2014 fares

[BrizCommuter]

No reports of people doing the go card rort today, as they are probably all "extreme rorters" and reached the 9 and free yesterday.

[ozbob]

No reports of people doing the go card rort today, as they are probably all "extreme rorters" and reached the 9 and free yesterday.

I was on the trains and buses out west today, there were a few coming and going .. so to speak!  Cool huh?

(That is those who actually bothered to have ticketing ..  I have given up on trying to count the touches vs. no touches .. )

[STB]

Every time I see a paper ticket user, I'm reminding them to switch to the Go Card.  Amazingly there are people out there who think that the Go Card is more expensive than paper, and I think it's probably because of the upfront costs in getting one, even though they end up better off in the long run.

[ozbob]

Couriermail Quest --> Fare price hike taking its toll

Bill Johnstone COMMUTERS are looking for ways to notch up short journeys and take some free trips, as latest public transport hike gets expensive.

Note:  This article is presently coming up with server error at the CM, I have notified them ...

[ozbob]

An interesting Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 10th January 2014 page 9

My submitted letter in reply is below.

Use the train? I'm not that desperate



==========================

10th January 2014

Dear Editor

Your correspondent Heather Blackhall (Use the train? I'm not that desperate, Letters QT Jan 10) makes a number of interesting points. Firstly though one important point, statistically travel by rail is around 40 times safer than car travel, bus travel is around 10 times safer than cars.  Using public transport, particularly rail, you are less likely to a victim of road trauma.  However, balanced against that is the time it takes, how accessible the public transport is and of course the cost.  Fares in south-east Queensland are simply too high and are now amongst the worlds most expensive, a point well made by Heather.

Getting people onto public transport saves a lot of money in the big picture.  Road trauma costs - fatalities and injuries are significantly reduced.  Congestion on the roads is improved.  Environmental impacts are lessened. Most public transport involves an element of active transport (walking or riding to and from bus stop or train station) this also has positive health benefits. One has to question then why is the Government forcing people off public transport in south-east Queensland with high cost anti-public transport fares?

Our local Members of Parliament in the Ipswich region have been publicly very quiet about the fare meltdown in south-east Queensland.  It is time they stood up and helped get in place a fare system that makes public transport first choice, not last choice as it is for Heather.

Yours sincerely,

Robert Dow
Goodna

[curator49]

Heather Blackhall like so many others blames Queensland Rail for the poor service, overcrowding, high cost of fares etc instead of sheeting the blame home to where it belongs - Translink and the Government. Queensland Rail is doing the best it can under the circumstances.

[STB]

Heather Blackhall like so many others blames Queensland Rail for the poor service, overcrowding, high cost of fares etc instead of sheeting the blame home to where it belongs - Translink and the Government. Queensland Rail is doing the best it can under the circumstances.

It's a very common error.  I think it's due to the fact that there are passengers, like Heather, that use the train and the train only, they ignore other modes, so they automatically assume that the fares are related to the trains (Queensland Rail) and don't realize that the ticketing system is integrated and in fact are paying for the zones traveled.  For that, that's an education issue.

I must admit, I'm a bit bemused that she thinks that the train will derail, that's actually a very rare thing in the world, especially Australia, makes me think that if people hear of one derailment, they think it'll happen all the time, and changes their perception of how they see things.  Ie: it becomes all in their head, but isn't the reality.

[ozbob]

Couriermail Quest --> Fare price hike taking its toll

Bill Johnstone COMMUTERS are looking for ways to notch up short journeys and take some free trips, as latest public transport hike gets expensive.

Note:  This article is presently coming up with server error at the CM, I have notified them ...

Couriermail have now sorted the link and the article is now accessible ...

[ozbob]

The spin from the Government is laughable in this article ..

Fact.  Each trip on the network costs $2 (average fare) + $6 (subsidy).

The Governments flawed logic says the 9th trip to work Friday morning say really costs $8, but the free journey home on the system only costs $2 ....   

The real cost is 75,000 x $8 x 52 = $31 millions per annum.  This cost is going to increase exponentially this year is my guess.

