2013 Fares

[#Metro]

Pretty clear what is going on here:

I showed earlier that while cars are more expensive, people only value operational cost of running an additional car trip (the purchase price rego etc is a sunk cost). And that from a purely time valued perspective, public transport has to be discounted simply because it is SLOWER. Simply using the ratio of overall car journey time: PT journey time (which we know thanks to RACQ and car journey travel time calculation websites) we can work out what a corresponding public transport 'value' would be and get an 'equivalent' price for the value of the PT trip discounted for this drop in speed.

From this, we can get some kind of estimate for how 'overpriced' PT trips are. It is indeed alarming that despite HUGE fare increases, the government subsidy as a % actually INCREASED over this period!!


http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af104/tramtrain/Slide1-2_zpsb3a81e99.jpg

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

5th January 2013

2013 World Fare Comparison - Conclusion and Recommendations

Greetings,

With a sense of perfect timing as SEQ prepares to launch over the 'fare fiscal cliff' this Monday morning ... now publicly available ...

2013 World Fare Comparison - Conclusion and Recommendations 

http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/2013-world-fare-comparison-conclusion.html

Best wishes
Robert

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

[#Metro]

So apparently Courier-Mail reports that 9 then free is costing 12.5 million per 6 months. So that's about 25 million per year. If that initiative was canned, that funding could be re-directed to completing the Frequent Network on buses - that's about 5 new BUZ services- enough to do up Bulimba, Balmoral, Centenary (2x BUZ) and a route to the Northwest. Using savings from the bus network review, and the fact that there are some existing resources in these areas it may actually be possible to complete the Frequent Network, at least on buses, by the start of 2014, as only the GCL , Wynnum Road and Sandgate Road would be left to complete...

[ozbob]

They have opened up the blog comments on the Couriermail article --> Fares up as transport costs run off the rails

[Mr X]

Typical CM anti-PT anti-GO Card brigade are at it again!

Never use public transport again Posted at 12:46 PM Today
Get rid of go card. Cap QR wages. Sack a few useless QR managers and you will see savings immediately.

And go back to the days of everyone paying with cash? No thanks 

[kazzac]

 Fares ARE too expensive,   back to work Monday after Xmas break,    I will continue to drive to work   

[ozbob]

No wrong RTT.  A fare review, that leads to a balanced equitable fares will actually reverse the fare box slide and improve patronage, and decrease the relative subsidy. Will actually save money.  Basic fare box 101 ...

Gratuitous garbage mate ...

The LNP are a very lazy government.  Mediocre in the transport portfolio is perhaps the best description.  The LNP MPs are basically a mob of gutless wonders, who talk out of school but when the pressure is on, lack conviction.

[ozbob]

crap RTT ...

[ozbob]

It is clear as the sun in Queensland, the high price of fares in south-east Queensland is a major issue.  All have agreed, TransLink, Emerson, Minnikin, the public, and still they blunder along a fare strategy that is seriously failing and not achieving any of its stated aims.  Time to bite the bullet and do something constructive.  Insipid drongo comments don't help.  Time for the Premier to step in, and direct a review.  Simple.

[Mr X]

I'd love to see figures in the levels of fare subsidy since the 15% rises started happening. Has the % of government invesment per passenger decreased, and thus is our money actually going to consolidated revenues? Or perhaps this drop in patronage has negated any financial benefit, so the government is actually investing more (per passengers) because there are less to subsidise?


Where is our money actually going? Sure we got more services in 2011 and 2012, but we also were getting more before they put the prices up.

Is there an online document where they publish the fare subsidies and total passengers? Or is such data 'classified' because they're scared of the public finding out how much of a failure it has been?

(edit: this was written before I had read RTT's latest post. I was thinking this through as I wrote it.)

[ozbob]

Sorry RTT, but having looked at this in depth now for many years it is clear what is going on.

Here are fares in 2008 for interest ..

[ozbob]

2010 fares etc.  click --> here!

Remember, one of the aims was to go paperless ..

[Mr X]

Are we on RBOT of the consensus that the previous 'daily' and 'off peak daily' tickets were a bad or good policy, fare wise? (ignoring the fact they were paper tickets, they can easily be incorporated into the go card). I am sure that kept costs down for users who did many trips in a single day; though those same people now benefit from the '9 then free'. It does irk me that if I need to make quite a few journeys in a day (both in peak and off peak) I have to pay for every journey. (I've never reached the 9 then free threshold).

[ozbob]

Fares 2012



Fares 2013

Sorry RTT, but having looked at this in depth now for many years it is clear what is going on.

Here are fares in 2008 for interest ..

