Article: Tough Translink offers no free ride

[ozbob]

From Brisbanetimes click here!

Tough Translink offers no free ride

Tough Translink offers no free ride
Tony Moore | August 4, 2008 - 11:41AM

Translink has ruled out a temporary fine amnesty to help commuters adjust to the new transport go card, despite the death of the cheaper 10-trip saver paper tickets this morning.

Nor will it offer discounts to encourage people to use public transport to get to the Ekka, despite making public transport free to several major football games.

Last week both public transport lobby group Rail: Back on Track and the State Opposition called on Translink to introduce a three-month period where people were not charged a "nominal fee", if they did not "touch on" or "touch off" the electronic go card.

Translink said introducing an amnesty period would make it harder to teach people about the go card.

"The primary focus of TransLink's communications for go card is to reinforce the need to touch on and touch off," Translink spokesman Adam Nicholson said.

"We believe that a blanket amnesty would only serve to make it more difficult to bring about this behavioural change."

"TransLink staff have been talking to public transport users across South-East Queensland as part of this educational campaign and the feedback from these sessions is that the majority of public transport users are comfortable with the concept of touching on and touching off."

However statistics from Translink show differently.

Translink has approved 9,144 refund or fare adjustment requests since the end of January, 4000 of which were granted during a "no questions asked "two-month" introductory period.

Figures obtained by brisbanetimes.com.au show Translink granted another 5,109 refunds after the two-month amnesty ended, which is more than half of all those approved.

However, Translink again insisted earlier this morning that there was still no plans for a second amnesty period.

Translink said the penalties for people not "touching on" or "touching off" were kept low.

"A nominal fare is charged if a go card user does not touch on or off because the system does not have enough information to calculate the correct fare," a spokesperson said.

"This fixed amount has been set at a low level in recognition of the fact that go card users are still getting used to this new system.

"The nominal fare is currently $5 on rail and $3 for bus and ferry for adults, and $2.50 on rail and $1.50 for bus and ferry for concessions."

However Rail: Back on Track spokesperson Robert Dow and Shadow Transport minister Tim Nicholls have both argued for a three-month amnesty to restore public confidence in the go card system.

Meanwhile, Translink has also ruled out ticketing discounts to encourage people to use public transport to get to the Ekka, despite a plea from the RACQ this morning.

Translink said the event organiser, the RNA Association, had not made any agreement wih Translink to cover the cost of opening the Exhibition rail station within the Ekka ticket price.

However, RACQ spokesman John Wikman said people from outside Brisbane would find changes within the city difficult to get used to.

"Clearways operate as signed during the morning and afternoon rush-hours on major roads while single unbroken yellow lines near the kerb on any road means no stopping at anytime," Mr Wikman said.

Two-hour parking restrictions around the RNA grounds still apply, he said.

"The RNA grounds are within the central traffic area, so lengths of kerb space not otherwise metered or restricted by signs can pose a trap for drivers who overstay the two-hour parking limit that applies."

[wbj]

So they put up the straw man of a blanket amnesty and then knock it down.

Of course they would have greater difficulty in rejecting the more sensible option of providing a 3 month amnesty for new users (which their computer based records would readily identify) selectively.  If an amnesty doesn't help users to learn to touch on and off, then why have they done it for the last 6 months?  Is it asking too much to get a logically consistent argument from Translink?

[ozbob]

Media Release 5 August 2008

SEQ:  TransLink Transit Authority ?  Please reconsider an amnesty for new go card users

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport commuters has again called for the Queensland Government and the TransLink Transit Authority  (TTA) to consider implementing a ?no questions? refund policy for new go card users for a short introductory period (1).

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

?When the go card was rolled out in February there was a general  ?no questions? refund policy on application for new users for a couple of months.  This helped to drive uptake as commuters became used to the system.?

?With the withdrawal of the ten trip tickets there will be a lot of new go card users.  The system is not yet completely reliable and many of these new users will cop touch penalties, particularly as they adapt to the new system.?

?If new go card users register their cards, they could be given an introductory period during which they can claim back touch penalties as they climb the go card learning curve. They would of course still pay the fare but be refunded promptly the difference.  This would help drive uptake and reduce the bitter public criticism of the go card that the faulty system and failure to refund touch penalties is generating.?

?It has been reported in the press that 6.5 percent of all go card journeys are resulting in touch penalties (2).  This is evidence as to why an amnesty period is advisable for new users. It can be argued that the go card system is not fit for purpose and go card users may well have just claims as the system is at times faulty. Putting new go card users through an ?inquisition? if they attempt to claim back touch penalties is counter-productive to good public transport policy.  The big risk is of course that commuters will abandon the go card and go back to buying cash tickets from drivers, and in so doing throw the system into timetable chaos.?

?We call on the TTA to please reconsider this call. Even a one month introductory period would do!?

References:

1.   http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=1201.0

2.   Brisbane mX 4 August 2008 page one.

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org