Article: Go Cards refund bungle

[ozbob]

Courier Mail 23 May 2008 page 11 not online

[ozbob]

This is an outrage.  Nothing less.

Why is Government and Translink trying to destroy their own card?

Admin.

[ozbob]

Media Release 23 May 2008

SEQ:  Go card, refund policy in tatters

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport users has called for an urgent review of all aspects of the refund policy for incorrect charges made on users go cards.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

?Recent revelations concerning a previously unknown policy to the effect that applications for refunds of incorrect fares and penalties for the go card must be claimed within 5 weeks are outrageous (1).?

?I rang Translink Go Card call centre last evening.  I was told by the operator and confirmed with her supervisor that there was no time limit for the refunds!?

?What is going on with the go card??

?The present 10 day period for refunds is itself excessive and should be made two working days.?

?The time window for people to claim incorrect charges debited to their go cards should be at least six months, preferably 12 months.  This allows a truly reasonable time for all users to claim their refunds.?

?RAIL Back On Track members find it extremely concerning and disappointing that go card users are being treated in such an off-hand manner.?

?Further evidence of this contempt was the time debacle on the bus/ferry go card system.  Translink and Government allowed go card users to cop excess fares and charges without any attempt to alert the users to the problem for two weeks (2).?

?The go card is potentially one of the best things to happen to public transport in south-east Queensland.  Why is it that Translink and Government seem intent on creating such a negative image for the go card? Taxpayers are rightly now very concerned as to when the system will be reliable and equitable.?


References:

1.  Courier Mail 23 May 2008 page 11 Go Cards refund bungle

2.  Go Card - time issue and lack of official response
http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=743.0

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[Skeetbris]

I have been waiting for a refund on my Go card for well in excess of 6 weeks for the longest outstanding rip-off double fares this thieving system has charged me! I haven't copped one of their ludicrous fines or they would have got an email and phone call to anyone involved in the debacle this card has become! I haven't used the card now for over two weeks because I'm peeved about the non refunds of money they illegally swiped from my account and the readers on the buses. I've also given up trying to get my refunds back for the double fares and being on a fixed income the money is too b***** hard to come by but it has come to the stage where I have to cut my loses and let them get away with "highway robbery" because of the idiotic system that by the time Brisbane FINALLY implemented it, the damn thing SHOULDN'T HAVE HAD ALL THESE PROBLEMS!!

Like most cities in the western world already have a smart card type system operating! So why did all these problems happen when they weren't necessary in the 1st place. Cubic should be fined and made to pay all Go card users some form of compensation for their stuff ups. Does anyone else adree with that? Or am I just expecting too much?? Like my avatar of NSW Class C3801 I'm all steamed up. 

[mufreight]

A further example of duplicity and deceit by the Minister who claims that he is not aware of what transpires even in his own ministerial office.
Now this further example of his contempt for the people of this state, obviously the Transport portfolio is beyond the ministers ability and he should be replaced by a more competent person, the failures and duplicity of the current Minister and of his staff will not be overlooked come the next election and as the public faces higher costs to commute due to the cost of fuel and as alternative public transport struggles to cope due to the imbalance in funding for road and the failures to adequately finance rail infrastructure.
This Minister simply has to GO.

[Skeetbris]

public transport struggles to cope due to the imbalance in funding for road and the failures to adequately finance rail infrastructure.
This Minister simply has to GO.

A further example of duplicity and deceit by the Minister who claims that he is not aware of what transpires even in his own ministerial office.

    Mufreight I couldn't agree more. He has failed the public transport users and taxpayers (which is everyone) by refusing to acknowledge  the time issue and all the problems I've mentioned above. Sack him or do us all a favour and resign NOW!

[ozbob]

I agree Skeetbris, it is time for some sort of compensation scheme to be implemented.

This is now beyond teething issues, it is a systemic meltdown.

Hang in there.  We will keep trying.

Regards
Ozbob

[Huggies]

To quote the Neil Young song "The needle and the damage done". The actions of Cubic, TransStink & the State Government has really damaged the image of the Go Card to the point of where people won't touch it.

[ozbob]

25 May 2008

An open letter to the Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations

Go card concern

Dear Minister Mickel,

Recent revelations concerning a previously unknown policy to the effect that applications for refunds of incorrect fares and penalties for the go card must be claimed within 5 weeks is outrageous in my opinion (C-M, May 23, Go Cards refund bungle).

I rang Translink Go Card call centre last Thursday evening and was told by the operator and confirmed with her supervisor that there was no time limit for the refunds! What is going on with the go card?

The present 10 day period for refunds is itself excessive and should be made two working days.
The time window for people to claim incorrect charges debited to their go cards should be at least six months, preferably 12 months.  This allows a truly reasonable time for all users to claim their refunds.

RAIL Back On Track members find it extremely concerning and disappointing that go card users are being treated in such an off-hand manner. Judging by letters to the editor in various media and comments on blogs, and feedback received at RAIL Back On Track, the broader general public is likewise concerned.

Further evidence of this contempt for go card users was the time debacle on the bus/ferry go card system.  Translink and Government allowed go card users to cop excess fares and charges without any attempt to alert the users to the problem for two weeks (1).

The go card is potentially one of the best things to happen to public transport in south-east Queensland.  Why is it that Translink and Government seem intent on creating such a negative image for the go card? Taxpayers are rightly now very concerned as to when the system will be reliable and equitable.

