Go Card (Smart Card) Back door fare increase of up to 54 %!.

[crouchg]

Although there is no increase in the basic fare for commuters, the removal of the 10 trip tickets and the introduction of the Go Cards unusual discount scheme will mean an rise in fare revenue for the Translink operators, I suspect so that the failing smart card contractor Cubic are able to be paid as part of their revenue share agreement.

The Go Card will operate a 50% discount on the 7th and subsequent journeys in a week starting midnight Sunday night each week.

The only commuters that will NOT face an increase to travel cost under this new discount scheme will be users of zones 1 to 10 and travel 10 times in a week starting Monday and finishing Sunday. EVERY other regular traveller will pay more.

If you were using the 10 trip tickets say 3 times one week then 2 times the next you will be facing a 25 % fare increase because you will lose your discount altogether. This fare increase has already been implemented. By the withdrawal of the 10 trip tickets in favour of the Go Card.

If you travel from Zone 23 to the CBD you will be facing a 28.85% fare increase compared with the current weekly ticket.

If you travel more than 10 times a week you will be paying for additional trips that under a weekly ticket would be inclusive.

The operation of a Monday ? Sunday week will also provide Translink with additional revenue on Public Holidays weeks, where users work patterns do not fall into a Monday to Friday pattern for example  a worker who works Saturday through to Thursday on a shift roster would currently buy a weekly ticket on Saturday that would give them the discount for the week under the Go Card discount scheme this user will be paying fill fare potential a 53.85% fare increase in this case.

While we understand that paper tickets are currently not being withdrawn, should they be this will create a windfall for the Translink operators while commuters struggle with a Go Card that does not work!

[ozbob]

Hope there are better fare structures coming ...

The present FU fare plan is not a great encouragement  for uptake 

[bladesplace]

As soon as the details of the FU scheme were made public, I worked this out and started complaining about it.

I have received absolutely no comment from TL about this, and nothing I have wrote about it has been published in the Screwier Mail or the Brisbitch times.

I am, however, glad that someone else has bought this up.

Cheers

Blade

[ozbob]

We have raised the lack of equitable fare structures for all,  for a long time now , both with TL and the Minister (see our main thread --> http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=135.0 ). We have also put out a number of media releases which achieved some follow up publicity.  It is good that others are keeping the pressure on too 

It seems the Government QT and TL are just not interested generally in community views or concerns. It is a sad indictment on the sham that is democracy in Queensland at the moment.   I did met with TL a while back and had the opportunity to put forward a number of concerns including the fare structures. 

If the Go Card had proper incentives for uptake (eg. daily fare caps, weekly monthly limits)  the real benefits would be realised.  As it stands, the taxpayer is forking out more than a $100 million for a duplicate ticketing system that seems to be very problematical at this time.

Let's hope more fare options to come.

Cheers

[ozbob]

Have sent out another correspondence highlighting the cost impacts of the Go Card has you have alluded to Crouchg and Blade. 

--> http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=83.msg1608#msg1608

This has gone to the media too. 

We must continue to highlight the inequitable nature of the FU fare.