TransLink Smart card the Go Card - what's going on?

[ozbob]

Media Release: 8  November 2007

Brisbane:  TransLink Smart Card Options needed

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport has said that there is a requirement for more options to introduced on the TransLink Smart card from roll out.  Transport Minister Mickel has outlined the Smart card frequent traveller discount and bonus.  This is a good option for some, but is only cost neutral for people travelling 10 trips per week. What is needed is an occasional trip option (See reference 1) and a high use option based on weekly and/or monthly fares.

Robert Dow said:

?RAIL Back On Track has received feedback that clearly indicates that unless there are further options the commuter uptake of the Translink Smart card will be poor. This will then negate the potential benefits of increased efficiency in terms of faster loading of buses and river transport, and reduced direct ticket sales and cash handling.

?An occasional trip option would mimic the present Ten Trip Fare Saver ticketing.  There would be no time limit and fares could be charged at a flat rate less 20% as for the present ten trippers.

?Another option would be to have pre-purchase of travel at weekly or monthly blocks.  This could then entitle the holder to unrestricted travel in the zones purchased.  It would be pay as you go until the respective weekly or monthly fare cap is reached, and at which point travel would be free in their zones for the remainder of the week or month as the case may be.  This would be very beneficial to students and workers who need to do multiple trips during the day and would also allow economical travel on all days of the week.

?If uptake of the Smart card is at a high level there are many benefits in terms of accurate data collection as to passenger loadings on various services and will facilitate improvements as well as the overall efficiency gains.

?There is really only one opportunity to get the initial roll out right and encourage maximum uptake of the Smart card ticketing!

?It is essential that all TransLink commuters can become Smart card enabled in a cost neutral manner, otherwise they will continue to use paper ticketing with  increased costs and consequent reduced efficiency of our public transport systems,? said Robert Dow, spokesman for RAIL Back On Track.

Reference:

1.    http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=285.0

Contact:

Robert  Dow

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

[ozbob]

CAST (Community Action for Sustainable Transport)  have put out a media release on the SC.

CAST --> http://sustainable-transport.blogspot.com/

MEDIA RELEASE  CAST
________________________________________________________

SmartCard fare structure not very smart
_____________________________________________________________

The Transport Minister must revise and improve the proposed fare structure for the SmartCards if he wants regular and occasional public transport users to use them.

Under the proposed fare structure, the first 6 trips each week will be charged at full price, with a 50 percent discount to apply to all other trips made within a week. Commuters who now purchase weekly paper tickets, and who make regular trips more than 10 times a week, will be financially disadvantaged  if they convert to the new Smartcard system.

Some very frequent users changing from a weekly paper ticket would see their fares more than double.

Occasional bus and train commuters who now buy and use Ten-trip Savers will be similarly disadvantaged.

This is not the way to encourage public transport users to sign on to the SmartCard
system. Translink must offer financial incentives to encourage commuters to use PT services more regularly. The proposed fare structure will discourage many commuters who for convenience and cost buy weekly tickets, by imposing higher charges on them if they buy a SmartCard. How dumb is that?

The Minister says that paper tickets will continue to be available. CAST notes however that Translink expects that SmartCards will ultimately replace all paper tickets ? apparently without providing comparable fares. Holders of paper tickets avoid having to remember to swipe their SmartCards or face a penalty.


Translink must offer occasional users a Smartcard version with a similar discount to the Ten-trip Saver, with a six-month validity period.


There must be a weekly cap placed on SmartCard fares, so that the 11th and subsequent trips are free of charge.

Translink must devise and introduce innovative incentives to attract more people to use

public transport and to use it regularly. If the Minister wants more people to use public transport,

he must instruct Translink to modify the SmartCard fare structure to make it attractive to existing commuters, and to all those potential passengers who would leave their cars at home if public transport services and fares were an attractive alternative.

[ozbob]

As predicted, the Sydney Tcard (smart card ticketing) is finished by the looks of things!

From Sydney Morning Herald  click

$64m Tcard fiasco over

$64m Tcard fiasco over

November 9, 2007 - 5:03PM

The controversial Tcard contract will be dumped after years of delays and a $64 million bill.

NSW Transport Minister John Watkins told a news conference late today that the problem-plagued attempt to set up an integrated public transport ticketing system for Sydney had cost the State Government $64 million since 2002.

Mr Watkins said a notice of intention to terminate had been issued on Monday to ERG Limited, the Perth company that had been contracted in 2003 to introduce the Tcard system.

It was supposed to give commuters one ticket that could be used on all forms of public transport - trains, buses and ferries.

