50,000-100,000+ gocards in circulation but transit officers don't have readers??

[Mozz]

Silliness, after stupidity, after incompetence, after toasting hundreds of millions of dollars, then marketing to the public that 50,000+ gocards are in circulation but it seems that transit officers (you know, those ones about to get the ability to handcuff, detain, remove, etc etc people) don't yet have readers to be able to check fares.

This afternoon after travelling on public transport to and from the Caxton street seafood festival I found myself on a train later in the afternoon and was engaged by two very friendly and customer focused transit officers who were doing a great job (on a very quiet sunday afternoon - only 20 or so people in each carriage) checking tickets - I showed my gocard but they could only respond that they didn't have a reader - no reader no checking - I could have been stealing a fare and subject to heavy and harsh penalties - but they were not in the possession of basic equipment which I would have thought was a basic requirement (read basic, basic basic) of their roles with the huge number of gocards in circulation (if you believe the media spin).

Maybe the extra readers are in the same place as the promised extra trains, tracks,drivers, resources etc etc.

But a positive was that the train was on time, (but quite full of food wrappers, empty bottles, and other rubbish - but clean them off and you could get a seat) so it wasn't all bad.

[ozbob]

I have heard that some readers are 'on trial'.

Pity the poor people who forget to 'touch on' come the inquisition ... LOL

$150 plus the $10 for not touching ...