[ozbob]

Are we on RBOT of the consensus that the previous 'daily' and 'off peak daily' tickets were a bad or good policy, fare wise? (ignoring the fact they were paper tickets, they can easily be incorporated into the go card). I am sure that kept costs down for users who did many trips in a single day; though those same people now benefit from the '9 then free'. It does irk me that if I need to make quite a few journeys in a day (both in peak and off peak) I have to pay for every journey. (I've never reached the 9 then free threshold).

I think majority probably don't support weekly monthly periodical options.  Not really needed on a proper fare structure eg. Perth.

Daily capping though is something I think most support.  The lack of this puts the high up front cost of the present fare structure a major disincentive, and the fact that the free after x journeys is very easily rorted ..

[#Metro]

The drivers of these costs MUST be identified. In an absolute sense fares are too high now, but in a relative sense they are also not great value for money, particularly on trains, where fares have gone through the roof but service frequency has not. Why fares do not rise steeply when one gets out of the CBD also needs to be explained - this is penalising short distance commuters in PT heartland (high density etc) to cross subsidise very long distance journeys of 100 km or more. Long distance commuters may scream, but this is the least-worst option as there are far fewer of them and also they have the option to move, inner city people... where are they supposed to go?

Previous fare rises could have been justified on the grounds that there was at least an expansion in service, particularly on bus (lots of new BUZ services) and now that we have the bus review, we can squeeze out air parcel courier services and cut waste which is a good thing.

I don't believe in the 9 then free gimmick, despite what other people may say, because I think it rewards people who don't need rewards. Most commuters do 9-5 monday to friday, so on Monday they use up two trips, Tuesday two trips and so forth - when it comes to friday, they have a free trip home and one spare for the weekend. Are people really telling me that they won't travel home from work on Friday afternoon if this trip is no longer free? Then they have one for the weekend, but we know most people sleep in on the weekend, far fewer people use the system. POINTLESS. It should be withdrawn and used to fund 5x BUZ services which everyone can use all day, not just on Friday afternoon or weekends and has far more utility than gimmicks.

Of course longer distance commuters, which already don't pay proportionately as much as short distance commuters have largest incentive to do rorts on 9-then free, which makes extreme distance travelling EVEN MORE favourable.

I strongly suspect the reason why paper tickets have been held simply is because they are a huge revenue earner and are being used to plug the revenue holes in the system.

[ozbob]

In 2008 a one zone go card  was $1.92  2013 $3.28  = 71% increase

In 2008 16 zone go card was $8.06 2013 $13.81 = 71% increase

Remember there was no fare increase in 2009, the 5 year fare fail commenced January 2010.  So these fare increases of 71% have impacted over 3 years or so.  This is why the public is reeling.

Paper

In 2008 a one zone paper was $2.40  2013 $4.80 = 100% increase

In 2008 a 16 zone paper was $12.40  2012 $20.10 = 62% increase

Also the loss of periodicals did increase fare costs for many as well.

[Mr X]

Currently putting together an excel spreadsheet for fares from 1/7/2004 - 7/1/2013.. give me a few mins here 

[ozbob]

2010 fares etc.  click --> here!

Remember, one of the aims was to go paperless ..

They have clearly failed, the high price strategy actually stunted growth and worsened the fare box recovery ....  and we still have paper ...

The introduction of free travel after 10 paid journeys was a desperate political move, matched easily by the LNP in their campaign 'fare review' of nine paid journeys and free.   The free travel had nothing to do with the five year fare fail strategy, it infact further corrupted it though.

This all means that they really do need to go back to square one and start again.  I would suggest use the 2004 paper single fare table as the basic fare price table.  Then look at off peak discount, daily capping algorithms, and whether 50% discount after x journeys or let it go .. paper is removed of course ...

[Mr X]

Has anyone got a link to the fares in 2011? The way back machine hasn't saved it. Only year I am missing  found it

[Mr X]

Here you go, every fare increase since Translink began in 2004

Let me know if I missed anything 

Analyse away...

[Fares_Fair]

Here you go, every fare increase since Translink began in 2004

Let me know if I missed anything 

Analyse away...

  well done, have a  & 

[somebody]

Figures on the subsidy are readily available in Translink Tracker from Dec qtr 2009/10.  There's a graph which goes back to 2008/9 Q1.

For June Quarter:
2009/10: $5.09 per pax
2010/11: $6.06
2011/12: $6.72

Dec Qtr 2009/10: $4.78 per pax
Mar Qtr 2009/10: $5.06 per pax

Rise in costs is beyond inflation and service increases combined.  Some serious questions need to be asked about these out of control costs!

[ozbob]

Thanks for putting the tables together Mr X.  Jolly good effort.

Here it is a direct download  ... 