He said ERG would be given 20 business days to meet its milestones, after which the Government could move to end the contract.

"Enough is enough," Mr Watkins said.

"This has been a very frustrating project."

Mr Watkins said the Government has given the company every opportunity to meet the terms of the agreement.

"Commuters deserve a modern, integrated ticketing system across the public transport network, and we?re committed to delivering such a system," he said.

He said the 20-day notice of termination period was in the government's contract with ERG. The minister waited until late this afternoon to make the announcement to allow ERG to issue a statement to the Australian Stock Exchange.

In its statement, ERG said it expected that the contract would be dumped by December 3.

"Due to delays in the technical development of the system and certain customer [NSW Government] actions, ERG has failed to achieve particular milestones in the project schedule," it said.

However, the company indicated that it did not think the project was lost, saying it plans take up its right to submit another plan for completing the work.

"We are confident that this plan will demonstarte ERG has the necessary processes, resources and commitment to deliver the project and the benefits of an integrated ticketing system for the people of NSW," it said.

The Tcard fiasco has been an long-running embarrassment for the State Government. It originally promised to have an integrated public transport ticketing be in place for the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

When that deadline was missed, ERG promised full commuter trials of the technology in November 2004. That deadline was also missed and trails were delayed again until the middle of last year.

In August ERG's chairman Colin Henson said new problems would postpone the technology yet again.

ERG has attempted minor trials on State Transit buses, but that met with problems when, in June, 420 bus drivers boycotted the trial because they had to repeatedly stop driving to fix the Tcard reader when it crashed.

Tale of woe

2000: Tcard to be delivered in time for the Sydney Olympics

2001: ERG and Westpac win contract to deliver the technology, with 2005: deadline for full ticket integration

2004: Deadline for full commuter trial passes in November

2005: Commuter use of Tcard delayed again until 2007

2006: State Government renegotiates contract terms with ERG and a second deadline for commuter trial expires

2007: Software problems cause yet more delays, and on November 9 the Government said it would terminate the project's contract after spending $64 million on it since 2002.

[bladesplace]

G'day everyone,

I've been in the Smart Card Pilot since Day 1, and I am sorry to say that the entire programme is far beyond a debacle and has finally reached the 'scandal' stage.

What makes me say that? It's because the Frequent User scheme. Essentially, the Smart Card will actually penalize heavy public transport users. Those of us who make multiple trips per day will be much better off sticking with a paper weekly ticket ? or heaven forbid, a paper daily ticket.. Those of us who wish to make weekend trips will also be better off sticking with a paper weekly ticket. Of course, what will happen when paper tickets are eventually phased out?

But what's even worse is that the Frequent User scheme actually severely penalizes those who commute from longer distances, even if they only make 10 single trips a week ? like the Ten Trip schema that the Minister appeared to use. Here is the proof.

Let's look at weekly travel from Cooroy (zone 22). Note this is a pensioner/student/concession smart card, so double the cost of everything for an adult card.

A weekly paper ticket - unlimited travel over 7 days - $55.90

For comparison, a daily ticket costs $17.20, whilst a single ticket costs - $8.60. You'll notice that a weekly ticket costs the same as 3.25 daily tickets.

Now, let's look at the smart card costs, based on the 10 trips per week schema.

6 x zone 1-22 full cost @ $8.60 = $51.60
4 x zone 1-22 half price scheme @ $4.30 = $17.20
Total Charge = $68.80

That is an extra $12.90, and doesn't even include any extra trips one might make - either during the day or on the weekend.

Double these figures for a standard adult smart card - and that's an extra $25.80 to pay for the privilege of having a smart card! I dread to think of what will happen when paper tickets are phased out.

So TransLink, how is this a fair fare?!

Of course, I expected some sort of rort - Cubic and TransLink have agreed to share the revenue the Smart Card programme generates, but I didn't believe it would be on such a massive scale. I thought that TransLink was supposed to get people onto Public Transport, not away from it. :|

Cheers

Blade

[ozbob]

Hi Blade,

Welcome!  Thanks for your comments, as you know we have been pointing out the cost implications for some time too.   Your corroborations are very valid, particularly as you are in the pilot.  RAIL BOT has put forward a number of options (as earlier in this thread) which would make it cost neutral or better for all.  It is essential that present daily weekly and monthly fare caps are replicated on the card.  Otherwise the uptake is going to be very low.

I think there might be some more options to come yet.  Certainly hope so.

