It's Time to prepay the BUZ!

[O_128]

I had the misfortune today of being late to and from the city. Why you must wonder? On the inbound a man took 2.5 mins to buy a paper ticket as he proceeded to fumble through his bag for change. On the outbound a 1.25 min delay due to someone paying with a $50 note, all while the other 15 people board in 30 seconds.

I'm sick and tired of hearing boo too Doreen can't use and top up a Go card or Theres no where to buy one. Prepaying the BUZ will speed everyone up and people can make a one off trip to a shop or rail station ad buy a Go card.

[somebody]

On the inbound a man took 2.5 mins to buy a paper ticket as he proceeded to fumble through his bag for change.

People that do this should be shot for having no respect for other peoples time.  Once I missed a train after arriving 3-5 minutes before it was due because a pair of girls managed to drag out the transaction for that long, when the train was only coming every 30 minutes.  Not happy!  It wouldn't happen in Sydney.

On the outbound a 1.25 min delay due to someone paying with a $50 note, all while the other 15 people board in 30 seconds.

If at a busway station there are fare machines there.  And do drivers actually have change for $50s?  Perhaps later in their shift they might.

Are you going to allow Go Card top ups on buses?

[SurfRail]

System should be very simple:

1. No paper tickets.

2. Drivers have a supply of adult go cards for sale for $10 exactly (including the deposit).  No concession cards sold on-board as they need to be issued by somebody in a position to verify and encode the card correctly.

3. Drivers can accept top-ups for $10 max for existing cards only, not available if you buy one.

Can't pay?  Don't travel.  Not the system's fault you are broke/poor/skint that day.  Nothing in life is free.

[somebody]

And if that means you will lose your concession, that could equally be tough titties.

[cartoonbirdhaus]

And if that means you will lose your concession, that could equally be tough titties.

Well, that would be temporary, anyway, as you can later get a concession go card for regular travel.

[Mr X]

I can't see why the 111 and 160 off the bat aren't prepaid, no single part of that trip isn't near a ticket machine!  

I ONLY support prepaid if you can get an adult go card from the driver though. Agree about the comments with concession.

[achiruel]

3. Drivers can accept top-ups for $10 max for existing cards only, not available if you buy one.

Sure, as long as maximum change is also set at $10 (i.e. no $50 notes and if you pay with a $20, $10 goes on the card).  And no odd amounts like $7 or whatever unless you have exact change.

[O_128]

BUZ routes are all on busy roads, It is never far to get somewhere that sells a Go card.

I'm not getting delayed due to people being stupid, If they want to use paper they can use a coverage route that can usually be found near a BUZ route

[achiruel]

BUZ routes are all on busy roads, It is never far to get somewhere that sells a Go card.

Not always - 444 for example goes to some areas that are nowhere near any Go Card sellers, and there's no coverage route beyond Kenmore.

[aldonius]

3. Drivers can accept top-ups for $10 max for existing cards only, not available if you buy one.

Sure, as long as maximum change is also set at $10 (i.e. no $50 notes and if you pay with a $20, $10 goes on the card).  And no odd amounts like $7 or whatever unless you have exact change.

What's with the $10 topup limitation? I can see it as an incentive to set up auto-topup, but I'd either a) have it at $20 given the way fares are going; or b) just set onboard payment limitations as 'notes only, $50 or less, no change given'.

[O_128]

BUZ routes are all on busy roads, It is never far to get somewhere that sells a Go card.

Not always - 444 for example goes to some areas that are nowhere near any Go Card sellers, and there's no coverage route beyond Kenmore.

So what, its a once of thing that people would have to do.

[achiruel]

What's with the $10 topup limitation? I can see it as an incentive to set up auto-topup, but I'd either a) have it at $20 given the way fares are going; or b) just set onboard payment limitations as 'notes only, $50 or less, no change given'.

Don't want drivers to be carrying too much cash (more likely to get assaulted/robbed).  $10 should be enough to get somewhere they can top up at a vending machine, 7-11 etc.  I definitely wouldn't want drivers receiving $50 notes for top-up.

[aldonius]

Fair call - your previous methodology it is then.

[SurfRail]

Personally I don't see an issue with $20, but it would be safer for the drivers to keep the maximum amount fairly low but enough to get on board and do a trip or 2.

[aldonius]

My rationale for $20 was that the longest single seat bus trip I can think of is 6 zones (555) and 6 zones adult peak is $6.09 - so double that is already over $10.

[#Metro]

$5 is probably too low.
$10 and $20 seem about right.

[achiruel]

If someone is taking a 555 through 6 zones, it's likely they're starting their trip at the Hyperdome bus station, where you can buy/top up Go cards, and finishing in or near the CBD, where there's plenty of places to buy/top up.

BTW 250 is 7 zones and probably has a lot more places along the route you can't buy a Go card than 555, so might make a better example.

[aldonius]

250 as an example it is then.

[beauyboy]

Nothing drive me more NUTS then some selfish bugger getting on the 250 at a busway station and asking to top up his GO card.

What bit of the Ticket Machine did they not understand. ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Donald

[#Metro]

No top-up on buses at busway stations. I agree!

[STB]

My personal definition of 'prepay only' under 100% Go Card would be no top ups allowed on buses, which would apply to busway stations if they were made 'prepay only' 24/7.

[somebody]

I think just make all routes regardless of operator prepay only at busway stations.  Are there any which still lack AVVMs?