Go card survival tips for new users!

[ozbob]

With the all the new users coming on board with the go card, least we can do is give them a few helpful tips!  Please add your tips!

Some to get started ...  

1.  Print out this FAQ and carry it with you.

'What if I can't touch on or touch off because the card reader is not working?

If all card readers are not working at a station, on board a bus or ferry and despite your attempts, you are unable
to touch on, you can travel for free to complete your trip. You should not touch off at the end of your trip.
If questioned by an authorised staff member, you will need to advise them of the time and station, or service,
where you were unable to touch on or touch off due to the unavailability of any working go card equipment.
In the case where other card readers are available for use, you must touch on from a working card reader
before travelling.'"

Reference: Go card user guide http://download.translink.com.au/go/080701_userguide20,21,22,23,24.pdf

Note if you cannot touch on, don't touch off as you would normally or otherwise you will cop a fixed fare penalty.

2.  If you forget to touch off, you have 5 hours to do so from when you first touched on for your journey.  So you can duck back to the station and touch off.

3.  Be alert when touching on and off, look and listen for all the signs when touching, beeps, screen, and light flashes.  Sometimes the screens may have deteriorated, or have moisture on them (outside and inside) that can make it difficult.  Sun glare can also be a problem.  The light codes can generally be seen, the beeps don't always work.  Yes, we know, it is hard with these issues but persist, you will get there in the end.  If you are booked for fare evasion as your go card is not touched on and you thought it was when you 'touched on', challenge it in court.  There are plenty of examples here on this site and elsewhere of equipment that is not fit for purpose and under those circumstances it would be a reasonable defence in my opinion, particularly if you have credit on your go card of course, which is prima facie evidence of your good intents!

4.  Where there are go card gates, go through the closed ones, as it is good reinforcement of successful touches.  Avoid the open gates.

5.  Register your go card.  In case you lose it, the card can be cancelled and the credit transferred to a new card.  This also allows you to gain online account management access.  This is useful as you can check your go card history, and also set up the auto top-up, which means you don't have to worry about regularly adding money to the go card.  The online side of the go card is good.  By checking your go card history regularly it is possible to pick the fact that you may have been overcharged.  Errors do occur, don't assume it is infallible, it is not.

6.  When touching off in the peaks, avoid running to go card readers as you might trip and fall.  We know that many stations don't have enough readers, just be patient, and you will get through eventually.  

7.  You are allowed a maximum of three transfers on a journey, therefore you can have a maximum of 4 trips (different sequential modes) in one journey, providing you meet these conditions from the go card user guide:
http://download.translink.com.au/go/080701_userguide.pdf

Transferring is easy, and your go card will automatically
calculate one overall fare for your whole journey.

Remember these simple steps:
• your journey must continue from within the same zone
your previous trip ended. If the stop is a dual zone
stop then you can continue from either zone

• you should continue your journey by touching on
within 60 minutes of touching off at the end of your
previous trip

• your journey may consist of a total of three transfers

• the final trip of your journey must commence within
three and a half hours of the start of your first trip

• your whole journey must end within a five hour period
from start to fi nish to be considered a single journey

• if you are transferring between QR services and you
don't leave the station or platform between transfers

you only need to touch on at the start of your journey
and touch off to end your journey – you don't need to
touch off between QR services unless you leave
the station or platform for any reason.

That's it! If you follow these simple steps the go card
reader will display the message 'Continuation of Travel'
when you touch on at the start of each new trip and you
will only pay for one journey.

Trip one - say bus
Transfer 1
Trip two - say train
Transfer 2
Trip three say bus
Transfer 3
Trip Four  say ferry.  Finish journey

Depending on your travel trips, you could actually do more than four if say you transferred at Roma St or Central between different rail services.

This is very handy and can be used for low cost travel.  For example if you travel from Oxley (zone 3) to Central (zone 1), conduct some business and touch back on with one hour and travel back to Oxley you only pay one zone 3 to 1 fare overall.

8.  Off peak fares will be available on the go card from the 4th January 2010.   All trips commenced after 9am, before 3.30pm, after 7pm and on weekends and public holidays will initially have a 10% discount relative to normal fares.

