Opal - E-ticketing - fares discussion etc.

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> Fare dinkum: Opal Man just one part of a $5 million ad blitz

[ozbob]

Life Hacker --> How To Save Money Using The Opal Card

oh opal ...

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> Be patient at the train station, Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian tells commuters, as weekly tickets get the chop

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> Opal passes queue test but students still have to line up

[ozbob]

Twitter

The Opal Card User ‏@TheOpalUser

"I want people to beat the system," Gladys Berejiklian said. "I want people to find the savings because they are there to be had," she said.

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

Twitter

The Opal Card User ‏@TheOpalUser

"I love hearing people tell me 'I am catching transport more now because it feels like I am not paying for it' ", the minister said.

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

Daily caps, weekly caps, flat fares on Sundays, and travel free after 8 journeys ...  fare heaven! ( for now ..  ) 

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> Transport Minister backs commuters who beat the Opal man

The Transport Minister has backed commuters who manipulate their travel to get the best deal out of their Opal card, potentially saving them, and costing the government, hundreds of dollars a year.

Under the Opal fare structure, travel is free after the card-holder has made eight trips in a week.

This has created an incentive for people to take cheap - and potentially useless - trips early in the week to make significant savings later on. 

"I want people to beat the system," Gladys Berejiklian said. "I want people to find the savings because they are there to be had," she said.

For instance, an Opal user who catches the train daily from Penrith or Cronulla to the city would spend $50.40 a week if they travelled at peak hour, based on eight trips at $6.30 each.

But if they caught a bus for one stop during the middle of the day on Monday and Tuesday, ate lunch and returned on another bus an hour later, four of their eight trips would be charged at $2.10.

They would be then travelling for free from Wednesday, having spent just $30 a week on transport. (On both Monday and Tuesday they would hit the $15 daily Opal cap, but still have four trips added to their tally.)

It appears these potential savings for those with the time or the inclination to make them are becoming more widely understood.

When Rowan Barker, the director of media and communications at the Tourism and Transport Forum, asked a room of industry executives at a summit last week if they took short trips in the middle of the day to make the most of their Opal travel, a scatter of hands went up.

Mr Barker, who lives in Allambie Heights on the northern beaches, usually catches a bus to his offices near Circular Quay, paying $4.50 each way.

But last Wednesday, knowing he was on his seventh trip for the week and that he wanted to catch a ferry to Manly that evening, he caught a train to Wynyard in his lunch break and strolled back to the office.

"That was strategic," Mr Barker said. "I knew I had only one trip to go and I wanted to use the ferry."

That "strategic" $2.31 train journey saved Mr Barker about $8. Had he not made the trip he would have paid $7 for the ferry journey to Manly and then another $3.50 for a bus to Allambie Heights.

"It's not really about the money, it's about the principle of the thing" Mr Barker said. He said of the ferry: "it's a much nicer way to get home."

Ms Berejiklian said she wanted people to use more transport and was glad they were finding cheaper ways to travel.

"I love hearing people tell me 'I am catching transport more now because it feels like I am not paying for it' ", the minister said.

She has also said she believes the state government will break even on revenue from Opal fares compared to paper ticket fares, but may make more money by cracking down on fare evasion.

Transport for NSW has issued about 810,000 Opal cards, after almost 100,000 cards were ordered last week.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/transport-minister-backs-commuters-who-beat-the-opal-man-20140908-10dv5f.html#ixzz3ClG7hGJ5

Opal the rort!   

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

7 September 2014

Re: SEQ: Fare affordability crisis continues ...

Greetings,

I spent a few days in Sydney last week (see > http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=10819.0 ).  The Opal smart card (equivalent of our go card here in SEQ) is an advanced state of roll out.

The opal card worked very well, but what does get visitors from SEQ's attention is the smart fare structure.

Just a few highlights below. Note the opal card has free travel after 8 paid journeys in a week.  However, the daily cap (adult $15) and weekly fare cap (adult $60) on the Opal will dampen the rorting which is now so widespread on the go card, and which also contributes to the high base fares in SEQ.  It also means the casual users are encouraged onto public transport as well as high use users.

