Myki - articles and discussion

[#Metro]

Why are there so many problems. It should have been intensive but not problematic.
Does anyone know of an example where it was rolled out smoothly etc?

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Train commuters spurning myki

Train commuters spurning myki
CLAY LUCAS
March 16, 2010

JUST 4 per cent of the 587,000 trips taken each day on Melbourne's trains are paid for using the new myki smartcard, leaked figures have shown.

And user numbers - tightly held by the government but leaked to the opposition last week - show thousands of myki users either failing to ''touch off'' as they exit railway stations, or being unable to because equipment is broken.

The leaked figures show many of these myki users are being charged a higher ''default'' fare as a result of not scanning off the system.

About 30 myki users are ringing the myki call centre each day to ask why they have been charged a higher fare than they thought they were entitled to.

Opposition transport spokesman Terry Mulder, who got the figures, said they showed myki's ''touch off'' feature was leaving users badly overcharged.

''This is a feature that John Brumby built into the myki ticketing system, and it has left the community totally confused,'' he said. ''It is resulting in windfall gain for [the government].'' Public Transport Minister Martin Pakula's spokesman said 80 per cent of people who caught a train also needed to catch a tram or a bus.

''So it is not surprising the number of people using myki is low,'' spokesman Stephen Moynihan said. ''We expect use to grow once it is fully rolled out across all three modes.''

He said people who could not touch off the myki system because of faulty equipment would be reimbursed if charged a higher fare.

The figures leaked to the opposition are for the period February 16 to March 1. They show myki user numbers over this period averaging about 23,300 trips each day. There are 587,000 trips a day made on Melbourne's trains, according to transport marketing agency Metlink.

Myki, a $1.35 billion smartcard, was meant to be working by 2007. It is three years late and $350 million over budget.

Problems with the system have bewildered the government and the company contracted to develop myki, Kamco.

Myki is only available on trains, because Kamco cannot get it to work on trams or buses.

In an attempt to get myki working, the government's Transport Ticketing Authority has appointed another costly consultant to the project, Claus Jensen, a partner with consulting firm Ernst and Young.

A source close to the project said the bill for Mr Jensen's technical expertise would top $3000 a day.

The ticket authority yesterday refused to say how much it was paying Ernst and Young, or how long Mr Jensen would work on the project.

''Ernst and Young will be engaged for as long as required,'' spokeswoman Jean Ker Walsh said.

The cost of hiring Mr Jensen would be included in the ticket authority's next annual report, Ms Ker Walsh said.

In a freedom of information request made by The Age, the authority has refused to say how much Ms Ker Walsh, a public relations consultant, is being paid.

Ms Ker Walsh was contracted last March by former chief executive Gary Thwaites to be the public face of myki.

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Not one myki smartcard holder fined, creating an army of fare evaders

Not one myki smartcard holder fined, creating an army of fare evaders

    * Matt Johnston, Stephen McMahon
    * From: Herald Sun
    * March 26, 2010 12:00AM

FARE evaders holding myki passes are copping "a stern talking to" rather than a fine.

Not a single infringement notice has been issued against a myki holder since its bungled introduction on Melbourne's trains.

The Opposition says the myki system is creating an army of fare evaders.

By comparison, commuters using Metcards were hit with 19,300 fines in the first quarter of this year. That adds up to more than $3 million.

In the same period last year, before myki was brought in, an extra 1300 fines were dished out.

Only a small percentage of commuters are using myki, but ticket inspectors can check smartcards with card readers.

Fare evasion costs the Government and public transport operators more than $80 million a year.

The Brumby Government insists all fare evaders will be punished.

A Department of Transport spokeswoman confirmed no myki users had been fined, but 22 people without tickets were fined for using myki as an excuse.

"In all cases the people involved either did not have any ticket on them, that is no myki or Metcard, or had an invalid Metcard," she said.

Common excuses included "I forgot my myki", "I left it at home", and "I've ordered a myki but it hasn't arrived yet".

Opposition transport spokesman Terry Mulder said myki was a joke.

"They couldn't possibly fine people because there are still data problems," Mr Mulder said. "John Brumby needs to come out and tell the public how much this is costing on top of the $1.35 billion we have already paid."

He said that commuters would get used to the "free pass".

"They are creating an army of fare evaders," Mr Mulder said.

A spokesman for Public Transport Minister Martin Pakula said ticket inspectors were checking myki and Metcards.

"There is no excuse for travelling without a valid myki or Metcard and already more than 20 people have been fined for using myki as an excuse," the spokesman said.

The introduction of the system provided a chance to educate rather than attack commuters, he said.

The debacle comes as the Government has been further embarrassed by another leaked media plan, this time to promote myki. The plan, from July last year, recommends developing tactics that prove the system works.

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Myki error credits $150,000 bonus

Myki error credits $150,000 bonus
JASON DOWLING
March 26, 2010

FORGET a lottery ticket, the pokies or a punt at the races - the best way in Melbourne for quick riches is with a myki card.

Michael Wiggett is the latest punter to strike it rich in the myki extravaganza.

On Wednesday about noon the 29-year-old IT worker was waiting for a train at Brunswick station when he checked his myki balance.
Michael Wiggett with his myki balance.

Mr Wiggett expected to have about $10 on his card but was surprised to discover he had a balance of $151,055.36.

''I tried to work out how many years of travel it would allow me to have - it might be a few lifetimes worth, I think,'' he said.

He was surprised the Transport Ticketing Authority was yet to contact him considering it had all his details.

''I am quite surprised it hasn't been automatically rectified,'' he said.

Another myki customer this year had $167,000 wrongly credited to their account.

Myki, a $1.35 billion public transport smartcard, was meant to be working by 2007. It is $350 million over budget and is still not reliable enough to be used on trams.

Mr Wiggett checked his balance again last night and the windfall was still there.

''My initial thought was what if this was an ATM, what if I just suddenly had $150,000 in my bank account?'' he said.

''At first it was kind of a bit funny, but my main concern now is that if they can add $150,000 into my account, what's to stop money going missing from my account?'' he said.

''I don't like the idea that I would religiously have to keep an eye on it to make sure that everything was in order. I would like to be able to trust that they have the proper accounting systems.''

Mr Wiggett said it made him less confident about the myki ticketing system.

He had not looked into whether there was a way to withdraw credit from his myki card.

John Fergusson, spokesman for Kamco - the company behind myki - said a ''fare calculation programming error'' resulted in some cards being incorrectly credited.

The amount credited cannot be withdrawn. ''In the meantime we are proactively contacting customers who have been affected by this issue and replacing their cards.''

[ozbob]

Got to love my registered myki card.  I received some free travel last time I was in Melbourne, cool!    Just got around to checking it.

Would seem the touch off at home station was not registered, so I never completed.  And I am still touched on plus I never registered touch off at Sandringham, North Melbourne or South Yarra although physically I did and it seemed to work at the time ...

I did ring them at the time, never did hear back.  I hope to be in Melbourne in August ... be interesting to see how it goes.  Current balance is still the $20 I originally added.


I also have another unregistered card which I used a bit as well.  That seem to work ok using the local readers.

Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 results

   * Results per page

Date   Time   Transaction Type   Service   Zone   Description   Credit   Debit   myki money Balance*
07/01/2010   12:40:29   Touch on   Train   1   South Yarra Station   -    -    -
07/01/2010   11:41:52   Touch on   Train   City   North Melbourne Station   -    -    -
07/01/2010   11:08:09   Touch on   Train   City   Flinders Street Station   -    -    -
07/01/2010   11:04:17   Touch off   Train   City   Flinders Street Station   -    -    -
07/01/2010   10:44:41   Touch on   Train   1   Windsor Station   -    -    -
07/01/2010   10:24:50   Touch off   Train   1   Windsor Station   -    -    -
07/01/2010   10:01:37   Touch on   Train   2   Sandringham Station   -    -    -
07/01/2010   08:08:36   Touch on   Train   1   Murrumbeena Station   -    -    -
05/01/2010   11:02:24   Top up myki money       -   -   $20.00    -    $20.00
05/01/2010   11:02:24   Card Purchase       -   $0.00   -    -    

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

$500m spent on troubled myki smartcard enough to buy 25 trains

$500m spent on troubled myki smartcard enough to buy 25 trains

    * Ashley Gardiner
    * From: Herald Sun
    * April 23, 2010 12:00AM

STATE bureaucrats are soaking up more than a third of the budgeted $1.35 billion cost of the troubled myki smartcard.

