My Go Card trial

[ozbob]

No, didn't do that,  and I only got one receipt (for $40)!

It has obviously registered twice at the same time, they need to put a trap in the code to stop that happening.

Will be interesting if it is replicated again ....

I am lucky with the go card, all sorts of the things happen to me, eg. dummy stops and now double top ups!

(I reckon similar things happen to other users too but perhaps they don't notice ....)

[ozbob]

Another week on the go.  No problems for me at this point.

There are ongoing reports of problems with folks not being able to use their go cards in the proper manner on buses. This is a very serious issue TransLink and something must be done to make the system reliable.  Particularly now as the ten-trippers are sailing into the sunset ...

Also, the clumsy and inquisition refund process is still upsetting many users.  Again TransLink, this needs to be addressed and fast. 

[yobborobbo21]

There's some routes on the Gold Coast mainly around the Varsity Lakes area where the driver has to enter in the location of the stop. 

[ozbob]

Yesterday morning on GOing through Roma St noticed some go card people promoting the go card.
I think go card information booths at major rail and bus stations where people could call in to if they have an issue, or want to learn about the card would be a good idea during this transition period.  Also empower these staff to deal promptly with refunds etc. wouldn't go astray either.

[ozbob]

Another week, no issues with my GOing around.

A number of work colleagues have ventured onto the Go Card.  After copping a variety of touch penalties and attempting to navigate TransLink's flawed Go card refund process, they have decided to revert back to their paper options.

Great shame that Government and TransLink continue to travel along with their heads in a deep go card pit of mediocrity. There are solutions they just don't want to listen or acknowledge. 

This is becoming a major issue as it seems TransLink is not capable of fixing the problems.  When people abandon an alleged state of the art ticket system because it is not working, and worse, consumer laws can be apparently flouted, it is time to question what is actually GOing on?

I had a nightmare the other night.  I dreamt I had not touched off!  Crikey, it must be getting to me ... LOL

[jason]

It seems that the issues people are having are people forgetting to touch off, i know i have done it.

with regards to buses, the manual setting of location into the system isn't a fault with with the gocard or gps at all. Many bus drivers actually stop at non-route locations all of the time as a courtsey for passengers, therefore having to enter in manually to allow passengers to touch off.

i know because i often get the 206 service from Margret Street CBD to Warf Street Spring Hill, and the bus drivers do this all the time to provide passengers a better service.

Whilst talking to Translink and BT reps during work related stuff, the reason why they don't have a blanket stop for cbd was that passengers in other cities were touching off but remaining on board. not sure how but i think that people were cheating the system by touching on then soon after touching off again only charging the bare minimium in fare.

[ozbob]

Some folks do forget.  The major issue being reported by my work colleagues is failed touches, particularly on the rear readers on buses.  Some of these people are IT professionals and they are somewhat bewildered concerning the failures that they have received.  Also, many users because of these problems are often not confident as to the actual touch state of their card.  These issues, together with the refund process does mean the some folks do revert back to paper.

Another interesting thing that I have also noted is that there is a strong demographic-location driver to go card uptake. For example it has been reported to me that bus routes from Bardon have a very high go card user uptake.  Another routes not so.

Anyone noticed increased uptake on certain routes but not others? 

Our position has always been one of support for the go card as the gains for public transport efficiency will be very beneficial to all, but the fares and the system must be right!

[jason]

Have noticed that drivers on the Logan Bus Services always look out for go cards, if they think that some one has forgot to tag off they will actually call them out.

Have noticed a great improvement in bus running times, no longer waiting for the same people constantly buying single and daily tickets every morning. its especially great when you have about 20 people getting on at the same bus stop and they all use the go card, you move on in no time

but also notice that ( and i have to admit to this ) that people are getting annoyed at some passengers who persistantly still buy the daily tickets every morning... saw a lady have a go at this woman one morning becuase she consistantly tries to buy a single ticket with a $20 note.

[Otto]

I have noticed a notable increase in GOcard usage in the last week or 2..
Just last night, I think about 40-50% of passengers on a 208 service from the city to carindale were using GOcards. That is by far the largest percentage of people I have seen on a single service. The majority of people on this service would be city workers doing the typical 1 trip in, 1 trip out each week day.
In contrast, on a typical 204 service to carindale, I would usually see up to 10% of passengers using a GOcard.

[ozbob]

Thanks Otto, interesting.

Regards
Bob

[ozbob]

Another week on the GO!

Touching off at Oxley yesterday afternoon was interesting.  I observed several people attempt to touch off at the device on the stairs at Oxley rail. First red lighted, and he carried on. Second patron touch and red lighted.  Read the 'seek assistance' message, touched again, red lighted, shrugged shoulders and headed down the stairs.  I went to the other touch device near the lift which worked properly ...

