Go Card Feedback - tell us of your Go Card experiences!!

[Gazza]

.. it does make for an unreliable one then.

I wonder, at what error rate should it be considered 'flawed' ?
Given that people can be fined as fare evaders on its basis.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

I don't know. But at what rate should we consider you "flawed" and throw you out with the bathwater?  I presume you are typing on the forum using a computer, at what rate does that have issues? The world is imperfect, deal with it.

Given that people can be fined as fare evaders on its basis actually makes it all the more important.
It's a salient point - and NOT one to be thrown out like bathwater.
The difference being that when this equipment fails (and yes nothing is perfect and they are possibly simpler than an iPhone for all we know)
but it's the users who are possibly fined for errors out of their control.
That is just plain wrong !

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

Can you give a link to an online article, Today Tonight story or similar where this has happened to someone?

[STB]

Here is that error that occured yesterday during my trip between Stones Corner Busway Stn and Langlands Park Busway Stn.

29-Aug-11 04:48:02 PM    Touch off    'Upper Mt Gravatt' Busway Station OB [BT010821]        
29-Aug-11 04:47:06 PM    Touch on transfer    'Upper Mt Gravatt' Busway Station OB [BT010821]

[Fares_Fair]

.. it does make for an unreliable one then.

I wonder, at what error rate should it be considered 'flawed' ?
Given that people can be fined as fare evaders on its basis.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

I don't know. But at what rate should we consider you "flawed" and throw you out with the bathwater?  I presume you are typing on the forum using a computer, at what rate does that have issues? The world is imperfect, deal with it.

Given that people can be fined as fare evaders on its basis actually makes it all the more important.
It's a salient point - and NOT one to be thrown out like bathwater.
The difference being that when this equipment fails (and yes nothing is perfect and they are possibly simpler than an iPhone for all we know)
but it's the users who are possibly fined for errors out of their control.
That is just plain wrong !

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

Can you give a link to an online article, Today Tonight story or similar where this has happened to someone?

You mean you haven't heard of the deportation story ?

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[Derwan]

Dodgy gate at Central this morning:

31-Aug-11 08:19:56 AM    Touch off    Central    -10.00    *
31-Aug-11 08:19:56 AM    Touch on    Central        
31-Aug-11 07:56:13 AM    Touch on    Northgate        

[ozbob]

Dodgy gate at Central this morning:

31-Aug-11 08:19:56 AM    Touch off    Central    -10.00    *
31-Aug-11 08:19:56 AM    Touch on    Central        
31-Aug-11 07:56:13 AM    Touch on    Northgate        

Gee, wouldn't it be nice know if it was a oncer or all who passed through that gate copped the ff.

Goes to show, regular checking of go card history is very wise ...

[wbj]

Copped the same thing at Roma Street on 8 August pm.  Original gate closed on me after tapping on and wouldn't open after another tap.  So I went through the adjoining gate.  Got home and noticed a $10 charge for tapping 10 seconds apart at Roma Street as well the valid fare for the trip home.  Phoned for an adjustment ($10 refund).  After seeing no refund since that night I phoned up tonight.  I was told that it had been declined because I had also claimed for a previous "user error" recently.  I have applied for a review.  I fail to see how tapping at the same location twice within 10 seconds could be interpreted as an incomplete journey earning a $10 minimum charge.

And to add insult to injury, I have provided an email address in my registration of the gocard but they will not use that to inform me that a claim has been rejected - I have to phone back after what I guess to be sufficient time if I don't see the adjustment and ask them what's happening.  The experience doesn't enhance Translink's reputation.

[somebody]

The experience doesn't enhance Translink's reputation.

Or maybe it does.  Depending on what you think their reputation is.

[ozbob]

Copped the same thing at Roma Street on 8 August pm.  Original gate closed on me after tapping on and wouldn't open after another tap.  So I went through the adjoining gate.  Got home and noticed a $10 charge for tapping 10 seconds apart at Roma Street as well the valid fare for the trip home.  Phoned for an adjustment ($10 refund).  After seeing no refund since that night I phoned up tonight.  I was told that it had been declined because I had also claimed for a previous "user error" recently.  I have applied for a review.  I fail to see how tapping at the same location twice within 10 seconds could be interpreted as an incomplete journey earning a $10 minimum charge.

And to add insult to injury, I have provided an email address in my registration of the gocard but they will not use that to inform me that a claim has been rejected - I have to phone back after what I guess to be sufficient time if I don't see the adjustment and ask them what's happening.  The experience doesn't enhance Translink's reputation.