The $505 million in taxpayers' money to be spent by the troubled Transport Ticketing Authority would be enough to buy 25 trains.

Money to be directed to the TTA bureaucracy actually exceeds the cash paid to Kamco to build and run the system by $10 million.

The revelations the TTA is getting more than Kamco have come as a shock to Opposition transport spokesman Terry Mulder.

He said $500 million dollars could have been spent on projects that actually improved public transport services.

Commuters were hit by major delays yesterday on the Belgrave, Epping, Frankston and Werribee lines because of faults.

The Craigieburn, Pakenham, Sandringham, Sydenham and Williamstown lines were also struck by delays.

"That just rams home the fact the money should have been spent on basic maintenance," Mr Mulder said.

"Instead, we got a ticket system that no one asked for and didn't want.

"It could have bought a lot of trains, trams, new signals and air-conditioning."

Kamco declined to comment.

The TTA did not provide details on how an extra $350 million set aside for extending the Metcard system and other changes would be spent.

TTA spokesman Adrian Darwent said:

"We have been quite clear about the costs associated with the myki project. It will cost $1.35 billion to build and then operate the new ticketing system for 10 years."

Mr Darwent said that included payments to Kamco of $494 million to design, build and operate myki and the TTA's delivery and operating costs of $505 million.

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Myki transport smartcard may not be fully launched until after election

Myki transport smartcard may not be fully launched until after election

    * Ashley Gardiner
    * From: Herald Sun
    * May 05, 2010 12:00AM

THE myki public transport smartcard system may not be fully launched until after the election.

Commuters won't be using the troubled $1.35 billion system on trams before October, and it could be as late as the end of the year, the Budget papers reveal.

The full introduction of the system in Melbourne has been delayed by problems with its operation on trams.

Opposition transport spokesman Terry Mulder said myki would be delayed to avoid pre-election embarrassment.

"They are petrified to turn it on because it's got such a stench about it," he said.

The commuter crush could get worse after no money was set aside for promised new trains. A fleet of new generation trains designed to cope with Melbourne's booming population was scheduled to be on the rails from 2013.

Tuesday's Budget made no mention of the key promise in the State Government's transport blueprint.

But it is possible that money for the new trains is being saved up to be announced as a pre-election sweetener.

The Victorian Transport Plan promised $2 billion for up to 32 new generation trains that can carry 30 per cent more passengers than the existing fleet. This is on top of the 38 new trains currently being delivered.

Public Transport Users Association president Daniel Bowen said the Government needed to be planning ahead for its train purchases.

Other initiatives were welcome, including plans to introduce more station staff and buy 50 new trams. "But anyone who relies on a bus is completely missing out," Mr Bowen said.

[ozbob]

Mini myki movies --> http://www.myki.com.au/  scroll down that page

[ozbob]

myki machine simulator  --> http://www.myki.com.au/cvm/index.html

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Myki to tick before poll

Myki to tick before poll
SARAH-JANE COLLINS
May 11, 2010

PUBLIC Transport Minister Martin Pakula expects the troubled myki ticketing system to be operating across trains, trams and buses before the November state election.

Mr Pakula said yesterday it was his expectation the smart card would be in use across the public transport network before Victorians vote.

''The advice is that the progress that's being made towards ironing out the technical glitches in regards to myki is going well,'' Mr Pakula said.

Asked if he expected the system to be operational before the election, Mr Pakula replied: ''Yes I do.''

Previously, Mr Pakula had said he did not want to put a timetable on the rollout, but hoped the system would be working by the end of 2010.

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Myki mess: big guns to mop up

Myki mess: big guns to mop up
May 13, 2010

THE government department responsible for getting myki working is employing 14 expensive advisers from global consulting firm Ernst & Young to sort out the smartcard mess, the opposition says.

So far the $1.35 billion smartcard - intended to replace Metcard and V/Line tickets in 2007 - is working on only a handful of regional buses and Melbourne's trains.

Public Transport Minister Martin Pakula, appearing before a parliamentary spending committee yesterday, would not say how much the Ernst & Young staff, who were hired early this year, were being paid.

''They've been engaged at the normal government rates,'' he said, to provide a ''holistic'' service to the government's Transport Ticketing Authority.

''They are providing the TTA - and by extension the government, and by extension Victorian taxpayers - a very vigorous analysis of everything we are being told,'' he said.

Under repeated questioning over when myki would begin use on Melbourne's trams and buses, Mr Pakula berated the opposition, saying ''the stupidity of continually demanding a date'' for the smartcard's launch was not helpful.

''It will be up and running as soon as possible,'' he said. ''These sorts of issues are not uncommon with public transport smartcard ticketing systems around the world.''

Mr Pakula said the opposition was lying when it claimed that myki was $1 billion over budget. ''You've made that figure up,'' he said. ''It was always a project that was $500 million for operating, $500 million for capital, and in 2008 the minister at the time announced an additional $350 million,'' he said.

CLAY LUCAS

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Public Transport Minister Martin Pakula says myki questions 'stupid'

Public Transport Minister Martin Pakula says myki questions 'stupid'

    * Ashley Gardiner
    * From: Herald Sun
    * May 13, 2010 12:01AM

PUBLIC Transport Minister Martin Pakula has described questions about myki as stupid in a blunder that has enraged commuters.

Readers of heraldsun.com.au were immediately scathing - their outrage poured online as Mr Pakula was still speaking to a State Parliament committee.

But Mr Pakula last night stood firm, refusing to back away from his comments.

During a parliamentary committee hearing yesterday, Liberal MP Richard Dalla-Riva suggested statements about myki's tram start date had been inconsistent.

"In the hearings, we've had the Premier, your public comments (earlier this week), and your comments today," Mr Dalla-Riva said.

"We've had different variations as to when myki will come on stream."

Mr Pakula replied: "No, not really. That's not right. It will be up and running this year and as soon as possible."

Mr Pakula said technicians had been working around the clock to fix the problems.

"These sorts of issues are not uncommon with significant IT projects and they're not uncommon with public transport smartcard ticketing systems around the world," he said.

"It's why the sort of stupidity of continually demanding a date ..."

His sentence was cut short by uproar among Opposition MPs.

Angry commuters hit out at the minister on heraldsun.com.au, responding to Mr Pakula as the hearings continued through yesterday afternoon.

Graham, of East Ivanhoe, said: "If I spent $1.35 billion on something I sure as hell would want to know exactly when it is being delivered!"

Stevie said: "What is really stupid is why the government keep persisting with myki. Just scrap it and let's get on with our lives please."

Mr Pakula refused to back away from his comments to the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee.

"I have always made it very clear that myki will be rolled out on trams and buses when it is working reliably and consistently well," Mr Pakula said.

"I have always said it is my expectation that this will be by the end of the year.

"I understand there is a lot of interest in when myki will be fully rolled out."

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Myki swipe wiped

Myki swipe wiped

    * James Campbell
    * From: Sunday Herald Sun
    * May 16, 2010 12:00AM

HUNDREDS of thousands of tram travellers will no longer have to "swipe off" their myki cards in a major switch being considered to enable the $1.3 billion system to start operating.

The Sunday Herald Sun has learned the Brumby Government is set to dump the need for myki users to "touch off" on trams when the system is introduced this year.

The present myki design requires travellers to touch card readers on exiting a tram or risk being charged as if they had travelled from zone 1 into zone 2. This has raised concerns about the ability of the myki system to cope when a crush of people get on or off a tram at once.

The change would be achieved by redrawing the boundaries of Zone 1 to include all tram routes.

The move is not expected to have a big impact on revenue because most tram routes are entirely in zone 1, apart from the 109 to Box Hill, the 75 to Vermont South and the 86 to Bundoora.

The bus system and metropolitan trains would not be affected by the change.

The Sunday Herald Sun understands the radical move is being considered as part of a major overhaul of the Public Transport Authority.

John Fergusson, spokesman for contractor Kamco, which built myki, said the change to the system would not be difficult to make.

"The system has been designed around the principles of 'touch on' and 'touch off'," Mr Fergusson said.

"If the requirement to touch off was removed, some technical adjustments to the system would have to be made."

The cost to reconfigure the system would not be great, he said.

The Public Transport Users Association welcomed the move, saying touching off would be a disaster.

"Trams are slow enough as it is," PTUA president Daniel Bowen said.

"There have been concerns touching off will cause delays at busy tram stops for some time. Early trials of the myki card system showed it slowed trams down significantly."