Cheers
Ozbob

[ozbob]

Just for information. In Beijing they introduced a Smart card ticketing system in about a year flat from conception to roll out. It works very well with a range of discounts for travellers. As a result it is very popular with the masses. This is something we could have imported rather than lead painted, doped bead, toys? LOL.

It sort of highlights the mediocrity and futile efforts with not only Tcard but our own TL Smartcard experience as well ...


eg. http://www.chinapaymentsnews.com/2007/04/contactless-transit-card-is-popular-in-beijing.html

Contactless Transit Card Is Popular in Beijing
April 25, 2007

Beijing has issued more than 10 million contactless public transport cards since the e-ticketing system was launched in April last year. About 10 million transactions are carried out per day on average. Thanking for a promotional programme launched by the local transit authority on January 1, 2007, commuters in Beijing now enjoy a 60% discount on using their cards for bus payments.

--------------------

This interesting too Beijing Subway --> http://bjsubway.com/ens/sis/oos/vequipment/AFC/index.html

The fact they rolled out their smart card in a year or so from conception to roll out, across all modes with decent discounts means it is widely used and accepted. 

Are you reading this TransLink, and Government??

[ozbob]

Another email correspondence sent to Minister and others.

TransLink Smart Card - Serious concerns

10 November 2007

Dear Minister,

RAIL Back On Track is concerned that there is a failure by TransLink, and other transport agencies to fully comprehend the need for an equitable fare structure on the Translink Smartcard.  The Frequent user with bonus discount fare is equitable only for those doing 10 trips a week essentially.  Commuters who use the Ten trip tickets on an opportunity basis say two or three times a week, and commuters presently using weekly and monthly tickets will have significant cost impacts on their travel unless some other options are made available from roll out.  Students and workers doing multiple daily trips will also suffer a cost penalty.  As it stands the TransLink Smartcard will act as a major disincentive for people to use public transport.  A perverse outcome.

We have received feedback from Smart card pilot participants that the trial has not been satisfactory.  Much feedback simply ignored by TransLink.

Unless the fares match the present paper ticketing costs for commuters they will not use the Smartcard.  This will negate the potential benefits it promises terms of cost savings and improved public transport efficiency that would otherwise be achieved following roll-out.

We invite you to read our Smartcard discussion thread on the message board at RAIL Back On Track --> http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=135.0

Please read the entire thread and you will then understand what a disaster in the making this will be, unless equitable fares are available for all.

Your sincerely,

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

[bladesplace]

You're welcome to pass on my figures.

I know that most weekly tickets are the cost of four daily tickets.

However, after a certain zone, it decreases to 3.5 daily tickets and then to 3.25 daily tickets. I'm not sure the zones, but I believe the Southern Gold Coast is in this situation, as is most of the North Coast Line and probably Rosewood, too.

It's ironic because the convenience of the Smart Card will benefit North Coast commuters the most, as hardly any stations up there are attended, and there are even some stations without the new AVMMs. Unfortunately, they're the ones that will end up paying an awful lot more under the Smart Card.

Cheers

Blade

[bladesplace]

Derwan,

You would have been banned even if you hadn't of said anything. The Moderator checks everyone's names against their master list of Smart Card participants - eventually. I was banned the instant I joined because they couldn't spell my name right. I ended up giving them my Smart Card number just to get back in.

They're extremely overzealous - just like TransLink these days!

Cheers

Blade

[Derwan]

Derwan,

You would have been banned even if you hadn't of said anything. The Moderator checks everyone's names against their master list of Smart Card participants - eventually. I was banned the instant I joined because they couldn't spell my name right. I ended up giving them my Smart Card number just to get back in.

Hi Blade.  I remember you from the pilot forum.  I was a member there for quite some time before being banned after posting.  It gave good insight (at the time) as to how things were going.

Are you able to comment on the specifics of how things are going now - or did you sign a non-disclosure agreement?

I think it's interesting that Sydney canned their system.  For a while I was thinking that Brisbane should do the same.  I heard information (3rd hand) from someone high up on the smart card project.  She was making a number of trips to America (at taxpayers' expense) to try to get the problems sorted.  She didn't believe it was ready for pilot but was apparently told it was to go ahead - with the known problems to be fixed during the pilot period.

[ozbob]

RAIL BOT has called for it to be junked at various times eg.  --> http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=198.0

It would be interesting to find out if time lines have been met by Cubic.  The fact that it is years late here would suggest probably not.  One can only congratulate the NSW Government for at least waking up to the shambles, whilst here in Brisbane they still will not confirm date of roll out (although probably middle to late December).

What amazes me is that China can roll out very successful programs in a year from conception to rollout, across various PT modes.