A token survey offering a 5% fare 'cut' to  long suffering public transport users in SEQ is not going to do much at all.  What will is proper network reform and fare reform.  Looking at the Opal fare structure would be smart.

SEQ has one of worlds worst fare structures, TransLink's KPIs confirm that.  Fact - it is anti-public transport.  It must be sorted.

https://www.opal.com.au/en/fares-and-benefits/

Opal benefits:

Weekly Travel Reward

Take 8 paid journeys from Monday-Sunday with an Opal card and enjoy free travel for the rest of the week, excluding the airport station access fee

Sunday $2.50 Travel Cap

Travel all day on Sunday with Opal for no more than $2.50. Travel as much as you want as an Opal customer and pay no more than $2.50 from 4:00am Sunday morning until 3:59am on Monday morning, excluding the airport station access fee

Off-peak train fares

Save with an off-peak discount of 30% on full priced Opal fares when travelling on weekends, public holidays and before or after weekday peak times as below:

Sydney Trains network area: 7-9 am and 4-6.30 pm weekdays
NSW TrainLink Intercity services area: 6-8 am and 4-6.30 pm weekdays

Where tap on occurs at a station shared by Sydney Trains and NSW TrainLink Intercity services, the peak times are as for Sydney Trains.
N.B. Off-peak fares only apply to travel by train.

Daily Travel Cap

With an Opal card you can enjoy travel all day for no more than $15 per day for Adults and $7.50 for Child/Youth from Monday to Saturday, excluding the airport station access fee

Weekly travel cap on Airport Station Access Fee

The Airport station access fee is capped at $21 per week for Adults and $19 for Child/Youth so you can save with Opal.

Travel anywhere during the week for no more than $60

Using your Opal card, you'll never pay more than $60 a week when travelling on all modes of Opal enabled transport from Monday to Sunday excluding the airport station access fee

Best wishes
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

Media release 2nd September 2014

SEQ: Fare affordability crisis continues ...

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers has said the TransLink performance snap shot data for July 2014 has again confirmed that fare 'affordability' remains at crisis levels.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Fares for public transport in SEQ have gone up in real terms (compound) around 83% for go card and 114% for paper single tickets during the period 2010-2014 (1).

"CPI for the period 2010-2014 has gone up around 9.5% (2).  The sheer magnitude of the fare increases has stagnated patronage on public transport in SEQ.  Fare box revenue is also on the slide.  To continue on this failed fare path is not in the interests of anyone."

"It is then no surprise then that affordability is again the stand out failure for the TransLink Customer Satisfaction KPIs for July 2014 (3). Worst unaffordability ever recorded for rail!"

"It is a great disappointment  to our members, and to many informed public transport users that rather than take the big steps to sort out the failed fare system and the network once and for all, in the shadows of the election a charade survey is put to the public - suggesting that a windfall gain from the cancelled carbon tax can be used to fund cut in fares of 5%."

"A new balanced fare system needs to be put in place immediately, rather than just a notional cut.  A fare system that drives patronage around the clock, is affordable and fair to all demographics.  The present free after nine paid journeys is easily rorted and is adding to further cost pressures for high base fares. This failed fare paradigm was introduced by the former State Government as free after 10 paid journeys in a week. The Newman Government simply carried on the basic flawed paradigm by changing it 9 paid journeys in a week as the threshold. The end result has been worsening patronage, a failed fare box and  worsening affordability overall."

"The nine and free fare paradigm is leading to massive fare box leakage and is NOT making fares affordable at all, the TransLink Affordability KPI attests to that.  It is just a massive rort and a drain on the fare box! (4)"

"There are very big cost savings to be made to the economy by getting people back on public transport with a sound fare system and a truly connected network.  Fares in SEQ are amongst the worlds most expensive. A token fare cut is going to do very little without real reform (5).  Time to act decisively!"

