Ministerial Statement: Pre-loaded the new way to go

[ozbob]

Minister for Transport
The Honourable Rachel Nolan
03/12/2009

Pre-loaded the new way to go

Buying a go card is getting easier and easier with a new product to hit the shelf before Christmas.

Transport Minister Rachel Nolan said new pre-loaded $20 go cards would be available from an ever-increasing pool of retailers as part of the move towards paperless public transport by 2011.

"The pre-loaded card is a ready-to-go, off-the-shelf product similar to a pre-loaded phone card," Ms Nolan said.

"Pre-loaded go cards will be a big help in getting people to try the go card and we know that once commuters become familiar with the technology, they swear by it and the benefits the card offers."

"Using a go card can cut boarding time on buses from 11 seconds to just three.

"On top of the time savings, it is cheaper to use the go card so you can understand why people are looking for new ways to make the switch from paper tickets to smart cards."

Ms Nolan said a major benefit of the new product was that retailers could sell $20 pre-loaded adult, senior and child go cards without the need for the installation of expensive top-up facilities.

"The cards will carry $15 worth of travel and a $5 deposit which allows travellers to use the card to get home once the stored value reached zero," Ms Nolan said.

"go cards will represent even greater value over paper tickets from January 4 and the new product will make a great stocking filler for those still using paper tickets.

"Record numbers of passengers have been switching to go card each day following the recent fare change announcement and the pre-loaded product will only add to that momentum."

Ms Nolan said people could visit the TransLink website to find their nearest retailer.

"The number of go card retail outlets is increasing by the day and this pre-loaded card allows us a great deal of flexibility in terms of welcoming new retailers to the go card network," Ms Nolan said.

Once a go card is purchased there are numerous locations where value can be added to the card, including:

          o selected go card retailers, 7-Elevens and SupaNews newsagents and other independent retail outlets
          o ticket offices at selected QR train stations
          o fare machines at all train stations
          o over the phone (13 12 30) and via the TransLink website (www.translink.com.au).

From Wednesday December 2, all new adult go cards will have their deposit reduced from $10 to $5 in line with the new product.

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

[WTN]

Finally, something to fix the retail distribution problem.  The preloaded cards are a great idea.  Simple to buy and sell.

Now that the deposit is going down to $5, does that mean existing cards get an extra $5 credit?

[ozbob]

http://www.translink.com.au/go.php#fees

* The deposit on adult go cards is now $5. If you purchased an adult go card before 2 December 2009, your $10 deposit will remain valid, and can be refunded to you in full once you complete and return the refund and cancellation form.

[paulg]

There are still simply too few Go Card retailers.

I attempted to find one near my work and gave up after visiting the two closest newsagents without success.

The list of retailer on the Translink website reveals the inadequacy. Only one outlet in all of Auchenflower, Toowong, Taringa (apart from QR stations).

Just not good enough! Incentives need to be provided to get the Go Card into all newsagents. In Hong Kong, customers can use their Octopus cards to buy items at these stores. It's time to look at providing this functionality on the Go Card.

Cheers, Paul

[Emmie]

This is a good move, but I think there should be a $50 card as well - and sell them at the airport.  It's just the sort of thing to encourage tourists to use public transport, but a $20 card will run out the moment they use the AirTrain!  Even better - how about a $50 card for unlimited PT for a set period of time?

[ozbob]

Excellent suggestion Emmie IMHO.  I will tweet it to TL ...

 
@TransLinkSEQ Pre-loaded go cards, good. But what about at $50 one too? Useful for airtrain particularly ...

[somebody]

The other day, I got on a bus in zone 2, then 2 trains from zone 2 to the airport.  That cost me $19.92.  Had I touched off at central & used the pre-paid airtrain ticket in my wallet, it would have cost me $2.32 + the ticket.  Can't this rip off be stopped?

[ozbob]

Couldn't agree more.  TransLink and Government pretend it doesn't happen.  The opposition don't seem to care either.

It is a blatant ripoff, nothing more.

See --> http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=2491.0

Might be time to raise it again, particularly in the context of the looming fare increases.

Cheers
Bob

[STB]

I doubt you'd get any luck with TransLink on this issue as it's outside their area of control.  Airtrain set their own fares. TransLink would have no say in what they are.  Just like with Bay Island Transit Service, TransLink have no say in their timetables and fares.  I would say you might have more luck with the Department of Transport.

Also, Airtrain have got a completely different fare system to TransLink, where it's more distance based than zone based, the further you travel to the airport the more you pay.

All that is happening is you're paying the total fare from the train station you board at the Airport, with the additional normal fare to the station and that will vary depending on how far out you have to travel to get there.  It's no different if you pay for a paper ticket from that station you board at, as the prices between the Go Card and the paper ticket are exactly the same.  Ie: you can take a 2 zone journey on a bus on Go Card and it will always be $2.32, but if you travel from say Robina the Airtrain fare will cost an additional $27.80 and thus the totaql fare would be $30.12, no different if someone dropped you off and you either paid by Go Card or a paper ticket, it would be $27.80 (obviously without the 2 zone travel fare).  However if you travel the same number of zones and board the train at Roma Street, it will cost you $14.50 additional fare, thus the total would be $16.82.