I think Governments in Australia have been conned, and the taxpayer is left carrying the can.  How else can they explain the blatant cost increases in travel with the TL Smart card as detailed so far?

And all the other technical issues that are still to be sorted ...

[ozbob]

From Smartcard alliance:

Click here!

Extract from the statement, July 2003. 

In my opinion we have  been sold out by Government and Queensland Transport.

Work on the contract will begin immediately, with a trial scheduled for late 2004. After commissioning of the system, Queensland Transport will turn over all ticketing system operations and maintenance, regional clearing and settlement, card management and customer services to Cubic for a minimum of ten years. Secondary revenues accrued from any third party applications and commercial opportunities will be shared between Cubic and Queensland Transport, thus helping to defray the capital cost for the new system.

---------------------------------------------

An opinion piece in Courier Mail  31 August 2007--> http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,22333602-5012447,00.html

"The smartcard ticketing project is a managerial disaster, a political disgrace and a public scandal."

Said Terry Sweetman in the article "Purge sins on passage to hell".  A great read.

[bladesplace]

I remember you from the pilot forum.

G'day,

Is that bad? LOL. I'm pretty outspoken and vocal on there. I'm really angry at how badly the whole pilot is being run, and of the complete lack of information.

I don't think I signed a NDA, but it wouldn't matter if I did because all the information from there has been spread online anyway, and TransLink don't seem to want to talk to us Pilot Participants anymore.

Cheers

Blade

[ozbob]

Our $134 million dollar touch smartcard system!

The touch on/off device eastern end of Oxley railway station, unusable due to water penetrating the device and condensing on the screen.  Is this typical of the rest of the system?  After roll out, what will people do, run down the other end of the platform??



Photograph:  R B Dow 12 Nov 2007

[ozbob]

Submitted to Courier Mail November 12

The price impact of the smartcard on commuters' public transport travel costs can be very substantial under the scheme that has been outlined by Transport Minister Mickel.  The article "Fears of rise in bus fares 'over the top'" (C-M Nov 12) has highlighted the impact on bus commuters who use the soon to be phased out 10-trip savers.  To dismiss this as an exaggeration as was quoted in the C-M article further confirms the lack of understanding of the true impacts of fare cost increases at the Ministerial level.

Commuters who do multiple daily trips or more than 10 trips per week are also at a very substantial cost disadvantage compared to present paper ticketing costs.  Unless there is a cost neutral or better outcome for smartcard, uptake will be poor and the advantages of the smartcard in terms of overall cost savings and improved public transport efficiency will not be realised.  There is an urgent need for further fare options to be available on the smartcard to encourage uptake.

[Derwan]

Our $134 million dollar touch smartcard system!

The touch on/off device eastern end of Oxley railway station, unusable due to water penetrating the device and condensing on the screen.  Is this typical of the rest of the system?  After roll out, what will people do, run down the other end of the platform??

The one at Boondall (Platform 1, southern end) is exactly the same.  In fact, this was the comment I made in the Pilot forum (after which I got banned), responding to similar concerns from people in the pilot.

Also, some idiots have taken it upon themselves to vandalise the screens by scratching them, making them even more difficult to read.  Add to this the glare from the sun at certain times of the day (making screens virtually impossible to read), and pretty soon people will be relying on the red/green lights and beeps when they tough on/off without even attempting to look at the screen.

It could be that this design hasn't been tested before - at least not in our weather conditions.  (Surely they wouldn't have rolled out this design if it had been tried elsewhere and there were known issues.)

[ozbob]

Media Release 12 November 2007

SEQ:  Smartcard: Would you pay $134 million for faulty equipment?

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org)  a web based community support group  for rail and public transport has highlighted problems with the equipment that has been put in place to support the eventual roll out of the TransLink Smartcard.

Robert Dow said:

?If you or I  paid $134 million dollars for equipment we would hope that it was tested, reliable and fit for purpose.  We as taxpayers are in fact paying for equipment that has already failed and it is still not in general use.

?The picture below is of the touch on/touch off smartcard device at the eastern end of Oxley railway platform.  As can be noted it is moisture affected, and the screen has also been vandalised.  The moisture means it can not be read.?



Photograph: R B Dow 12 Nov 2007

?This is not the only example of damaged equipment across the system.

?How on earth will commuters be able to use such devices?  Will they need to sprint to the other end of the platform to access the device at the western end of the platform before boarding the train?

?RAIL Back On Track calls for all smartcard equipment to made serviceable prior to roll out, a request that we believe is not unreasonable,? said Robert Dow, spokesman for RAIL Back On Track.

