Myki - articles and discussion

[rob2144]

here's a pic courtesy of Chris Gordon http://www.vicsig.net/photo/20101015-par-myki-barriers.jpg

[Stillwater]

The Myki barriers look more substantial than Brisbane's set-up at inner city stations -- and similar to Sydney Central.  I wonder if, in future, the maintenance costs of the Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane ticket barriers can be compared on an annual basis to see which is the more robust.

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Brumby Government fallout fear delays myki card's introduction

Brumby Government fallout fear delays myki card's introduction

    * John Ferguson
    * From: Herald Sun
    * October 19, 2010 10:17PM

VICTORIANS face a post-election public transport ticketing crisis due to a deliberate go-slow policy to delay the myki card's introduction.

The Brumby Government is accused of limiting myki card sales to stem any fallout during the election campaign.

The Government has admitted that just 30,000 travellers have bought the myki card since the end of January.

Nearly 90 per cent of public transport users are still yet to switch to myki and sales have climbed to just 3000 a week.

The myki take-up is so slow that on some estimates it could take years before the transition is complete, the Herald Sun believes.

Advertising industry heavyweight Simon Hammond, of Bastion Brands, said the myki brand had suffered dearly because the Government was not properly promoting the transition from Metcard.

"Marketing has come second to the politics," he said. "You need to make it an easier transition from one to the other."

The Government is yet to detail a full breakdown of when myki will be switched over as the sole ticket providing facility.

But Public Transport Minister Martin Pakula has previously stated the two systems would operate together until Easter or beyond.

Assuming an Easter deadline, the Government would face an avalanche of requests for the cards, making it all but impossible to switch off Metcard until well into next year or even later.

Myki is a credit-card style ticketing system that has cost $1.35 billion to introduce.

The introduction has been plagued with lengthy delays, cost overruns and questions over the tender process.

The severe lack of myki retail locations is making it almost impossible for many would-be buyers.

Card purchases are limited to a few outlets and online.

Shadow transport spokesman Terry Mulder said it was clear myki had stalled again.

"They are deliberately stalling the introduction of this new system," he said.

Transport Ticketing Authority boss Bernie Carolan said more than 700 retail outlets would end up selling myki.

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Myki faces expensive new hurdle

Myki faces expensive new hurdle
Clay Lucas
October 20, 2010

THE trouble-plagued myki project has hit another snag, with the expected cost of training newsagents and 7-11 stores to sell and top up the smartcards costing $1.4 million more than originally contracted.

Despite the increased cost, the Brumby government has still not revealed when more than 700 newsagents and retailers contracted to sell and top up myki cards will begin sales.

It comes as a new staff list for the government agency overseeing myki's installation shows employee numbers growing to 161 people. This includes 13 community liaison officers and five media officers.

The government's Transport Ticketing Authority is charged with supervising the creation and rollout of myki, and managing the existing Metcard contract.

Since 2007 - the year myki was meant to be fully rolled out - the Transport Ticketing Authority has grown from just 74 staff. Kamco, the firm being paid to create and install myki for the government, today has 73 full-time staff, and 120 subcontractors.

The government's staff numbers do not include scores of ''myki mates'', employed on casual contracts as part of a $5 million government push to promote myki at rail stations and tram stops.

Transport Ticketing Authority chief executive Bernie Carolan said yesterday he would prefer that the number of people employed by his agency was shrinking, not growing. ''[But] we have got a broad range of responsibilities,'' he said.

Myki is a $1.35 billion smartcard ticket for use on most of Victoria's public transport. It was meant to replace Metcard and V/Line tickets three years ago, but is still not fully operational. In February, Premier John Brumby said myki would ''be fully in place during 2010''.

Next month, about 40 newsagents and 7-11 stores will get the right to offer top-up facilities to myki users - who now represent about 10 per cent of public transport trips.

Public Transport Minister Martin Pakula could not say yesterday when myki top-ups and cards would be widely available.

Currently myki users can add fares to their card online, via a call centre, at train stations or at a handful of tram and bus stops.

Contracts released to opposition transport spokesman Terry Mulder under freedom of information show the cost of training staff at newsagents and retail stores to sell myki will be $1.4 million more than expected when the contract to roll out myki was signed in 2005.

A source within Kamco said the government had constantly changed the specifications of what it wanted, leading to increased costs.

Adrian Darwent, a Transport Ticketing Authority spokesman, said the increase in payments to Kamco was because the number of staff needed to be trained ''could only be negotiated once the size and scope of the retail network was determined''.

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Melbourne commuters take free ride with myki card fault

Melbourne commuters take free ride with myki card fault

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

COMMUTERS are being treated to a free ride on Melbourne's public transport thanks to the latest myki fault that threatens to derail the new system.

Passengers with defective cards have been able to use them at train stations, and on trams and buses, without being charged.

Any fare revenue lost because of myki must be topped up by the taxpayer.

The Herald Sun can reveal that myki contractor Kamco has replaced more than 3000 defective myki cards since the system began operating in Melbourne last December.

About 30 myki users have been affected by a particular fault that has allowed them free travel.

Public Transport Users Association president Daniel Bowen has been travelling free for at least a week.

Kamco became aware of the problem only when Mr Bowen reported it.

He said he was surprised to see that no money was being deducted from his account when the card appeared to be working normally.

"It's just incredible that such a fundamental error could have occurred, with potentially scores of myki cards out there appearing to work correctly, but actually giving people free rides," Mr Bowen said yesterday.

Kamco spokesman John Fergusson said Mr Bowen's card was affected by a software problem on a "small number" of gates.

"This software issue has been rectified and a replacement card dispatched as is part of our standard practice," Mr Fergusson said.

He said just over 1 per cent of the 300,000 cards in regular use had been replaced because of defects.

"The vast majority of these have become defective because of a glitch affecting the way the card interacts with the readers, not manufacturing errors."

Mr Fergusson said cards were subjected to a rigorous quality control check as part of the manufacturing process.

"Kamco undertakes regular sweeps of the system to look for any irregularities. This process identifies any customers impacted by an error," Mr Fergusson said.

"Any affected customers are contacted and their card is replaced free of charge with full balance transfer."

Mr Fergusson said a myki card that was looked after properly would last four years.

"They are also guaranteed to work for four years so if it becomes defective in this time, it is replaced free of charge," Mr Fergusson said.

"To date, the vast majority of defective cards are due to software, not manufacture errors, however we're seeing fewer instances of this as the system matures.

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Myki users get first fines

Myki users get first fines
Clay Lucas
October 30, 2010

TICKET inspectors have issued their first fines to commuters using myki.

It comes as the government agency charged with rolling out the $1.35 billion smartcard confirmed that 26 myki users had been travelling for free, due to a fault with their cards.

A spokesman for Public Transport Minister Martin Pakula said yesterday that ticket inspectors had now issued fines to 53 travellers caught with a myki card that had not been validated or with no credit on it.

The fine for being caught without a valid myki or Metcard ticket is $176. A nine-month amnesty on fining public transport users carrying a myki card finished on October 11. Of the myki users fined so far, 19 later got off with a written warning.