There are solutions to the ongoing issues with the go card.

Here is an approach to get the go card going:

1.  Reduce the base fares on the go card by 30%.  This would make it essentially cost neutral for all compared to paper ticketing and overall will be revenue neutral as it will help shift people to the card and there will be the same revenue either paper or card essentially. Go card users will be more tolerant of issues as they will not be getting ripped off fare wise.  Keep everything else the same with respect to the 50% after 6 trips and so forth.

2.  Expedite the refund process - two working days maximum. Delay the increase in touch penalties for at least six months.

3.  Delay the withdrawal of ten trippers on Brisbane Transport buses and ferries for at least another 3 months, to give a window to sort out the GPS issues in the CBD and review the operation of the rear door readers.

4.  Conduct an urgent review of the data tables and code for the system. Incorporate simple logic traps to capture and stop 'double touches', phantom penalties and so forth.

5.  Run a sweep of the user database overnight daily to flag and refund obvious penalties and overcharges without the need for user initiation of refund process.

6.  Once system working introduce further ticketing incentives, capping and off peak.

7.  It might be necessary to introduce a local signal for those places where GPS not working eg. tunnels and stops in radio shadows.

We hope that these suggestions will be considered.

Yours sincerely,

Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org


Reference:

1.  http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=743.0

[ozbob]

According to a report in today's Courier Mail (30 May 2008)  Ms Canton has been refunded the $30 outstanding from her excess penalties on the go card and received an apology.  That is a good outcome.

See --> http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=939.msg4152#msg4152  for the article.

Cheers
Ozbob

[stephenk]

My wife had to claim back a refund on London's Oystercard a few weeks ago due to a faulty reader on the DLR. She had the money returned back onto her credit card immediately after phoning (also no queue when phoning for refund!). This is customer service which Translink should be looking at.

Whilst on this subject, my Oystercard in London, and Octopus Card in Hong Kong worked flawlessly. Yet I won't touch the Go Card until they make the system more reliable, refunds easier, and fares fairer!

[Baysider]

On April 29 this year Translink debited $5.00 from  my Go Card account for what should have been a $3.60 train trip from Central to Sandgate.  I did not discover this until about 2 weeks later when viewing my transaction history on the internet, and I then reported it via the 13 12 30 service.

Some 4 weeks later I enquired again, as my refund had not been processed. I was told that I was not entitled to a refund as none of the card readers at Sandgate station were faulty that evening.  I found this a curious response as I had never claimed that the equipment was faulty.  I re-stated the issue as I had described it the first time, and they again promised I would receive my refund within 10 working days.

Well, it is now over 2 months since my money was taken by Translink, and I still have not received a refund.  I see no point calling 13 12 30 again as they obviouly do not report the situation as it is described to them, and there is no facility for me to report the events in writing to ensure that they are correctly described.  When I reported it via the Translink Feedback web page I received a reply saying "When submitting a fault or problem with your go card, you are required to call the TransLink Call Centre on 13 12 30".  Gee, thanks.

What happens every evening at Sandgate station is that more than 100 people pour off the train and jostle to use the 4 card readers to tag off their Go Cards.  The huge crowd surging through a small area creates so much noise that you cannot hear the "beep" of the card readers as you tag off, so you are forced to bend down and look at the screen to see that the journey charge has been displayed.  However, because people are queued to tag off and the fare and card balance of the last user remain displayed on the reader, you can never be 100% certain that the displayed information is for your Go Card or the previous passenger's.  In the morning this is not an issue as people enter the station gradually and you can actually hear the "beep" when you tag on.

So on the day in question, undoubtedly I would have tagged off (or thought that I had), and observed a fare and balance on the reader that looked correct but was in fact the last passenger's information.  Evidently I actually did not tag off and was thus debited $5.00 instead of $3.60.  If I cannot hear the reader's "beep" and there are fare and balance details displayed on the reader, how can I possibly know that it is my card that has been tagged off?  In all other cities I know of where this type of card system is used, there is a gate which does not allow you to pass unless your card has been scanned correctly.  Instead we have a system where we rely on hearing a "beep" which is not loud enough when the concourse is full of people all exiting a train at once !!

Translink has now kept my $1.40 for over 2 months.  I consider this to be little more than theft.  How do they ever expect people to embrace this system if it costs us money?

[ozbob]

Welcome Baysider!

Sorry to read of your problems. Your experience is similar to what others have reported.  Thanks for the reports it helps inform our concerns and efforts to get this sorted.

As you have probably noted we have long been trying to get the authorities to sort out the go card so it is reliable for quite a while.  It is difficult to hear the beeps and in many situations to read the screens!  They are often fuzzy and depending on light conditions almost unreadable at times. 

The attitude of Translink has been pathetic to many users for a long time.  We are hopeful that the TransLink Transit Authority might be a move forwards but since the 1st July all we have heard is a stunned silence!  The public still does not know who will be the General Manager of the new TTA and I am yet to hear any public utterance from the TTA board etc. 

Now that the TTOs are active with the mobile card readers it is highly likely that go card users will soon be copping not only touch penalties but $150 fines for fare evasion, not because they are actually evading as such but because of the unreliable aspects of the system that we have all been pointing out. 

I am sure some individuals when they cop these big fines will be very vocal in the press, and possibly challenge the system because it is unreliable.  Much of the equipment is clearly not fit for purpose.  As taxpayers we have just and genuine concerns that the Government and it agents has failed the public.