Reference:

1.  http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=135.0

Contact:

Robert Dow

admin@backontrack.org
Administration RAIL Back On Track

<--  me sprinting down platform one at Oxley 

[Zoiks]

Yeah its pretty disgusting really.
You would think one higher up person would see this and just go WTF.

The touch screen machines are still stupidly unresponsive. You touch the screen, wait at least 10 seconds for them to get out of the screen saver. Press the first button, and it takes at least another 10 seconds to respond to that. Every other push is a hit and miss affair.

Translink once had my respect... that is long gone though. These devices should have never made it past their prototypes with their current flaws

[ozbob]

Channel 7 Brisbane had a short story (12th Nov) on the loss of the 10-trip saver tickets and impacts.
Not online unfortunately.

Still, helps to get community awareness on the possible impacts.  Very little publicity at this time re Smartcard. Wonder why? 

[ozbob]

The touch off / touch on device has now been repaired, quick response! Amazing what a bit of publicity can do!!    

Hope it doesn't leak next time it rains!!

Thanks for fixing it so promptly Cubic/TransLink.




Photograph:  R B Dow 13 Nov 2007

[Derwan]

I'm on holidays at the moment, so may not be catching a train for a while - but next time I'm at Boondall Station I'll check on the one there.

On the topic of the ticket machines, I hope they leave the old ones indefinitely.  The first time I had to buy a daily after the new machine was switched on, I tried it out.  (It was a novelty.)  I was heading to the city.  Unfortunately I chose the option to select a station from an alphabetical list, so had to go through a cumbersome process to find Central.  I have since heard that selecting by map is easier.  Either way, I like the old machines.  3 button-presses, cash in, ticket out.  At most there are 6-button-presses.  Why couldn't the new machines be designed around the same process - with the same code-list for stations?  It would've made life so much simpler!

[Zoiks]

The touch off / touch on device has now been repaired, quick response! Amazing what a bit of publicity can do!!    

Hope it doesn't leak next time it rains!!

Thanks for fixing it so promptly Cubic/TransLink.




Photograph:  R B Dow 13 Nov 2007

Im going to go and record trying to use new Translink ticket machine and post it on youtube. Also what is the go with only giving dollar coins in change.

[ozbob]

There is a letter to the editor in today's CM,  highlighting the impact on 10 trippers as we have constantly pointed out.  As predicted, unless equitable fare outcomes for all there will be a revolt.  Just imagine the chaos if all the ten trippers purchased daily tickets off the drivers each morning?

It is appalling that some in the Government apparently condone free travel by family and staffers (as reported in the Brisbane mX 13th Nov) but 'scoff' at the impacts on commuters!

[CNsylvester]

Bob, also at the end of the day, for example Petrie Station, a couple of hundred people all squeezing thru the station vestibule awaiting to swipe their card. 

Already those trialling hold up the others.

I just can't imagine a couple of hundred people waiting for their turn to swipe.

[ozbob]

Thanks for your comments. 

There may well be a case for additional touch devices at busy stations such as Petrie.  The buses have two at the rear exit doors, surely this principle must be transferred to busy stations such as Petrie where the the numbers exiting are much greater??

Regards
Bob

[ozbob]

Another letter to the editor in today's Courier Mail (15 Nov) highlighting impact on users of 10-trippers.

Surely an option can be made available on the Smartcard that replicates the ten trippers as we have called for previously.  For this option the card would operate in a single trip mode with a 20% on each trip as for the ten trippers.
If the 10 trippers go back to buying daily tickets the buses will grind to a halt.

[Derwan]

You know - with this whole ten-trip thing - those catching trains never had the option of discounted irregular travel.  I imagine it was introduced so that bus travellers wouldn't have to purchase a ticket from the bus driver every day - and because each ticket is checked, it was easy to make it trip-based rather than time-based.

Are we to expect the government to wear reduced revenue by offering a new discount to train travellers?  How do we expect them to pay for more train crews, trains, lines and stations if the revenue is reduced?

Why should those only catching public transport on the odd occasion be entitled to a discount?  That defeats the purpose of a "frequent-traveller discount".

Removing the ten-trip savers makes travelling on the Brisbane Public Transport system fairer for everyone.

[ozbob]

Good point Derwan.

I think though that if you compare the cost of a ten tripper it was the same as weekly.  Depending on weekly usage you could argue that ten tripper was dearer ...

Both effectively had 20% or higher discount (high zone weekly).  By offering the same ticketing equivalent as one of the options on the smartcard it would encourage uptake by the 10 trippers. 