Outrageous,  glad you applied for a review.  It is banal actions by fools like this that are turning folks against TransLink (and Government and the go card) ...  this is just a blatant ripoff and warrants action in high places ...

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

Twitter

Robert_Dow
Go card users treated with contempt --> http://t.co/oomuK4g @TransLinkSEQ @AnnastaciaMP @TheQldPremier

[Otto]

Well, I have given up on thinking that TL could ever be 'honest'..
The $3.11 fare charged as a result of the mass confusion at Roma Street on July 7 was never corrected.. Trip should have been a continuation..
The $10 fixed fare charged on July 13th was corrected on August 10th !!  
Another $10 fixed fare on August 4th was corrected on August 10th, but only for $8.96 ?

Friggin Hopeless

Edit
ps.. The operators on the phone generally seem helpful, BUT I feel the people who decide on the refunds seem to have the attitude of " Guilty unless proven innocent "..

[STB]

I incurred a strange fixed fare today during my journey to QUT Kelvin Grove.  I touched onto route 333 as per normal (a touch on transfer) and touched off at the rear door where I noticed I got charged a fixed fare.  See below.
       
24-Aug-11 11:05:43 AM    Touch off    'QUT Kelvin Grove' Station (OB) - Platform 2 [BT000889]    -2.50    *
24-Aug-11 11:05:43 AM    Touch on    'QUT Kelvin Grove' Station (OB) - Platform 2 [BT000889]        
24-Aug-11 10:57:14 AM    Touch on transfer    'Cultural Centre' Busway Station IB [BT010802]        
24-Aug-11 10:51:58 AM    Touch off    South Brisbane    -0.88

A touch on transfer then a touch on and touch off at the same time???

FYI, I'm still waiting on an adjustment on this strange touch on/off after a touch on.  Might give TL a call early next week if I don't see anything in my Go Card account over the weekend.

[Huggies]

I recently went on holidays to North Queensland and traveled on the Sunbus network in Cairns. I got a daily ticket from Cairns to Redlynch for $6.00. I'd love to know why they can have daily tickets on the QConnect system yet they can't have them on the Translink network  ? I've just tweeted about this on twitter and it will be interesting to see what Translink have to say about this.

[STB]

Yesterday I touched on and the driver didn't hear the beep, although I did.  He called me back and forced me to touch off (cancelling the trip and using up one of my transfers) and then getting me to touch on again.  I used the reader opposite the driver (nearest to the door) to point out that it had cancelled my touch on (with the $0.00 Fare **** remaining coming up on the screen) to which he shrugged his shoulders and gave me a 'look' as if I was being a smarta$$$.  I must admit, it's a bit sad when the passenger knows more than the driver regarding the ticketing tech.

Am currently awaiting a refund of that new trip that started up when I touched on my final transfer.  It will be interesting if I do get it, as I haven't tested this type of scenario before.

19-Sep-11 02:28:44 PM    Touch on transfer    Capalaba Bus Station stop A [30182]        
19-Sep-11 02:28:27 PM    Touch off    Capalaba Bus Station stop A [30182]        
19-Sep-11 02:28:18 PM    Touch on transfer    Capalaba Bus Station stop A [30182]        
19-Sep-11 02:21:03 PM    Touch off    Capalaba Bus Station stop B [30183]    -0.20

[somebody]

Doesn't the driver get something on their display when you touch on?  Mustn't have been looking at that either.

[ozbob]

At Central, having a nice cup of coffee, and I watched as a couple of punters touched on at the Edward St gate array.  Being Saturday, the gates are closed off on the other side.  The intrepid punters touched on, gates open and then marched headlong into the barrier which closes of the  entrance to the station concourse.  They realised something was amiss, so eventually after touching at a number of gates, with no luck to go back, they simply passed through one of the gates that was open and proceeded around to the front gates.  I would expect they would touch on again there, so fixed fares all round.

It does suggest though that when  the Creek and Edward St gates are closed the fare gates could be turned off?  Or failing that a temporary barrier drawn along the front to stop hapless punters passing through.

[Golliwog]

I would have thought the barrier on the other side of the gates would have been fairly obvious? I've gone around to the Edward St gates before in the evenings when they've been closed, and its hard to miss.

In other news related to fixed fares, on my way home last night I noticed the woman in front of me touch off at Ferny Grove and get a red light, error beep and "Seek Assistance" message. She looked at it, didn't try touching again and just kept walking.