The number of fines being handed to those carrying a myki is tiny compared with those caught without a ticket or an expired Metcard. An average 300 people a day last financial year were issued with a fine in metropolitan Melbourne.

Opposition transport spokesman Terry Mulder said it was ludicrous to suggest so few people with a myki card were fare evading. ''[The government] are claiming that myki users are several times more honest than Metcard users. It will be interesting if any myki-using commuters challenge these infringement notices in court,'' he said.

Public Transport Users Association president Daniel Bowen said that it was appropriate to fine blatant fare evaders.

But he said there were still serious problems with the myki system, and the government had to make sure inspectors did not improperly issue fines.

The Transport Ticketing Authority confirmed 26 myki users had been found to have faulty cards that had allowed them to travel for free.

Among these lucky 26 was Mr Bowen, who said he had inadvertently travelled for free for two weeks because his myki was faulty. ''I had been on a monthly pass, and after it expired it failed to charge me. It was letting me touch on and off, even though no money was on the card,'' he said. The problem has now been fixed.

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Myki company sold

Myki company sold
Clay Lucas
November 2, 2010

THE company that won the contract for the $1.35 billion myki system has been bought by Japanese technology company NTT Data.

The government in 2005 contracted Keane Australia Micropayment (Kamco) to build myki for Victoria's public transport system by March 2007 for a contracted price of about $1 billion.

Myki has since had cost blowouts of $350 million and is more than three years behind.

Myki operates on Melbourne's trains, trams and buses but is still being launched in regional Victoria.

NTT Data bought the Boston-based Keane for $US1.2 billion ($A1.22 billion), a Bloomberg report said. Neither NTT Data nor Keane would confirm the price.

The Transport Ticketing Authority is the government agency responsible for overseeing myki.

Myki chief executive Bernie Carolan said he had been given advance knowledge confidentially that NTT Data would buy Keane, and had briefed his board about it.

''The purchase of Keane does not change Kamco's role in the project, and the acquisition will not have any adverse effect on the continued rollout of the system,'' he said.

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Bill for myki rises again

Bill for myki rises again
Clay Lucas
November 26, 2010

VICTORIA is facing a new, unexpected multimillion-dollar bill for myki when Metcard is turned off next year, with the cost to the government of supplying ''short-term'' myki tickets to be far more than budgeted.

Myki is a reusable smartcard for public transport, but the new system includes short-term disposable tickets.

They will be available in Melbourne when Metcard ends. Premier John Brumby has not said when Metcard will go, but has indicated that it is likely to be next year.

Each short-term myki ticket has a computer chip and costs the government about 35¢. Metcard, with its cheaper magnetic strip, costs 3¢.

When the government signed the $1.35 billion myki contract, it expected 10 per cent to 20 per cent of trips would use disposable tickets.

But in six regional towns with myki, 60 per cent of passengers use short-term tickets.

The government fears the figure will be replicated in Melbourne. A government source conceded that if it were, ''it would be a financial disaster''.

Conservative calculations show the government's yearly bill would be at least $6 million, or much higher if myki take-up is as low in Melbourne as in regional towns.

But the source said Melburnians would take to myki more readily than regional Victorians, because of the savings.

When Metcard goes, it is likely the government will raise the price of short-term disposable tickets to encourage use of myki.

Transport Ticketing Authority chief executive Bernie Carolan said the short-term tickets ''should be regarded as a ticket of last resort''.

Coalition transport spokesman Terry Mulder said the extra cost should have been foreseen.

[#Metro]

Isn't it amazing! It happens like clockwork!
They all run over budget, over time and over-complicate.

Anyone would think that smartcards are new things!

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Myki smartcard bungle: widow tells of 'disgust'

Myki smartcard bungle: widow tells of 'disgust'
Megan Levy
December 2, 2010 - 1:55PM

A Victorian grandmother was shocked to discover a myki card had been sent to her husband - who died nearly 20 years ago.

Lavina Smith, 82, said she recently opened an envelope addressed to her deceased husband William, and found a seniors myki card and a letter explaining how he could use the smartcard to claim free travel on Sundays.

But the mail-out has left Mrs Smith, from Inverloch, shaking her head in disbelief.

"My husband has been dead 19 years last October," she said.

"They've given me a myki card and even two little pouches to put it in, and as I said he has been gone a long time.

"I've been on my own for all these years and then all of a sudden this comes in the mail."

It is the latest embarrassing incident for the embattled ticketing system, which has been plagued by a series of glitches.

Earlier this year staff at the firm making myki have had to manually add one cent to 87,261 seniors cards so that they could be used on Sundays, when seniors are entitled to free travel. The myki system requires all users - even those getting a free ride - to have a positive balance on their card.

There have been other cases of myki accounts being wrongly credited with more than $150,000.

However the Transport Ticketing Authority (TTA) today said it appeared someone had registered for a Sunday seniors pass in Mr Smith's name.

TTA CEO Bernie Carolan said free myki seniors cards had only been posted out to people who had registered for a Metcard Sunday pass in the past five years.

"In order to receive a free myki, seniors need to have completed a form and registered for the Sunday Pass," Mr Carolan said.

"The Sunday Pass has only been in existence for around five years and the Metcard system for just over 10.

"It would therefore be extremely improbable for someone who has not registered themselves to have been sent a myki in this manner."

Mrs Smith said she was not aware of another person using her husband's details to claim free seniors' travel, although she was aware of another W Smith living in Inverloch.

She said her husband, a World War II veteran, died in 1991 from a heart attack after a fishing trip on the coast off Inverloch.

"He went out fishing and he never came back," she said.

"He was pulling his boat in, he just died in his car pulling his boat in. They put it down to a massive heart attack. He had nothing wrong with his heart, but that's how it happens, doesn't it."

She said she spoke out to let others know of the problems in the ticketing system.

"There is a phone number on there I could have called, but I didn't bother, I was so disgusted I just put [the myki card] down and left it there," she said.

"I'm just disappointed that things have all gone haywire, that's all. I don't want an apology or anything like that. I'm just letting the public know that things are not right."

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

State Government looks to scrap troubled myki smartcard

State Government looks to scrap troubled myki smartcard

    * Ashley Gardiner
    * From: Herald Sun
    * December 28, 2010 12:00AM

THE State Government has frozen the expansion of myki as it considers whether to scrap the troubled smartcard.

The Herald Sun can reveal the new Government has put the brakes on the planned introduction of myki to V/Line regional services.

It has also ordered the abandonment of plans to switch off the existing Metcard by Easter.

A system for commuters to top up their accounts through bus drivers has also been halted.

The Government has commissioned a major accounting firm to conduct a broad audit of the troubled $1.35 billion smartcard.

It also has called for submissions from transport operators for their unvarnished views on myki.

It is believed that some of those submissions were scathing.

In another blow for myki, it is believed its introduction has been linked to a significant rise in fare evasion.

Confidential research for Metlink, conducted in May but kept under wraps before the state election, is believed to show an increase in the problem.