Some more touch penalties on the way for some ...

[ozbob]

No worries GOing this week so far.

Where are the incentive fares?

[ozbob]

Hello, on touching off at Roma St this morning got a red light on one of the gates.  Moved to the adjacent one and worked fine.

Hope the punters are alert!

[ozbob]

How are you GOing?  Me?  No problems this week (on rail of course).

Talking to a person yesterday who has decided to give the go card a 4 week trial (on buses mainly).

Week 3 or thereabouts I think.  Constant touch problems on the buses, he is going back to paper ....   

Anyone else having problems on the buses?

Happy GOing!  (on rail basically ...)

[yobborobbo21]

Im having no problems on Sunbus but when i travel on Surfside thats when many issues start, mainly gps locations different to the actual stop. Its really bad when I have to teach the driver how to get the current location 

[ozbob]

Due to the problems identified with the incorrect fares for airport travel on the go card, I am going to do an audit for the next few weeks.  As Dwb has mentioned before, we assume everything is correct but until we check one cannot be absolutely sure.  Hopefully simple additions and subtractions can be carried out accurately by the software ... 

I would have liked to audit the whole period but one can only go back 60 days.

Cheers
Bob

[ozbob]

So far figures are correct on my go card audit.  I would be have been flabbergasted if they weren't.
Still ....

[ozbob]

Noticed a second AVVM at the main exit/thoroughfare at Roma St station this morning.  The machines have been repositioned to not be in the pedestrian flow either.  Good move!

No problems GOing so far ...

[dwb]

>> "Noticed a second AVVM at the main exit/thoroughfare at Roma St station this morning"

... seems about time, quite ridiculous that one of two major interchange stations only had one machine!

[dwb]

I just happened to check my Go card history this morning and found an anomaly on my transaction history.
Last night I'd travelled from the city to home (one journey - more than an hour in between tag off and next tag on) then from home to the valley (with interchange at the cultural centre busway station).

My transaction history had the station locations in the wrong order based on time.

I rang TTA this morning and spoke to a helpful and polite Go card assistant.

It seems that at least one of the buses had an incorrect clock setting (only by a few minutes) but as the first leg of my transfer was only between South Bank Busway and Cultural Centre Busway (ie about 2mins) the time difference was enough to put the stations in the wrong order according to the computer and hence affected the touch on, touch off, and transfer statuses of each of the touches that I made.

This meant that I was charged three journeys instead of two ($2.70 instead of $2.32) although amazingly no penalty fares.  She made notes and said that I'd be refunded within 5-10 business days.

I'm not massively concerned about the 38 cents.

Instead I am concerned with the potential for this to exist across the system and for incorrect fares being calculated systematically and without any consumer knowledge.  I am also concerned that the Govt perceives all these issues to be resolved. I would like to know (but will never find out) what Translink and Cubic are doing to ensure that this doesn't happen!

[ozbob]

Thanks Dwb.  Yes it is concerning that time issues and system issues still plague the go card system.  The dummy stop problem has reappeared as well (see --> http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=432.msg6141#msg6141 ).

When there was the major time issue Translink took almost two weeks to alert go card users.  It is little wonder that many users are now very distrustful of Translink and by inference the TTA, and are rather reluctant to use the card.

Cheers
Bob

[ozbob]

Another week on the GO!  No problems on rail for me.  Looking forward to see how it goes tomorrow morning at Central.

Might have a coffee and sit down and watch the GO flow ... 

[ozbob]

No problems with the GO this week.  Has been fun using the closed go card arrays at Central! (<-- remind me to get a life!  )

More changes to come at some of the other stations I understand too.

[ozbob]

I used my go card to travel to Ipswich this afternoon (4th Oct).

I touched on and Oxley and touched off at Ipswich, I was debited a single zone fare!

I touched back on for the return journey just within the one hour transfer.  So when I touched off at Oxley, no charge.

Cheap trip!  Sometimes the go card is quite favourable.

[Mozz]

I travelled on the 20.09.08 from Oxley to Ipswich and the fee was $3.44 there and $3.44 back using the gocard

[ozbob]

If you touch back on within one hour it is a transfer, this can be handy for some trips.  Nothing new there.

But most surprised though I only got dinged LESS than one zone fare. the equivalent of $1.72. Now a normal zone one go is $1.92  This might suggest some more bugs in the software?  OR have we seen off peak coming into play ...  I think it is a bug.

Anyone else get any unexpected bonuses on their go card over the weekend?

[ozbob]

 

I said to Mrs Ozbob, have a look at this.

She said "DUMBO!", you forgot about the 50% reduction after 10 journeys in a Monday to Sunday period.

Indeed, the journey to Ipswich was number 11.  So it was correctly charged at $1.72, 50% of the zone 3 go fare!