Many reports of ' one stoppers ' out on the network this week already ... 

A Government that actually understands the serious situation with the fare fail would act to sort it ..

Clowns ...

[James]

To extend on this - people still blame BCC for issues to do with the bus network. People pay their rates and if BCC delivers an inferior service, they blame BT and not TransLink. That being said, given Minister Graham Quirk effectively runs TransLink thanks to the bus cost explosion, that's not far off the truth... sad but true.

It's a very common error.  I think it's due to the fact that there are passengers, like Heather, that use the train and the train only, they ignore other modes, so they automatically assume that the fares are related to the trains (Queensland Rail) and don't realize that the ticketing system is integrated and in fact are paying for the zones traveled.  For that, that's an education issue.

I must admit, I'm a bit bemused that she thinks that the train will derail, that's actually a very rare thing in the world, especially Australia, makes me think that if people hear of one derailment, they think it'll happen all the time, and changes their perception of how they see things.  Ie: it becomes all in their head, but isn't the reality.

It's like plane crashes - people only think it's a significant possibility because when it does happen, it makes news headlines. People dying in car crashes happens every day. People don't realise that you're more likely to die from obesity (and its effects) or in a car crash. In the UK, statistically speaking, you have a 1 in 8000 chance of dying in a car crash in one's life time. Compare this to rail, where the statistics are 1 in 500,000, and bus being 1 in 13,000,000. (Source: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/scientists-calculate-odd-ways-to-die-282884)

Admittedly this is a UK source, so probably biased a bit, but I personally feel a lot safer getting on the Caboolture train or the 412 compared to getting in a car, especially when you see how some people drive in Brisbane. I think the probability of dying in a car crash is a lot higher here - some say as high as 1 in 100.

[bcasey]

It's a very common error.  I think it's due to the fact that there are passengers, like Heather, that use the train and the train only, they ignore other modes, so they automatically assume that the fares are related to the trains (Queensland Rail) and don't realize that the ticketing system is integrated and in fact are paying for the zones traveled.  For that, that's an education issue.

I must admit, I'm a bit bemused that she thinks that the train will derail, that's actually a very rare thing in the world, especially Australia, makes me think that if people hear of one derailment, they think it'll happen all the time, and changes their perception of how they see things.  Ie: it becomes all in their head, but isn't the reality.

It's like plane crashes - people only think it's a significant possibility because when it does happen, it makes news headlines. People dying in car crashes happens every day. People don't realise that you're more likely to die from obesity (and its effects) or in a car crash. In the UK, statistically speaking, you have a 1 in 8000 chance of dying in a car crash in one's life time. Compare this to rail, where the statistics are 1 in 500,000, and bus being 1 in 13,000,000. (Source: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/scientists-calculate-odd-ways-to-die-282884)

Admittedly this is a UK source, so probably biased a bit, but I personally feel a lot safer getting on the Caboolture train or the 412 compared to getting in a car, especially when you see how some people drive in Brisbane. I think the probability of dying in a car crash is a lot higher here - some say as high as 1 in 100.

I think another factor is people don't like to feel that they aren't in control. In an aeroplane, train or bus, if the vehicle is in an accident, you don't have a feeling of being in control, although there are things you can do to improve your survivability in some situations. However, driving a car, you are in control of your own actions and your own vehicle, although in reality, its often the actions of another person that will cause you to be in an accident and you don't have any control over what they do.

People in general do not really understand statistics, although they may think they do, and are very biased from their own personal experiences.

[#Metro]

OMG, another cost explosion, this time from Gimmicks!

$10 million per year is about 2 or 3 BUZ routes if you leverage off exising bus routes and upgrade them - we could whack Centenary, Albany Creek and Bulimba all in one go.

KABOOM!

[HappyTrainGuy]

You might even be able to squeeze in more additional services with the associated rerouting of routes in those areas.

