Myki - articles and discussion

[ozbob]

At the moment there are the paper single tickets, TransLink Access Passes, other special passes.  Paper singles were probably in the order of 17 to 18% of all trips as at January 2012.  Although I expect that to decrease significantly from here. 

I do think though that paper singles should be given the boot!  The prices are wicked.

[O_128]

The 199 I use is infuriating with paper tickets, they slow the his down way to much, cut the waste Campbell !!

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Myki muddle as touch-off befuddles travellers

Myki muddle as touch-off befuddles travellers
Henrietta Cook
March 28, 2012 - 12:25PM

A surge in commuters using the myki ticketing system has caused delays at train stations, with large queues of people waiting to touch off.

The Transport Ticketing Authority says the delays have been caused by people unfamiliar with myki cards, and have urged commuters to be patient.

"People are going up to the gate and are putting their card up to the reader and rubbing and swiping it, but for the best result they need to touch on," a spokesman for the authority said.

Weekly and monthly Metcards were withdrawn from sale on Sunday as part of the transition to the $1.4 billion smartcard system by the end of the year.

This has resulted in an influx of people using the new ticketing system, with 44 per cent of ticket validations conducted by myki in March compared to 39 per cent in February.

The ticketing authority has uploaded a video onto its website to educate public transport users about "correct myki behaviour" and staff have been deployed at stations to help puzzled commuters.

"The card needs to be held still on the reader otherwise it will have trouble reading the card," the spokesman said.

Public Transport Users Association president Daniel Bowen said old Metcard gates were exacerbating the problem.

"A lot of the Metcard gates with the myki machines don't respond quickly enough or don't respond at all."

He said it was common to see queues of 20 people waiting to touch off at Flagstaff train station.

"It's clearly becoming a bigger problem as more people switch to Myki. The newer gates are more reliable but not perfect."

Many commuters have been venting their frustration on Twitter.

"Myki shambles at Southern Cross," AngryFou tweeted, attaching a photo of a large crowd waiting to exit Southern Cross Station this morning.

MissNickiBee tweeted that she was "Sick of all the people waving their myki around the reader like they're conducting an orchestra, going to tell them how to do it from now!"

Metcard ticket vending machines have already been turned off at some city locations and have begun disappearing from suburban train stations.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/myki-muddle-as-touchoff-befuddles-travellers-20120328-1vxq1.html

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Like the punters, myki faces a bit of a barrier

Like the punters, myki faces a bit of a barrier
Adam Carey
March 29, 2012

THEY have been dubbed Frankenbarriers and they are the source of Melbourne commuters' waking nightmares.

The old Metcard barriers at city train stations, which have had myki scanners bolted into them, have proved as lumbering and incoherent as Mary Shelley's fictional monster, creating huge bottlenecks at station gates in peak times and providing no useful information to passengers when a card is scanned, just the inscrutable message ''CSC Pass''.

The steady and ongoing phase-out of Metcards is generating a growing stampede to switch to the $1.4 billion myki, with more than 120,000 smartcards being sold in the four weeks to March 9, bringing the total number in passengers' hands to 1.3 million.

The current balance of Metcard versus myki users remains in the old ticketing system's favour, just, with 46 per cent of ticket validations currently with a myki, according to the Transport Ticketing Authority.

But as the myki take-up increases, so too have complaints to the public transport ombudsman.

Ombudsman Janine Young said her office had experienced a sharp spike in complaints and investigations this financial year, and most of the grievances were about myki.

''Last financial year there were 1838 complaints and this year we're projecting just over 3000 and the majority of that increase would relate to myki cases,'' Ms Young said.

Scanning delays and errors are creating severe passenger crushes at some station entry and exit points. The Age has seen queues stretching back to the edge of the escalators at Flagstaff station, while at the Elizabeth Street end of Flinders Street Station, commuters have been forced to squeeze onto the narrow footpath for minutes at a time, dangerously close to passing traffic.

Transport Ticketing Authority chief executive Bernie Carolan is urging Melbourne travellers to be patient, promising the situation will improve once myki fully replaces Metcard and more myki top-up machines and scanners are introduced. ''The new ticketing system requires different behaviour to previous systems used in Melbourne and I would urge people to be patient with their fellow passengers as they learn how to use myki,'' Mr Carolan said. He reiterated the message that myki cards must be placed squarely in the centre of the scanner, not waved, swiped or tapped. ''When passengers are more familiar with myki they will find it takes about a second to touch on or off.''