[STB]

At Central, having a nice cup of coffee, and I watched as a couple of punters touched on at the Edward St gate array.  Being Saturday, the gates are closed off on the other side.  The intrepid punters touched on, gates open and then marched headlong into the barrier which closes of the  entrance to the station concourse.  They realised something was amiss, so eventually after touching at a number of gates, with no luck to go back, they simply passed through one of the gates that was open and proceeded around to the front gates.  I would expect they would touch on again there, so fixed fares all round.

It does suggest though that when  the Creek and Edward St gates are closed the fare gates could be turned off?  Or failing that a temporary barrier drawn along the front to stop hapless punters passing through.

No!  They deserve that for their stupidity!

[Stillwater]

Good systems factor in human fallibility.  A ground proximity detector tells an airline pilot that he/she is approaching a runway without the landing gear being down.  You don't say the plane deserved to crash because of the pilot's stupidity.

[STB]

Good systems factor in human fallibility.  A ground proximity detector tells an airline pilot that he/she is approaching a runway without the landing gear being down.  You don't say the plane deserved to crash because of the pilot's stupidity.

Stillwater, I was being cheeky with my previous remark.  Sheesh!

[Fares_Fair]

Good systems factor in human fallibility.  A ground proximity detector tells an airline pilot that he/she is approaching a runway without the landing gear being down.  You don't say the plane deserved to crash because of the pilot's stupidity.

A critical system, be it air flight, power generation or public transport should have built in redundancy wherever possible or safe to do so.
by redundancy, I mean a work around or back up system in place to minimise disruptions to that important (critical) system.
The more critical the system the higher the level of redundancy or multiple redundancy required.

Human fallibility will always be there but it can be minimised.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[Derwan]

It does suggest though that when  the Creek and Edward St gates are closed the fare gates could be turned off?  Or failing that a temporary barrier drawn along the front to stop hapless punters passing through.

This also occurs for the subway - where you may not realise that it's closed until you get to the bottom of the stairs.

Even if they can't switch them "off", they should all be switched to exit-only (entry-only for the subway), resulting in the X preventing anyone from touching.

[somebody]

I don't see the problem.  Once they realised the entrance was closed, they could easily touch off.

[BrizCommuter]

25-Sep-11 06:20:24 PM   Touch off   Enoggera    -1.33   *
25-Sep-11 05:59:11 PM   Touch on   Fortitude Valley       
25-Sep-11 05:59:11 PM   Touch off   Fortitude Valley    -10.00   *
25-Sep-11 09:04:34 AM   Touch on   Enoggera

So what happen to BrizCommuter's touch off at Fortitude Valley (via fare gates) at 09:27 AM?

[STB]

Yesterday I touched on and the driver didn't hear the beep, although I did.  He called me back and forced me to touch off (cancelling the trip and using up one of my transfers) and then getting me to touch on again.  I used the reader opposite the driver (nearest to the door) to point out that it had cancelled my touch on (with the $0.00 Fare **** remaining coming up on the screen) to which he shrugged his shoulders and gave me a 'look' as if I was being a smarta$$$.  I must admit, it's a bit sad when the passenger knows more than the driver regarding the ticketing tech.

Am currently awaiting a refund of that new trip that started up when I touched on my final transfer.  It will be interesting if I do get it, as I haven't tested this type of scenario before.

19-Sep-11 02:28:44 PM    Touch on transfer    Capalaba Bus Station stop A [30182]        
19-Sep-11 02:28:27 PM    Touch off    Capalaba Bus Station stop A [30182]        
19-Sep-11 02:28:18 PM    Touch on transfer    Capalaba Bus Station stop A [30182]        
19-Sep-11 02:21:03 PM    Touch off    Capalaba Bus Station stop B [30183]    -0.20

They did do the refund, came in a few days ago after about a week of getting it processed (working days).

[ozbob]

From the Couriermail click here!

The Courier-Mail's Paul Syvret runs into some trouble with his Travel Card

The Courier-Mail's Paul Syvret runs into some trouble with his Travel Card

   by: Paul Syvret
   From: The Courier-Mail
   October 11, 2011 12:00AM

ANYTHING that makes the grind of commuting on public transport just that little bit easier is to be welcomed wholeheartedly.

You know, just the little things that make a difference such as scheduled services actually materialising when they are supposed to, or peak-hour buses that aren't fuller than an Irishman on St Paddy's Day.

TransLink's services have improved markedly in recent years: new, clean train carriages, modern buses, more effective timetabling, a growing busway network and an expanding CityCat fleet.