Melburnians take almost 434,000 tram trips every day, according to Yarra Trams.

A spokesman for Transport Minister Martin Pakula said the Government was still committed to getting the system running by the end of the year.

"Myki will go live on trains and buses when the Minister and the board of the TTA are satisfied it is working," the spokesman said. "No decision has been made on changing Melbourne's zone structure."

The $1.35 billion myki project has been plagued by delays and controversy since work began in 2005.

The project was originally meant to be finished in 2007, but it still not fully operational more than three years later. The process that awarded the contract to build myki was also controversial, with the Auditor-General in 2007 recommending that police investigate the leaking of tender documents.

Mr Pakula sparked outrage during the week when he described questions about when the system would finally be finished as "stupid".

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Pssst! Myki works on trams - most of the time

Pssst! Myki works on trams - most of the time
CLAY LUCAS
June 11, 2010

TECHNICALLY, it's against the rules, but thousands of Melburnians are using their myki card on the city's trams, despite it being valid for travel only on trains.

Leaked government data logs obtained by The Age show that travellers with myki cards have used the system on trams 41,000 times over the past fortnight, including almost 5000 times last Friday.

No one has been booked, let alone fined, even though the $1.35 billion smartcard - originally intended to replace Metcard in 2007 - is legally valid for use only on trains in Melbourne. To become valid on trams and buses, a new law must be gazetted.

The troubled smartcard system has shown signs of improvement: the leaked data shows it worked 96 per cent of the time on trams in May.

While that might seem high, Public Transport Users Association secretary Tony Morton said if myki were valid across the system at its current reliability, ''one in 25 people on every tram is going to have a problem''. That is more than 100,000 failed transactions a day.

Public Transport Minister Martin Pakula still cannot say when the smartcard will be turned on. ''Myki will go live on trams and buses when it is working reliably and consistently well,'' said Mr Pakula's spokesman Stephen Moynihan.

Mr Morton said myki had become a symbol for the ''wider malaise'' of the government's management of transport in Victoria. ''It's the kind of thing that has put this government on the nose coming up to an election, and if it is the final straw then so be it,'' he said.

Kamco, the US-led consortium contracted to build myki, refused to comment on the results, directing queries to the government's Transport Ticketing Authority. ''We are aware that a small number of curious commuters are touching on and off trams,'' said authority spokesman Adrian Darwent.

There are 1200 government bureaucrats authorised to use myki on trams. ''The only people authorised to use myki on trams are testers or system auditors,'' Mr Darwent said.

In 2006, the former chief executive of the Transport Ticketing Authority, Viv Miners, warned then minister Lynne Kosky that the existing Metcard system was ''close to collapse''.

Mr Miners - who owned shares in the consortium that won the myki contract - left the government in 2008.

Track Record, a quarterly government report on the public transport, shows Metcard is working reliably 98.98 per cent of the time on train stations and 98.2 per cent of the time on trams and buses.

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Myki chiefs go on $120,000 shopping malls spending spree to promote troubled smart cards

Myki chiefs go on $120,000 shopping malls spending spree to promote troubled smart cards

    * Ashley Gardiner
    * From: Herald Sun
    * June 16, 2010 12:01AM

MYKI chiefs have gone on a six-figure spending spree at some of Melbourne's biggest shopping centres.

In a campaign costing almost $120,000, taxpayers have been paying shopping centres up to $3000 a day to promote the troubled smartcard.

The Transport Ticketing Authority has paid Chadstone and Highpoint that amount for the right to park its promotional truck at the shopping centres.

Its $721,000 truck has also called by Westfield centres at Airport West, Doncaster, Fountain Gate, Plenty Valley and Southland.

The TTA has also spent $14,412 on smaller displays inside shopping centres and at festivals.

On top of that is a total security bill of $6000 over six months, to guard the truck from damage.

It is still unknown when the smartcard will be fully operational on trams and buses.

TTA chief executive Bernie Carolan said all the payments were legitimate costs to provide customer information.

"Experience around the world has shown the need for an informative, accessible public campaign when new ticketing systems are introduced," Mr Carolan said.

In the past year, more than 60,000 people have visited myki displays at 52 locations.

Mr Carolan said security was hired, as it was cheaper than driving the truck back to its warehouse every day.

Opposition spokesman on transport Terry Mulder said the truck should be parked at cheaper locations. "(They are) shovelling money out the door at top-dollar shopping centres, instead of parking the myki trailer at a free site such as a government school car park," Mr Mulder said.

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

City saver fares to be dumped to pave the way for myki smartcards

City saver fares to be dumped to pave the way for myki smartcards

    * John Ferguson
    * From: Herald Sun
    * June 18, 2010 12:00AM

EXCLUSIVE: THOUSANDS of city commuters will be hit with big fare increases to pave the way for the myki smartcard.

The Government is planning to dump the popular city saver fare system and force commuters to pay up to 76c extra for the equivalent multi-trip ticket.

The decision to dump city saver fares will mean most myki tram users only have to swipe the card once - when they enter a tram.

There will, however, be an exception on three outer-suburban routes - tram numbers 74, 86 and 109 - with travellers having to swipe on and then off to ensure they are charged the correct amount if they travel within Zone 2.

The fare changes will mean city saver is dumped in favour of Zone 1 fares.

City saver fares stretch to Richmond, South Yarra, Carlton, North Melbourne and Docklands.

The changes will mean consumers who now use a single city saver Metcard will face a fare increase of 14c from $2.80 to $2.94.

Those who use a bulk city saver Metcard will face a fare increase of 76c - from $2.18 to $2.94.

There are about 35,000 city saver trips taken each week and consumers will be able to keep buying these tickets as long as Metcard machines remain turned on.

Public Transport Minister Martin Pakula said the changes would mean a flatter fare structure.

"It makes sense to make a flat fare for the majority of tram journeys a Zone 1 ticket," he told the Herald Sun.

"This will ensure that people will never have to pay more than that."

The move will require further testing of the myki system, but insiders still believe the cards could be used across trams, trains and buses before the election.

The overwhelming majority of city saver trips are on trams.

However, city savers make up a tiny percentage of the overall tickets bought.

Shadow transport spokesman Terry Mulder said the Government had promised to provide the lowest fares for consumers under myki.

"Instead of offering cheap fares, John Brumby wants to force Victorians to pay more on public transport or abandon trains, trams and buses for Labor's heavily congested roads," he said.

"This huge fare rise will hit many city workers who live in suburbs such as South Yarra, as well as tourists who catch a tram one way and walk the other to enjoy Melbourne's sights."

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Myki used by just one in 20

Myki used by just one in 20

    * Ashley Gardiner
    * From: Herald Sun
    * June 20, 2010 10:59PM

COMMUTERS have given myki the big thumbs down in the first official survey of attitudes towards the troubled smartcard.

Confidential State Government research confirms just one in 20 train travellers use myki.

In a bizarre twist, Metcard has recorded its highest-ever approval rating.

Research obtained by the Herald Sun under Freedom of Information laws shows myki is rated 62 out of 100, while Metcard scored 78.

The survey covers January to March this year.

Myki users reported they didn't understand the system and were struggling with the task of touching on and off.

But they were most happy with the accuracy of calculating fares and of travel records.

Public Transport Minister Martin Pakula said the approval of myki would grow.

"Both on regional buses and on trains, what you find, as you would expect, as people become more familiar with the system, they're liking it more and more," he said.

"People's enjoyment of the system is growing as they become more familiar with it."

Transport Department research shows just 5 per cent of train travellers use myki, or about 20,000 a day.

That's a fraction of the 100,000-plus myki cards that have been issued.

"It is growing, but it is growing slowly. Each month the use is slightly higher than the month before," Mr Pakula said.

"We're unlikely to see a large uptake until it goes live on tram and bus."

That research recorded a statistically significant increase in satisfaction with Metcard, up from 73 out of 100 to 78 in three months.

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Rush of myki card complaints

Rush of myki card complaints
CLAY LUCAS
June 30, 2010

HUNDREDS of complaints about myki have flooded into the Public Transport Ombudsman, a body set up by Victorian train, tram and bus operators to deal with complaints from Victorian commuters.

The news comes as figures released to the state opposition show ticket revenue on regional buses has fallen since myki was introduced.

The $1.35 billion myki card, three years late and $350 million over budget, was introduced on buses in six regional Victorian cities from late 2008. It is also running on Melbourne's trains, but is not yet valid on the city's trams and buses.