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org


1. http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=10048.msg135186#msg135186

2. http://www.oesr.qld.gov.au/products/tables/cpi-all-groups-bris-wt-avg-eight-qtr/index.php

3. http://translink.com.au/sites/default/files/assets/resources/about-translink/reporting-and-publications/open-data/2014-july-snapshot.pdf  page 14

Affordability July 2014



4. 16 Jun 2014: SEQ: Flawed cost estimates for the nine and free go card rort?
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=10765.0

5. How much is 5%, well not much really .. also  the scheduled fare increase of 2.5% from January 2015 will not happen if the masses vote for fare cuts.

Some examples:

Assume applies to paper as well.

Zone 12 eg. Helensvale 
Go peak $10.87  off 9.06
- 5%      $ 10.32  off $8.60

Paper $15.80
-5%   $15.01

Zone 15 eg. Robina Eudlo
Go peak $13.78  off  $11.03
-5%       $13.09  off  $10.48

Paper $20
-5%   $19

Zone 16 eg. Varsity Lakes, Palmwoods
Go peak $14.85  off  $11.88
-5%       $14.11  off  $11.29

Paper $21.60
-5%   $20.52

Zone 1
Go peak $3.53  off  $2.83
-5%       $3.35  off  $2.69

Paper $5.20
-5%   $4.94

Zone 2
Go peak $4.14  off  $3.32
-5%       $3.93  off  $3.15

Paper $6.10
-5%   $5.80

[#Metro]

These policies are being set centrally. I noticed on a trip to Melbourne that media releases in victoria also follow the same ALP bashing as in QLD.

Furthermore, you can see that Bligh and Brumby both froze fares before an election.

Truly mad and insane policies, pollies stuff everything up, totally useless and unnecessary work. May as well pay people to dig holes and fill them again.

[ozbob]

 

[ozbob]

The free after 8 on the opal is a massive over kill, not needed.  They have capping (daily & weekly) plus a $2.50 flat fare on Sundays.

They will ruin the fare box even more as opal rolls out and rorting climbs ... and will come back to bite big time down the track ...

[ozbob]

News Local --> Manly Council calls for Opal card reform

[ozbob]

alt media --> Students and seniors unhappy with Opal

[dwb]

The free after 8 on the opal is a massive over kill, not needed.  They have capping (daily & weekly) plus a $2.50 flat fare on Sundays.

They will ruin the fare box even more as opal rolls out and rorting climbs ... and will come back to bite big time down the track ...

Still banging your own drum without really listening to anyone else. It's not right paid bits it's right journeys. A journey in Sydney an involve several separate fares. It isn't going to cost anything that Sydney or Brisbane for that fact didn't give away previously on periodical tickets.

I find the constant the dual "it's losing money" and "it's ripping everybody off" messaging to be off the mark.

If you mean to say it is shifting the financial burden from one group to another then do that, at the moment that's isn't at all what I'm hearing.

Also I still haven't figured out how it could possibly be "rorting" using an opal card in a week to pay more than an equivalent mymulti weekly???

[ozbob]

I have said many times elsewhere DWB the free after 8 on the opal is largely irrelevant for now.  The capping on the opal, which is a very good strategy will minimise any overt rorting, not so on the go card of course.  I am just surprised they have it considering the capping and cheap fares generally.  But yes, we all know and understand the political dimension.  I expect though in time rorting on the opal will increase.

I enjoyed using the opal.  The PT  I used in Sydney was all good.  ( http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=10819.0 )

Rorting is simply maximising the benefit whilst in the rules. It is not fare evasion or anything illegal.  Good luck to them, rorting on the go card is now an art form, as here we have no checks on it and this is costing.  Fair dinkum, suits taking unnecessary lunch time one stop trips to wipe out high cost commute fares,  whilst a mother with two children struggles to get on a bus to the local shopping centre because of the high up front fare costs, is not right and I will say so.

Frankly I don't care about intellectual clap trap.