All good. Thank you.

Then there is the go card - that little credit card-sized piece of plastic that allows us public transport users to travel without the need for paper tickets, thus speeding up the boarding process - at least if it weren't for the inevitable little old lady who decides to wait until she is exchanging pleasantries with the driver before embarking on what amounts to an archeological dig through her bags looking for that stash of 10 cents pieces.

The go card is a great initiative . . . until it doesn't work. My little plastic passport to commuting pleasure died over the weekend. I may as well have been waving a driver's licence over the card reader for all the good it did.

Not even a "seek assistance" or "swipe card again" message - it had quite simply (and with apologies to John Cleese) kicked the bucket, shuffled off the mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisible.

(As such, thank you to the two drivers who allowed me to continue my travels without paying, and I wonder how much other revenue goes begging due to cards which have suddenly been rendered about as functional as a used cinema stub.)

No worries, I thought. I'll just ring TransLink and ask for a replacement card, and put up with paying their inflated paper ticket prices until the new one arrives.

Mistake No.1. To link "no worries" and dealing with a State Government department in the same thought bubble displays towering naivety.

Deep breath. After a couple of false starts I managed to navigate my way through TransLink's automated telephone system, feeling well pleased with myself that I had, at least on this occasion, managed to resist the almost overpowering temptation to see whether the voice recognition software recognised some of the words that this newspaper won't publish.

When I finally got through to a helpful human being on the other end I discovered that I would have to pay to replace TransLink's defective property.

If your credit card decides to give up the ghost while you're travelling on the other side of the planet, it is easier to get a new one (at no cost) than it is to sort out the replacement of what is essentially a glorified bus ticket.

Even though my go card (deceased) remains the property of TransLink - which is why users must pay a deposit of $5 on purchase - its passage to the afterlife remains my problem.

The procedure upon the death of a go card, as best as I understand it, is as follows:

First, check that you have folding stuff in your wallet, then make your way to the nearest friendly go card purveyor and purchase another one at your own expense (another deposit plus a sum of your choosing to load it up).

Then contact TransLink via their automated phone system to have your defunct card cancelled.

Next, go online to check this has been done and then set about registering your new card, once again setting up direct top-up payments from your bank or credit card.

Then contact TransLink again to arrange to have the deposit on your dead card and the balance of credit transferred to your new card.

Honestly, by the time I've completed all this palaver I reckon in terms of time and inconvenience it will rank up there alongside filling in a tax return.

Surely if replacing a faulty Visa or Mastercard can be achieved by dispatching the old one with a pair of scissors and making one phone call, getting a new go card should be a bit simpler than applying for a second mortgage?

Apparently not.

Twitter

Robert_Dow Robert Dow
Funny no? Average punter gets stuffed around, so what. A scribe gets stuffed around ... lets go! --> http://t.co/eojTuLgD
2 minutes ago

[ozbob]

Daniel Bowen (President PTUA VIctoria) Blog on Go card vs. Myki --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=655.msg70526#msg70526

[mufreight]

From the Couriermail click here!

The Courier-Mail's Paul Syvret runs into some trouble with his Travel Card

The Courier-Mail's Paul Syvret runs into some trouble with his Travel Card

   by: Paul Syvret
   From: The Courier-Mail
   October 11, 2011 12:00AM

ANYTHING that makes the grind of commuting on public transport just that little bit easier is to be welcomed wholeheartedly.

You know, just the little things that make a difference such as scheduled services actually materialising when they are supposed to, or peak-hour buses that aren't fuller than an Irishman on St Paddy's Day.

TransLink's services have improved markedly in recent years: new, clean train carriages, modern buses, more effective timetabling, a growing busway network and an expanding CityCat fleet.

All good. Thank you.

Then there is the go card - that little credit card-sized piece of plastic that allows us public transport users to travel without the need for paper tickets, thus speeding up the boarding process - at least if it weren't for the inevitable little old lady who decides to wait until she is exchanging pleasantries with the driver before embarking on what amounts to an archeological dig through her bags looking for that stash of 10 cents pieces.

The go card is a great initiative . . . until it doesn't work. My little plastic passport to commuting pleasure died over the weekend. I may as well have been waving a driver's licence over the card reader for all the good it did.

Not even a "seek assistance" or "swipe card again" message - it had quite simply (and with apologies to John Cleese) kicked the bucket, shuffled off the mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisible.

(As such, thank you to the two drivers who allowed me to continue my travels without paying, and I wonder how much other revenue goes begging due to cards which have suddenly been rendered about as functional as a used cinema stub.)