The government will not say when myki will be fully operational. Last year, problems with myki malfunctioning on regional buses led to drivers often waving passengers on board without checking their tickets.

The figures released under freedom of information to opposition transport spokesman Terry Mulder show revenue on regional buses fell from $5.7 million in 2008 to $5.6 million in 2009. This small drop came despite a jump in numbers catching the bus in towns with myki.

''Regional bus operators have lodged claims for lost revenue with the Department of Transport because of myki,'' Mr Mulder said.

''The on-board myki equipment fails often, which leaves drivers with no other option but to wave passengers on without paying. How can [Premier] John Brumby claim myki is working on regional buses when the system is clearly losing money?''

The government's Transport Ticketing Authority said the fall in revenue came as a result of myki offering customers a discount of about 5 per cent on the price of a short-term ticket.

The Public Transport Ombudsman, in its quarterly report released today, said it received 1205 complaints from commuters across the state in the nine months to March.

Over the same period last year, the industry body received 903 complaints.

''The primary reason for this [rise] is due to more cases about myki,'' the report said.

There were 481 complaints about myki, 223 about late trains and other service delivery problems, 206 about transport staff and 189 about ticket fines. Ticket inspectors were again a source of community ire, with 155 complaints received.

More than half of the complaints about myki were related to automatic top-ups and registering for a card. Another 30 per cent were related to problems with getting a refund, and just 4 per cent were related to problems with vending machines and ticket validators.

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

In transport terms, the big V means nothing

In transport terms, the big V means nothing

    * John Ferguson
    * From: Herald Sun
    * July 09, 2010 12:00AM

THE race to breathe life into the $1.35 billion myki smartcard project has taken a further blow.

The Transport Ticketing Authority has confirmed V/Line buses and trains are not the priority for the Government. Instead, it will focus first on trams and buses before installing the system on country services.

"At this stage, the focus is on getting trams and buses operating with myki," said the TTA.

"The rollout will continue to V/Line in subsequent stages."

The comments mean the Government faces an increasing challenge to have myki fully in place by the end of November for country and regional commuters.

The Government is spruiking the benefits of myki on V/Line services despite what looks like an inevitable delay.

The regions will be crucial in deciding the election.

Shadow transport spokesman Terry Mulder said the Government had blundered the entire project.

"What does this say about the Government's ability to manage major projects?" he asked.

It comes as sweeping changes to myki have forced its operators to scrap a public information guide to the new system.

The decision to remove the city saver fare, delaying the myki roll-out to trams and buses, and the manner in which the cards will be sold to consumers are among the reasons to scrap the guide, the Government said.

The end of the city saver fare was one of the key catalysts for the information guide to be dumped. The Herald Sun revealed last month that the fares would be abolished to smooth the way for the rolling out of myki on to the tram system.

Consumers who use city saver fares for trips within the CBD and inner suburbs will no longer have to touch-off with myki, making the peak-hour crushes more streamlined.

The scrapping of the guide was sparked by multiple changes made to the system as the Government fights to get it in place before the election.

These now superseded details were included in already printed material, including a 28-page guide produced under a commercial arrangement between the Transport Ticketing Authority and the Herald and Weekly Times, publisher of the Herald Sun.

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Myki pamphlets scrapped

Myki pamphlets scrapped
ADAM CAREY
July 9, 2010

THE Brumby government has been forced to junk almost 500,000 pamphlets on how to use the myki card because they are out of date.

Printed last year, the 28-page guides are in storage and are destined to be recycled.

They were to have been inserted in the Herald Sun but contain redundant information on how to use the recently scrapped city saver fare, and a list of card retail outlets that was current in 2009. The transport Ticketing Authority chief executive, Bernie Carolan, said in a statement that the authority had no option but to discard the guides.

''Due to some delays and policy changes, this guide now contains some inaccuracies and it would be a disservice to customers if it was released in its current form,'' Mr Carolan said.

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Myki vandal bill tops $3.2m

Myki vandal bill tops $3.2m

    * James Campbell
    * From: Sunday Herald Sun
    * July 11, 2010 12:01AM

MORE than $3.2 million in damage has been caused to Melbourne's myki ticket system in a crime wave across the public transport system.

The vandalism spree is the latest debacle to hit the troubled ticketing system that is three years late and more than $350 million over budget.

Exclusive figures obtained by the Sunday Herald Sun confirm 877 attacks on myki machines between August 2009 and last month.

In 595 cases the damage to myki equipment was so bad it had to be removed from train stations before it could be repaired.

At Rockbank and Cribb Point stations the ticket machines were destroyed.

Documents reveal most attacks occurred at stations on the Williamstown line, while several other stations across the city have been hit numerous times.

The most vandalised station is Yarraville - on the Williamstown/Werribee line - which has been hit 24 times. The second-most targeted station is Hastings (20), followed by Spotswood (19), Seddon (17) and Upwey (15).

The total damages bill to the myki system since August has already topped $3.24 million and is growing with the total bill expected to top $4 million before the end of the year.

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Opposition attacks $1.4 billion myki ticketing system as a useless piece of plastic

Opposition attacks $1.4 billion myki ticketing system as a useless piece of plastic

    * AAP with Matthew Schulz
    * From: AAP
    * July 12, 2010 1:14PM

FIVE years after the Victorian government touted the myki smartcard as the "new generation" for public transport, the Opposition says it is just useless plastic.

Marking the fifth anniversary of the myki swipe card announcement, Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu said commuters were lumped with a system that was massively over budget and still didn't work.

Myki was rolled out on trains at the end of last year but is yet to start operating on trams and buses.

The $1.35 billion system is three years late and $350 million over budget.

"Five years after this government promised to introduce myki it's not there, it's cost nearly three times as much, it doesn't work, commuters didn't ask for it and myki remains a disaster,'' Mr Baillieu said.

''(It's) arguably the most useless piece of plastic in Australia.''

Mr Baillieu said the Opposition would "look at our legal options", when asked if a Coalition government would dump the troubled system.

"We will obviously have to look closer in government, but we're not going to see taxpayers out of pocket with services contracted and not delivered."

"We will honour contracts, but we will also hold any contractors to the contract.

"We will seek to exercise whatever contractual options are available in the contract."

The myki anniversary coincides with a government update on progress of major proposed transport projects, including route options for the $2.8 billion WestLink tunnel.

In a statement today, the Opposition mocked the delay by comparing what could be achieved in five years or with $1.4 billion.

They compared the failures of myki with the strength of YouTube, with the first videos loaded in April 2005, and now boasts nearly two billion videos-a-day.

The Opposition said $1.4 billion could pay for:
- four year's funding for 186,000 children at 486 Victorian Catholic Schools;
- cover Jolimont Railyards;
- upgrade 776 schools; or,
- build another Melbourne Convention Centre or every stadium in the South African 2010 World Cup.

When the ticketing system was announced in 2005, the then Bracks Government said the system would be ready by 2007.

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

State Government seriously considered dumping myki ticketing scheme

State Government seriously considered dumping myki ticketing scheme

   * Ashley Gardiner transport reporter
   * From: Herald Sun
   * July 23, 2010 12:12AM

MYKI is considered such a dud the State Government seriously considered dumping it.

But industry sources estimated it would cost $1 billion to end the contract, on top of the existing $1.35 billion cost.

Just an hour before bureaucrats were to be grilled at a parliamentary inquiry over the myki fiasco, Transport Minister Martin Pakula said myki would be valid on trams and buses from Sunday.

Transport Department secretary Jim Betts told the inquiry his officials prepared advice for the Government on terminating the contact.

But he said it was too late to dump myki, and it was never a sensible option anyway.

"The prospect of walking away now is ... frightening," Mr Betts said.

The cost to taxpayers would be huge, and there was not enough time to get another system before 2012, the absolute latest when Metcard must be switched off.

The State Opposition is seeking legal advice on whether it can scrap myki.

Mr Pakula warned commuters about unexpected glitches. "There are some bugs or issues that only emerge when you're in a live environment," he said.

Transport Ticketing Authority chief executive Bernie Carolan said myki was reliable enough to use on trams and trains. "It doesn't mean we think it's absolutely perfect," he said.

Metcards will remain valid until at least Easter.

Mr Pakula said inspectors would not be dishing out fines to honest passengers who were struggling with myki.

"There will always be some customers who the ticket inspectors take the view are seeking to evade fares," he said.

A spokesman for Mr Pakula explained inspectors would be able to use hand-held devices to check whether any money had actually been loaded on to the card. About 30,000 commuters a day are using myki, which represents about 5 per cent of train travellers.