Public Transport Users Association president Daniel Bowen said myki faults were also creating excessive queues at suburban stations. He said a solution could be achieved by reducing the cost of weekly and monthly myki passes, which do not need to be touched off.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/like-the-punters-myki-faces-a-bit-of-a-barrier-20120328-1vyrf.html

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Free-for-all: gates flung open in myki crush

Free-for-all: gates flung open in myki crush
Henrietta Cook
March 30, 2012 - 11:46AM

Station masters are opening ticket barriers to ease potentially dangerous passenger crushes caused by commuters switching to myki - and that could leave some with a bigger-than-expected charge for their trip.

Metro staff opened the ticket barriers at Flagstaff station this morning after queues stretched back to the escalators.

"Any of the busy stations would follow a similar protocol," a Metro spokesman said.

"It's a safety precaution so you don't get large crowds milling at escalators."

He said the rollover to the myki ticketing system had caused congestion at train stations, with passengers struggling to use the new "smart cards".

"It has slowed things down a bit. You get a bit of a bottle neck so they open the gates up."

The president of the Public Transport Users Association, Daniel Bowen, said some commuters who marched through the gates this morning without touching off could be overcharged for their journey and would have to seek reimbursement from myki.

He said travellers on monthly tickets or yearly myki passes would not be affected. However, those travelling only through zone one might also be charged for a journey through zone 2, because the system had not recognised their journey had come to an end in the city.

The Metro spokesman said gates were opened regularly to ease congestion at train stations.

Earlier this week The Age reported that a surge in commuters using the myki ticketing system had caused delays at train stations, with large crowds of people waiting to touch off.

The Transport Ticketing Authority has urged public transport users to be patient and says the issue will ease once the Metcard system has been phased out, and more myki scanners are installed.

"People are going up to the gate and are putting their card up to the reader and rubbing and swiping it, but for the best result they need to touch on," a spokesman for the authority said earlier this week

The ticketing authority has uploaded a video onto its website to educate public transport users about "correct myki behaviour".

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/freeforall-gates-flung-open-in-myki-crush-20120330-1w284.html

[ozbob]

Herald Sun --> Metro gives green light for station gates to be thrown open to prevent myki-related crushes

[ButFli]

This is probably something that will ease with time as new Myki users learn how to touch on and touch off properly. However, it always amazes me when I am in Melbourne how long a Myki touch takes to register. Much longer than the humble Go Card (and the Go Card is bad enough).

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Myki users warned to touch off, barriers or not

Myki users warned to touch off, barriers or not
Kylie Northover
April 2, 2012

MANY of the city's train station ticket barriers could be thrown open this morning to ease overcrowding as commuters switch to myki cards.

But the government warned commuters with myki cards they should ''touch off'' even if barriers were open or they would be overcharged. And it said people who did not ''touch on'' in the hope the barrier would be open at the other end risked a fine for fare evading.

The roll-over to the system caused congestion last week as queues backed up at tickets barriers, sparking safety concerns.

Metro spokesman Daniel Hoare said the decision to open barriers is at the discretion of individual station masters. ''I suspect at some point ... they'll need to open them at the major city stations,'' he said.

Government spokeswoman Larissa Garvin said the government did not expect a rise in either fare evasion or overcharging, despite Public Transport Users Association president Daniel Bowen's speculation last week that open barriers could result in some users being overcharged and others evading fares.

''If you've got a Metcard it makes no difference - if the gates are up, you can walk straight through, no dramas. And if you've got a myki, you've just got to remember to touch off,'' Ms Garvin said.

Commuters using monthly, weekly and yearly myki passes will not be affected. But those who should be paying $3.28 for a zone one fare could be charged $5.54 for a zone one and two journey if they do not touch off as the system won't register the end of their journey.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/myki-users-warned-to-touch-off-barriers-or-not-20120401-1w6n6.html

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Suburbs hit by myki crush

Suburbs hit by myki crush
Reid Sexton
April 4, 2012

THE crush of myki users queuing to exit rail stations has reached the suburbs as increasing numbers of travellers switch to the troubled ticketing system.