Periodical tickets were a fixed quantum of money.  The free after 9 on the go card simply leads to revenue loss because people can easily manipulate to pay a lot less than what a weekly or other periodical was in a relative sense.  They were guaranteed revenue, they were a lot less prone to rorting than the go card free after 9.  The ALP set up the botch (free after 10), the LNP in a political trump game just moved a deck chair.

Why is fare unaffordability at the worst levels ever in SEQ (TransLink KPIs) and why is the fare box going south?   Why is patronage falling?

5% fare reduction, big deal.  Will not fix the fare structure for SEQ.  If they brought in a dynamic two paid journey daily cap for go card (based on 2 x highest journey for a 24h period) would kill the bleeding of $$ and be a good deal for all.  People would then legitimately reach 9 paid and then free on Fridays, and good luck to all.  Seniors with the two paid journey daily cap can only reach absolute free travel on the Friday as the two journey paid daily cap limits daily paid journeys to two.  A good model for go card in some respects, further base fare reductions, proper fare reform would be then possible, whilst preserving the fare box income in an equitable way for all.

Free after x on go is not the same as periodical.  A weekly based on say 4 daily ticket costs for say zone 15 = $X upfront, guaranteed $.

The problem with the go free after 9 is a person can effectively achieve a weekly ticket based on zone 1 cost but use it then all over zone 15 plus. $X becomes say $X/3.  This is bleeding $ and is hurting the fare box.  Unless we take some steps to ensure all people pay a reasonable fare service improvements will go west.

Weeklys only included travel up to the zones, above the zones you purchased extension tickets.  Which I did many times as well.

Opal land is a fare paradise!  The readers etc. I liked a lot 

[dwb]

But if only one tenth of 1% of passengers who are travelling 15 zones do it, and it incentivises other people to do weekend public transport, then its not really a big loss.

Oh and look, TfL  seem to be introducing another Monday-Sunday capping product in London...
http://www.theguardian.com/money/2014/sep/16/contactless-payments-london-travel-questions-answered?CMP=twt_gu

Point of what I wrote tho, was in respect to Opal, which this thread is about, so it doesn't really lend itself to the 'they're bonkers in qld' argument.

[dwb]

I have said many times elsewhere DWB the free after 8 on the opal is largely irrelevant for now....

That a politicians logic right there... Right here now on this thread that wasn't what you were saying. You said:

The free after 8 on the opal is a massive over kill, not needed.  They have capping (daily & weekly) plus a $2.50 flat fare on Sundays.

They will ruin the fare box even more as opal rolls out and rorting climbs ... and will come back to bite big time down the track ...

[#Metro]

I reckon it is loss-leading. Get everyone on board with cheapeasies, and then once most have migrated over, up the fares. I think a similar strategy happened when TransLink first started a decade ago, some fares went down, today look where the fares are.

$10.80 got you all you could eat PT for the entire day everywhere on the South East Explorer ticket, integrated too. Now, that takes you ONE ZONE (i.e. down the end of Adelaide St) and back on a paper ticket.

[ozbob]

Opal is protected somewhat by capping,  not the go card! Which further highlights the go card fare structure failure.  The go card itself I have no issue with.

However DWB, I still think in time the free after 8 will cost for Opal, which is the point I was making albeit not well agreed. How much depends on whether they start to increase the base fares and start lifting the capping.

It is very generous in terms of fare costs at present relative to SEQ.

[ozbob]

But if only one tenth of 1% of passengers who are travelling 15 zones do it, and it incentivises other people to do weekend public transport, then its not really a big loss.

Oh and look, TfL  seem to be introducing another Monday-Sunday capping product in London...
http://www.theguardian.com/money/2014/sep/16/contactless-payments-london-travel-questions-answered?CMP=twt_gu

Point of what I wrote tho, was in respect to Opal, which this thread is about, so it doesn't really lend itself to the 'they're bonkers in qld' argument.

