29 May 2008: Call for urgent clarification of go card conditions of use ...

[ozbob]

Media Release 29 May 2008

SEQ:  RAIL Back On Track calls for urgent clarification of go card conditions of use

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 said the go card guide to cancellations and refunds has been missing from the Translink go card web site for weeks (1). Go card users are being treated with contempt.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

?I advised the Translink go card call centre of the dead web link for the go card guide to cancellations and refunds on 22 May 2008.  I was assured that the data team would be notified. Still the conditions of use are not available and there is not even a notice advising users.  Users are left to click on endless loops on the web site.?

?In the Courier Mail today is the revelation that the touch penalty on the air train services for the go card will be $25 (2).  Perhaps the reason that the conditions of use is ?missing in action? is that users are being lined up for further rip-offs.?

?The previous secret policy of limiting the period which users can claim refunds to 5 weeks is an outrage (3). Is this being hastily added to a re-write of the conditions of use??

?As it stands today, go card users are in complete ignorance with respect to the conditions of use of their go cards.  This is an unacceptable situation and is acting as a further disincentive for uptake and use of the go card  (1).?

?It is a great pity that the potential benefits of the go card for public transport on the Translink network are being squandered by incompetent Government and Translink policy.?

?RAIL Back On Track members find it extremely concerning and disappointing that go card users are being treated in such an off-hand manner, with the now failure to inform users of the terms and conditions of use as more contempt and flawed policy.?

?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 (4). This was an appalling situation, and now users ripped-off during that time look like they are not able to claim their excess penalties and fares due to the 5 week limitation. Is this fair and just??

?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.  http://www.translink.com.au/qt/transLin.nsf/Index/go_conditions

2.  http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,23774351-952,00.html

3.  http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=916.0

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


Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[ozbob]

A go card guide to cancellation and refund has appeared here!