought fares were more affordable than paying for parking.

Although the figure was a slight improvement on the previous quarter, Mr Dow said it showed initiatives such as the "nine journeys then free" were not perceived as making fares more attractive.

"The government really needs to look at other jurisdictions in Australia and overseas, and start thinking how they can create a more socially equitable fare system that increases the fare box and reduces the subsidised component," he said.

Transport Minister Scott Emerson has previously ruled out a fare review, saying he had examined the issue while in Opposition and no further reviews were planned.

[BrizCommuter]

http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/transit-officers-spoil-santa-express.html
TransLink Transit Officers spoil the Santa Express.

[longboi]

Just to be clear...Is the issue their attitude or the fact that they checked the Santa Express?

[BrizCommuter]

Just to be clear...Is the issue their attitude or the fact that they checked the Santa Express?

Attitude, and the fact they checked the Santa express (which had about 5 families on board) instead of a normal service that was 4 mins ahead (and likely full a few fare evaders).

[HappyTrainGuy]

Oh for gods sake. It's was still a valid Translink service. They had every right to be onboard checking tickets just as other commuters had the right to board the service to their destination. Terms of using the service was that you had a valid ticket.

Customers who want to get on board the special services only need to hold a valid paper ticket or go card as normal fares apply. The Santa Express is an additional service and will not cause disruptions to the regular City network timetable.

You had a ticket so you should have had nothing to worry about. Get over it I say.

[longboi]

Just to be clear...Is the issue their attitude or the fact that they checked the Santa Express?

Attitude, and the fact they checked the Santa express (which had about 5 families on board) instead of a normal service that was 4 mins ahead (and likely full a few fare evaders).

Attitude I completely understand.

However, as HTG already said,  If you're on board a public passenger service as defined by the Transport Operations (Passenger Transport) Act 1994 then you are subject to the same rights and responsibilites as those passengers on the service 4 mins ahead of you.

Would you also suggest that Police not pull over any car that has a 'My Family' sticker on the back?

[Otto]

Reading this thread reminded me of seeing a SMU ( early 200's ) with Santa Express on the LED desto last Sunday night sitting at South Bank. I be thinking someone was having a fiddle with the desto before commencing a Shorncliffe service.. 

[BrizCommuter]

Just to be clear...Is the issue their attitude or the fact that they checked the Santa Express?

Attitude, and the fact they checked the Santa express (which had about 5 families on board) instead of a normal service that was 4 mins ahead (and likely full a few fare evaders).

Attitude I completely understand.

However, as HTG already said,  If you're on board a public passenger service as defined by the Transport Operations (Passenger Transport) Act 1994 then you are subject to the same rights and responsibilites as those passengers on the service 4 mins ahead of you.

Would you also suggest that Police not pull over any car that has a 'My Family' sticker on the back?

But as already mentioned, there will  be far more fare dodgers on the normal service, than the Santa Express.

[somebody]

But as already mentioned, there will  be far more fare dodgers on the normal service, than the Santa Express.

Do you know that they hadn't just checked that?

[colinw]

Colinw is pleased that we have no more important issues to deal with in Brisbane.

[longboi]

Just to be clear...Is the issue their attitude or the fact that they checked the Santa Express?

Attitude, and the fact they checked the Santa express (which had about 5 families on board) instead of a normal service that was 4 mins ahead (and likely full a few fare evaders).

Attitude I completely understand.

However, as HTG already said,  If you're on board a public passenger service as defined by the Transport Operations (Passenger Transport) Act 1994 then you are subject to the same rights and responsibilites as those passengers on the service 4 mins ahead of you.

Would you also suggest that Police not pull over any car that has a 'My Family' sticker on the back?

But as already mentioned, there will  be far more fare dodgers on the normal service, than the Santa Express.

That's not fact, it's only an assumption.

While probably true, I just take issue with anyone who thinks they are the paragon of virtue once they pump out some offspring 

[somebody]

While probably true, I just take issue with anyone who thinks they are the paragon of virtue once they pump out some offspring 

They have to be kidding.  I worked with a father who called it the ultimate in selfishness...