This is also a tiny fraction of the 430,000 cards that have been issued; of those, about 200,000 have been used at least once. Mr Pakula said he did not know when myki would be started on the regional V/Line network. He indicated there might be another period when myki cards could be obtained free, but until then, commuters would need to buy one for $10.

Opposition transport spokesman Terry Mulder said the announcement was a stunt. "This is about trying to kill off a negative story. It is 1212 days late and $352 million-plus over budget," he said. The $1.35 billion should have been used to pay for new trains and improved infrastructure.

Mr Mulder confirmed legal advice was being sought on myki, but would not say if the Opposition would announce its position on myki before the election.

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Pakula gambles on fare outcome

Pakula gambles on fare outcome

    * Stephen McMahon
    * From: Herald Sun
    * July 23, 2010 12:00AM

TRANSPORT Minister Martin Pakula has gambled not only his own political future, but that of the Government on the success of the myki ticketing system.

Voters will not tolerate a repetition of the fiasco of earlier this year, when the system began on trains.

Just over five years after the troubled $1.35 billion system was first promised, Mr Pakula has finally taken the training wheels off. And what cynical timing: the plan was announced less than an hour before an Upper House inquiry into the myki system, and smack in the middle of a federal election campaign.

All the Coalition has had to do is mention myki, and voters envisage huge waste and bureaucratic bungling.

Labor's internal polling shows it was bleeding votes even in areas that haven't been able to use the system.

It is scrambling to put the fiasco well and truly behind it before voters go to the polls in November. But it is a big risk.

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

From the Herald Sun click here!

Myki smartcard system to roll out on trams and buses from Sunday

Myki smartcard system to roll out on trams and buses from Sunday

    * Stephen McMahon
    * From: Herald Sun
    * July 22, 2010 11:07AM

UPDATE 3pm: THE Opposition says commuters have been taken for a ride, with the myki smartcard system finally rolling out on all public transport this Sunday.

Public Transport Minister Martin Pakula confirmed today that the system would be fully operational on trains, trams and buses from Sunday.

The troubled system is $350 million over budget and has been beset with problems ever since it failed to meet its original deadline of March 1, 2007.

Will you use myki? Have you had problems already? Tell us below

Opposition Transport spokesman Terry Mulder said today's announcement was another example of the Brumby government treating commuters like mugs.

"This is about trying to kill off a negative story, it is 1212 days late and $352 million plus over budget,'' he said.

"This is a total waste of taxpayers' money.''

Mr Mulder claims the myki system is so bad that inspectors can't check tickets and people with myki cards are travelling for free.

The Opposition says the $1.35 billion spent should have been used to pay for new trains and improved infrastructure and is seeking legal advice about potentially scrapping the system.

However, Mr Mulder refused to confirm whether the Opposition will make its position clear on myki's future ahead of the November 27 state election.

"There is a huge amount of problems within the system,'' he said.

Mr Pakula declined to reveal specifics of the system's performance during tests on the tram network.

"Results from recent testing have demonstrated the system is now ready for customer use on trams and buses," he said.

"I am satisfied that the system is working at improved levels of reliability and the system operator Kamco has the ability to operate the expanded system.

Mr Pakula said ticket inspectors would educate most commuters about myki during this period, rather than dishing out fines to those who make honest mistakes.

"There will always be some customers that the ticket inspectors take the view are seeking to fare evade," Mr Pakula said.

He indicated there may be another period when myki cards can be obtained for free, but until then, commuters will need to buy one for $10.

Public Transport Users Association president Daniel Bowen welcomed the roll-out of myki's next stage.

But he said the Opposition's plans to potentially scrap the system could cause a huge backlash with so much money already spent on the project.

"It has been seven odd months of trains only and people will be relieved the project is nearing completion,'' he said.

"The website was a disaster for the first few months but it is working relatively well now on trains.''

Mr Bowen doesn't expect a big disruption with the system going live on all trams and buses on Sunday as only five per cent of commuters use myki on daily basis.

Government officials estimate that 25,000 to 30,000 commuters use myki on a daily basis.

More than 450,000 myki cards have been issued, with almost 200,000 used at least once.

The Metcard and myki systems will operate concurrently until at least Easter next year, Mr Pakula said.

"The reason we didn't go live on tram and bus in December, when we went live on train, was that there were a whole lot of customer-facing issues that weren't satisfactory," Mr Pakula said.

These included problems with the call centre, topping up credit and eftpos facilities.

"That's been exactly the sort of stuff we've been working on over the last six months," Mr Pakula said.

Transport Ticketing Authority chief executive Bernie Carolan said it was decided last week that myki was reliable enough to use on trams and trains.

"It doesn't mean we think it's absolutely perfect," Mr Carolan said.

Mr Pakula said a date was yet to be fixed on when myki would begin operation on the regional V/Line network.

- with Ashley Gardiner

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Commuters forced to pay as myki goes live

Commuters forced to pay as myki goes live
CLAY LUCAS
July 23, 2010

Melbourne's much-maligned myki smartcard system will go live on trams and buses this Sunday even though the $1.35 billion operation still has problems.

THE Brumby government has broken a promise to tram and bus users to provide them with free myki cards when the trouble-plagued ticketing system is finally switched on for all public transport in Melbourne.

As it was announced yesterday that myki will go live on buses and trams on Sunday - three years and five months after it was due - Public Transport Minister Martin Pakula said people who did not have cards would have to buy them for $10.

This breaks a promise by his predecessor, Lynne Kosky, in January when myki first became valid on trains and 320,000 commuters took up the introductory free-card offer.

At the time, Ms Kosky told those who did not get a free card during the five-week introductory period not to worry. ''Tram and bus users who don't get a myki now should not be too concerned because a similar offer will be available when myki starts on their modes,'' she said on January 14.

Yesterday Mr Pakula said new myki users would now have to pay $10 for cards. ''The myki card costs money to produce. I'm not ruling out that at some point in the future there might be another free offer. But we were pretty clear about the deadline for the free offer (in January),'' Mr Pakula said.

Liberal transport spokesman Terry Mulder said the government had reneged on the free-card promise because it had no faith that the $1.35 billion system would cope if thousands of new users took it up. ''It's the same reason myki cards are not going to be available in convenience stores yet either,'' Mr Mulder said.

Senior government officers also yesterday admitted the hand-held devices that inspectors will use to check myki cards still do not work reliably.

And it became clear that regional train travellers will probably have to wait until next year for myki to come into use.

The existing Metcard system will work alongside myki before it is switched off by April.

The myki announcement helped distract attention from a parliamentary inquiry in which a committee comprising a majority of non-government MPs began probing the system, and the long delays and budget blowouts surrounding it.

The inquiry heard that $472 million had already been spent creating the smartcard. On top of this, $216 million has had to be spent keeping the Metcard system running beyond its supposed use-by date.

Another $878 million is set to be spent completing the installation of myki and running it over the next 10 years.

Department of Transport secretary Jim Betts - who was instrumental in signing off on the myki contract while director of public transport - told the inquiry the aim was to get myki working as efficiently as possible.

The initial target was to have it work as well as the Metcard system it was replacing, he said. A recent government report found Metcard had been working at a record high of 98.5 per cent of the time.

Mr Betts and another transport bureaucrat, Ross Alexander, who managed the myki tender process, were later promoted despite the many problems with the system.

The former head of the government's Transport Ticketing Authority, Gary Thwaites, who was removed from the position by Mr Pakula in February, has also recently resurfaced in the Transport Department, as the deputy executive director of the projects division.

[ozbob]

Off to Melbourne in a few weeks, have topped up my myki card.  Will be able to use it on the trams too now!    

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Costly new commuter dawn

Costly new commuter dawn

    * David Hastie
    * From: Sunday Herald Sun
    * July 25, 2010 12:00AM

GROSSLY over budget and more than three years overdue, the myki ticketing system goes live on metropolitan trams and buses on Sunday.

Transport Minister Martin Pakula will press the button on the $1.35 billion "smartcard" system that will change the way hundreds of thousands of Victorians pay for their daily travel on Melbourne's public transport.

It also represents a major political gamble for the Brumby Government, which risks a backlash from commuters in the fast-approaching November 27 state election if there are any widespread faults or billing glitches.

Despite Mr Pakula admitting some initial teething problems are possible, the Government is confident the system is ready to go.

"Results from recent testing shows the system is ready," spokesman Bill Kyriakopoulos said.