If uptake is high efficiency and cost savings are made (minimises the need for cash handling and so forth). 

If the ten trippers revert back to buying daily tickets it will throw the bus timetables into confusion. The letters suggest that this is what they might do as some sort of community protest.  It would seem that the 10 trippers are not happy at all.  The average rail commuter, as we first commented probably does 10 trips per week (M to F) and is probably OK (that is cost neutral on the scheme announced so far), but it would be preferable to have a weekly cap.  But the high frequency  users  (7 days, and/or multiple separate trips) will be paying more a lot more unless there are further options.  You can argue OK that is fine as doing more trips.  But as with many things frequency equates with efficiency and discount.  Also there are the environmental savings to factor in. If the more you use it the cheaper it is, better outcome for all.  Will go some way to ease road congestion.

Another example of how it will affect bus travellers.

A comment received:

Don't forget the 10 trip type option. My daughters have ten trips and they last them 8 workdays  (they go 5 mornings and 1 afternoon a week on the bus so we only have to buy 3 tickets a month),

This is typical of trip patterns of many on bus.  Bus one way, parents pick them up on the way home etc. Seniors like the 10 trippers too.

Overall if such an option was introduced it would be cost neutral to present fares, but with the potential of overall savings for the reasons mentioned above.

Many complex and counteracting issues.  Most smartcard systems around the world have very significant discounts relative to paper ticketing.  We have not seen that yet with the Briz card ...    For many it will cheaper for them to use either paper daily or weekly tickets.  Not a good outcome IMHO.

Cheers
Bob

[Derwan]

I realise that some people who use ten-trip savers will be worse off.  One of my colleagues at work is a part-timer who works 3 days a week and takes advantage of 10-trip savers.

The thing is, with the inequity of the ten-trip savers being for bus travellers only, we are faced with the following choices:

1.  Abolish 10-trip savers
2.  Introduce equivalent savings across the board - giving train and ferry travellers the same discounts
3.  Determine a compromise

Option 1 disadvantages less-frequent bus travellers.
Option 2 disadvantages TransLink - effectively reducing the cost of every single ticket (not currently covered by weeklies, etc) by 20%.  This is not sustainable in the long term.
Option 3 disadvantages both less-frequent bus travellers and TransLink - but to a lesser extent.

I do not agree with the argument of bus travellers buying daily tickets.  If using the smart card is the same price, I know I'd be going the smart card option to save hunting for cash every trip.

[ozbob]

If using the smart card is the same price, I know I'd be going the smart card option to save hunting for cash every trip.

That is a key point Dewan IMHO.  As it stands it is not the same price if they use the card  as if they buy a daily they can do multiple trips during the day and cross the various modes, bus, train and river in the zones outside the transfer time limit that applies to the Smartcard trips.  The Smartcard will cost them more on the fare scheme outlined so far.  The Smartcard really needs to operate on a daily fare cap, with weekly and monthly fare caps. The myki card being developed for Melbourne will operate like this.  This is the sensible solution IMHO, most commuters would be happy and cost neutral to present revenue.

This issue (buy daily ticket as protest) I think again highlights why the cost of Smartcard must be a lower level to encourage uptake.  The lost fare revenue on an occasional trip option (mimicking 10-trippers)  would easily be offset by the efficiency gains and lower costs re cash tickets sales and so forth.

There is also the big advantage of high uptake of the smartcard of very accurate data on commuters travel patterns which would allow easy fine tuning of timetables etc, again avoiding the need for costly manual surveys.

Just some thoughts.

Cheers
Ozbob

[ozbob]

Long article A deal stuck in transit Sydney Morning Herald

The State Government is caught between a smartcard and a hard place in a dilemma of multimillion-dollar proportions, write Linton Besser and Elisabeth Sexton.

click here for full article!


More on the Sydney Tcard:  Tcard marriage not over, but wooing's started

From Sydney Morning Herald, click here!

Tcard marriage not over, but wooing's started

Linton Besser Transport Reporter
November 17, 2007

TECHNOLOGY, transport and investment companies have begun to lobby the NSW Government over the potential for a new transport smart card contract, as the beleaguered Tcard project hits a new low.

In just over two weeks, the Transport Minister, John Watkins, and his cabinet colleagues will decide the fate of Sydney's smart card.

On November 5, the Public Transport Ticketing Corporation, which runs the project, issued a notice of its intention to terminate its contract with ERG Limited.

The directive came after a delay notice in September and a request from the company for more time to implement the technology on the CityRail network.

ERG executives are scrambling to rescue the project, and will deliver a "remedial program" on November 30 in a bid to persuade the Government to forge ahead. But other potential suitors are in the wings.