The Baillieu government has come under fire from public transport advocates for failing to plan for the soaring demand, with the Public Transport Users' Association slamming the ''illogical'' distribution of myki readers.

But the Transport Ticketing Authority has pledged to install new gates, increase the number of readers at stations and redesign some stations to ease the crush by the end of the year.
Advertisement: Story continues below

The suburban squeeze is reflected in the authority's figures that show the number of myki touch-ons has soared 16-fold at Laverton in Melbourne's west while it is up seven-fold at Oak Park in the northern suburbs.

The revelations follow safety fears on Friday that forced Metro to open the gates at Flagstaff when large crowds waited to ''touch-off'' their mykis, just days after Metcard weekly and monthly tickets were withdrawn from sale.

Other measures taken to encourage passengers to switch to the $1.35 billion system include scrapping the sale of Metcards at some stations, moves that have seen the number of touch-ons across the network grow from around 200,000 a week in March 2010 to 1.7 million a week last month.

But despite the gradual growth, association president Daniel Bowen said he had received reports recently of passengers having to queue for several minutes at stations such as Werribee and Sunshine because of long waits to touch-off.

He said there were regular queues at some stations such as McKinnon because it had just one reader on a platform while neighbouring station Bentleigh has five, fuelling his fears that there has been little thought put into planning.

''It is illogical ... and the single reader at McKinnon broke down last week, which meant people couldn't touch-off at all,'' he said.

''It is getting worse and going to keep getting worse until they put in enough readers to cope.

''[The government] should have moved on this more quickly ... they must have known [measures] would result in a big increase of people using myki.''

Authority chief Bernie Carolan said passenger delays at stations with gates, such as those in the city and some major suburban stations, were caused because those gates were not originally designed as touch points for myki.

But he said the gates had been kept because of ongoing Metcard use and they would be replaced by the end of the year with myki-only gates that would function better.

Moves to increase the number of myki readers at stations from 1000 to 1300 began last year and would be finished by the end of this year, he said.

He added that the design of many stations was inadequate to cope with passenger numbers and said some stations would be redesigned to improve entry and exit points but did not give any more detail.

He said it was likely ticket barriers at some stations would continue to be opened to cope with the crush for short periods of time while he countered accusations of poor planning.

''No one outside of the entities working on the project fully understand the intricacies, complexities and interdependencies that exist with regard to installing a new ticketing system while also having to operate an existing ticketing system alongside it,'' he said.

■The cost of the Baillieu government's review of the myki system has blown out by more than a third.

Shortly after gaining power at the 2010 election, the state government commissioned accounting firm Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu to advise it on whether or not to retain myki. The firm initially charged $242,000 for the review, but documents released to the Victorian Greens under freedom of information reveal the cost soon grew to $348,000, due to an extension in the time taken to complete the report. The Greens are in court, trying to access the report.

With ADAM CAREY

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/suburbs-hit-by-myki-crush-20120403-1warr.html

[ozbob]

Herald Sun --> New gates in desperate myki rescue mission

[ozbob]

Herald Sun --> Police being considered to ease commuter crush at busy Flinders St station myki barriers

[somebody]

Herald Sun --> Police being considered to ease commuter crush at busy Flinders St station myki barriers

Just goes to show how smooth and well advised the SEQ Go Card implementation was, in spite of all the criticisms.  Perhaps WA/ACT/somewhere else were better, but still...

[O_128]

Herald Sun --> Police being considered to ease commuter crush at busy Flinders St station myki barriers

Just goes to show how smooth and well advised the SEQ Go Card implementation was, in spite of all the criticisms.  Perhaps WA/ACT/somewhere else were better, but still...

So true it was done very well,

[ozbob]

ABC News --> here!

Police could be called in to control Myki barriers

Posted April 10, 2012 09:54:14

Melbourne's Metro transit authority is looking into using the police to control overcrowding at Flinders Street station amid delays caused by a transition to the Myki ticketing system.