9.  Many regular go card users (myself included) have reported that they have sometimes forgotten to touch on and/or off when doing travel different from their normal daily go card commute.  Be extra vigilant when doing travel that is not your normal routine, concentrate on your touches!

10.  When using a go card present the go card flat to the readers.  As soon as the touch is registered quickly remove the card.  Personally I keep my go card in the plastic go card holder rather than in a wallet as some other cards could interfere.  The go card is a RFID card, other RFID cards eg. a corporate staff identity card, some student cards can interfere.

11.  If travelling to Brisbane Airport on the Airtrain do the journey as two separate trips, this will save you money.  For example if travelling from Ipswich touch on at Ipswich normally, at Central go out the gates and touch off.  Wait a few minutes then touch back on and board the Airtrain.  Touch off at the Airport.  Alternatively you can purchase a paper ticket for travel from Central to the airport or on the web.
Full details of this fare ripoff can be found here --> http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=3091.0


ooOOOoo

[Emmie]

I caught the train at Sandgate at 8.45 this morning.  This is a popular train with irregular users, rather than commuters.  There was a woman from Translink or QR on the platform showing new GO users how to use their cards - helping them to touch on, and showing one elderly woman how to top up her card.  She was cheerful and helpful, and the passengers were chatting very happily with her about how unfamiliar the new system was.  I don't know whether she was there all morning, but it was good PR work.

[ozbob]

I think it might have been one of the Customer Service  (QR) staff members?

[ozbob]

The legislation that covers fare evasion can be found --> here!

Chapter 11A Fare evasion and other offences is relevant.

It says clearly inter alia .. with respect to A person evades payment of a fare

... does not, without a reasonable excuse, pay the fare
lawfully required or, if using a smartcard, does not
tag on; or

S143AB

The key word is reasonable ...  The consumer action law centre in Victoria has an information sheet on Public transport fines.  It is in a different jurisdiction and not directly relevant for Queensland.  But their comments on what is 'reasonable' are of some relevance.


Transit Officers

http://www.citytrain.com.au/about_your_trip/security_safety/security_staff/security_staff.asp

Transit Officers

There are approximately 86 Transit Officers operating across the QR Citytrain network.

The role of Transit Officers is to provide quality customer assistance, control fare evasion and provide a physical security presence on the network. Transit Officers have the power to issue on-the-spot fines for ticketing and behavioural offences.

Transit Officers are level three authorised officers for QR. Under the Passenger Transport and Operations Act 1994 this empowers them to:

   * Request that an individual(s) produce a ticket
   * Request evidence of concession entitlement
   * Request the provision of a name and address
   * Ask that an individual(s) leave QR property
   * Remove an individual(s) refusing to leave QR property
   * Issue a Penalty Infringement Notice (fine) for a range of railway related offences        

No where does it outline the passengers rights ...  you are entitled to request appropriate ID and you are able to take down their name and number.  Also note, some TOs may be in plain clothes.

Footnote:  I understand there are now 110 Transit Officers

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

23rd December 2009

A plea for commonsense

Greetings,

The 4th January 2010, is arriving faster than a coal train on the Ipswich line.  And still we have no new public support for new go card users other than some QR Customer Service staff assisting users.

In an attempt to fill this void we have compiled our own 'Go card survival tips for new users!', a copy is below.

There remains a significant issue that we would like clarification on please.  Under the legislation it is an offence to attempt to or travel without a ticket or not touch on with a smart card without a reasonable excuse.  The TransLink FAQ states that if all go card equipment is not working at a station, bus or ferry a go card holder can travel for free.  The problem is of course how reasonable is it for a commuter to attempt to ascertain if ALL go card readers are not operational at a particular  railway station?

We have queried what is meant by 'all card readers are not working at a station', as it is physically impossible and unreasonable to ascertain if all card readers are not working at some stations. Is it reasonable for a user to be forced to run from platform to platform in a vain attempt to find a reader that is working? Particularly as the user's physical condition, for what ever reason, may make this a very difficult thing to do if not impossible. It is also a health and safety risk and against Queensland Rail's Zero Harm Safety policy if large numbers of users are running around stations desperately trying to find a functioning go card reader before the imminent arrival of their train.