"With a system of this size and complexity, issues will arise, but the TTA (Transport Ticketing Authority) and Kamco are focused on fixing them as soon as they occur."

To illustrate how trouble-prone myki has been, the Sunday Herald Sun highlights some complex $1 billion projects that have had a much smoother run, including NASA's deep-space probe, the Kepler Rocket.

For about the same amount of cash, NASA is now searching space for planets that could sustain life.

The State Government could have built another children's hospital and had $350 million change.

Public Transport Users Association president Daniel Bowen warned there could be mass peak-hour confusion on Monday morning as commuters grappled with the new system, despite the Metcard continuing to work and myki having been in use on metropolitan trains.

He called on the Government to provide greater education to help people adjust.

"It's not so much about what happens (today), it's a question of what happens on Monday," Mr Bowen said.

"The first weekday peak is when it gets interesting.

"They are going to need to explain it to people. Not everybody is technologically savvy.

"Some people will need guiding through the new technology."

While Melbourne's public transport users have the option of using the existing Metcard system or myki, country Victoria is no closer to seeing the ticketing system that was promised to them by former premier Steve Bracks.

Opposition transport spokesman Terry Mulder watered down the Government's announcement, claiming aside from V/Line services myki would not be rolled out on most regional bus routes.

He said many country Victorians who relied on regional bus services would not get the chance to use the system they had helped fund.

He described regional Victoria's public transport users as the "forgotten people".

"It appears to me that they have been cut out altogether," Mr Mulder said.

"Given that the deal originally was that it was going to be a great ticketing system that could be used for everything, they were cut out.

"The V/Line trains and the stations have been fitted with the equipment, but there's been no indication of when it's going to start.

"But certainly in most of the towns and in a lot of the cities around country Victoria, they've been left out."

Portland Bus Lines manager Daryl Kennedy said many of his customers were growing increasingly frustrated with the Government's failure to keep its promise.

"Everyone's getting screwed over with (myki)," he said.

"After all this time and after all this vast amount of money of reinventing the wheel, it's still got square edges on it.

"As far as getting it down here, if it ever comes it will come, but I don't think it's going to be here in the foreseeable future."

Sunraysia Bus Lines general manager Ron Price, who operates V/Line services as well as town bus services, said while their V/Line coaches had been wired up to be myki compatible there had been no indication as to when they would be fitted with the technology.

"It's been nearly two years we've had buses wired up, to the point where a couple of them are almost ready to be replaced," Mr Price said.

Paynesville Bus Lines owner operator Glenda Gillick said she was not expecting to have myki rolled out on her buses in the near future, if at all.

She said it would have been cheaper to have provided free transport to travellers.

"They (the Government) are not even talking to us about myki at this stage. It's pretty disappointing," Ms Gillick said.

"What they should have done was just scrap the whole thing and given everybody free transport forever and a day. It wouldn't have cost them as much as what it's cost them now."

Mr Pakula fired back, claiming country Victorians could use myki on V/Line train or coach services once it went live.

"The V/Line coach and rail network stretches right across the state and for Mr Mulder to suggest that regional Victorians are being left out is just another example of how muddled the Opposition has become on myki," he said.

Rail, Tram and Bus Union state secretary Trevor Dobbyn was generally complimentary of Mr Pakula's performance since taking on the public transport job.

He said myki would be good for the state in the long run.

"Once it is up and running, people will forget about the difficulties and wonder what all the fuss was about," Mr Dobbyn said.

While frustration mounts across Victoria, the reality for Melbourne's long-suffering train commuters is the $1.35 billion spent on the smartcard system could have bought an additional 67 X'Trapolis trains.

And though Metro is on track to deliver 30 more trains over the next 30 months, greater investment in the state's rail system may have prevented Metro's troubled takeover from Connex seven months ago.

Metro has failed to meet many service targets.

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Call for 50% discount during myki rollout

Call for 50% discount during myki rollout
DEBORAH GOUGH
July 25, 2010

PUBLIC transport passengers using the myki system are expected to pocket savings worth a total of $170 million over the next decade thanks to the smartcard's ability to calculate the cheapest fare available for any given trip.

The myki system - which is set to become operational across the metropolitan public transport network from today, three years after it was promised - is designed to ensure passengers do not unwittingly pay more than they are liable for. But a leading public transport expert said commuters should be prepared for continued problems with the beleaguered ticketing system, and the government should offer users a 50 per cent discount until all problems were ironed out.

Myki spokeswoman Jean Ker Walsh said that, in the past, passengers often miscalculated how much they needed to pay for the services they used, and overspent to the tune of $17 million a year using their Metcards.

''Myki takes all that out, because myki does the calculations for you,'' she said. She told The Sunday Age that the smartcard system calculated the cheapest possible fare based on where and when a myki card was swiped.

But she said the savings for passengers would amount to a significant loss to the state's coffers.

Under the terms of agreements with public transport operators, such as MTM for Metro Trains and Yarra Trams operator Keolis, the state government will top up any lost revenue from myki. It will also pocket any increase in fare takings as a result of myki.

However, Monash University's professor of public transport, Graham Currie, said the state government should follow the lead of other international cities with new ticketing systems and offer a discount of 50 per cent to encourage patronage.

Stephen Moynihan, a spokesman for Public Transport Minister Martin Pakula, said myki was already discounted by 20 per cent for two-hour zone one tickets and there were no plans to increase that discount.

But Professor Currie said a 20 per cent discount was not enough.

''This is not the end of the problems for myki, but at last you can, in theory, use the same ticket across all public transport in metropolitan Melbourne,'' Professor Currie said.

''I think that there should be discounting of fares. Throughout the world the best systems have most or all people using them and that's what they want here.

''If you have discounting, then if things do go wrong, which they will, people will at least have the knowledge that it is not costing them as much as it did under the Metcard system.''

Mr Pakula said on Thursday that passengers could expect some teething problems when myki was extended to buses and trams.

He said recent changes to the tram zones meant most myki users would not need to touch off on trams except those who travel exclusively in the zone 1 and zone 2 overlap area on routes 52, 86, 75 and 109.

Public Transport Users Association spokesman Daniel Bowen advised passengers to wait until some of the problems with myki were fixed on trams and buses before using the ticket.

He called on Mr Pakula to reopen the ''free myki'' program that was used when myki was introduced on trains.

A full-fare myki card costs $10 and a concession, seniors or child myki costs $7. Country passengers will have to wait until probably next year to use myki.

Metcard tickets will operate until at least Easter next year.

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Grumbles on myki roll-out

Grumbles on myki roll-out

    * Stephen McMahon
    * From: Herald Sun
    * July 26, 2010 12:00AM

COMMUTERS gave the myki ticketing system the thumbs down on its first day in use across Melbourne's transport network.

Complaints about broken myki machines, hard-to-understand pricing structures, the $10 price of a myki card and delays in the touch-on, touch-off system were the most common responses from disgruntled commuters.

The State Government's low-key start to the roll-out of the grossly over-budget and much-delayed ticketing system on buses and trams is a deliberate attempt to avoid the litany of problems that surfaced in January when it went live on trains.

Seven months later only about 5 per cent of train commuters use myki daily.

Transport Ticketing Authority chief executive Bernie Carolan yesterday admitted it would be better if commuters didn't all switch over to myki at the same time. And he encouraged people using myki for the first time to do it outside of peak hours.

Transport Minister Martin Pakula conceded the take-up for the ticketing system would be low in the first few weeks.

"The real test will be over the coming months," he said.

"The usage of myki will grow gradually."

More than 430,000 myki cards have been sent out; 200,000 have been validated and used at least once - but just 30,000 are in regular use.

Opposition transport spokesman Terry Mulder said if too many people started using the myki system, it would collapse.

"This system is just too hard to use," he said.

Rachel Whittaker, who is on a working holiday visa from Scotland, agreed that it was a very complicated system after she looked it up online.

Other commuters complained to the Herald Sun that on its first day on trams, the machine at the Federation Square tram stop was broken.

Lil Downey, of Melbourne, said she would wait for another free offer for the myki card before she switched.

But after reneging on a promise to provide free myki cards when it was launched on trams and buses, Mr Pakula was tightlipped about any further giveaways.

The Metcard and myki systems will operate side by side until at least Easter.

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Still not perfect, but myki makes full debut - at last

Still not perfect, but myki makes full debut - at last
CLAY LUCAS
July 26, 2010

MYKI'S first day of full operation in Melbourne has been marred by a series of minor problems, with users complaining of overcharging, continuing issues with the $1.35 billion smartcard's website, and equipment failures.