TransLink SEQ Fares 2004 - 2013 click --> http://backontrack.org/docs/tl/TransLinkSEQfares2004_2013.xlsx

[ozbob]

Figures on the subsidy are readily available in Translink Tracker from Dec qtr 2009/10.  There's a graph which goes back to 2008/9 Q1.

For June Quarter:
2009/10: $5.09 per pax
2010/11: $6.06
2011/12: $6.72

Dec Qtr 2009/10: $4.78 per pax
Mar Qtr 2009/10: $5.06 per pax

Rise in costs is beyond inflation and service increases combined.  Some serious questions need to be asked about these out of control costs!

There was a lot of bus services etc. added during this period.  The fare increases stopped patronage growth, fare box slides, subsidy goes up.

I also think they have a significant fare evasion issue as well, doesn't help.

Melbourne is improving their fare evasion rates, removing paper here in SEQ would be the sensible thing to do.

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

6th January 2013

Re: SEQ: Review of fare system needed urgently

Greetings,

For those of you who asked, one of our members has put together the TransLink SEQ fares for the period 2004 - 2013.

Available as an excel spreadsheet here -->  http://backontrack.org/docs/tl/TransLinkSEQfares2004_2013.xlsx

In 2008 a one zone go card  was $1.92,  2013 $3.28  = 71% increase

In 2008 16 zone go card was $8.06, 2013 $13.81 = 71% increase

Remember there was no fare increase in 2009, the 5 year fare fail commenced January 2010.  So these fare increases of 71% have impacted over 3 years or so.  Average weekly earnings have increased around 6% over this period.  This is why the public is reeling.

Paper

In 2008 a one zone paper was $2.40,  2013 $4.80 = 100% increase

In 2008 a 16 zone paper was $12.40,  2012 $20.10 = 62% increase

Also the loss of periodicals did increase fare costs for many as well.

Fare increases of these magnitudes simply stopped patronage growth, reversed the fare box, and lead to increasing subsidies.

The five year fare strategy is confirmed as failure.  It is time the Government accepted this and moved forward with a review.

Best wishes
Robert

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

[#Metro]

From the TransLink website, 2010:
http://web.archive.org/web/20100417063948/http://www.translink.com.au/farerestructure.php

TransLink's five-year fare strategy will see all paper tickets replaced by the go card by the end of 2010. The strategy includes:

issuing 400,000 free go cards this year loaded with $10 credit upon registration
increasing the off-peak go card discount every year by 5% so it reaches 20% by 2012
expanding the go card retailer network
increasing the number of go card machines at busway stations and major transport interchanges
rolling out a Seniors Card with inbuilt go card functionality
introducing a limited-life go card suitable for occasional users and tourists.

It seems that fares went down in 2010 - a zone 1 single was 2.40 in 2008 and 2.30 in 2010 but then this was reversed and put at 2.65 in 2011...

Oh, and we still have paper tickets after two years. I recall the ALP Govt reneging on that saying it was too hard, there was some media about it at the time. Melbourne has NO paper ticketing, sky hasn't fallen in.

[somebody]

There was a lot of bus services etc. added during this period.  The fare increases stopped patronage growth, fare box slides, subsidy goes up.

I'd refer you to the bolded bit in my post:

Figures on the subsidy are readily available in Translink Tracker from Dec qtr 2009/10.  There's a graph which goes back to 2008/9 Q1.

For June Quarter:
2009/10: $5.09 per pax
2010/11: $6.06
2011/12: $6.72

Dec Qtr 2009/10: $4.78 per pax
Mar Qtr 2009/10: $5.06 per pax

Rise in costs is beyond inflation and service increases combined.  Some serious questions need to be asked about these out of control costs!

June 2010 Qtr costs: $314.4 million, $329.5 million in June 2012 dollars.
June 2012 Qtr costs: $391.7 million

June 2010 service km, millions:
train: 2.98
bus: 22.9

June 2012 service km, millions:
train: 3.3
bus: 24.3

service-km only rose by around 10% but costs rose by around 20% in real terms.  That is not sustainable.

[ozbob]

TT 2010 fares paper zone 1 was $3.40 ..

2010 fares etc.  click --> here!

Remember, one of the aims was to go paperless ..

[ozbob]

@Simon, agree indeed.  Costs also a factor .. but turning people away hasn't helped much ..

[#Metro]

TT 2010 fares paper zone 1 was $3.40 ..

But a go-card was 2.30...

I'm analysing the data and I can't help but notice that the ONLY year in which there were no increases
was an election year, where Anna Bligh had the election on March 21st - a fare rise in January would
have set the cat amongst the pigeons I suspect and too close to the election date.