I am aware of two situations, one recently where a commuter was formerly warned for fare evasion as a consequence of a touch failure, and another being fined $200 when in fact the person was not able to touch on at her platform of departure.  This is most unsatisfactory, some would suggest outrageous.  We have raised this issue many times before but it is just dismissed. As we move into a 100% go card ticketing environment it is essential that commuters have confidence to use public transport without constant fear and worry of fare evasion offences.

A clearer policy is needed.  We would suggest that if the equipment is not operational on platform of departure, or for those stations with concourse equipment and that is not operational then it is perfectly reasonable for a commuter to travel in an untouched state.  This is NOT fare evasion by any stretch of the imagination, and it is easy to verify a users history and credit on the go card in any case.

Why are public transport commuters being treated in this manner?  Real fare evaders are running rampant on the system, particularly on the outer reaches.  A poor hapless soul who travels daily using their go card, and on one day the equipment fails and travels in an 'untouched state' is NOT a fare evader!

Can someone please direct TransLink and others to adopt some commonsense please?

Best wishes
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
RAIL Back On Track


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

 
Go card survival tips for new users!

1.  Print out this FAQ and carry it with you.

Quote:

   'What if I can't touch on or touch off because the card reader is not working?

   If all card readers are not working at a station, on board a bus or ferry and despite your attempts, you are unable
   to touch on, you can travel for free to complete your trip. You should not touch off at the end of your trip.
   If questioned by an authorised staff member, you will need to advise them of the time and station, or service,
   where you were unable to touch on or touch off due to the unavailability of any working go card equipment.
   In the case where other card readers are available for use, you must touch on from a working card reader
   before travelling.'"

   Reference: Go card user guide http://download.translink.com.au/go/080701_userguide20,21,22,23,24.pdf


Note if you cannot touch on, don't touch off as you would normally or otherwise you will cop a fixed fare penalty.

2.  If you forget to touch off, you have 5 hours to do so from when you first touched on for your journey.  So you can duck back to the station and touch off.

3.  Be alert when touching on and off, look and listen for all the signs when touching, beeps, screen, and light flashes.  Sometimes the screens may have deteriorated, or have moisture on them (outside and inside) that can make it difficult.  Sun glare can also be a problem.  The light codes can generally be seen, the beeps don't always work.  Yes, we know, it is hard with these issues but persist, you will get there in the end.  If you are booked for fare evasion as your go card is not touched on and you thought it was when you 'touched on', challenge it in court.  There are plenty of examples here on this site ( www.backontrack.org ) and elsewhere of equipment that is not fit for purpose and under those circumstances it would be a reasonable defence in our opinion, particularly if you have credit on your go card of course, which is prima facie evidence of your good intents!

4.  Where there are go card gates, go through the closed ones, as it is good reinforcement of successful touches.  Avoid the open gates.

5.  Register your go card.  In case you lose it, the card can be cancelled and the credit transferred to a new card.  This also allows you to gain online account management access.  This is useful as you can check your go card history, and also set up the auto top-up, which means you don't have to worry about regularly adding money to the go card.  The online side of the go card is good.  By checking your go card history regularly it is possible to pick the fact that you may have been overcharged.  Errors do occur, don't assume it is infallible, it is not.

6.  When touching off in the peaks, avoid running to go card readers as you might trip and fall.  We know that many stations don't have enough readers, just be patient, and you will get through eventually.

7.  You are allowed a maximum of three transfers on a journey, therefore you can have a maximum of 4 trips (different sequential modes) in one journey, providing you meet these conditions from the go card user guide:

Quote:

   Transferring is easy, and your go card will automatically
   calculate one overall fare for your whole journey.

   Remember these simple steps:
   • your journey must continue from within the same zone
   your previous trip ended. If the stop is a dual zone
   stop then you can continue from either zone

   • you should continue your journey by touching on
   within 60 minutes of touching off at the end of your
   previous trip

   • your journey may consist of a total of three transfers

   • the final trip of your journey must commence within
   three and a half hours of the start of your first trip

   • your whole journey must end within a five hour period
   from start to fi nish to be considered a single journey

   • if you are transferring between QR services and you
   don't leave the station or platform between transfers

   you only need to touch on at the start of your journey
   and touch off to end your journey – you don't need to
   touch off between QR services unless you leave
   the station or platform for any reason.

