Metro Tasmania - Fares

[ozbob]

Zone based fares will replace current fares from 1 Jan 2017. Most won't be affected but for more info visit https://t.co/hAVEKOKfYo pic.twitter.com/VFjMYRj9EO

— Metro Tasmania (@metro_tasmania) December 16, 2016

[ozbob]

http://www.metrotas.com.au/fares/farechanges/

Fare Changes and New Urban Adult (Full-Fare) Zones

On 1 January 2017 Metro's urban fare structure will change.

Clear and simple 1 Zone, 2 Zones and All Zones fares will replace section-based Short, Medium and Long fares. The change to zones coincides with the annual fare review.

For the majority of passengers, the only change you'll notice as a result of the new zones is that the new system is easy to understand and more relevant for the Hobart, Launceston and Burnie public transport networks.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/metro_tasmania/status/958784450921250816

[ozbob]

Rail Express --> Tasmania invests $7.5 million towards a ticketing solution

Metro Tasmania has received $7.5 million from the state government to develop an integrated ticketing system for seamless travel across the public transport network.

The existing GreenCard is an electronic ticketing solution across the metro network, with 84 per cent of Metro passengers using the GreenCard regularly according to 2017-18 figures.

The new system, however, will enable a seamless one-ticket journey across Metro Tasmania, the privately-provided bus services and trans-Derwent ferries.

"Metro Tasmania is now working with key stakeholders to plan the transition to a next-generation integrated ticketing platform that improves the accessibility and value of public transport and supports important customer services such as real-time travel information," according to a government statement.

The new system will take into account the latest developments such as tap and go technology and payment fares via contactless cards and mobile devices.

[ozbob]

ABC News --> Peter spends $170 a fortnight on public transport. The city he lives in might surprise you

Key points:

Tasmania has the lowest per capita funding for public transport in the country

One commuter said while the condition of buses and drivers were all good, fares should be consistent across different operators, with a shared ticketing system

Another commuter said there weren't enough buses and "when they are there, they never run on time"

One hundred and seventy dollars — no, it's not a week's rent or a family's grocery bill, it's one Tasmanian man's fortnightly bus fare to Hobart.

Peter McGlone travels from Dodges Ferry, on the outskirts of Hobart, to the city and back each day, using the service provided by private operator Redline.

A one-way bus ticket for the 38-kilometre trip costs $10.70. Mr McGlone buys his tickets in bulk, which brings his return fare cost down to $17 each day.

"I think a lot of people aren't [willing to pay that]," he said.

"I think one way to fill up these massive buses is to drop the price."

One of the issues is that there isn't just one public transport system providing a link between Hobart and growing outer urban areas like Sorell and Dodges Ferry.

While Metro, Tasmania's state-owned public transport operator, services the greater Hobart area, services outside the city are operated by Redline and Tassielink — meaning not all buses use the same ticketing or pricing system.

Karen Hammerstein catches the same Redline bus as Mr McGlone.

She lives in Carlton, a suburb adjacent to Dodges Ferry, and drives to Sorell to save time and money using the park-and-ride service.

"It costs me $12 a day. I buy a 10-trip ticket, so it's $5.90 a trip from Sorell," she said.

Hobart has a population of nearly 250,000, but its public transport system is notorious among locals for being inefficient.

In the Hobart urban area, public transport accounts for just 3.5 per cent of motorised transport.

Ms Hammerstein called for "one ticketing system for all the buses".

She said the service, buses and drivers were all good, but thought the fares should be consistent with the pricing by Metro, the state-owned operator.

Mr McGlone agreed.

"If I try to take trips on Metro of the same length, it's a couple of dollars cheaper than the ticket to Dodges Ferry," he said.

Using a Green Card, Metro's daily price is capped at $9.60 — more than $7 cheaper than Mr McGlone's fare from Dodges Ferry.

"Even though Redline is subsidised by the Government, it is still a lot more expensive," Mr McGlone said.

According to Metro's website, fares are calculated from an origin to a destination.

Non-urban fares are based on zones, which extend from the urban boundary and are defined by the Department of State Growth.

Despite Hobart's rapid expansion to the east, Sorell — about 25 kilometres from Hobart — is still defined as 'rural' by the bus networks and is not part of Metro's footprint.

Sorell's population is 14,000 and is expected to rise to 16,000 in the near future.

Jason Byrne, professor of Human Geography and Planning at the University of Tasmania, said people attracted to the cheaper housing of Hobart's outer suburbs were let down by a substandard public transport system.

"We need to start thinking in a planning sense how we better serve those outlying communities," he said.

Tasmania has the lowest per capita funding for public transport in the country — in 2015-16 Victoria spent four times the amount on public transport per person than Tasmania.

The Cities of Hobart, Clarence, Kingborough and Glenorchy have combined to call for better public transport funding.

"We're a metropolitan area, a city and we deserve to have a quality public transport system so that needs to be addressed," Glenorchy Mayor Kristie Johnston said.

The bus passengers the ABC spoke to all praised the drivers and the conditions of the buses — but the cost, frequency and punctuality of the services were all causes for complaint.

Rob Winterbottom commutes on a Metro bus from Taroona, south of Hobart, to the city.

He said his peak-hour bus home was routinely 10 to 20 minutes late every day.

"There's not enough and when they are there, they never run on time," he said.

To prove his point, he invited the ABC to witness him catching a bus from Franklin Square, in the city, scheduled for 4:32pm. He was still waiting at 4:47pm.

"I'd like to see more buses, I'd like to see more drivers and I'd like to see a timetable that is actually realistic, rather than some fantasy the boffins have thought up," he said.

Professor Byrne said transport would need to be addressed if Tasmania wanted to keep growing.

"We really need the Government to think a bit bigger here, and start higher levels of investment in public transport for Tasmania, because this growth is going to continue," he said.

The State Government was contacted for comment.

[ozbob]

ABC News --> Free bus travel in Tasmania for five weeks to help offset rocketing fuel prices

Key points:

Public bus travel will be free across Tasmania for five weeks until the end of April

The Tasmanian government hopes the measure will ease cost-of-living pressures as fuel prices spike

It is also hoped the measure will ease traffic congestion at peak times

... Fares will be free across all operators, school buses and general access buses — and across all fare types.

An adult travelling inside one zone from Hobart's north into the CBD and back will save $5.60.

Transport Minister Michael Ferguson said in a statement that the government would make all public bus travel free for five weeks with "the dual purpose of supporting family budgets and encouraging commuters to switch from private car travel to public transport".

"While higher fuel prices are due to global fuel market uncertainty, we understand the impact it is causing on cost-of-living pressures," he said. ...

[verbatim9]

Pulse Tasmania ---> https://pulsetasmania.com.au/news/trials-of-new-tasmanian-tap-and-go-public-transport-ticketing-system-begin-soon/

Tasmania is moving closer to a state-wide smart ticketing system for its public transport network.

The tap-and-go system, provided by Cubic Transportation Systems, will allow passengers to pay for bus and ferry trips with a tap of their bank card, phone or watch.

[verbatim9]

Interesting that Cubic now provide ticketing solutions in Tassie.

Cubic are now in NZ, Tas, NSW and Qld.