Requests from the Herald Sun to Metlink over several months to release the information have been refused.

The developments come as myki reaches its first anniversary on the train system, December 29.

Cabinet will consider the fate of myki within weeks once it gets the result of the review.

The options are retaining in its current form, scaling it back or scrapping it altogether.

Axing myki could be prohibitively expensive, with the previous government predicting it would cost $1 billion on top of its existing $1.35 billion budget.

But existing myki equipment could be adapted for use in another system.

The Department of Transport had already prepared advice for the previous government on how myki could be scrapped.

"The prospect of walking away from the system ... is a frightening prospect," department chief Jim Betts said in July.

Public Transport Users Association president Daniel Bowen said the new government was to be applauded for its full review of myki.

"It's obvious that a lot of money has already been spent on the system, so much so that it may be too late to scrap it," Mr Bowen said.

"But if it is to be kept, it must be made to work reliably, speedily and accurately. And given the huge expenditure, all appropriate avenues should be pursued to minimise the costs to taxpayers."

Paul Price, a spokesman for Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder, said yesterday: "In line with the Government's pre-election commitment, a full independent audit of the myki ticketing system will be undertaken.

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Crikey myki, it's a mess

Crikey myki, it's a mess

    * Ashley Gardiner
    * From: Herald Sun
    * December 28, 2010 12:00AM

FEWER than one in five commuters have made the switch to myki during its first year of operation in Melbourne.

State Government sources have described the underwhelming welcome from commuters as "poor".

There are about 800,000 myki cards in circulation, but only 75,000 of those are used on a typical weekday.

Research commissioned by the Transport Ticketing Authority found the typical myki user was male (60 per cent) and aged under 45 (73 per cent).

It found myki users travelled by public transport at least three times a week (66 per cent) and were commuting to work (56 per cent).

After its introduction in Melbourne on December 29 last year, the problems started almost immediately, with about 1700 customers sent the wrong card, or wrong letter with their card.

Some commuters who started early experienced problems with delays in money being credited to their accounts or slow touch-on times.

To add insult to injury, commuters endured long waits to the myki call centre to have their problems fixed.

By January 8, barely 10 days after myki started, authorities recalled 30,000 cards.

Later that month, one customer got a lucky surprise when $167,000 was credited to his account.

For much of the year, myki remained unenforceable due to problems with the hand-held scanning equipment used by ticket inspectors.

The TTA said that since the introduction of myki on buses and trams in July, which saw a large increase in myki use, complaints to the Public Transport Ombudsman have declined.

In January, 150 cases were raised with the Ombudsman, compared to 74 in November.

Public Transport Users Association president Daniel Bowen said there was still much work to be done to get myki working properly.

"Myki has certainly had a rocky ride, and while some are finding it's running relatively smoothly now, there are also clearly problems," he said.

"Surprisingly, the system is incapable of knowing that travel is free on Christmas Day and New Year's Eve."

Mr Bowen said the prolonged roll-out was bewildering to occasional public transport users.

"It is common to see tourists and others trying to touch Metcards to the myki scanners.

"And because myki equipment has not all been installed yet, station, bus and tram staff can offer little assistance when there are problems."

[ozbob]

My experience using the myki on numerous occasions has been positive. Certainly compared to the go card the equipment is easier to use, and the fare structure is just great.  The problem for Melbourne is the same problem for Brisbane, getting used to the whole notion of a smart card, that requires one to touch on and off.  The systems are not error free as has been clearly shown in Brisbane and Melbourne.  The problems in Melbourne are no different than the problems in Brisbane in actuality.

Any go card user who tries the myki will not have an issue.  The go card learning curve has been a long one.

I would be very surprised if the myki system was abandoned, it would be a cost of over $2 billion dollars, simply not acceptable.

[ozbob]

http://www.3aw.com.au/blogs/3aw-generic-blog/myki-could-be-scrapped/20101228-198pw.html

LATEST: Transport Minister Terry Mulder has announced an immediate freeze on any further roll out of the troubled $1.35 billion project.

He's also announced Metcard will remain beyond it's Easter deadline.

The Minister has told 3AW Mornings there'll be a top to bottom audit of the project, to determine it's future.

But he says for now, Myki is on hold.

AUDIO

Paul Mees says Myki can't be fixed and we should have got an 'off-the-shelf' system

Daniel Bowen from the Public Transport Users Association speaks to Nick McCallum

Terry Mulder says that any further roll out of Myki has been out on hold

[STB]

I'm very concerned about the way the new Government is going with this.  It seems to be that the Melbourne public has found this a steep learning curve, along with the bugs, which is no different in any smartcard system implemented, London and Perth had similar problems at the start.  And of course so did we in Brisbane, it's very muchly improved since it first rolled out, there is the odd problem appearing every now and then and there's still an element of a learning curve occuring in the public who have so far held off using the Go Card.  

I don't think it's going to help by removing Myki and the work that's already gone into it, and sounds like the new government is simply playing the popular political card.  People down there seems to simply don't want it, and we were like that at first as well, but have since gained an understanding on how it works and how to use it and have for the most part accepted it.  

Of course there will be some out there who just flatly refuse to use a smartcard, but I would suspect that's a miniority movement.

Should also note that the Melbourne media certainly haven't helped in gaining the confidence of the public to just hang in there and let time take it's course and let the system settle in, people gain confidence in using the system and the bugs ironed out.

[ozbob]

Interesting to say the least the interviews, were they talking about the myki or the go card?  

Paul Mees has not used the myki, I find that a bit odd. Daniel Bowen uses the myki.

The issues with the myki are not dissimilar to the issues with the go card (and some of these still ongoing).  

Looking forward to using my myki next week!   I find it is easier to use than a go card ... much better screens and messages confirming touches.

And I do enjoy the daily cap ..  

[ozbob]

I'm very concerned about the way the new Government is going with this.  It seems to be that the Melbourne public has found this a steep learning curve, along with the bugs, which is no different in any smartcard system implemented, London and Perth had similar problems at the start.  And of course so did we in Brisbane, it's very muchly improved since it first rolled out, there is the odd problem appearing every now and then and there's still an element of a learning curve occuring in the public who have so far held off using the Go Card.  

I don't think it's going to help by removing Myki and the work that's already gone into it, and sounds like the new government is simply playing the popular political card.  People down there seems to simply don't want it, and we were like that at first as well, but have since gained an understanding on how it works and how to use it and have for the most part accepted it.  

Of course there will be some out there who just flatly refuse to use a smartcard, but I would suspect that's a miniority movement.

Should also note that the Melbourne media certainly haven't helped in gaining the confidence of the public to just hang in there and let time take it's course and let the system settle in, people gain confidence in using the system and the bugs ironed out.

Yes STB.   Go card users love the myki,  they need to toughen up in Melbourne town ..   

[STB]

They are not too dissimilar but over time the bugs have for the most part been sorted out and the system is a lot more solid than it was a few years back when it was first launched.  Of course there are some bugs still out on the system but they aren't as vivid as they were when I first started using Go Card back just prior before the official launch.