It is very clear now that TL wasn't 'independent' - clearly both sides are using TL for political control -one
through missing a fare rise during an election (and making it up using abnormally large increases in the next year), and the other one using 9-then free as a touting tool. BCC is also in on this game with Maroon Wasteglider...

[ozbob]

Spot on TT.  The public has been treated as mugs, by both all sides ...    now TransLink it can be argued is under even more political influence ... and I grieve for the future of Q Connect.  To be honest I think TMR did a good job with that over the years.

The ten and free was a desperate move by the ALP, a stupid move really easily trumped (albeit flawed) by the LNP.  It has put in train this rather sad fare structure, which has to be turned around, now!

Also, be careful with the tables, columns different orders.

Go card one zone was $1.92 in 2008, 2009 no increases, went to $2.30 Jan 2010.  This was the actual beginning of the 5 year fare fail (strategy).

[Stillwater]

The Transport Minister, Mr Emerson, says a fare review was held BEFORE the election and the LNP has acted accordingly since, hence there will be no FURTHER review.  What were the terms of reference?  How was it conducted?  Who conducted it?  Why were there no public submissions?

Whatever review was conducted, it was not informed by, or conducted by, public servants with considerable skill and expertise in this area and, therefore, able to provide a great deal of assistance in the formation of new policy to a new government.  Mr Scales has moved from being a manager within the structure of an independent authority to being under direct ministerial direction.

I recall an interview Mr Scales gave where he regretted a situation in his previous employment where local government officials organised bus routes to run past pockets of influential constituents, not according to a network plan.  (MaroonGlider - do any of the stadiums and major commercial operators serviced by it make political donations to the ALP, which controls BCC?)

The politicisation of transport in Queensland is unfortunate; more direct control of Q-Connect opens the way for transport decision making based on marginal seats thinking.  Losing political power in Mackay?  Throw in a few more buses.

The time has well and truly arrived for an independent review of public transport fares in Queensland.  The review Mr Emerson refers to must have involved political types only and not professions or industry representatives, who are being kept from making a contribution through Mr Emerson's decision not to have a review.

[ozbob]

Well put Mr Stillwater,  still waters run deep indeed ...   

[#Metro]

I am graphing the rises and making adjustments - I have ignored paper ticket costs after GoCard introduction because I think that if you're dumb enough to buy paper tickets when there are an alternative, you should be stung...

During the analysis, I realised that although daily and off peak dailies have been long withdrawn, it doesn't make complete sense to graph the single gocard prices as most people go to work and then... go home. So what's relevant here is the "shadow" daily and off-peak daily prices as that's what everyone is paying for effectively.

I can only suspect that the reason for the fare review being avoided is because if anyone dare analyse the data, there would be some 'interesting' findings, not at least the unexpected disappearance of fare rises during election years, we've seen games like this as well with the whole hiding of bus reliability data / delays of the tracker when inconvenient things happen as well. Further confirms politicisation...

I also hypothesise that the 9-then free is an illusion, paid for by increases in prices in the trips before the discount, and possibly paper ticket retention "windfall" revenue but the data needs to be worked up first

[ozbob]

One of the problems with really coming to grips with the magnitude of fare increases, is the loss of the periodicals and how that impacted.  In some cases 100s of percent increases in costs.  All this has contributed to people moving off public transport.  Analysis of the go card single is about the only thing that is straightforward, but there are other impacts.  Worth remembering.

No doubt the high base fare cost is needed to support the continuing free after x journeys.  Can it ...

[#Metro]

2013, daily round-trip travel

Below is the "shadow" prices for daily and off-peak daily equivalents for GoCard used based on the assumption that people want to go to their destination... and return... If anyone wants to disagree, be my guest, but you will have to
show that people go to work and then teleport home...

The fact that TransLink only advertises for trips, and there is no daily product, masks the fact and true costs of the
ticket. I suspect if they actually had dailies, there would be riots.... look at the prices, the yearly cost for even a person
in zone 1 would be far greater than what people complain about such as electricity or water prices... we are talking about ~$1500 per year to cross the Brisbane River zone one (most people do more than this)

Zone       "Daily Eq."    "Daily Off-Peak Eq."

Zone 1      $6.56       $5.26
Zone 2      $7.70       $6.16
Zone 3      $9.12       $7.30

[#Metro]

Someone should do a comparison with Perth! Brizcommuter?

Daily Equivalents for 2013.
Trust gov't to make a full bus with 65 people on it more expensive than 1 car with one person on it...

[somebody]

Here's periodicals graphed if anyone is interested:

[ozbob]

Yep, this sums it up ..

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

Letter to the editor Queensland Times 4th January 2013 page 9

Downhill slide