Free Pensioner Travel on Gold Coast

[sgmc1009]

I've heard that the only way the Gold Coast City Council knows that the free off-peak travel for seniors has been successful is by the increased number of injuries to pensioners reported. Go figure!

[SurfRail]

I'm in constant contact with GCCC and this is news to me.

[Set in train]

On a serious note, when this proposal was first publicised, I had lengthy and informative chat with one of the GCCC staffers pushing the project along.

The thrust of my conversation was encouraging GCCC to take leadership in deciding from what age should be eligible for this proposal. I pointed out that every other jurisdiction in Oz with PT considers a senior to be 60+, not the backwards, penny pinching 65+ that it is in Qld.

This GCCC staffer agreed with me but said the cost of implementation to rewrite/program within Cubic would outstrip the cost of the scheme alone. GCCC staffer said the main focus was simply to get this off the ground and see how it goes and worry about such things later, a 'would be nice to have' category the reduction to 60+.

Door was left open should the Cubic contract be changed when current one expires.

It is ridiculous that Queenslanders aged 60, 61, 62, 63 or 64 receive PT concessions when interstate but not in their home state. Where else but Queensland indeed 

[SurfRail]

There is going to be an issue when light rail starts running because the revenue arrangement only covers the bus services.  Even now you can't get access to free train travel.

I honestly think the money is better spent on just delivering more services.  It's a few million bucks worth.

[ozbob]

http://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/thegoldcoast/free-bus-travel-for-gold-coast-seniors-17698.html#.U0NPUd3YeLk.twitter

Free Seniors Travel Trial extended

Since 2 September 2013, eligible Gold Coast seniors have been able to travel for free on Gold Coast Surfside buses from 9am to 3.30pm, Monday to Friday.

In January 2014, this benefit was improved to an earlier boarding time of 8.30am in line with changes made by TransLink.

The trial was due to end on 31 March but, due to overwhelming support, we have extended the trial to the end of August 2014. Registered Free Travel Seniors can simply show their go card (with the original silver sticker) to the bus driver when they board, and these cards will be honoured until the end of August.

Note: Free Seniors Travel does not apply on QR trains and will not apply on light rail services when they begin.

The Free Seniors Travel trial is part of the City's drive to encourage more Gold Coasters to use public transport, and to make better use of existing services.