[ozbob]

Herald Sun --> 1200-strong Baillieu Brigade to save myki under fire

... AN army of 1200 myki commuters will be enlisted by the Baillieu Government to tell public transport chiefs what is going wrong with Melbourne's crisis-plagued "smart card" ...

myki Customer Experience Panel --> http://www.mykipanel.com.au/

[Gazza]

Woah, certainly puts the old GoCard user group to shame in terms of size 

[ozbob]

Woah, certainly puts the old GoCard user group to shame in terms of size 

This is entirely different.  More analogous to the go card pilot group.  The government has hired some consultants to manage a large user panel to get feedback.  No free travel just some grocery vouchers and the like for their feedback.  You wonder why this was not done earlier ...  It is a political ploy that has been largely condemned already in Melbourne I note.

[somebody]

ABC News --> here!

Police could be called in to control Myki barriers

Posted April 10, 2012 09:54:14

Melbourne's Metro transit authority is looking into using the police to control overcrowding at Flinders Street station amid delays caused by a transition to the Myki ticketing system.

In addition to the comparisons with QLD and WA, while we give the PTUA some stick, they do actually get into the media a fair bit.  They may well get on to TV more than us.  Perhaps we do better with radio.

[ozbob]

Melbourne has a very strong public transport culture, it is mainstream.  Issues here are a lot more hot and cold.

[ozbob]

http://themykiuser.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/let-save-one-million-dollars-in-one.html

[somebody]

http://themykiuser.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/let-save-one-million-dollars-in-one.html

I think the link in this bit:

EDUCATE CUSTOMERS.  People should be getting swamped with useful and helpful information.  Although very pretty, this is not particularly helpful.  If I do say so myself, although not particularly pretty, this is helpful and useful.

Shows how much better it is not to have to think about silly periodical passes.

Got to agree with his point about his linked video being not particularly helpful.  A lot of trouble to get a small amount of info.  It doesn't need to be a video.

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> My week in myki hell

[themykiuser]

Shows how much better it is not to have to think about silly periodical passes.

Hi Simon (and all) I'm @themykiuser   Fully agree that we should not have to worry about periodical passes, and that "myki money" should be enough, with fares getting cheaper the more you use the system.  Apparently the early plan was to have something like that, but instead they went with basically a simplified version of the existing metcard system.  One might hope that in the future we might get something like that instead, but I think right now they have plenty of other problems that sadly need fixing first!

By the way I'm not sure how I haven't stumbled upon this forum before... this thread is awesome, with every myki disaster laid out for all to see.  It's like a trip down memory lane for those of us who've taken an interest in the system from the beginning

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

City tram users pay an extra $1m

City tram users pay an extra $1m
Lucy Battersby
April 24, 2012

INNER-CITY tram users are being slugged an extra $1 million each year to subsidise the extension of zone 1 along tram routes in outer suburbs, according to secret government briefings.

Documents provided to The Age under freedom of information laws reveal that scrapping the cheapest Metcard fare - the City Saver - has boosted revenues by $110,000 a month under myki, or more than $1 million each year. This has offset the extension of zone 1 fares to the end of the 109, 75 and 86 tram routes.

The briefings appear to contradict claims by the former Labor state government that scrapping the City Saver was only necessary because of a decision to stop all tram passengers from touching-off their myki card, which would have congested tram doorways at busy times.

A briefing provided to then transport minister Martin Pakula in June 2010 states that cutting the cheapest fare would cover the cost of extending the zone 1 and zone 2 overlap.

''These changes are cost neutral. Increased revenue from the removal of the City Saver balances the reduction in revenue from zone 1+2 tram users. No additional funding was required,'' states a briefing from the Department of Transport to Mr Pakula.

In the three months before myki was introduced, 415,029 City Saver tickets were used by people to travel around the city and to nearby venues, less than 1 per cent of all tickets.

Revenues in this period would have been $330,000 higher if they had all purchased zone 1 tickets, according the calculations by The Age, based on figures provided by Public Transport Victoria.

The Minister for Public Transport, Terry Mulder, yesterday said he would not make any changes to myki until the system was in place.

''The Coalition government has taken the financially sensible decision to take the failing $1.35 billion myki system left by Martin Pakula, simplify it and put it back on track,'' he said.

President of the Public Transport Users Association Daniel Bowen said a small number of customers touching-off for a shorter trip would not cause the same havoc as every customer touching-off.

''They did need to take steps to remove touch-off in trams, but at the same time some users ... are now seeing a huge increase in the cost of the travel,'' he said.