Hahaha. Re derailments. Lets throw around some actual SEQ stats. There have been plenty of derailments in the SEQ network over the decades but since electrics have been running there has only ever been 2 derailments in where a passenger carriage has actually tipped over completely on to its side (as far as I know only 3 carriages all being EMUs have ever done this - 2 in the Petrie freight derailment/1 in the Mayne derailment. Trinder Park had the two lead carriages on an angle after the front bogies dislodged from the frame but they still stayed somewhat upright) and only 1 of those 2 trains were actually in service/manned at the time (so in reality only 1 carriage of a train in service with passengers has tipped over. No passengers were seated in the first carriage that tipped over due to the common practice at the time of locking the front carriage in the direction of travel at night so infact no electric passenger carriage has tipped over with passengers onboard). The Trinder Park head on has been the only incident involving a passenger fatality (not to forget that a driver unfortunately died aswell) and that was the poor kid who was sitting directly behind the drivers cab. Its really the only incident involving serious injuries to passengers onboard. That was back in 85. Compare that to the roads. I know what is safer to travel on for commuting that's for sure.

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Anger at translink hikes leading to fare-evasion

Some Brisbane public transport users have confessed to fare evasion due to skyrocketing Translink prices.

An online petition requesting an urgent Queensland government review of the state's fare structure attracted nearly 2000 signatures in just more than 24 hours after it was posted on Wednesday and sparked a flood of complaints.

The site has become a forum for dissatisfied commuters and former commuters to vent their frustration at the high cost of public transport.

The vast majority of commenters say they want to catch public transport but that driving to work and parking remained the more economically viable option.

"Its affecting my ability to save for a house," one commenter wrote.

"If I drive to work its currently $4.17 cheaper than public transport. The government wants to keep the bulk of vehicles out of the city, why would you increase public transport costs."

However, some said they don't have that option.

"Because I don't drive. I am reliant on public transport and find it prohibitively expensive when travelling to and from work each day / five days a week. It costs approximately $80 a fortnight just for Monday to Friday. It is absolutely outrageous," another commuter posted.

Brisbane transport blogger Briz Commuter recently published an analysis of urban public transport fares worldwide that shows Brisbane ranks as the fifth most expensive city for a five kilometre trip to the CBD.

As of Monday, single-trip, peak trips in one zone with a Go card cost $3.53, while the same journey with a paper ticket costs $5.20.

On the petition forum, many alluded to fare evasion, while others stated it outright.

"I can't afford to continue to use the trains and thus regularly don't pay. I know I am not alone in this," said one man.

Petition organiser Josh Donellan said when six trips in one day in the inner city can cost up to $30, urgent action needed to be taken.

"People are getting really angry about it," he said.

"For me I use public transport as much as I can but in terms of broader issues, people on low incomes are getting no concessions, its difficult for for families without cars and some students can't afford to go to classes at uni.

"Some people are being forced to fare evade."

Mr Donnellan said the key measures that could ease the pressure on commuters were the introduction of daily and monthly tickets, concession fares for low income earners and a review of the zoning system.

Following the implementation of the fare hike on Monday, a spokesman for transport minister Scott Emerson said 200 extra train services would begin on southeast Queensland's rail network on January 20 and fares would be subject to review.

"We'll continue to improve public transport affordability ... and find further savings before making a decision on future fare changes," he said.

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/anger-at-translink-hikes-leading-to-fareevasion-20140110-30mtd.html

[ozbob]

How many reviews do we have to have?  Just sort it ....

Fare evasion is rampant sadly ...  and as predicted  ...

Sent to all outlets:

7th January 2014

Greetings,

The fare system in SEQ is in serious trouble.  As we expected there are numerous reports of go card users doing one stop bus trips yesterday and the like to reach the 9 journey cap.  Clearly the fare increase this week has pushed many to the point where they will now actively use the gaping gaps in the fare system to extract free travel.

The fare system needs urgent action to stop significant fare box leakage and frank fare evasion, which if not quickly addressed will lead to further significant fare increases.

It is time to consider these points:

1. Abolish all paper tickets within 6 months. Melbourne and Stockholm have already done so.  go card off peak fares are 55% of the equivalent paper single ticket!