Are you suggesting that they should scrap Go Card too?  Since they are talking about scrapping Myki?

[ozbob]

Are you suggesting that they should scrap Go Card too?  Since they are talking about scrapping Myki?

Huh?  I am not even suggesting scrapping the myki, listening to Mr Mulder, I don't think he is either ...

The myki IMHO is a better system than the go card.   The go card is slowly coming together, as will the myki.

[ozbob]

Just topped up my myki on line.  Some nice movies on the main site --> http://www.myki.com.au/

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

'Warts-and-all' review of myki

'Warts-and-all' review of myki
Richard Willingham
December 29, 2010

PREMIER Ted Baillieu has not ruled out scrapping the myki ticket system as the government awaits the findings of an independent audit of the beleaguered smartcard.

''Scrapping it would be a serious step, but we need to take some serious measures to deal with what has been a financial disaster, and a functional disaster for commuters,'' Mr Baillieu said yesterday.

''It has been unsuccessful and we need to now make a judgment, based on facts and based on information we will elicit from this review, that is in the best interest of all Victorians.''

The private operators of the state's public transport system, including Metro trains and Yarra Trams, have made submissions to the government review of myki.

During the election the Coalition was highly critical of myki's failures and has wasted little time since taking office in establishing a review.

The review called on operators to give a ''warts-and-all'' opinion of the $1.3 billion myki system, less than a year after it was introduced on Melbourne's public transport network.

The smartcard system began operating on Melbourne trains on December 29 last year, and on trams and buses on July 25.

The Premier said the review would help determine the cost of scaling back myki, scrapping it, or continuing myki in its current form.

Mr Baillieu said he hoped the review would be completed in the next couple of months.

He also confirmed the expansion of the myki to V/Line services had been deferred and plans to switch off the Metcard system by Easter had been pushed back.

The Premier said he had only had 1½ briefings from the Transport Department on the ticket system and that he had not spoken to the operator of myki about a potential abandonment of the program.

John Ferguson, a spokesman for Kamco, the company that runs myki, said the company had made a submission to the review.

Mr Ferguson said the company was ''looking forward'' to myki continuing to operate on the state's public transport network.

Opposition public transport spokeswoman Fiona Richardson said Mr Baillieu needed to explain how he was going to deliver a state-of-the-art ticket system.

''If Mr Baillieu intends to scrap myki, he needs to forget the spin and tell Victorians what they will replace it with and how much it will cost,'' Ms Richardson said.

Transport Minister Terry Mulder told 3AW the government would not cancel Metcard until it was confident myki was the right choice for commuters in Melbourne.

''We don't believe we want to go down that pathway until we understand that we've got a system that functions correctly and doesn't have inherent problems that are going to cause difficulties for the state and for commuters,'' he said.

''We went to the election and we said to the public: 'no one would expect us to pay for something that didn't work because it's taxpayers' money', and that's why we're conducting the review.''

About $700 million has been invested in myki, but Mr Mulder said there was little chance of recovering any of it if the system was scrapped.

The news came as Transport Ticketing Authority research found only 75,000 of the 800,000 myki cards in circulation are used on a typical weekday.

With MEGAN LEVY

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Keep myki and fix the problems

Keep myki and fix the problems

    * Daniel Bowen
    * From: Herald Sun
    * December 29, 2010 12:00AM

IF you asked a public transport user what was wrong with the system, they would probably respond that the trains are packed, the trams are slow, the buses are infrequent and don't connect, and most stations have no staff.

It's unlikely they would say the ticket system needs replacing.

So for many observers, it was baffling that the former government decided to spend up big and replace Metcard, let alone that they decided not to buy a working system from elsewhere but to build a brand new one themselves - which, as many predicted, has resulted in huge costs and long delays in getting it working.

That money could have been used to fix the real problems in public transport.

Along the way, the rollout of myki has been plagued by problems, and not helped by decisions that were made for political reasons.

A foolish promise from Labor to have the system running in Melbourne by the end of last year resulted in its being switched on for metropolitan trains a year ago today. Yet on that day, many of the myki machines installed at stations were simply not functioning.

To be fair, the system is now working reasonably well in Melbourne, most of the time. Only a minority of public transport users have problems with it, on a minority of trips.

But there are problems with it - enough that they would cause significant delays and disruptions across the network if everybody switched from Metcard to myki.

That doesn't necessarily mean it is wise to scrap it now.

Of the $1.35 billion to be spent on the system over 10 years, apparently around $700 million has already gone on installing equipment on hundreds of railway stations, as well as on trams and on buses.

Much of the remainder is said to be running costs of about $50 million a year, which appear likely to be incurred whether the ticket system we have is myki, Metcard, or one adopted from elsewhere.

So, in looking at the alternatives, the Government will need to be mindful that scrapping myki may mean writing off a significant amount of money. And more may need to be spent to find a replacement, or for upgrades to keep the old Metcard system working.

Equally, a decision to keep myki must only be made if it can be made to work properly, and without going further over budget. We don't want to be throwing good money after bad.

Slow and inconsistent readers, beeps that can barely be heard, reliability problems with vending machines and cards, slow online transactions, and incorrect charging have all plagued the system, and must be fixed.

So must design problems that make the system unfriendly to use: beeps for "touch-on" and "touch-off" that are indistinguishable, touch-offs on buses resulting in queues at doorways, and a plan for single-use short term tickets to require activation if bought from stations but not on trams and buses (which would inherit a problem from Metcard that enormously confuses occasional users).

The Government must insist that these problems are resolved if myki is to continue.

It is to be hoped that the establishment of a Public Transport Development Authority, staffed by experts and at arm's length from government, should help prevent future debacles of this type, get the ticket system humming, and then focus on the other, more important matters of ensuring that we have a reliable, connected, functioning public transport network, with plenty of staff for customer service and safety, and of preventing fare evasion.

There are some benefits to myki.

It's faster to use than Metcard. Access to cheap fares such as the $3 Weekend Saver is easier. But that's only if everything works as it should, which clearly isn't the case right now.

Daniel Bowen is president of the Public Transport Users Association

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Why myki should be scrapped

Why myki should be scrapped

   * Paul Mees
   * From: Herald Sun
   * December 29, 2010 12:00AM


IN 2005, then premier Steve Bracks announced that the myki ticketing system would be fully operational by 2007.

More than five years and $700 million later, myki is still not reliable enough to handle the million-plus trips made each day on Melbourne's public transport.

Some passengers find myki works for them, but too many people are reporting glitches with scanning equipment, overcharging and problems with online payment. Some of myki's most serious drawbacks are being hidden by the low number of passengers who actually use the new "smartcards".

If everyone used myki, the delays in scanning on and off would create congestion at tram doors and busy stations, increasing trip times and reducing reliability.

Myki has also opened avenues for fare evasion that even the Metcard system did not offer.

So what is the argument for persisting with such an expensive mistake? The most popular is that cancelling the project would mean the $700 million spent to date would be wasted. This is correct, but continuing with the project will waste a further $650 million over the coming years. Throwing good money after bad is usually a dumb idea.