   That's it! If you follow these simple steps the go card
   reader will display the message 'Continuation of Travel'
   when you touch on at the start of each new trip and you
   will only pay for one journey.

   Reference: http://download.translink.com.au/go/080701_userguide.pdf


Trip one - say bus
Transfer 1
Trip two - say train
Transfer 2
Trip three say bus
Transfer 3
Trip Four  say ferry.  Finish journey

Depending on your travel trips, you could actually do more than four if say you transferred at Roma St or Central between different rail services.

This is very handy and can be used for low cost travel.  For example if you travel from Oxley (zone 3) to Central (zone 1), conduct some business and touch back on with one hour and travel back to Oxley you only pay one zone 3 to 1 fare overall.

8.  Off peak fares will be available on the go card from the 4th January 2010.   All trips commenced after 9am, before 3.30pm, after 7pm and on weekends and public holidays will initially have a 10% discount relative to normal fares.

9.  Many regular go card users have reported that they have sometimes forgotten to touch on and/or off when doing travel different from their normal daily go card commute.  Be extra vigilant when doing travel that is not your normal routine, concentrate on your touches!

10.  When using a go card present the go card flat to the readers.  As soon as the touch is registered quickly remove the card.  Personally I keep my go card in the plastic go card holder rather than in a wallet as some other cards could interfere.  The go card is a RFID card, other RFID cards eg. a corporate staff identity card, some student cards can interfere.

[ozbob]

Sent to QR:

23rd December 2009

Dear Mr Scurrah,

Could you please direct me to a source where I can review a passengers rights when approached by a person who claims to be a Transit Officer on QR Citytrain services.

We are well aware of what TOs are able to request, viz.

Quote:

Transit Officers are level three authorised officers for QR. Under the Passenger Transport and Operations Act 1994 this empowers them to:

   * Request that an individual(s) produce a ticket
   * Request evidence of concession entitlement
   * Request the provision of a name and address
   * Ask that an individual(s) leave QR property
   * Remove an individual(s) refusing to leave QR property
   * Issue a Penalty Infringement Notice (fine) for a range of railway related offences      

      http://www.citytrain.com.au/about_your_trip/security_safety/security_staff/security_staff.asp

What are passengers rights?  For example is it reasonable to request proper identification from the person or persons purporting to be TOs?   Can a  passenger legally request the name and number of a Transit Officer?  

As we are about to enter into a very confrontational environment with an often unreliable ticketing system, rail passengers will need to protect themselves legally against false fare evasion claims and it is important that  a charter of PASSENGER rights be made available.

Thank you.

Best wishes
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
RAIL Back On Track

[ozbob]

Pending a more formal response I have received this information from official sources in QR:

Each transit officer carries authorized photo identification and an authorization badge with them at all times. This is to be produced by them when they engage with customers.

Each transit officer wears a name badge on the pocket of their uniform which displays their name and number. Customers have every right to request these details.

Thanks.

[justanotheruser]

Pending a more formal response I have received this information from official sources in QR:

Each transit officer carries authorized photo identification and an authorization badge with them at all times. This is to be produced by them when they engage with customers.

Each transit officer wears a name badge on the pocket of their uniform which displays their name and number. Customers have every right to request these details.

Thanks.

my observations say they only produce it if giving a fine or warning. If just checking a ticket they rely on uniform only. Of course it is not a problem if one has a valid ticket (go card). It only becomes an issue if the card did not register the touch or was not touched.

[ozbob]

Passengers are able to ask for proper ID before showing a ticket.  Most don't but there is that option as normally uniforms are worn etc.  Common-sense of course, but if a passenger has doubts they should ask for proper ID.

It is theoretically possible, but most unlikely and very impractical none the less for an individual to dress up looking like a TO, and skim go cards on a train with a mobile device.  Most punters wouldn't have a clue what a mobile go card reader looks like.

Never happen?  Here are some details on a well known character in NY  click --> here!

[ozbob]

Cubic hand held checker --> here!  External PDF

[ozbob]

Go card survival tips for new users!  V1.0 28 Dec 2009  now available for download as a PDF

Click here!  PDF 160 KB