Daily and weekly capping.  Excellent, as for Opal but not for go card.   Go card can be fixed as I outlined. 

The latest figures that were made available indicated that rorting on the go is increasing.  Anecdotal reports  of 'suits' in the city swarming on buses around Brisbane Mondays & Tuesdays particularly for lunch one stoppers are many.  Even bus drivers are complaining.  We don't have any recent figures (insiders might ... public PT data in QLD is very limited as we know).

I do not support the free after X nonsense, it is inequitable and rort prone. I do support daily/weekly capping on smart cards. There is a difference as I have outlined.

[ozbob]

I reckon it is loss-leading. Get everyone on board with cheapeasies, and then once most have migrated over, up the fares. I think a similar strategy happened when TransLink first started a decade ago, some fares went down, today look where the fares are.

$10.80 got you all you could eat PT for the entire day everywhere on the South East Explorer ticket, integrated too. Now, that takes you ONE ZONE (i.e. down the end of Adelaide St) and back on a paper ticket.

Fair fares are essential for decent services in the longer term.  The point about fares in SEQ is they are increasingly unaffordable for many.  Opal fares are bizarrely cheap!  As are/were the paper tickets in Sydney.  Nothing surer that once 'opal captured' the cost recovery game will commence!  Hence the risk of free after 8.  They would be better off IMHO to quietly drop that before it becomes ingrained in the physic. 

[ozbob]

Telegraph News Local --> Opal dumps free rides on express buses after successful launch on ferries

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> Opal cards: Bus drivers told not to charge passengers

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> Transport for NSW disputes Opal card fare analysis

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> Opal card makes public transport harder, less fun and more expensive

[ozbob]

Lakes Mail --> Piper slams Opal card rollout in Lake Macquarie

[ozbob]

[ozbob]

[ozbob]

Opal for Senior Pensioners --> https://www.opal.com.au/en/fares-and-benefits/opal_for_senior_pensioners/?=carousel

[ozbob]

Twitter

The Opal Card User ‏@TheOpalUser

With the Ryde and Willoughby STA depots complete - all buses in the Sydney metropolitan area accept the Opal card https://www.opal.com.au/en/where-can-i-use-it/what-services-can-i-use-it-on/ ...

[ozbob]

Advice received via COTA ..

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

Good morning,

I am writing to COTA offices outside of NSW to let you know about arrangements for interstate people wanting to travel with the Opal Gold electronic ticketing card for public transport in Sydney, the Illawarra, Blue Mountains and Hunter areas.

As you may be aware, NSW seniors and pensioners can now order their own Gold Opal card if they choose to, and pay no more than $2.50 a day to use public transport in Sydney, the Illawarra, Blue Mountains and Hunter. The Gold Senior/Pensioner Opal card is free and available to NSW Seniors, Commonwealth Pensioner Concession card holders and NSW War Widows. 

Many interstate Seniors are also Commonwealth Pensioner Concession card holders. They can apply for a Gold Opal card now as an eligible Pension Concession card holder.

Interstate Seniors card holders are also eligible for a public transport travel concession in NSW and will be able to apply for a Senior/Pensioner Opal card at a later date. For now, they should continue to use the existing paper Pensioner Excursion Ticket, which will continue to be available well into the future.

To order a Gold Senior/Pensioner Opal card, call 13 67 25 (13 OPAL) or visit the Opal website at www.opal.com.au 

It takes only minutes to apply, and then about one week for the card to be mailed out to the customer's home.

You don't need to have a credit card or Internet access to obtain or travel on an Opal Gold card. Cards can also be topped-up with cash or a debit card at one of 1300 retailer outlets, or with a debit card over the phone. Top-up machines on railway stations are planned.

All Opal cards are free.

The minimum top-up for the Opal Gold card for Seniors and Pensioners is $2.50 cash at retailers or $10 online or over the phone. 

Customers flying into Sydney and wanting to travel on the Airport Line to and from Sydney Airport will still need to pay an access fee on top of their rail fare. This remains unchanged.