How did Melbourne end up in such a mess? It's not as if we lacked warnings that ticketing systems can go terribly wrong. There was our own experience with the disastrous "scratch tickets" of two decades ago, along with the teething problems cities such as Sydney, Brisbane and London had experienced with smartcard technology.

The lessons we should have learned from these experiences are "keep it simple", and "buy off the shelf" - in other words, choose proven products and leave the R&D to NASA and other people suited to it.

Instead, Melbourne did the opposite. Former transport minister Peter Batchelor set up a separate Transport Ticketing Authority, headed by highly-paid corporate big-shots with precisely zero experience in public transport ticketing.

The TTA decided early on that it would produce a ticketing system that would dazzle the world, and even talked about creating an export industry. At no point in the process, it seems, did anyone involved focus on the prosaic question of what Melbourne actually needed. The result: a $1.35 billion white elephant.

Perth's SmartRider ticket presents a striking contrast to the myki story. The city's public transport authority appointed a small team of its own staff to assess ticketing options.

The team was instructed to focus on value for money and reliability, and kept in regular contact with colleagues in the operational division of the PTA to ensure that any new system would work in practice.

The result: a ticketing system bought off the shelf for $35 million, that has been operating with minimal problems for nearly four years.

Perth's experience shows that there is a way out of the myki mess. Since SmartRider was installed, smartcard technology has become cheaper and more reliable, which means that Melbourne should be able to buy a fully functioning system for under $150 million.

Even allowing for operating costs, this is likely to work out cheaper than continuing with myki. With a reliable ticketing system in place, the government can then tackle Melbourne's real problem: a widespread culture of fare evasion dating back to the scratch ticket debacle of 1990.

The main barrier to change is not cost, but a reluctance within the Department of Transport to face up to mistakes. After all, does anyone really think myki is the only expensive project the Department has botched?

There is a weakness in Paul Mees' arguments, he does not have a myki.  Myki works fine is my experience.  I agree though as to the costs, very expensive, but it is a state wide project.

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

New bungle hits myki

New bungle hits myki
Clay Lucas
February 1, 2011

VICTORIA'S beleaguered myki ticketing system has hit another snag, with 20,000 seniors posted a new smartcard that does not give them the travel benefits they are entitled to, including free weekend travel and discounted weekday fares.

In the latest bungle to dog the smartcard, the government's ticketing authority has acknowledged that an administrative error led to thousands of full-fare myki cards being posted to seniors last week. The cards are marked ''Seniors'' but charge users a full fare.

At least 300 seniors card holders have already been over-charged as a result of the mistake. The remaining 19,700 seniors posted a faulty card are yet to use it.

The government has not yet worked out how to fix the problem for these remaining users, and may have to mail out thousands of replacement cards.

Transport Ticketing Authority chief executive Bernie Carolan confirmed that 20,000 full-fare cards had been mailed to seniors in the past week.

He apologised for the error, and said anyone affected by it could phone the myki call centre on 136954.

The government identified the problem after complaints by seniors who had tried to touch on to the system at the weekend with their new cards to obtain free travel. They were either overcharged or told their card did not have sufficient credit.

Transport Minister Terry Mulder said the latest problem proved the need for the ''warts and all'' review of myki by accountants Deloitte that he commissioned in December.

''This is an extremely disappointing revelation that once again proves the need for the government's full assessment and independent investigation of myki,'' he said.

Last week Mr Mulder was forced to extend the validity of existing seniors Metcards until the final Sunday in March after the mailout of myki seniors cards fell behind schedule.

As a result, all holders of a seniors Metcard can now travel free on weekends until the end of March.

Murrumbeena man Peter Balstrup is among the thousands to have received one of the faulty seniors cards last week.

When registering his new myki card online, he noticed it was a full-fare card and not a seniors card. He rang the myki call centre and a staff member promised to fix the problem, telling Mr Balstrup he could use the new card on the weekend and travel free. But when Mr Balstrup used his card on a bus on Saturday, he was charged a full fare.

Mr Balstrup went to the myki centre at Southern Cross Station, where he said he was ''the 10th person that I saw to come in complaining about it''.

Staff at the centre replaced his card and assured him he would get a refund for his travel that day. Later that afternoon Mr Balstrup saw another seniors card holder trying to use his new myki, only to have it rejected. ''I saw an old bloke at Oakleigh complaining to station staff and I had to explain - the staff didn't know anything about it,'' he said.

Public Transport Users Association president Daniel Bowen said the latest problem with myki would not inspire confidence among older travellers.

''Many seniors are struggling on the little money they have, so if they have been paying higher fares than they need to, it may cause great financial hardship,'' he said.

[ozbob]

Unconfirmed, but possible announcement on future of myki later today ....

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Will Baillieu government dump myki?

Will Baillieu government dump myki?
Mex Cooper
February 11, 2011 - 10:17AM

The Baillieu Government will next week decide whether to dump the $1.35 billion troubled myki ticketing system.
Regardless of its fate, the much maligned myki will end up costing taxpayers even more.

Premier Ted Baillieu told Radio 3AW the Government was weighing up whether it would cost more to keep myki and try and fix it or abandon it.

''We have to work out whether we dump it altogether, whether we modify it or whether we keep it,'' he said.

''Whichever way we go there's going to be a significant cost to that,'' he said.

The Premier said possible legal action could be costly if myki was scrapped but it may not be worth investing even more money.

''There's already been an enormous amount of money committed to this project without much confidence from the community,'' he said.

''It's already cost us big time... we don't want to throw good money after bad.''

Accountants Deloitte have been conducting a review of myki for Transport Minister Terry Mulder.

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Scrapping myki could cost $2 billion

Scrapping myki could cost $2 billion

    * Stephen McMahon
    * From: Herald Sun
    * February 12, 2011 12:00AM

IT could cost $2 billion to scrap myki and replace the ticketing system.

Ahead of a Cabinet meeting on Monday to decide the future of the troubled $1.4 billion smartcard, Premier Ted Baillieu has admitted axing myki is now a real possibility.

It was a case of figuring out whether it was worth throwing good money after bad.

Almost 70 per cent of Herald Sun readers surveyed in an online poll called for myki to be dumped.

The project became symbolic of the Labor government's failure to control spending and manage major projects, a big factor in the Coalition winning the November state election.

A "warts and all" review by Deloitte given to Transport Minister Terry Mulder this week outlined several options, including scrapping it.

Some Department of Transport staff argue the system - almost three years over time and $1 billion over budget when it was launched in late 2009 - should stay.

The Premier yesterday said potential legal action could be costly if myki was scrapped but it may be the best option.

"'There's already been an enormous amount of money committed to this project without much confidence from the community," he said.

Data shows about 15 per cent of the 500,000 people who use public transport in Victoria every day touch on with myki.

About 800,000 myki cards are in circulation, but only 80,000 are used daily.

Almost $720 million has been spent on the project and if myki is scrapped the remainder of the contract will have to be paid out. And taxpayers will have to bankroll a new system - Metcard is near collapse.