2. New fare system is needed. Adjust pricing increments to lower or remove flagfall.  Fix zone anomalies.

3. Remove all gimmicks and replace with everyday low fares.

4. Increase the off-peak discount.

5. Reverse the Queensland Government's 1925 decision to hand public transport control to BCC.

6. Reform the bus network as was proposed by TransLink in 2013.

Best wishes
Robert

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

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

11th January 2014

Greetings,

Spin doesn't cut it hey?  Rampant rorting and fare evasion confirmed and as predicted.

Anger at translink hikes leading to fare-evasion --> http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/anger-at-translink-hikes-leading-to-fareevasion-20140110-30mtd.html

Time to sort the fare system.

Best wishes
Robert

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

[#Metro]

Marc Fotsch-Heatley AUSTRALIA

    about 6 hours ago
    Liked 0

We could have such better services for cheaper if the network was rationally designed

AHAHAHAHAHAH 

This is what happens when do-gooders get together with change resisters and shoot down the bus review.

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 11th January 2014 page 15

Rail and bus transport safer than using cars

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

11th January 2014

Greetings,

Spin doesn't cut it hey?  Rampant rorting and fare evasion confirmed and as predicted.

Anger at translink hikes leading to fare-evasion --> http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/anger-at-translink-hikes-leading-to-fareevasion-20140110-30mtd.html

Time to sort the fare system.

Best wishes
Robert

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

973/4KQ news have followed up.  Thanks for the interest ...

[ozbob]

^ Fairfax radio news have also followed up on the fare crisis ...   

Thanks ..

[ozbob]

Media release 12th January 2014



SEQ: BCC Bus Cost Explosion Engulfs Community

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers highlights growing community anger with the public transport cost explosions.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"One year on, it is now possible to observe the long term effect of Brisbane City Councillors opposing the TransLink bus review. In our opinion BCC's opposition has contributed to a cost explosion on public transport affecting all of SEQ. BCC does not set fares, but it does set bus supplier costs and obviously, higher costs equals higher fares."

"In our opinion, it is extraordinary that after two bus reviews, BCC's bus monopoly continues to operate a hi-waste service paradigm that operates buses as if they were taxi-style services. Naturally, this has led to taxi-style fare levels, along with $400 per council ratepayer subsidies to prop up the inefficient bus network."

"The cosmetic changes to the bus network, the fare gimmicks and spin tactics are now not working. Anger is spreading across family dinner tables around SEQ. Ordinary passengers are being affected and disillusioned."

"We call for the Queensland Government to reverse its 1925 decision to hand BCC public transport control. By losing control of the bus route planning to BCC, the Queensland Government has lost control of service costs and let ticket prices of public transport explode. BCC did not allow Brisbane Transport to properly cooperate with the TransLink during the main bus review process, effectively sabotaging real reform."

"It is a sad irony that the councillors that went around claiming that they were concerned about representing the interests of the disadvantaged and needy are the same people now responsible for causing a massive cost explosion that is slamming low income and the disadvantaged into the ground," concluded Robert Dow.

Here are some examples from the petition ( https://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/scott-emerson-minister-for-transport-and-main-roads-reduce-translink-fares ) going around:

"I would be happy to pay premium prices for a premium service. However, as it stands the BCC transport service is far from premium."

"I cannot afford on minimum wage to get to my job."

"I'm currently on a Centrelink wage while I spend my days job searching. As the prices were before the new year rise I struggled with my budget just getting to and from maybe 3-4 interviews on a weekly basis. With the new prices I would be lucky to be able to make it to 2 while still paying my rent (A meagre $100 by the way) in addition to dedicating myself to full time job hunting."

"As a student on centrelink, current rates already eat a lot of my weekly budget. I simply can't afford more expensive rates. It is cheaper to drive!"

Robert Dow continued " We think this comment on the petition sums up our consistent position neatly:

Marc Fotsch-Heatley AUSTRALIA 'We could have such better services for cheaper if the network was rationally designed.'

"As we have always said, the sooner the bus network control is removed from BCC hands, the quicker the network can be re-organised to be efficient, properly mode integrated and fares lowered."