The myki card became valid for use on all public transport in Melbourne yesterday, three years and five months after it was meant to replace Metcard. Myki had been valid for travel on trains since January, but not trams and buses.

Metcard will continue to work alongside myki in Melbourne until at least next April.

Public Transport Users Association president Daniel Bowen said several of his group's members using myki yesterday had encountered problems.

Mr Bowen said he took three bus trips, and encountered problems on two. ''On the second trip I was overcharged, and on the third none of the scanners on the bus worked. One trip out of three working correctly is not a great start,'' he said. Another PTUA member who used the card yesterday reported he had not been charged anything on his first tram ride.

And users of the transport website www.railpage.com.au - where a small number have been following myki's progress for several years - reported the card was still taking up to two seconds to register on trams.

''It's a bit like it was when they introduced it on the trains: sometimes it's working and sometimes it's not,'' Mr Bowen said. ''It clearly isn't a disaster on day one, but there are enough glitches there that the government should be paying attention.''

Public Transport Minister Martin Pakula said the real test for myki was not its first day, but over the next few months. And he pledged ticket inspectors would be ''empathetic'' in coming weeks as more tried the system.

Only a handful were using myki on trams in the city centre yesterday. Angelo Gaggiano said he had found validators often did not work, but he could always find at least one on board in operation.

Mr Gaggiano, a former public transport worker, predicted concerns over myki would subside once travellers started using it.

The worries over myki were near identical to those he observed when working on the tram system during the 1990s, when Metcard was introduced. ''Metcard caused so many problems,'' he said.

''Another six months or a year, they [myki machines] will all work properly.''

Myki has cost $472 million so far to create, making it one of the most expensive ticketing systems built to date. London's Oyster card cost £161 million ($A277 million) to create in 1998, and in total has since cost £1.16 billion, according to British treasury figures released in February. Myki will cost $1.35 billion to build and operate between July 2005 and July 2017.

The myki card is designed to automatically give public transport users the cheapest fare. On trains and buses, users must touch on and off. On trams, passengers will be charged a default two-hour fare of $2.94 if they do not touch off. Passengers on trams in zone 2 must touch off to get the cheapest fare.

Myki cards can be bought for $10 at www.myki.com.au or at Southern Cross and Flinders Street stations and the Town Hall Metshop

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

90,000 myki seniors cards shelved

90,000 myki seniors cards shelved
CLAY LUCAS
July 27, 2010

Touching on and touching off with Myki has been plagued with reports of commuters being overcharged and undercharged.

THE state government is so concerned about potential glitches in the $1.35 billion myki system that it is not sending out almost 90,000 free seniors cards it has locked in storage.

The first weekday of myki's operation across Melbourne's trains, trams and buses showed few new users - with most appearing to shun the new system in favour of the Metcard.

However, with the government refusing to release any figures showing how many trips had been taken using myki yesterday or on Sunday, it was unclear precisely how many are using the new smartcard.

After writing to all Victorian seniors in January promising a free myki card would be sent within six weeks, those over 60 have been left wondering when or if the cards will come.

Geoffrey Lennie, of Seaford, said he had been told six months ago, in a letter from the Transport Ticketing Authority, that he would receive a free card in the mail. ''Am I still going to get a free one or are they going to make me pay?'' Mr Lennie asked. ''I haven't heard from them since.''

Public Transport Minister Martin Pakula's spokesman, Stephen Moynihan, said the seniors cards would be sent, but only after myki had been ''bedded down'' on buses and trams.

''The seniors mailout is a large logistical operation,'' he said. ''In the mean time, seniors can still access their free Sunday travel fare.''

Opposition transport spokesman Terry Mulder said the government was deliberately delaying sending out the seniors cards so it could include government promotional material. ''John Brumby wants to send a glossy brochure to seniors as close as he can to 27 November's state election,'' he said.

There have been 87,621 myki seniors cards in storage since February when, due to a mistake, the government was forced to spend $2 million manually adding 1 cent to each card, and add a new letter after former transport minister Lynne Kosky quit.

Public Transport Users Association president Daniel Bowen said yesterday myki's first weekday on trams and buses had shown many smartcard validators still too slow.

This would cause serious problems when more people started using the system, he said. ''It's very inconsistent. Sometimes it can be less than a second, and other times it can be agonisingly slow - something the government has to fix before large numbers of people start using myki, because it is just going to slow the whole system down.''

And while myki has gone live on trams and buses, ticket machines are still not installed on at least 10 suburban train stations across Melbourne.

Some major stations, such as Southern Cross, have only one myki ticket vending machine.

The government last week broke a promise from January to offer free myki cards when the system became valid on trams and buses. Users must now pay $10 for one of the cards.

In the last week 1346 people have bought a myki card. Of these, only 230 were bought at the two train stations where they are available, Southern Cross and Flinders Street.

Metcard will run alongside myki until at least April next year.

[#Metro]

Strange pattern, but almost ALL smart card rollouts to date have been plagued by cost blow outs, time overdue, major errors and faults and all sorts of calamities.

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Small rise in myki use but an increase over coming weeks is expected

Small rise in myki use but an increase over coming weeks is expected

   * Ashley Gardiner, Christopher Gillett
   * From: Herald Sun
   * July 31, 2010 12:00AM

COMMUTERS have avoided myki in its first week of operation on trams and buses.

There has been a small increase in use, but officials say it's been an unusual week, with Tuesday's rail meltdown and Friday's free travel.

About 6000 extra people using trains touched on last Monday compared with the previous week.

Before then, about 30,000 people a day were using myki, which represents about 5 per cent of commuters.

Myki chiefs have breathed a sigh of relief, with no major foul-ups occurring.

Public Transport Minister Martin Pakula said there had been a small rise in myki use, and he expected a gradual increase over coming weeks.

"We are still working closely with the TTA (Transport Ticketing Authority) and Kamco to bed down the roll-out on tram and bus (services)," Mr Pakula said.

"Early statistics show a modest rise in use and we expect that to continue as more people move across from Metcard.

"If people want to continue to use Metcard they can do so until at least Easter next year."

TTA chief executive Bernie Carolan said the first week on trams, trains and buses had gone well.

"We have seen an increase in traffic to the call centre, website and discovery centre," Mr Carolan said.

"(This) shows commuters are taking the time to learn about myki as they get ready to make the switch in the coming months."

Charles Hopkins, of Armadale, said he hadn't found myki a very effective system, especially compared with ones overseas.

"I recently got back from Beijing where they have a similar system, and the myki system is less effective," he said. "All train stations in Beijing have gates both in and out of stations, so you have to swipe to get in and out, whereas in Melbourne I forgot both times to swipe off at my local station."

But Michael Casha, of Craigieburn, said the system was reliable.

When I first started using myki, it was slow. It was still around the same speed as Metcard, but for such a system it definitely felt like an hour at the reader. However, its become increasingly fast even at the barrier. Overall, Myki was slow to begin with but I seriously suggest people give it a go now. It's very reliable now."

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Myki will grow on you: ticket boss

Myki will grow on you: ticket boss
JASON DOWLING
August 12, 2010

THE man charged with ushering in the troubled myki public transport ticket system believes Victorians will one day see it as a success.

Transport Ticketing Authority chief executive Bernie Carolan said weekly sales of myki cards had tripled since its introduction on trams and buses on July 25.

He said there had been some glitches but nothing like myki's introduction to the train network.

''Back in January there were glitches left, right and centre and the call centre was reflecting that ... now that's just not happening,'' said Mr Carolan.

The public transport veteran, who took over at the authority in February soon after myki's launch, said he could almost see the light at the end of the tunnel and he predicted the public would eventually embrace the technology.

He said of those using myki, ''there is a silent majority of people who love it. It carries the benefit of giving you the best price''.

''Is it hard to believe that myki will be viewed as a success by this time next month or even this time next year? Possibly not. But I think in the fullness of time it will be,'' he said.

The $1.35 billion ticket system was meant to take over from Metcard in March 2007 and is $350 million over budget.

On the first weekday myki was activated on trams there were 8681 touch-ons and by last Friday it had reached 13,285.

But despite the increase, myki take-up has been slow. The number of commuters using it each weekday has increased from around 25,000 (on trains before it was available on trams and buses) to 53,085 across all transport modes in Melbourne last Friday.

Only 10 per cent of public transport users are using it, and of the 429,454 cards issued free, only 237,903 have been used.