Most of the $700 million has been spent on installing equipment on railway stations, trams and buses.

There are also annual running costs of about $50 million, which will have to be paid whether the ticket operation is myki, Metcard, or a new system adopted from elsewhere.

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Operators defend myki performance

Operators defend myki performance
Mex Cooper
February 11, 2011

An announcement on the future of the troubled Myki system is due within days.

Myki's operators have defended the troubled ticketing system and remain hopeful it will avoid the Government's chopping block next week.

Premier Ted Baillieu this morning revealed a decision on the $1.35 billion smartcard system would be made within days.

''We have to work out whether we dump it altogether, whether we modify it or whether we keep it,'' he told Radio 3AW.

Kamco, the consortium contracted by the former Brumby Government to build, implement and run myki for 10 years, said it was performing well.

The company was confident myki would continue to operate, Kamco spokesman John Ferguson said. But its optimism was not based on any indications from the Government.

Mr Fergusson refused to say whether the consortium would consider suing the Government if myki was dumped.

''I think we can continue to do our job and operate the system,'' he said.

Mr Baillieu said possible legal action could be costly if myki was scrapped but it may not be worth investing even more money.

''There's already been an enormous amount of money committed to this project without much confidence from the community,'' he said.

''It's already cost us big time... we don't want to throw good money after bad.''

Mr Fergusson said Kamco had contributed to the myki review being conducted by Transport Minister Terry Mulder.

He said myki was performing well on buses, trams and trains.

''The people who use the system like it,'' he said.

Some Age online readers agreed, praising the smartcards for saving time and money.

''Please don't get rid of myki, I've been using it for a couple of months now, and I love it!'' one reader commented.

Mr Ferguson would not say whether enough commuters were using the system which had been scheduled to completely replace the old Metcard system this Easter.

Transport Ticketing Authority research last year found only 75,000 of the 800,000 myki cards in circulation were being used on a typical weekday.

The Premier warned that regardless of whether myki was kept or scrapped it would end up costing taxpayers more.

''Whichever way we go there's going to be a significant cost to that,'' he said.

Age online readers were divided on whether to stick with myki.

By 2.30pm, 51 per cent of nearly 8,500 readers who voted in an online poll said it should be abandoned but 49 per cent had voted to keep it.

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

New data supports myki smartcard

New data supports myki smartcard

    * John Ferguson
    * From: Herald Sun
    * February 18, 2011 12:00AM

COMPELLING new data backing the myki smartcard could complicate the State Government's transport ticketing dilemma.

For the first time, the system has recorded a million transactions in one day without any serious problems.

And sources said the latest independent report into myki is expected to make some surprising findings about the future of the $1.35 billion system.

Sources said that rather than being a damning document, the report had found enough positives to add support for the continued implementation of the system.

"(Premier) Ted (Baillieu) doesn't want it," an insider said, "but it looks like he is going to have to keep it."

The Herald Sun believes that in late 2009, the myki system processed fewer than 10,000 transactions - such as touching on or topping up a card - a night.

On February 16, this jumped to more than a million transactions. About 100,000 people use myki each day; 1.2 million cards have been sold or are on sale.

If the Government did choose to scrap the system, it is seen as inevitable that the myki consortium would sue.

Further delays in pushing ahead with myki also could result in legal action, if the consortium can prove that delays by both the Coalition and the former Labor government had contributed unfairly to company losses.

The Brumby government appeared to deliberately slow down the introduction of the myki system last year, fearing that confusion could cause a political backlash.

Introducing a new smartcard system could cost taxpayers a total of $2 billion - including myki's costs.

Mr Baillieu has already warned about the huge cost of the system.

The Government has vowed to not rush its decision on myki, designed to take over from the Metcard paper system, widely seen to be past its use-by date.

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Monthly Metcard a rip-off: survey

Monthly Metcard a rip-off: survey
Jason Dowling
February 21, 2011

MELBOURNE commuters are getting ripped off by the cost of monthly tickets compared with daily fares, a public transport lobby group says.

Public Transport Users Association research shows that comparing the cost of monthly public transport tickets with daily fares in 16 cities around the world, Melburnians are paying too much.

''Monthly tickets are out of whack with what other cities are charging,'' association president Daniel Bowen said.

In other cities they will give you a very good discount ... in Melbourne you do get a slight discount but it is not a compelling one.''

Using an average of daily tickets available in Melbourne, the association calculated a monthly ticket was priced the same as 20 daily tickets.

In London, a monthly public transport ticket costs about the same as 14 daily tickets; in Vancouver it is 13 and in Paris about 10.

Mr Bowen said monthly ticket prices in Melbourne should be reduced to an average price of 12 to 13 daily tickets.

''That would be at a level where if you were using the system three days a week it would still be economical for you to buy a monthly ticket - so that's a reasonable discount without perhaps making it too cheap to deprive the system of revenue.''

He said better-priced monthly tickets would help ease the transition to 100 per cent use of the new myki ticket system from the present level of about 15 per cent of commuters using myki.

More people purchasing a monthly myki pass, Mr Bowen said, ''would get around these problems that we are already seeing with people having to queue to get off buses or queues to get out of railway stations''.

He said cheaper monthly tickets was the ''way forward for encouraging more regular usage and cutting some of the problems with myki''.

Canberra was the only other Australian city that had comparable fare types, Mr Bowen said, and its monthly ticket cost about the same as 12 daily fares.

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Myki or Metcard, it's a ticket to ride

Myki or Metcard, it's a ticket to ride
Marika Dobbin
February 22, 2011

IS THIS Melbourne's hardest-working myki card?

University student Lachlan Campbell, 19, has given the myki system a gruelling workout by catching 10 trains, seven buses and five trams in a day.

The train enthusiast yesterday accepted a challenge by The Age to spend a day on the city's transport network to observe the dual ticket systems. A month ago, his attempt to stop at each of Melbourne's suburban railway stations in a day was thwarted by train cancellations.

Mr Campbell, who is studying criminology at Melbourne University, travelled more than 150 kilometres to watch the ticket use of almost 300 passengers. He found that while myki technology usually worked smoothly, most people preferred the old Metcard system.

Only 20 per cent of passengers (60 people) swiped on or off with a myki, 145 used Metcards and the rest had no apparent ticket.

''In just about every case the Metcard was used by more people and the mykis tended to be used by younger people, like kids in school uniform, and older people with pension cards,'' he said.

Premier Ted Baillieu had hoped to make an announcement last week about myki's future, but a cabinet sub-committee called for more financial information.

Government insiders told The Age last night that an assessment of costings for various options, such as a different ticket system for V/Line, could take weeks to conclude.

Meanwhile, Mr Campbell saw eight myki users with validating problems who gave up, and another eight who persisted until their cards were read.

''I saw one woman being pushed off the 82 tram at Maribyrnong by a surge of passengers before she could swipe off,'' he said. ''But the disadvantage of Metcard was that one of the buses was held up for ages in Keysborough because a queue of people wanted to buy tickets from the driver.''