References:

1. SEQ: Bus cost explosion - zone one paper ticket fare breaks $5 barrier http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=10447.0

2. Kangaroo Point 234 bus passengers upset over wait times and walking http://www.couriermail.com.au/questnews/city/kangaroo-point-234-bus-passengers-upset-over-wait-times-and-walking/story-fni9r0jy-1226749825307

3. Pensioner protest over bus route changes http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/pensioner-protest-over-bus-route-changes-20131030-2whig.html

4. Scott Emerson, Minister for Transport and Main Roads: Reduce Translink fares
https://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/scott-emerson-minister-for-transport-and-main-roads-reduce-translink-fares

Contact:

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

[techblitz]

peition is at 2750 signatures....with uni students coming back soon..this will easily hit over 3000.
Too bad the powers that be will just ignore it.
indeed.....there is not much political gain to be had if they did a fare review now....

[ozbob]

Yo TB,   sad hey ..

Still it shows the resentment against the fare fail ...  I won't give up ...   be assured ...

[Gazza]

Slightly OT, but anyone notice this pearler in the comments of the BT article.
Any electrical engineers on this forum must be facepalming right now:

[ozbob]

I think that was blog comments, not the article itself?  Ed: Sorry, just realised you said comments ..

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/anger-at-translink-hikes-leading-to-fareevasion-20140110-30mtd.html

Noted ...

[#Metro]

I vaguely remember that person was a loose cannon that did wander into this forum briefly many years ago before being removed?

[aldonius]

Golli, that's a double facepalm. If I had a third hand I'd use that too!



At least he's been rebuffed twice now.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Does the redcliffe line have a similar completion date as the elevated Geebung line?

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Ipswich Advertiser 8 January 2014 page 10

Public transport fee hike

[BrizCommuter]

Lots of commuters spotted doing "the go card rort" again today.

[techblitz]

Recently saw a commuter hop off a citybound train at central platform 3/4.
She then tagged ON.....got the 10.00 fixed fare....didnt care.....didnt go thru the platform 3/4 gates....not sure if she jumped back on the train or went upstairs to tag off.
Left me wondering though...

[Arnz]

The "annual" gathering at Maroochydore Bus Station for the short trip to Cotton Tree (600) or down Aerodrome Road (616) sighted again today.

[Gazza]

Recently saw a commuter hop off a citybound train at central

Aren't passengers getting off at Central classed as Citybound  :conf

[James]

Recently saw a commuter hop off a citybound train at central

Aren't passengers getting off at Central classed as Citybound  :conf

techblitz could also mean a City-terminating train.

But never underestimate people's stupidity. It wouldn't be that difficult to simply reach over the fare gates and "touch 'on'" either. That being said, most fare evaders are dumb to begin with, so it's probably a good thing that this person is being slugged $10.00 + a possible fine/$20.00. Unfortunately these same people then complain about fixed fares, play dumb and whine to TransLink about how they are being "robbed blind" by "unfare fares".

[#Metro]

My GoCard has about $6 on it. Only a few days ago I fed it at $20 note. Also being slammed with stupid fixed fares every now and then as well, $10 flew out of my account not so long ago due to malfunction at Roma St fare gates, I rang up and requested adjustment but because my card was not registered, I got asked a whole heap of questions about where I had been, when did I do my last top up blah blah blah, more time wasted, then was told that it didn't match (I have 4+ go cards now as when I forget I buy another one rather than walk all the way back home, so I can't remember the travel history of all of them now) so then I have to PHONE UP AGAIN... I can begin to see why a small minority holds on to paper!!

GRR!!

My main irritation is the fares, the machine just eats $50 and $20 notes like no tomorrow and if you are on Centrelink Newstart, ($400 a fortnight or thereabouts - $30 per day and you have to pay RENT and all utilities out of that too), this is BAD BAD BAD.

I spew on these fares!

[techblitz]

Recently saw a commuter hop off a citybound train at central

Aren't passengers getting off at Central classed as Citybound  :conf

arrived platform 3 so most likely a fg or airport bound

Forgot to add....She.tagged ON..right in front of the fare gate guard...