Downer EDI, which has a $3.6 billion contract to deliver new rail carriages for NSW, and the French defence and technology company Thales have quietly begun talking to their Government contacts.

Macquarie Group has sought smartcard expertise in Australia and London, in its endless search for potentially lucrative deals.

In an industry with a small number of serious players, smartcard providers across the globe have been watching Sydney - one of the world's most complex projects - with interest.

While ERG's software has been found wanting on many occasions, project delays can also be traced to poor Government policy on the difficult question of fares.

The contract demands that ERG replicate all existing fares, as well as the new Tcard fares. It means that, compounded by variations for geographic zones, periodical tickets and concessions, there are about 500 variants that Tcard must be able to process.

ERG say its other projects around the world have been vastly simpler. In Rome there are about 10 fare products, in Hong Kong there are about 12, and Melbourne's magnetic-stripe regime is underpinned by 13 fare products with a total of 54 variants.

The public bus trial has been under way for a week. The company's chief operating officer, Steve Gallagher, said it would take years for another contractor to bring Sydney this close to a smartcard system.

"If they completely terminated our entire contract and ... if they didn't take the opportunity to make a simpler fare product environment, then I think you would be five years away," he said.

Meanwhile, the Opposition's transport spokeswoman, Gladys Berejiklian, is likely to call for a supplementary hearing into the project, which could force the ticketing corporation's chief executive, Elizabeth Zealand, to appear at the inquiry.

At a parliamentary estimates committee hearing on October 15, Mr Watkins refused to answer 13 consecutive questions from the Liberal MP Matthew Mason-Cox about the status of the project.

His answers were provided to the Opposition this week.

"We are bitterly unsatisfied with the minister's response on this issue," Ms Berejiklian said.

"He has misled the committee and the Parliament and we're taking steps to do everything we can to get to the bottom of this," Ms Berejiklian said.

Glen Byres, who is a spokesman for the Premier, Morris Iemma, said: "We are not aware of any contact or discussions with the Premier's Department by any company."

[Derwan]

it is not the same price if they use the card  as if they buy a daily they can do multiple trips during the day

I see what you mean.  For those few people who plan to do multiple trips per day, buying a daily would be cheaper.

Our office is at Spring Hill.  Occasionally people like to head to the city at lunch time.  If they have dailies or weeklies, they can jump on a bus at no cost to save the walk.

On the upside though, if they are a full time employee and they do a lunch-time trip to the city (zone 1 only) on Monday or Tuesday, their 50% discount (for a higher zone number) will kick in from Wednesday instead of Thursday.

If you live in zones 7 to 10, you could actually save money by doing zone 1 trips in the middle of the day on Monday and Tuesday so that your 50% discount kicks in earlier in the week.

E.g.  You live Zone 10 where a one-way ticket to the city is $6.70.  On Monday you do a zone 1 trip during lunch time.  (You have up to 60 minutes to transfer so a return trip would be considered one trip.)  Then on Tuesday after work you catch a train over to Southbank to watch a movie before heading home.

Current weekly = 8 x $6.70 = $53.50

Smartcard with discount:
Trip 1 (To work on Monday) = $6.70
Trip 2 (Lunch time Monday) = $2.30
Trip 4 (Home on Monday) = $6.70
Trip 5 (To work on Tuesday) = $6.70
Trip 6 (To Southbank on Tuesday) = $2.30
Trip 7 (Home on Tuesday) = $6.70
*** 50% discount kicks in ***
Trip 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 (between work and home Wed-Fri) = $3.35 x 6

Total cost: $51.50.

I'm not sure the saving would be enough for people to actually PLAN zone 1 trips during their day.

As for the planned revolt (purchasing dailies from bus drivers instead of using the smart card) by people who fall into the majority (full-time employees going to and from work only), the only people who will suffer are the commuters - including the ones actually staging the protest.  Pretty soon they'll get over it - and other commuters will get angry at the protesters for holding them up.  It wouldn't last long.

[ozbob]

I like it Dewan!   

I plan to do a few Gold Coast trips on days 4 and 5   

Regards
Ozbob

[Derwan]

On the topic of the fine for forgetting to touch off, if you live in a zone where the one-way ticket is greater than the fine, you might as well "forget" to touch-off every day.

Assuming you travel to the city for work, if the fine is $15, those living in zone 20 are paying more than this for a single ticket.  If the fine is $10, it's those in zone 14 or above.

Why not introduce an incremental fine system that would be reset monthly?