Ticket officers did one inspection during Mr Campbell's nine-hour journey, on the 82 tram from Footscray to Moonee Ponds, catching three fare evaders. He found one faulty Metcard validator and two defective myki readers, although several were slow.

The trains mostly operated on time, with one delay of 13 minutes on the Pakenham line.

''The system worked as a whole and overall I was satisfied with my myki,'' he said. ''It cost me $4.96 for the day with a student concession, which is great economy for the distance and 64¢ cheaper than with a Metcard.''

With ROYCE MILLAR

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Metcard operator Vix Technology sends myki proposal to State Government

Metcard operator Vix Technology sends myki proposal to State Government

    * Ashley Gardiner
    * From: Herald Sun
    * February 23, 2011 12:00AM

THE operator of Melbourne's Metcard system has proposed the introduction of a cheaper smartcard as an alternative to myki.

Vix Technology chief executive Steve Gallagher said it would not cost taxpayers an extra cent but would in fact save $100 million.

"We can fix what has become the biggest mess and financial burden in Victorian public transport history," Mr Gallagher said.

The proposal was put to the State Government last week.

Mr Gallagher said the new system could start being introduced in regional areas within weeks.

Metropolitan services could start getting the new system, known as Metsmart, within six months and it would take 18 months to be fully implemented.

The Vix proposal would involve the existing Metcard remaining in place for up to three years.

"We won't make the mistake of starting again. We won't try and reinvent the wheel," Mr Gallagher said.

"We will use the excellent Metcard system and we'll extend it with the technology that's already in use."

Cities using Vix technology include Beijing, Salt Lake City, Seattle and Stockholm.

But yesterday Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder was cool on the idea, saying: "I've seen the proposal. It is not (of) great depth in terms of what they indicate that they'll be able to provide."

Public Transport Users Association president Daniel Bowen said the proposal was worth considering.

"But the Government would need to be wary of pulling out of the myki contract, which may lead to legal costs," Mr Bowen said.

"Passengers are increasingly finding that myki is working reliably, so it may not be worth changing horses this late in the race."

Mr Mulder also indicated the Government was unlikely to dump the Regional Rail Link project in its entirety.

The cost of the project, initially budgeted at $4.3 billion, has blown out by $880 million, and the Federal Government has deferred payment of $500 million.

The project was designed to separate metropolitan and regional services running through the western suburbs to improve capacity.

"There's a number of options we're looking at in terms of the timeframe of delivery and also some of the scoping options," Mr Mulder said. "There are features of the project that may be able to be altered."

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Cubic Transportation Systems offers to take on myki

Cubic Transportation Systems offers to take on myki

    * Anne Wright
    * From: Herald Sun
    * March 03, 2011 9:10AM

THE manufacturer of smartcards in Brisbane and Perth has reportedly offered to take on Victoria's troubled myki project.

Global company Cubic Transportation Systems has indicated it could provide a potential replacement for the controversial smartcard currently under review.

CTS is already building a smartcard system for Sydney's transport network, and reports in the Australian Financial Review indicate it is contemplating an entry into the Victorian market.

The State Government initially said a decision would be made on Myki by the end of January, but delayed that decision pending a Government review into possible options.

Vix Technology has already made a public pledge to the Government, claiming it could install a cheaper alternative to Myki.

Public Transport minister Terry Mulder has said the Government will not discuss either company's proposals before it has made a decision on the future of Myki.

[#Metro]

What we need is a card that works across the whole nation. Portable. Go to melbourne, keep my GoCard and swipe.
Work in taxis, bike cages etc.

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Smartcard miscalculation gives travellers 2¢ worth

Smartcard miscalculation gives travellers 2¢ worth
Clay Lucas
March 22, 2011

USERS of zone 1 myki passes who travel into Melbourne's suburban zone 2 areas on weekends are being given a little present - 2¢.

The 2¢ dividend comes because of a flaw in the smartcard's calculations of travel zones, and was brought about by last week's rise in public transport fares.

''It's only a tiny thing but people have enough doubts about myki, and this won't instil confidence,'' Public Transport Users Association president Daniel Bowen said.

Mr Bowen was among a low number of users whose myki accounts were this weekend credited 2¢, after he used his zone 1 pass to alight at a zone 2 station. Myki allows pass holders who travel on public transport outside their nominated zone to be charged for the extra journey. On weekends, it automatically adjusts the balance of a zone 1 myki pass holder who ventures into zone 2, so they can take advantage of a special $3 weekend fare.

The recent fare increase saw a zone 1 trip rise from $2.94 to $3.02. Because of this, the myki system on weekends now credits zone 1 pass holders entering zone 2 a 2¢ payment, instead of charging them.

The Baillieu government review of myki is still not complete. It is unlikely the system will be scrapped, but options to alter the planned rollout are under consideration.

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Myki dilemma - now it's working

Myki dilemma - now it's working

    * Stephen McMahon
    * From: Herald Sun
    * March 25, 2011 12:00AM

MYKI usage has surged with more than four million trips taken using the system last month.

Growing acceptance of the troubled smartcard system is putting further pressure on the Government as it continues to debate the future of myki.

A Cabinet sub-committee is expected to provide a report on whether to scrap or retain the controversial smartcard to Premier Ted Baillieu, possibly as early as Monday.

The $1.35 billion system is expected to survive in a scaled back form as almost $725 million has already been blown on the project.

Government sources have indicated the cost of scrapping the project and starting again may be just too high.

The Cabinet committee has debated the options provided by accountants Deloitte, the legal and financial fallout of scrapping it and a number of rival plans.

After keeping the controversial desalination plant, Mr Baillieu is believed to be reluctant to back a system that became a symbol of alleged waste and mismanagement under the Brumby government.

But he has admitted the Coalition did not want to make a hasty decision to scrap myki, only to find "an enormous cost to it at the other end".

A spokeswoman for Transport Minister Terry Mulder said data tabled in Parliament yesterday showing 4.3 million trips were taken using myki last month - up almost 40 per cent in two months - underlines the complexity of the issue.

"And reinforces the need to think carefully about the way forward," the spokeswoman said.

In the same period there has been only a 2 per cent increase in Metcard usage with 17 million trips taken last month.

Green Party MP Greg Barber warns there will be huge problems when the millions of commuters using metcard have to switch over to myki.

"It looks like most users still won't be familiar with myki when they do that," he said.

Opposition Transport spokeswoman Fiona Richardson said commuters have been left in limbo.

"Ted Baillieu needs to come clean about the Liberal Government's real plans for Victoria's public transport ticketing system," she said.

"Terry Mulder is quickly gaining a reputation as the 'Minister for hiding under tables', and his refusal to answer questions about Victoria's public transport network is becoming a joke and leaving commuters in the lurch."

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

$100m added to cost of myki

$100m added to cost of myki
Clay Lucas
March 29, 2011

THE cost to Victorian taxpayers of the myki ticketing episode could blow out to as much as $1.5 billion as the Baillieu government moves to recast the bungled transport smartcard and extend the life of the old Metcard system.