I guess another way of putting it is if you travel from the city to Redland Bay then board a privately run ferry it will cost you $4.16 plus the additional fare that the privately run ferry has.  And it would be no different if you board at Cleveland to Redland Bay ie: $2.32 then additional fare when you board the privately run ferry.

That $19.92 perplexes me somewhat I must say, when I was checking out the Airtrain fares and adding the $2.32, I didn't come accross any Airtrain fare that would provide that result.

[somebody]

Not quite correct STB.  Here's the $19.92's breakdown:
bus zone 2-zone 2: $1.92.
Train zone 2 through city to Airport: $18

If I had gotten on the train without the bus trip, it would still have been $18.  If I had bought a paper ticket on the bus to the city, it would have been $2.90 + using the airtrain ticket in my pocket.  If I had left the station at Central and bought a paper ticket, it would have cost $16.82

The thing is that buses aren't integrated with the airtrain tickets.  And even the train charges a premium to connect from out of the city zone (South Bank-Bowen Hills + Eagle Junction, I believe).  It's ridiculous that they charge extra as compared to paying separately.

[ozbob]

STB  do you understand the actual situation?

If purchase  one ticket from Oxley (Zone 3) to say BNE Domestic it costs

Fare type     Price
Adult  go card single    $19.10
Adult  single    $19.10

If I purchase a tidcket from Oxley to say Central it costs

Adult  go card single      $2.72
Adult  single    $3.40

If I then purchase a ticket from Central to BNE Domestic it costs

Adult  go card single      $14.50
Adult  single    $14.50

So by breaking up the journey using go card the cost is $2.72 + 14.50 = $17.22

I always touch off at Central and then back on to continue to the airport, most in the know do.

If I don't touch off at Central (Touch on Oxley off at BNE Domestic) cost is $19.10

This is the ripoff, Airtrain is actually getting a bonus for the travel on the public part (TransLink) part of the network.  Airtrain has no right at all to receiving a premium for travel on our network.

Fares are from the TransLink planner accessed 4th December 2009.

We have highlighted this many times,  the government, TransLink and all are happy for the punters to be ripped off.  For those in the know, by breaking your journey you can get around it.  From high zones it is quite a substantial saving.

[ozbob]

Media Release 5 December 2009

SEQ:  Airtrain fare con and the new fare strategy?

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 long highlighted the blatant fare rip off for unsuspecting  commuters who travel as a single journey from railway stations on the TransLink network and then the Airtrain from CBD to the airport, as compared to normal fare prices (1). This hits unsuspecting TransLink customers with extra fares which can be avoided by breaking the journey into two stages.  How bizarre for a modern public transport system in that a single journey costs more than two separate journeys? The fact that government appears to be happy that hapless commuters continue being slugged extra  as evidenced by a lack of action to address this rip off  is also cause for concern.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"For example, if you check the online fare calculator on the Airtrain web site, the cost of a single adult go card journey from Nambour to the Brisbane Airport is $28.70 (2).

"Smart commuters do it differently. By breaking the journey into two legs, the correct fares for the first leg for example from Nambour to Eagle Junction is charged, and then subsequently by either purchasing a ticket or touching with go card as a continuation of travel from Eagle Junction to Airport leg the correct fare is charged.  The adult fare from Nambour to Eagle Junction on go card is $8.06.  The Airtrain fare from Eagle Junction to Airport is $14.50.  The correct fare go card fare is therefore $14.50 plus $8.06 for a total of $22.56 compared to the Airtrain single journey go card fare of $28.70.  This rip off is confirmed on the Translink journey planner (2)."

"RAIL Back On Track has pointed out this situation with  the fare rip off previously many times (3).  Why is it that Government and TransLink are happy to allow unsuspecting commuters to be stung?"

"With the new high cost fare strategy rolling out from the 4th January 2010 will this fare rip off continue?  Will go card users be debited with the correct off peak fares for the non-Airtrain legs of their journeys as applicable?  Will this fare rip off be finally addressed. Or will the con be even greater?  Fair questions on fares are they not?"

"Presently people using the Airtrain would be best advised to purchase a single ticket to Central, or use a go card to travel to Central. Touch off if using go card, and then buy another ticket from Central to the Airport or touch back on as a continuation of travel if using go card. The savings can be substantial."

"This ticket pricing circus is again a good example of what is wrong with public transport in south-east Queensland! It is a further disincentive for people not to use public transport.  It puts railway staff in a no-win situation when challenged by commuters as to the inequity of the fare structure."

"Why is it that Airtrain gets an additional revenue component from travel on the public Translink Citytrain network if a rail user uses a go card in a continuous journey or buys a paper continuous ticket?  This additional fare impost DOES NOT apply to connecting bus or ferry travel.  Why are only rail commuters slugged?"

"We need to encourage people to use public transport.  This fare structure for connecting rail travel to Brisbane airport is anti-public transport, another case of rhetoric not matching reality.  We again call on the government to fix this fare anomaly as a matter of urgency."

"The sooner the Airtrain line is brought back into public ownership and integrated properly as part of the normal TransLink network in terms of fares and timetables, the sooner the road congestion issues to the airport will be over (4)."

Reference:

1.   http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=2491.0

2.   http://www.translink.com.au/  Journey planner accessed 5th December 2009

3.   http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=1304.0

4.   http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=720.0

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org