A full fare City-Saver ticket costs $3.10, 18¢ less than the cheapest myki ticket. And bulk City Saver tickets costs $2.44 per trip, or 84¢ less than the cheapest myki ticket. A return journey using City Saver bulk tickets costs $4.88 compared with $6.56 for two myki fares - a difference of $1.68.

The City Saver zone covers tram routes in the CBD and Docklands and extends to the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne University, St Vincent's Hospital, the MCG and along St Kilda Road to Domain interchange. Train stops include North Melbourne, Jolimont, Richmond and the city loop. Fares are valid for a single trip only.

A 2008 survey found 90 per cent of City Saver fares were used on trams, and about 8 per cent on trains

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/city-tram-users-pay-an-extra-1m-20120423-1xhf1.html

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> More myki readers for loop

[ozbob]

From ABC News click here!

New tourist myki coming soon

New tourist myki coming soon

Updated Thu May 3, 2012 3:31pm AEST

The head of Public Transport Victoria Ian Dobbs says a myki pass for tourists and casual users will be announced in the next few months.

The system has been criticised for not accommodating occasional users.

Mr Dobbs says the new "day pack" will include tourist discounts and a pre-loaded myki card.

He says they are going through a consultation process with industry to make sure it can be made easily available for tourists.

"I think it's just a few months away," he told ABC local radio.

"It'll really come in at the same time as they go into the next stage when they put the daily tickets on myki.

"We want to make sure this happens in a co-ordinated fashion so people don't get confused."

He also says they have listened to complaints about the new public transport iPhone application.

"[We're] big enough to sit here and say that in that sense that we made an error," he said.

He says they will make the old app available while they wait for the newer app to be updated.

"We do need to simplify it. We need to make the user interface easier," he said.

"The new app is awaiting various clearance procedures. We expect that to be available in two to three weeks."

[ozbob]

From the Melbourne Age click here!

Tourist myki card on the way

Tourist myki card on the way
Robert Upe
May 9, 2012

A MYKI card for visitors could be released within months, with unconfirmed reports that it will cost $12 to $14 a day.

The preloaded card will be bundled with discounts to Melbourne's tourist attractions and is likely to be sold at the airport, railway stations, newsagents and hotels.

Melbourne's tourism chiefs are confident the card will meet the needs of the 20 million visitors to the city each year.

''We are keeping a close eye on it and it is looking like a good thing,'' said Dianne Smith, the chief executive of the Victorian Tourism Industry Council, which earlier this year hosted a forum between 80 tourism and events organisers and public transport authorities.

The chief executive of Destination Melbourne, Chris Buckingham, said: ''For the first time in living memory we have a strategy for a dedicated visitors' ticket.''

Mr Buckingham would not comment on the cost of the ticket but predicted it would offer good value with the preloaded deals.

He said he would like to see the card linked with the city-airport SkyBus service.

''If a visitor has got the propensity to catch the SkyBus, he or she has got the propensity to catch public transport and the SkyBus takes everybody directly to the busiest railway station [Southern Cross] in Victoria.''

Mr Buckingham said the card would provide visitors with access to Melbourne's key tourist attractions, including the Melbourne Aquarium, Melbourne Zoo, Melbourne Museum, Scienceworks, Cook's Cottage and Puffing Billy.

The card is also likely to be valid for V/Line services, meaning it will benefit regional attractions such as Ballarat's Sovereign Hill.

Ms Smith said: ''Our three main concerns are that the card is easily accessible to short-term visitors, that it is well communicated so visitors know how it works as soon as they arrive, and that it provides good product that is not priced over the top.''

A spokesman for the Transport Ticketing Authority said there was no release date yet.

''It's under development and we are hoping to have it out as soon as we can,'' he said.

Paper Metcard tickets are due to be scrapped at the end of the year after which time all public transport users will require a myki card.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/tourist-myki-card-on-the-way-20120508-1yasb.html

[ozbob]

Seems details of myki tourist card are about to go public ...