A report to state cabinet by senior Treasury and transport bureaucrats is believed to have recommended the government keep myki, but with a reduced rollout in regional Victoria.

At the same time, the old Metcard system - which remains much more popular with commuters than myki - would be extended until at least March next year.

The changes are expected to cost taxpayers another $100 million to $150 million on top of the $1.35 billion already committed to the troubled myki system.

Premier Ted Baillieu and his ministers are expected to make up their minds about the future of myki within days, as the final touches are put to their first budget, due to be handed down on May 3.

Mr Baillieu in opposition spent years criticising Labor over the mounting bills for myki, and key ministers are understood to be nervous about political fallout from pouring more public money into it.

Under the proposals before cabinet, myki would be kept on trains, trams and buses across Melbourne, as well as on local bus routes in Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Seymour, Warragul and the Latrobe Valley.

Its rollout on V/Line's main commuter rail routes from Melbourne to Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat, Seymour and Traralgon would also go ahead. But plans to introduce it on routes to, and within, other regional towns would be scrapped.

Metcard was supposed to have been switched off in 2007, but was kept in operation while myki was repeatedly delayed.

Now, more than eight months after myki was fully rolled out across Melbourne, about 80 per cent of commuters still use Metcard.

An earlier confidential report, written for the Department of Treasury and Finance by consultants Deloitte and not (sic)

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

More travellers are beginning to trust myki


http://resources3.news.com.au/images/2011/04/09/1226036/510527-myki.jpg

More travellers are beginning to trust myki

    * James Campbell
    * From: Sunday Herald Sun
    * April 10, 2011 12:00AM

FIFTY thousand new myki cards are being issued every month with more than a million now in circulation.

So say confidential documents prepared by the consortium in charge of the controversial ticketing system

Internal figures from myki's builder, Kamco, show the number of trips made using myki jumped by more than 1.6 million in March alone and is now being used for an average of 271,000 trips each day.

The growing popularity of myki will put further pressure on the Baillieu Government to keep the system, the cost of which has blown out to $1.5 billion.

But figures in the document are disputed by the Department of Transport, which says while the number of myki users is growing rapidly, it is still being used for only 20 per cent of journeys.

Kamco claims 1.5 million myki cards have been despatched, of which 1.25 million have been bought by passengers.

In contrast the DoT says only 870,000 cards are in circulation.

It also claims only 3000 cards are being bought each week, whereas Kamco's figures suggest almost 50,000 cards a week have gone into circulation each week since August.

Other claims of Kamco's system summary include:

That 99.65 per cent of myki readers are working at any time -- up from 70 per cent in July last year.

Ninety-two per cent of myki top-ups are now received within 24 hours, up from 35 per cent last April.

Most cards are now despatched to customers within 1.5 days, down from 3.9 days in January 2010.

Kamco's analysis said 306,129 people used its myki cards in March.

The Government has refused to say if it intends to scrap the system, which was meant to be up and running in 2007.

It has been reported the Government plans to spend another $150 million to keep the Metcard system going until next March.

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Hurdle for fare cheat crackdown

Hurdle for fare cheat crackdown
Clay Lucas
April 13, 2011

AS MELBOURNE'S ticket inspectors launch a crackdown on fare evasion this week, they are being held back by one minor problem: their devices for checking myki cards work only some of the time.

The government's Transport Ticketing Authority has confirmed that the electronic card readers carried by inspectors do not work reliably across an entire shift.

This means ticket inspectors are often unable to check tickets once the batteries on the hand-held devices run out.

The Age first reported on problems with the 250 hand-held devices carried by ticket inspectors in November 2009. The government promised then that problems with battery life would be fixed. However, with both Metro and Yarra Trams launching crackdowns on rising fare evasion this week, the problems persist.

Transport Ticketing Authority chief executive Bernie Carolan said that every group of ticket inspectors carried at least one myki reader to check if smartcards had been validated.

But the poor battery life on the ticket-checking devices meant they often did not work across an entire shift.

''The [authority] is working with operators to make improvements to the hand-held device, including battery performance, and [ticket inspectors] are now issued with holsters that charge the device when not in use,'' Mr Carolan said.

The Rail, Tram and Bus Union, whose members include ticket inspectors, this week confirmed the readers often did not have power for a ticket inspector's entire shift.

The Baillieu government has still not confirmed it intends to keep myki.

Department of Transport figures show that the number of people being fined for not having a valid ticket while travelling on public transport has plummeted since myki's introduction. In 2009, before myki went live, an average 10,682 people were fined each month after they were caught travelling without a valid ticket.

After the introduction of myki, this dropped to an average 7058 fines a month across 2010. By December 2010, only 4098 were fined for failing to produce a valid ticket - less than half the 9393 fined in December 2009.

Public transport marketing agency Metlink says that more than 60 million ''free trips'' were taken in Melbourne on trains, trams and buses last year, as soaring patronage coincided with soaring fare evasion. Thirteen per cent of public transport users now do not buy a ticket, up from 9 per cent in 2009.

[ozbob]

From the Herald Sun click here!

Myki costing taxpayers $200k a day

Myki costing taxpayers $200k a day

    * Ashley Gardiner
    * From: Herald Sun
    * April 15, 2011 12:00AM

MYKI is costing taxpayers more than $200,000 each day the Victorian Government fails to decide on its future.

The withdrawal of the Metcard system was initially scheduled to begin during Easter.

But the election of the Baillieu Government has seen that plan put on hold while it decides the future of the smartcard.

While the Government continues to consider what to do with myki, the costs are mounting.

Opposition spokeswoman on public transport Fiona Richardson said more than $6 million had already been spent on keeping the myki authority running.

It costs about $50 million a year to keep the Metcard system running, which equates to about $137,000 a day.

Delaying the decision about myki's future adds a further $1 million a month (about $33,000 a day).

And the continued operation of the Transport Ticketing Authority, the agency in charge of myki, costs $14.5 million a year - about $45,000 a day.

The Herald Sun believes $1 million a month is the approximate additional cost of warehousing unused myki equipment and other staff costs.

But the analysis has been dismissed as rubbish by the State Government.

The Victorian Economic and Financial Statement, released yesterday by Premier Ted Baillieu, said the life of Metcard needed to be extended due to technical problems with myki.

"The project is exposed to additional significant cost pressures which have not been previously identified," the statement said.

The statement did not detail the expected costs beyond the previously stated $1.35 billion figure due to "ongoing negotiations".

The State Government is considering a report on myki written by consultants Deloitte before making a decision on its future.

Transport industry sources are adamant myki is fully operational and ready to take over from Metcard.

Ms Richardson said Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder was responsible for the delay.

"Terry Mulder's dithering is costing Victorians hundreds of thousands of dollars every day," Ms Richardson said.

"He is quickly gaining a reputation as the Liberal Government's most expensive minister."

But Mr Mulder said the Opposition was a disgrace and should be apologising to Victorians for the mess they had created.

"This is the most absurd load of rubbish I have ever heard. Labor ought to be ashamed to mention transport ticketing he said.