Article: Go card has slow-mo intro

[ozbob]

From Brisbanetimes click here!


Go card has slow-mo intro

Go card has slow-mo intro
Tony Moore | February 25, 2008 - 12:32PM

Convenience seems to be the main reason why commuters will take up Translink's long-awaited "go card" to ride on trains, busses and ferries.

At Central rail station this morning there was general interest from commuters, though very few seemed to actually have one of the new transport "smart cards".

Dianne Dowling, from Ferny Hill said the go card would interest her because she is a regular rail commuter.

"I think that it will be good, because you don't have to find change all the time," Ms Dowling said.

"For regulars, I think it would be good value, but for travellers who just wish to travel a day here and day there, I don't think it would be so good," she said.

"They just like to make up their mind, get their ticket and off they go for the day."

Damian Masters from Indooroopilly got his go card last Thursday, but has yet to put money on the card to begin using it.

He also believes the benefits outweighed any initial difficulties.

"It will be good when everybody has it, because it will speed everything up," he said.

Maleny commuter Damian Green said he would definitely be getting a go card to cut down on queuing times.

"Just lining up every day to buy a ticket is the main problem," Mr Green said.

He said he was not aware of claims the cards were more expensive than the existing tickets if commuters travelled from outside zones 11 or 12.

Elizabeth Gillard travels daily by train from Wynnum using a weekly ticket.

Ms Gillard said the concept was "definitely" something she would take up.

"I think it's a great concept, but I don't know anything about it yet," she said.

Translink "Helping Hands" staff handed out 250 go cards in 30 minutes at Central Station this morning, though few commuters seemed to have bought a card ready for the "switch on" this morning.

Transport Minister John Mickel said he had asked contractors Cubic to improve their GPS system to allow the smart card's card reading machine to work underground at the Queen Street bus depot.

Drivers have to use a manual over-ride button if the GPS system does not read the go card.

"What I have done is ask Cubic to widen the radius to register the bus stop," Mr Mickel said.

Mr Mickel said he asked Cubic to concentrate on working with Brisbane Transport drivers to iron out some difficulties on the buses.

"It is a training session for the consumers, for the drivers, but also for the retailers.

"This will be the first day they have ever been hit 'big time' with the demand for this."

Mr Mickel said 8000 trips had been registered on the go card up to last Friday.

[ozbob]

This article reinforces our latest media release re the card.
http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=542.0

Many commuters are just not aware of the potential cost impacts depending on their patterns of travel. 
As uptake increases I am sure we will read and hear of many complaints as to cost increases. 

But Translink has not taken any notice of feedback on the fare structure from the pilot participants and users till this point in time, will they really bother now?

I think now that we are smart card enabled with the Go Card real Smart state innovation is needed.

Senior Go Cards - free travel on Sundays.  Easy to do now! 

Touch on before 7am - free travel, help spread the peak loads. 

Off peak travel - urgently needed on the Go card to encourage further off peak travel and help manage the peak congestion crises on all modes of public transport. 

[Tejas]

there will be an article on ten  news tonight about this.