No worries, I thought. I'll just ring TransLink and ask for a replacement card, and put up with paying their inflated paper ticket prices until the new one arrives.

Mistake No.1. To link "no worries" and dealing with a State Government department in the same thought bubble displays towering naivety.

Deep breath. After a couple of false starts I managed to navigate my way through TransLink's automated telephone system, feeling well pleased with myself that I had, at least on this occasion, managed to resist the almost overpowering temptation to see whether the voice recognition software recognised some of the words that this newspaper won't publish.

When I finally got through to a helpful human being on the other end I discovered that I would have to pay to replace TransLink's defective property.

If your credit card decides to give up the ghost while you're travelling on the other side of the planet, it is easier to get a new one (at no cost) than it is to sort out the replacement of what is essentially a glorified bus ticket.

Even though my go card (deceased) remains the property of TransLink - which is why users must pay a deposit of $5 on purchase - its passage to the afterlife remains my problem.

The procedure upon the death of a go card, as best as I understand it, is as follows:

First, check that you have folding stuff in your wallet, then make your way to the nearest friendly go card purveyor and purchase another one at your own expense (another deposit plus a sum of your choosing to load it up).

Then contact TransLink via their automated phone system to have your defunct card cancelled.

Next, go online to check this has been done and then set about registering your new card, once again setting up direct top-up payments from your bank or credit card.

Then contact TransLink again to arrange to have the deposit on your dead card and the balance of credit transferred to your new card.

Honestly, by the time I've completed all this palaver I reckon in terms of time and inconvenience it will rank up there alongside filling in a tax return.

Surely if replacing a faulty Visa or Mastercard can be achieved by dispatching the old one with a pair of scissors and making one phone call, getting a new go card should be a bit simpler than applying for a second mortgage?

Apparently not.

Twitter

Robert_Dow Robert Dow
Funny no? Average punter gets stuffed around, so what. A scribe gets stuffed around ... lets go! --> http://t.co/eojTuLgD
2 minutes ago

Does it matter what profession the commuter who gets the sharp end of the blunt stick called Translink from it would have been most interesting had Mr Syvret had his encounter with the malfunctioning junk provided to Translink by Cubic when the system was realy unreliable and Translink was even more difficult to deal with.
Hopefully because My Syvret is in a position to make his complaint in a more effective manner than most commuters can avail themselves of his complaint might significently add to the pressure that would seem to be so disconcerting to Translink management and get them out of their plush seats to actualy do something to rectify the obviously apparent failings of a sadly flawed system.
Mr Syvret's article would not have been welcomed at the bottom end of George Street either, adding as it does to the vote eroding picture of the incompetence of the current government in relation to the provision of Public Transport.

[somebody]

Does it matter what profession the commuter who gets the sharp end of the blunt stick called Translink from it would have been most interesting had Mr Syvret had his encounter with the malfunctioning junk provided to Translink by Cubic when the system was realy unreliable and Translink was even more difficult to deal with.
Hopefully because My Syvret is in a position to make his complaint in a more effective manner than most commuters can avail themselves of his complaint might significently add to the pressure that would seem to be so disconcerting to Translink management and get them out of their plush seats to actualy do something to rectify the obviously apparent failings of a sadly flawed system.
Mr Syvret's article would not have been welcomed at the bottom end of George Street either, adding as it does to the vote eroding picture of the incompetence of the current government in relation to the provision of Public Transport.

Go Go Go Card.

[Fares_Fair]

I should invite Mr Syvret onto one of the Sunshine Coast trains ... where he can enjoy one or two of the 26 daily rail buses (44%) that pretend to be trains.
This could be followed by the regular wait at the Beerburrum bottleneck for trains to cross due to it being a single line track to the 3rd largest growth area in Queensland,
in this the 21st century. 

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[Gazza]

Quick question FaresFair, but do you have that statements about the condition of the North Coast Line  saved in a text document, that you post as needed?

[Stillwater]

Let him also experience the creak of the plywood underfoot as he paces a permanent-temporary platform at one of seven locations on the Sunshine Coast Line, waiting for a train that invariably is late, or ride a train at a speed that could be outpaced by a fit runner on a good day.  It is all part of our 'world class' transport system.

[Stillwater]

Gazza, Sunshine Coast Line users are so traumatised by the experience of rail travel that the vagaries and insult of buying and ticket and catching a train (or bus) is indelibly impregnated on the brain.