No bugs this time, bug in my head!

Woooo Hoooo!   

[ozbob]

No problems GOing for me ....

BUT  have had a number of reports of intermittent failures (rail and bus), and users being denied 'refunds' on the basis that people 'used the same equipment before and after you did, so it must be a user error'..

Problem is these people are IT specialists and very well informed users and are prepared to take this matter a lot further.  I suggest that if you get a seek assistance message you take a photograph (difficult I know) but this is the appalling situation that users are facing.

The onus is on the TTA and Go Card to provide a system that works. This is not conducive to encouraging people to keep using their go cards ...

[ozbob]

Used my Go card to travel to Airport during last week.

Interesting .... see --> http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=1304.msg6579#msg6579

[ozbob]

A correspondent to the Brisbane mX has reported that they are now routinely filming their go card transactions to justify refunds of incorrectly debited charges.  This follows a failure to secure a refund for intermittent equipment failures ....

I noticed a red light happening on the touch device at the Oxley railway station stairs yesterday evening, I had already touched off at the device near the lift otherwise I could have got a photo!

Hopeless situation that users are forced to go to these lengths ....

[dwb]

I replaced a UQ student card in my wallet the other day and forgot about it. I got a red light when hopping on, which of course is bc the UQ student card is a smart card too for printing on campus. The driver told me the console actually read "multiple cards".... interesting I thought.

[Otto]

The driver told me the console actually read "multiple cards".... interesting I thought.

I see that message on the console a few times each week. Also, we are now getting "expired card" and also "no value" if the card balance is negative. If I'm not busy, I will offer to top up the card even though we are not supposed to do that on BT services.

[ozbob]

No problems GOing for me on rail.  Still getting a lot of feedback of ongoing issues on other modes (bus and ferry) though.

One person who does a daily journey of three trips on different buses is often finding that the second trip crashes (go card faulty or not operating).  This means that she ends up paying increased fares ... as two different journeys, not just continuation of trips.

The TTOs at Roma St station like to block off the go gates when inspecting tickets.  I think they need to rearrange flows through there.

Happy GOing!

[ozbob]

All well with my GOing this week (rail). 

I have noticed an increasing number of gates at both Roma St and Central with a red X on them (out of service) however.  Why are so many constantly failing?  This equipment and system is only relatively new, it does make one wonder how long this equipment is going to last?  Is this going to be more expense for us the beleaguered Queensland taxpayer?

I have also noticed an increasing frequency of touch again messages too.  One must remain very alert when touching a go card, particularly on buses and ferries and now on rail.

Was it not interesting that Minister Mickel said of the go card on the 20th August
the minister stated that it is unacceptable for rail customers to incur multiple charges when swiping Go Card
more than once and acknowledged that a better public education campaign should be considered.?  One wonders why our suggestions along these lines has been not responded too by the Minister?

Seems there is a public spin position and the private bleak reality?

Happy GOing, be alert and informed!

[K_Nikora]

Ozbob, not sure if you are aware but the red X is actually a directional cue for passengers. This is to attempt to leave at least two gates for passengers to enter a station when the peak flow is exiting and vice versa. It does not mean that passengers from the exiting flow cannot still continue to touch off at these gates, it is merely an encouragement method to direct traffic.

[ozbob]

Thanks for the information.  But we have noticed in many cases the equipment is also inoperable and people fixing them too.

Have also noticed them at other stations eg. Toowong where direction control is not necessarily practised.

Some of it may well be directional control.

Cheers
Bob

[ozbob]

Forgot to mention that in many cases the red crosses are against the main directional flow, which further suggests issues ...

Cheers
Bob

[ozbob]

Had to laugh this morning.  I watched a sequence of touches at Oxley.

First person, whammo penalty, must have forgot to touch off.  Shrugged his shoulders and moved on.

Next person, came up with an already touched message.  She seemed to touch correctly, didn't even notice ...

Next person red light touch again message.  Didn't notice  .... strolled off

I touched, worked normally.

There must be ramped up go card user education.  I suggest permanent go card information/help booths at KGS Bus Station, Central.  Here people can get advice, direct refunds, top up cards and sort out issues in person.

Some of these users who miss the red light and the touch again message are sitting ducks for a $150 fare evasion fine as well as the fixed fare penalty when they next touch at a directional gate.

[ozbob]

At 3.57pm this afternoon at Central I did a spot check of the go gates for red Xs.  None seen either on or off directions, except one gate on the Edward Street array did flicker once or twice from green arrow to red X and back to green arrow.

There was  one red X at Roma St this morning noted on the open gates where the paper mob go through ....

[ozbob]

No red Xs on the off or on direction at the go gates at Roma St this morning around 7.10am.