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

Twitter

16m Frances Bell Frances Bell ‏@bellfrances

Myki tourist package includes discounts to 15 Melbourne attractions, govt estimates $144 in savings per adult #springst
Retweeted by PTUA

[ozbob]

http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/3959-coalition-government-launches-myki-visitor-pack-with-tourist-discounts.html

Coalition Government launches myki Visitor Pack with tourist discounts

Monday, 21 May 2012
From the Minister for Public Transport, From the Minister for Tourism and Major Events

Discounts at Victorian tourism attractions, a specially designed wallet by Melbourne's leading cartoonist Mark Knight, a transport map and a myki ready for travel will provide visitors to Melbourne with easy access to public transport and popular city sites.

Minister for Public Transport Terry Mulder and Minister for Tourism and Major Events Louise Asher announced today the new myki Visitor Pack will be available from July.

The myki Visitor Pack will be sold at up to 300 locations including hotel concierge desks, tourist information centres, airports and tour providers.

Mr Mulder said the myki Visitor Pack was all visitors to Victoria would need on their stay.

"International and interstate visitors coming to Victoria can now buy one special product that includes their ticket to travel on public transport, a map and instructions that show them how to get around and vouchers for discounted entry to a number of attractions," Mr Mulder said.

"The myki Visitor Pack also comes with a protective wallet designed by renowned cartoonist Mark Knight, which encapsulates the essence of life in Melbourne, in a unique memento for tourists.

"The included myki comes with enough value to cover one day's travel in Zone 1, which includes the whole tram network that is extremely popular with tourists, so visitors who purchase the pack can access public transport straight away without having to top up.

"Simple top up instructions will be included for visitors staying longer and using public transport into Zone 2," Mr Mulder said.

Minister for Tourism and Major Events Louise Asher said the government had been working with the tourism industry on the new myki Visitor Pack.

"The tourism industry and operators have demonstrated their commitment to showcasing the best Victoria has to offer by opening up their distribution channels and providing value-added benefits for visitors," Ms Asher said.

"I would particularly like to thank the Victorian Tourism Industry Council and Destination Melbourne for their co-operation with the Transport Ticketing Authority in co-ordinating the attraction offers available in the myki Visitor Pack and ensuring that visitors can access the best attractions Victoria has to offer at special discounted rates."

A full fare myki Visitor Pack costs $14 and includes $8 myki money, while a concession myki Visitor Pack (general concession, child and seniors) costs $7 and includes $4 myki money.

The myki Visitor Pack includes:

    discount offers at 15 attractions including Melbourne Aquarium, the National Sports Museum, Eureka Skydeck and Puffing Billy, saving visitors up to $130;
    protective myki wallet designed by renowned cartoonist Mark Knight; and
    a public transport map and information on how to use myki.

Transport Ticketing Authority Chief Executive Officer Bernie Carolan said the myki Visitor Pack met the public transport and entertainment needs of visitors to Victoria.

"In developing the myki Visitor Pack we needed to ensure it provided easy and instant access to public transport for visitors and was readily available from places where visitors would commonly go for information," Mr Carolan said.

"This is the first time the public transport and tourism industries have come together to provide visitors with access to a product that combines travel, tourist information and entertainment offers, all in one."

List of participating attractions, offers and discounts is attached --> here!

[ozbob]

Myki trumps go card ....  still coming as far as I know for the go card ...  so is the Sunshine Coast line amplification  .... and so is decent train frequency ...

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Myki packs to make life easier for tourists

[ozbob]

Herald Sun --> Melbourne tourists receive myki bonus

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age (vid) --> Myki fixed again... tourist friendly at last

[ozbob]

Melbourne Age --> Tourism industry hails myki visitor pack

[ozbob]

From News.com.au click here!

Councils want to expand myki uses

Councils want to expand myki uses
May 24, 2012 12:00AM

COUNCILS want to expand the use of myki cards for everything from library services to community gyms.

A coalition of four inner-metropolitan councils is investigating a radical plan to use myki cards to store the personal information of residents held in council systems.

The idea, flagged by the Inner Melbourne Action Plan, has been slammed by privacy groups who claim it would effectively create an identity card.

The tourism working group's report signals the "possible integration of myki with existing council systems", citing as an example its possible use as a library card.

Councils have access to plenty of personal information on ratepayers, including use of library services, fitness and community programs and centres, council rates, permits and pet registrations.

Liberty Victoria yesterday said the proposal would infringe on the right to privacy.

"If the intention is to share myki information with local councils - or, to put it the other way, have other information about you shared on a myki card - what you're beginning to look at is a Victorian identity card," Liberty president Professor Spencer Zifcak said.