Regards,

Craig Regan
Manager Reputation and Stakeholder Management

Customer Experience
Transport for NSW

[ozbob]

My and others' lucky day ...

Many interstate Seniors are also Commonwealth Pensioner Concession card holders. They can apply for a Gold Opal card now as an eligible Pension Concession card holder.

[ozbob]

Rail Express --> Seniors flock to Opal

[ozbob]

Daniel Bowen (blog) --> http://www.danielbowen.com/2014/11/08/sydney-opal-card/

[ozbob]

 

Opal Card Travel Reward Hack - Running between Erskineville & Macdonaldtown station.

This is how you get 6 journeys down in under 30 minutes. (No waiting 60 minutes between trips)

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> Opal card use on Sydney light rail starts on December 1

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> Frugal Opal Card users 'beat the system' for cheaper fares

[ozbob]

http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/media-releases/job-done-opal-rollout-complete

Job done - Opal rollout complete

NSW Premier Mike Baird and Minister for Transport Gladys Berejiklian today announced the Opal rollout is now complete on all trains, all buses, all Sydney Ferries and all light rail services – months ahead of schedule.

"We have delivered in our first term what Labor couldn't do in 16 years," Mr Baird said.

"Opal has revolutionised public transport in NSW – customers are finally enjoying the convenience of electronic ticketing in the same way people in other cities around Australia and the world have for many years."

As part of the rollout:

    Opal is now live on all trains, buses, Sydney Ferries and light rail;
    More than 1.3 million Adult and Child Opal cards have been issued; and
    More than 100,000 Gold Senior/Pensioner Opal cards have been ordered.

"Opal has improved customer service and is making peoples' lives easier," Mr Baird said.

"We started the first customer trial of Opal on ferries in December 2012 and now just two years later we have rolled the system out to 308 train stations, 5,000 buses, 40 wharves and 23 light rail stops, well ahead of the 2015 deadline we set ourselves.

"The system stretches from Bomaderry to Scone and from Bathurst to Bondi Junction.

"While many smart card systems around the world have been plagued with issues, to the great credit of Gladys Berejiklian, this government has completed the world's largest geographical rollout of electronic ticketing successfully – and people are loving it."

Ms Berejiklian said customer take-up of Opal has exceeded her expectations and by putting an end to paper ticket queues and fumbling for coins, Opal is transforming the way people catch public transport in this state.

"With Opal now available on all modes of transport in Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Hunter and the Illawarra, customers can travel anywhere on suburban and intercity trains, buses, ferries and light rail with just one card," Ms Berejiklian said.

"Opal is making travel more attractive and convenient for customers, and with rewards like free travel after eight paid journeys a week, we now know half of all public transport trips on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, are free.

"We're seeing more people catch public transport thanks to the Opal card, weekend patronage on trains is up almost 12 per cent and customers are no longer standing in lengthy and frustrating Monday morning train station ticket queues every week.

"More than 50 per cent of all registered Opal customers have set their card to auto top up, like an e-tag, and the remainder are topping up online, over the phone or from more than 1,500 Opal retailers located close to train stations and transport hubs.

"Today is a huge milestone in the public transport reforms this government is rolling out in NSW and goes to show that unlike Labor, when we say we will deliver something, people can trust that we will get on with the job and do it."

Adult and Child/Youth customers can get their Opal card at a local retailer or have it sent to their home by ordering a card on the Opal website www.opal.com.au or calling Opal on 13 67 25 (13 OPAL).

Seniors and pensioners can get their Gold Opal card by phoning Opal Customer Care or ordering their card online. It's important to remember seniors and pensioners can continue to buy and use their paper Pensioner Excursion Tickets if they choose. Tertiary students will be able to start using the Concession Opal card next year.

[ozbob]

Transport for NSW Annual changes to public transport fares

--> http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/media-releases/annual-changes-public-transport-fares

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> Opal card bus, light rail fares to remain frozen in 2015

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> NSW train ticket sellers fall victim to Opal card