[longboi]

My GoCard has about $6 on it. Only a few days ago I fed it at $20 note. Also being slammed with stupid fixed fares every now and then as well, $10 flew out of my account not so long ago due to malfunction at Roma St fare gates, I rang up and requested adjustment but because my card was not registered, I got asked a whole heap of questions about where I had been, when did I do my last top up blah blah blah, more time wasted, then was told that it didn't match (I have 4+ go cards now as when I forget I buy another one rather than walk all the way back home, so I can't remember the travel history of all of them now) so then I have to PHONE UP AGAIN... I can begin to see why a small minority holds on to paper!!

GRR!!

My main irritation is the fares, the machine just eats $50 and $20 notes like no tomorrow and if you are on Centrelink Newstart, ($400 a fortnight or thereabouts - $30 per day and you have to pay RENT and all utilities out of that too), this is BAD BAD BAD.

I spew on these fares!

Am I seriously the only person in South-East Queensland who doesn't get fixed fares?
Either I seem to have some magical touch or there are some slight exaggerations going on here and in the comments section of certain news websites.

Why don't you just get your other cards down to a negative balance, throw three out and register one?

[Golliwog]

I haven't gotten any for a while. I think my most recent one was due to a bus having the go card system break down mid journey so I was unable to touch off. No problem getting a refund though (waited till the next week and got that plus the 10th trip made free all in one go, easy as pie).

RE: LD having 4+ cards. I too have bought a new card once or twice when I forgot my normal one (though now with the 9 and free being so worthwhile, I almost religiously make sure I have it on me everywhere) but every time I have I either get it refunded as cash when I finish using it (I do normally end my journeys at FG station so I get this may be easier said than done for you) or take it and my normal card together and get the balance and deposit transferred. Having $40+ tied up in go card deposits makes no sense to me.

[James]

Re: Forgetting go cards. I never forget mine - I suggest keeping it with one's wallet. Note that other 'chip' cards will cause interference (Visa Paywave cards, UQ ID cards and Queensland 'smart' drivers licenses all interfere with them), so if wishing to keep the go card in one's wallet, make sure to keep your go card away from them!

Fixed fares - I can't remember my last one. I had a slew of them around August/September (mostly due to double touches, and in one instance, the driver letting me off the bus yet not activating the go card reader), but since then I haven't had one. I figure my fixed fares help cover my excessive amounts of free travel (both due to transfers and due to 9-then-free).

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

14th January 2014

Go card rorting alive and well, fare system in meltdown

Greetings,

Many reports of lunch time one stoppers on the go card yesterday ( http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=10048.msg137384#msg137384 ).

The TransLink fare system in SEQ is in total disarray.

How the punters rort the system, no brainer actually.

Some examples, using post 6 Jan 2014 fares ...  lunch time zoners.

A commuter catches the 524 bus from Curnow St to Goodna rail, train to Roma St.  This is  6 zone journey, peak fare go card adult is $7.05.

So if commuter does this journey to and from work each day, cost for the week is 9 x $7.05 = $63.45  (10th journey home is ' free ' )

If the commuter does a one stop bus ride each lunch time M T W, cost is $2.83, off peak fare go card adult so costs in fares $2.83 x 3 = $8.49

So cost of travel to reach 9 paid journey threshold is $7.05 x 6 = $42.30  + $8.49 = $50.79.

So already ahead $63.45 - $50.79 = $12.66  Person can now though not only travel for free to work Thursday and Fridays and weekends but could do more travel on Thursday and Friday as well for free.

As zone length of journey increases savings become much more significant.

For example a 15 zone journey, peak go card adult  cost $13.78

Do three lunch time zoners costs is $8.49

Cost then $13.78 x 6 = $82.68 + $8.49 = $91.17

Compared to 9 x $13.78 = $124.02 for a standard weekly commute .. so three one stop bus trips at lunch saves $32.85 each week.

You see, the fare system is a farce ... don't get angry, get even ...

Is there a fare system anywhere else in the world as silly and unsustainable as that for SEQ?  A responsible government would sort it now!

Best wishes
Robert

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