A spokeswoman for Melbourne City Council said the idea was in "its earliest form" and no further details about the plan could be provided.

"A discussion about the possibilities has not yet taken place," she said.

"Such a project would not be undertaken until after the myki system has been completely rolled out and is fully functioning."

Public Transport Users Association president Daniel Bowen said the troubled ticketing system's focus should just be on public transport.

Transport Ticketing Authority chief Bernie Carolan said the organisation was concentrating on completing the myki roll-out by the end of the year.

"While smart cards do have the ability to be used as a payment method for products other than public transport, myki is a stored value payment card and its use in a non-payment environment such as a library has not been explored in any great depth," he said.

- Anne Wright

[ozbob]

From News.com.au click here!

Myki loophole lets slip on fares

Myki loophole lets slip on fares May 27, 2012 12:00AM

A MILLION-dollar myki loophole is allowing fare evaders to slash their transport bills by a quarter while appearing legitimate to on-board inspectors.

As the cut-off date for the paper Metcard system looms, innovative zone 2 passengers have found a way to slice more than $600 off yearly myki costs with almost no way of being detected.

The technique, tested by the Sunday Herald Sun with success, involves using a combination of myki options. The Sunday Herald Sun has decided not to publish details on how the loophole works.

Fare evaders who commute regularly can save more than $12 a week while remaining invisible to ticket officers because the system requires users to be honest and touch off at their destination.

If just one in 20 myki customers used the method regularly it could take more than $70 million out of the system every year.

The problem could be fixed by installing barriers at every zone 2 station or by tweaking the $1.35 billion smartcard system.

One commuter who uses the loophole told the Sunday Herald Sun it had a failure rate of about 5 per cent.

"If done correctly, the default fare for the return commute (from the city) is $0," he said. "I have tried it at multiple zone 2 locations and it works."

Transport Ticketing Authority CEO Bernie Carolan said myki was helping to reduce overall fare evasion.

"Unintended fare evasion through not having the right change, or not knowing the right ticket, should be eliminated under myki, contributing to a reduction in overall fare evasion," he said.

"Unfortunately there will always be a small element of transport users who want to fare evade and no ticketing system can prevent this."

Public Transport Users Association president Daniel Bowen said the rort works, but commuters who used the method ran the small risk of having their myki checked as they disembarked and didn't touch off.

Metcard will be phased out by the end of 2012, making myki the only system available to metropolitan train users.

[ozbob]

I understand the 'loophole' might be if you have a zone one myki pass and travel into zone 2 and don't touch off.  (Normally you would touch off and the additional fare above the myki pass zone would come out from mykimoney).

Hence the suggestion that installing barriers at every zone 2 station will fix it.

Related to this:

http://www.myki.com.au/Fares/Default-fares/Default-fares

The default fare is $0.00 if:

    you have an existing 2-hour myki money product for the zone(s) in which you are travelling
    you have already reached the myki money daily cap
    you have a myki pass and touch on in a zone for which your pass is valid.

I think the solution is obvious ....  and doesn't involve gates.

[somebody]

I think the solution is obvious ....  and doesn't involve gates.

+1

[Gazza]

Indeed. Ages back on Railpage there was a member named "Revenue" who worked for the TTA who was voluntarily answering Myki questions.
He indeed posted that if you have a Z1 myki pass and dont touch off, you still would get charged $0, so technically that is an open door for people to go to Z2, not touch off, and not pay the higher fare.

The solution of course is to require myki pass users to touch off. If they don't, then the default fare (2 Zone) gets taken from their myki money balance. This would act as an incentive to use it properly.

[STB]

Indeed. Ages back on Railpage there was a member named "Revenue" who worked for the TTA who was voluntarily answering Myki questions.
He indeed posted that if you have a Z1 myki pass and dont touch off, you still would get charged $0, so technically that is an open door for people to go to Z2, not touch off, and not pay the higher fare.

The solution of course is to require myki pass users to touch off. If they don't, then the default fare (2 Zone) gets taken from their myki money balance. This would act as an incentive to use it properly.

A bit of trivia, 'Revenue' worked for TL in its early days and created the TL zonal system we have today before he moved to Melbourne.