DM's New Fare System

[dancingmongoose]

This is more of improving the current system than making an entirely new one, I am in favour of being charged per km, but for now we may as well make the most of what we've got.

My Fare System:

Passengers no longer charged per zone travelled in, but how many zone boundaries are crossed.
So my daily commute from Oxley to the Gabba is now considered a 2 zone journey instead of 3.

Travel within the same zone: free
This was inspired by Melbourne's "Free Travel Zone". This will particularly help the elderly, who's simple travel down the road to the shops requires a bus due to their physical capabilities, despite being generally considered walking distance. Also increases difficulty to rort.

Travelling 1 zone costs a base fare of $2.50. All zones beyond that increase at 10% increments.
Again, my daily commute is reduced to just $2.75 fro $4.66.
Gympie North to the city: 22 zones, $20.35, currently $21.35
Gympie North to Rosewood: 33 zones, $58.06, currently $21.35

Concessions remain at half price of adult.
Off peak remains at 20% saving

In short, this fare system aims to increase patronage with cheap short travelling, and free for extremely short travel. Also some savings for longer distance travel. However, it increases fares for those who travel from one side of the city to the other who were currently paying nothing or very little once you hit zone one.

[ozbob]

Thanks 

[HappyTrainGuy]

Does that free zone travel apply to the trip total due to the poor network design ie starting zone 5 into zone 4 to transfer to a service that will head about to zone 5 again as opposed to doing a 2hr trip mostly made up of transfer time to say within the same 'free' zone.

[techblitz]

Does that free zone travel apply to the trip total due to the poor network design ie starting zone 5 into zone 4 to transfer to a service that will head about to zone 5 again as opposed to doing a 2hr trip mostly made up of transfer time to say within the same 'free' zone.

valid point indeed...perhaps a workaround could be made....a timing function built into the system somehow...eg: if a bus leaves then re-enters said zone within set timeframe the trip reverts back to free travel for said commuter.......best to rework the zones as well...

[pandmaster]

Free travel within the same zone is a great idea. I think $58 Gympie North to Rosewood is way too much for what is supposed to be a public service and also discourages people from using the system. I would not charge for crossing the same boundary again (i.e. making Gympie North to Rosewood the same as to the City).

[dancingmongoose]

Does that free zone travel apply to the trip total due to the poor network design ie starting zone 5 into zone 4 to transfer to a service that will head about to zone 5 again as opposed to doing a 2hr trip mostly made up of transfer time to say within the same 'free' zone.

A very good point HTG. I don't know the bus network very well so I have no idea how widespread this issue would be. In an ideal world this problem wouldn't exist but our network is less than ideal. The quickest solution would be to rejig the zone boundaries, particularly if they are only one or two stops. If worst comes to worst I think it would be fair to charge for one zone (instead of two) if the route zigzags significantly. Is there a particular example you can bring up?

Free travel within the same zone is a great idea. I think $58 Gympie North to Rosewood is way too much for what is supposed to be a public service and also discourages people from using the system. I would not charge for crossing the same boundary again (i.e. making Gympie North to Rosewood the same as to the City).

Well two things. 1) How many people are making this trip? 2) I fail to see the logic in in a 5 hour train trip costing the same as a 3 hour trip. Unfortunately, petrol doesn't say "I think you've travelled far enough today the rest of your journey is free", why should public transport? The current network seems to reward long distance travel too much. Using current fares, why should a 230km journey only cost 4-5 times that of a one stop journey? Makes no sense to me.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Usually on the fringes and time of day when buses haven't started running, stopped running or times are altered (ala 369 having almost an hour delay in the middle of the day when its timetable changes for no apparent reason). Strathpine to Bracken Ridge. The same for Bracken Ridge to Sandgate due to no Sunday bus services. Also depending on the time of day its faster to head to Zillmere/Chermside/Virginia/Northgate and transfer due to the transfer penalty of the 326/327. The 369 also has 80% of its route in zone 3 ie Mitchelton to Gympie Road is Zone 3 while the busway to Airport link is Zone 2 and Toombul interchange is Zone 3 again IIRC. The train which is faster is a 3 zone trip. If you have an extra 10 minutes to burn you can get their via the GCL in a 1 zone trip.

[Gazza]

How do you enforce the 1 zone rule?
Would it be a go card only thing?

[dancingmongoose]

How do you enforce the 1 zone rule?
Would it be a go card only thing?

Yes, paper tickets phased out.