Public Transport Minister Martin Pakula has said Metcard - contracted until 2012 - will run until at least next Easter.

Mr Carolan was happy with the pace of the take-up and more focused on getting the system working properly.

''It's probably too early to say we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but having taken the tram and bus step as one step at a time, we think we have moved closer to being able to see the light at the end of the tunnel,'' he said.

Myki's rollout on trams and buses has also been cautiously welcomed by the Public Transport Users Association.

''All things considered, this has gone relatively smoothly on trams and buses,'' said association president Daniel Bowen.

''We are seeing a few cases where people are not being charged the right fare. In most of those cases people are being under-charged on trams.

''Hopefully it [myki] has turned the corner ... it has certainly been a long, sorry saga and hopefully this means it is nearing completion,'' he said.

But Mr Bowen said the big challenge would come when there was a much wider take-up.

''It is going to be quite different when the the vast majority of people have switched and everyone needs to touch off to leave a train station - it is going to lead to long delays,'' he said.

''All things considered, this has gone relatively smoothly on trams and buses,'' said association president Daniel Bowen.

Yes, going well --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=4196.msg31346#msg31346

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Extract from an article Train gun plan rejected as extra services announced

.... UPDATE 3.32pm: THE number of commuters using myki has more than doubled during its first month of operation on trains, trams and buses in Melbourne.

Transport Ticketing Authority chief executive Bernie Carolan said the first month had gone relatively smoothly.

"There have been a couple of bumps along the way but we always knew this was going to happen and we were prepared to deal with them as they presented themselves," Mr Carolan said.

"The customer response to myki has been largely positive and this is reflected in the increasing take up rates we are seeing."

More than 55,000 people a day are now using myki instead of the old Metcard system.

"In the first week of myki being valid across all modes in Melbourne the system recorded an average of 76,000 touch ons each weekday," Mr Carolan said.

"This has now increased to an average of more than 85,000 touch ons each weekday and is significantly greater than the 30,000 average recorded prior to myki launching on metro buses and trams.

About 13,500 myki cards have been purchased since July ...

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Myki penalties kick in

Myki penalties kick in

    * Ashley Gardiner
    * From: Herald Sun
    * September 13, 2010 12:01AM

THREE strikes and you're out - that's the way myki chiefs will decide on commuters unfamiliar with the new ticketing system.

Myki documents show that commuters who forget to touch off will be given two chances before they're slugged with a penalty fare.

Regular commuters who forget to touch off could be charged as much as $20 a week.

Commuters will need to closely check their bills first and contact the call centre to demand their money back.

Documents obtained by the State Opposition show taxpayers parted with $80,000 to introduce the three-strike policy because it wasn't spelt out in the original contract.

An internal myki document warns there needed to be a limit of two refunds a card, otherwise customers might try to take advantage.

"Kamco (the contractor) would need to ensure there is measurability of each card given a reimbursement of this type for counteracting any potential fraudulent behaviour," the document says.

"Each card is allowed a maximum of two reimbursements for failure to scan off."

The document says the process would be for a limited time, yet to be defined, and could be withdrawn at any moment without notice.

"When granting the reimbursement, the history of the use on the card should be taken into consideration," the document says.

"For example, if a card has been used regularly for a period of time before the customer fails to scan off, they should be considered learned and therefore, not reimbursed."

Opposition transport spokesman Terry Mulder said the capability for refunds should have been built into the system in the first place.

"Once again, the limitless myki money pit is paying for further costly changes to the myki software that should have been common sense," Mr Mulder said.

The Transport Ticketing Authority refused to disclose how many commuters had asked for a refund of the penalty, or default, fare.

TTA chief executive Bernie Carolan said the myki call centre would consider reimbursements case by case.

"This is important as customers get used to touching on and touching off with myki, however, there are safeguards to ensure that people do not take advantage of the system," he said.

"To avoid being charged a default fare, customers should touch off their myki at the end of each trip on a train or bus.

"On a tram, you only need to touch off if your whole trip is in zone 2."

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Myki users escaping fines

Myki users escaping fines
Clay Lucas
September 14, 2010

NOT a single passenger carrying a full-fare myki card on Melbourne's public transport system has been fined for travelling on an unvalidated ticket.

This is despite the $1.35 billion smartcard having been in operation on trains for almost nine months, and on buses and trams since July.

It is the clearest sign yet of the soft approach the government is taking on fare evaders using the electronic card in the lead-up to November's state election.

Asked by The Age if any myki card user had been penalised for not having a validated ticket, Department of Transport spokeswoman Kirsten Harvey Taylor said: ''No they haven't, although to date around 50 ticket infringement notices have been issued for failure to produce a valid concession entitlement while using a concession myki.''

A government survey released in April showed that one in 10 public transport users is travelling without a valid ticket, and that fare evasion costs the state more than $120 million a year.

A government transport insider said the department was in part not issuing fines because of the negative reaction it would generate. Ticket inspectors who catch people travelling with an unvalidated myki card are taking the passenger's name and address, or issuing a warning.

Records kept from the warnings show fare evasion among those using myki is far lower than among Metcard users.

Public Transport Minister Martin Pakula told a transport forum last week that use of myki since it became valid on trams and buses had more than doubled, to 70,000 touch-ons a day.

''It has been a ticketing system that ... has had its issues, but we are starting to see light at the end of the tunnel,'' he said.

Opposition transport spokesman Terry Mulder said people with unvalidated myki cards were not penalised because the system did not work well enough for fines to stand up in court.

''The integrity of the system is not strong enough to be able to prosecute on,'' he said. ''All fare evaders need to do at the moment is flash their myki card at an authorised officer and they get off.'' A spokesman for Mr Pakula said the government had always promised ''a commonsense approach'' to myki's introduction.

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Myki users warned of fare evasion crackdown

Myki users warned of fare evasion crackdown
Clay Lucas
October 7, 2010

THE free ride will be over on Monday for the thousands of public transport users who were carrying a myki card to avoid paying for travel.

Premier John Brumby last month confirmed that since the launch of the $1.35 billion smartcard system this year, inspectors had not issued a single fine to anyone carrying a myki card.

But a dip in fare revenue and government fears fare evasion will become more rampant, led Public Transport Minister Martin Pakula to yesterday order ticket inspectors to start fining anyone caught using an unvalidated myki card from Monday.
Advertisement: Story continues below

The opposition said that by bringing in fines, Mr Brumby was claiming myki was working correctly. ''Both undercharging and overcharging of myki is still occurring on Melbourne's 95 bus routes that travel in both zone 1 and zone 2,'' opposition transport spokesman Terry Mulder said.

''And given myki's numerous other problems, John Brumby must ensure there are very clear guidelines regarding when myki users ... receive a fine.''

He said the legal battles that would ensue if myki failed to work would become a ''source of worry for honest commuters and a costly lawyers' picnic''.

Public Transport Users Association secretary Tony Morton predicted many innocent travellers could be fined. ''I don't think they have rid the system of problems to the extent that it is completely reliable,'' he said.

''There are plenty of cases where a well-meaning user will have trouble using a myki reader, where they will think they are touched on but aren't ... these problems are still there.''

Mr Pakula's spokesman, Stephen Moynihan, said people were becoming familiar with the myki system and it was ''time to step up enforcement''. ''The majority of myki users do the right thing and travel with credit ... it is the time to remind people of their responsibilities to travel with a valid myki or Metcard.''

Commuters who are fined will still be able to appeal, Metlink said.

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

State hit by extra $22m myki bill

State hit by extra $22m myki bill
October 8, 2010

THE bungled myki smartcard has unexpectedly cost Victorians another $22 million, the Auditor-General has revealed.

Uncertainty surrounding the $1.35 million smartcard's introduction peaked last year as the state was signing new contracts with the city's train and tram operators. As a result, the government guaranteed it would pay Metro and Yarra Trams $252 million from ticket sales last financial year, regardless of myki's introduction.

But Auditor-General Des Pearson's yearly report on government finances found that only $230 million had been brought in from ticket sales, due to mistaken forecasts by the Department of Transport about patronage growth. This left taxpayers to stump up $22 million in payments to Metro and Yarra Trams.

Asked about the myki findings, Premier John Brumby praised the smartcard. ''Myki offers great benefits for public transport users ... compared to the old system, it is a lot faster.''

CLAY LUCAS

[rob2144]

Have been informed that Parliament station has been fitted with the new Myki barriers, currently only for staff to be trained and tested on. I will get some pics when i head down in a couple of weeks.