[Arnz]

The alignment north of Landsborough is more of a concern if anything.  Especially the 40km/h and 60km/h curves between Mooloolah and Palmwoods.

On another note, part of the speed restrictions between Glasshouse and Beerburrum has been lifted.  But hey, at least you'll still get a free 25km/h sightseeing tour of the Glasshouse Mountains directly in front of the train window on the current temporary speed restricted section before going to 80km/h again.

[Fares_Fair]

Quick question FaresFair, but do you have that statements about the condition of the North Coast Line  saved in a text document, that you post as needed?

Gazza, in short (response), no.
Good to see people are getting the message.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[Fares_Fair]

The alignment north of Landsborough is more of a concern if anything.  Especially the 40km/h and 60km/h curves between Mooloolah and Palmwoods.

On another note, part of the speed restrictions between Glasshouse and Beerburrum has been lifted.  But hey, at least you'll still get a free 25km/h sightseeing tour of the Glasshouse Mountains directly in front of the train window on the current temporary speed restricted section before going to 80km/h again.

Hello Arnz,

That's good news about the speed restrictions, perhaps explains why our real on-time performance has suddenly improved as of yesterday.
You can see the results in my record kept here --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=6822.0

I understand your points about the slow curves and fully agree with you.
The main reason for the 44% bus emphasis is that it encapsulates the situation in a way that anyone can understand and see visually on any timetable or at any station.

The media could not believe it when I told them the statistics, hence the story on Ch Seven Local News last week.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[ozbob]

Someone has reported on Twitter that go card readers at Central are generating fixed fares?   I went through Central around 2pm and go worked OK then.

Anyone had issues?

612brisbane ABC Radio Brisbane
RT @tanaudel: Central (and other) GoCard terminals charging extra $10 & malfunctioning - check your balance! @QueenslandRail @612brisbane
8 minutes ago

[STB]

Someone has reported on Twitter that go card readers at Central are generating fixed fares?   I went through Central around 2pm and go worked OK then.

Anyone had issues?

612brisbane ABC Radio Brisbane
RT @tanaudel: Central (and other) GoCard terminals charging extra $10 & malfunctioning - check your balance! @QueenslandRail @612brisbane
8 minutes ago

I hope that it's just a one off and not that he's just simply blowing it out of proportions.

[longboi]

Someone has reported on Twitter that go card readers at Central are generating fixed fares?   I went through Central around 2pm and go worked OK then.

Anyone had issues?

612brisbane ABC Radio Brisbane
RT @tanaudel: Central (and other) GoCard terminals charging extra $10 & malfunctioning - check your balance! @QueenslandRail @612brisbane
8 minutes ago

I hope that it's just a one off and not that he's just simply blowing it out of proportions.

Obviously didn't touch on correctly hence the $10 penalty on touch off.

[somebody]

I've just checked my history and there aren't any problems.

Still no proof that the alleged problems aren't user error.

[Fares_Fair]

My history checked out ok also, and I went through the Ann St/Creek St gates at Central the morning in question.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[STB]

I'm starting to have a run of bad luck with the Go Card lately.  This is the second time this has happened and it's got me concerned that it'll continue.

The first time I was a little out of it due to a lack of sleep, two TOs get on board the train and find that they have difficulty reading my Go Card, despite me having no problems touching on or off at any other reader, they threaten me with a warning and tell me to buy a new card as they can't prove that I have touched on.  I just let it go as I wasn't in the right headspace at the time to deal with it.

Today it happened again, two TOs get on board the train at Manly and attempt to check my card.  They find that they can't and ask where I'm going, I tell them Roma Street and they said that they will see me there.  They end up escorting me up to the gates and checking to make sure that I have indeed touched off and that the gate opens fine, which it does.  They (the TOs) tell me to get a new Go Card and say that it won't cost me any money, which I know isn't correct, as I'll have to pay the $5 deposit and any extra money to keep me going until TL can transfer the balance.

It's starting to put me off from using the trains as that's where the TOs tend to focus on.  I've had zero problems with touching on or off on any other reader and only minimal problems with using the AVVMs (although I have noticed some of the original AVVMs seem to be unable to read my card, the newer generation AVVMs - the ones that sell Go Cards are reading my card fine)

I really don't want to buy a new Go Card as far as I'm concerned mine is working fine and I doubt that they can legally fine or warn me as I've got solid proof from my history that I have indeed touched on and off every time.

Arrg, I'm starting to be treated as a criminal simply because the handheld readers seem to be unable to read my card!  I've never fare evaded in my life and have been using the card since the trial days.