E.g.  Fine for first failure to touch off = $5.  Second failure = $10.  Third = $15.  Forth and subsequent = $20.

This would make it fair for those who genuinely forget to touch off once a month.  A more relaxed system could be put in place initially (to allow people to get used to touching off), then a more strict system could be put in place later.

Another idea is for an e-mail to be generated automatically to the card-colder in an overnight process if they forgot to touch-off.  This would let card-holder know where they stand in relation to which "fine" would be imposed. 

You could also have a process to request a "manual correction" if you can demonstrate what zone you were travelling to (e.g. regular travelling to and from work).  This could be limited to 1 a month and an administration fee (e.g. $3) could be imposed to "correct" the fare.  If combined with the system and example above, it would be cheaper to allow the $5 fine to stand for the first failure to touch off - meaning the manual correction would only be required if people forgot more than once in a month.

I'm just throwing in ideas here.  At work I'm involved in developing systems to record information so am used to coming up with alternative ideas to make things simple and workable.

[Derwan]

I had to change the example in one of my previous posts.  I just discovered something that is going to disadvantage anyone who lives in zones 11 or higher.  (Not sure if this has been mentioned before.  I don't remember seeing it.)

From zone 11 onwards, weeklies cost less than 4 dailies.

I had used zone 15 for my example, assuming the weekly ticket would be 4 x $22 (daily) = $88.  Instead, a weekly is $71.50.

Does this mean that people in the higher zones will lose this extra discount if they use the smart card?  For a saving of $16.50 per week, they will simply continue to purchase paper weeklies!

[ozbob]

Yes, high zone weekly tickets have a slight different cost basis. (see here --> http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=135.msg1019#msg1019 )

I think if there was a daily cap, weekly and monthly fare limits on the card the majority would be OK.
Some ten trippers would be at a disadvantage but they would be able to use their ticketing across all modes something cannot do at the moment.

Your idea about the touch off penalty is a good one I think.  We have been informed that the penalty will be reduced for a period following roll out.  I hope there is a clear explanation of what the administrative procedures will be for system failures and reimbursement when not the card holders fault.  Eg. arrive at destination station and touch off device is faulty or something.

[ozbob]

From  http://www.translink.com.au/qt/transLin.nsf/Index/smartcard_frequentuser
Accessed 20 Nov 2007

Regardless of whether you travel by bus, train or ferry, smart card will provide a 50% discount on every trip taken after your sixth journey made in a seven day period from Monday to Sunday.

This means customers who travel to and from work each day will pay the same as on a ten trip ticket, but with the added benefit of being able to travel across the network.

At the moment, passengers only receive the benefit of ten trip ticket discounts on certain bus lines and the benefit does not apply at all on the rail network.

This is just the first product that will be offered to passengers through the smart card.

It is primarily targeted at regular commuters, who make up the majority of public transport users. TransLink will continue to develop new products that will be offered through smart card into the future.

Single, daily, off-peak daily, weekly and monthly paper tickets will still be available. If customers prefer to continue travelling on these tickets, they can.

Please note, the frequent user scheme will come into effect following the completion of the TransLink smart card pilot. Pilot participants will continue to receive the pilot discount until the conclusion of the pilot.

Note: "This is just the first product that will be offered to passengers through the smart card."

[ozbob]

Had a meeting with the General Manager of Translink, Mr Luke Franzmann 21 Nov 2007.

Thank you Mr Franzmann for the meeting and giving us the opportunity to outline our concerns and questions with the card.

I was able to discuss our concerns with equitable fare outcomes, and many other issues concerning the Smartcard viz.  transfer times, touch off penalty (flat fare), extra touch devices at busy rail stations such as Petrie and Indooroopilly and other technical issues. Other general issues such as timetable improvements and communication were also discussed. Confirmation of some increased services March 2008, with more in September 2008  Roll out of the card is still on track for Dec 31st and will be progressively introduced for regions from that date hopefully.

There are more options to come in terms of fare options, although initially they wish to keep it straightforward.  In the Ministers statement of the 1st Nov, and as quoted above there are further options to come, although there is a desire to keep it straightforward for initial roll out.

I also confirmed our position re the Smartcard is one of general support as the benefits of a successful transition are significant in terms of cost savings and improved efficiency of the public transport system. 

Regards
Admin

[ozbob]

Noticed the touch devices at Oxley railway station were on yesterday.  Also some  ticket gates closed at Roma St and Central.   Testing prior to roll out for real?



Devices still on this morning (28th).   

[ozbob]

Touch device Eastern platform Oxley.  Now on.



Photograph:  R Dow 29 Nov 2007