Warning to MEL residents and visitors Metcard ends 28/12/12

[markis10]

My point Markis was that they're implementing old technology & taking forever to do it as well.

Given all the other Australian roll outs have been problematic with the exception of Perth, and they have the largest system, its probably not a bad thing to be going with old technology.

 

[JessicaTam]

Given all the other Australian roll outs have been problematic with the exception of Perth, and they have the largest system, its probably not a bad thing to be going with old technology.

I wish Victoria had bought something off the shelf (read: old technology) instead of trying to re-invent the wheel. We have already rattled off half a dozen examples.

 

[moa999]

NY has had PayWave at turnstiles for ages... Great when you have a Single fare (as NY does)... not so great when you have multiple zones and modes (as Sydney and Melbourne do)
Apparently the London system only works for fixed fares, and Oyster will continue to be the main system.

I have an Opal, Myki and GoCard and agree that Myki appears to be the slowest to read for some reason (particularly on trams)
Melbourne also seems to have a massive fair avoidance issue (again on the trams) as passengers can board at any door and the drivers seating position means they have never checked tickets. Indeed last weekend on trips to from StKilda and on Flinders st, I would say less than 50% tagged on.

Lots of Myki people out in force on Friday and Saturday explaining the system to those who had held out...
With the discounts versus Metcard thast had been offered I was surprised that this was needed.

 

[travelislife]

Moa999, with regard to the tapping on, if you are using a myki week, monthly or yearly pass then there is no need to tap on, also if you have already activated it or the previous trip ie your card is still valid or it is up to max daily charge. A lot of commuters will be in the above boats so you won't see them tapping on.

 

[serfty]

Moa999, with regard to the tapping on, if you are using a myki week, monthly or yearly pass then there is no need to tap on, also if you have already activated it or the previous trip ie your card is still valid or it is up to max daily charge. A lot of commuters will be in the above boats so you won't see them tapping on.

You are actually supposed to touch on and off (not always off for trams) with your MyKi each and every every time, including those times when using a "pass" and, indeed, can be fined if you don't. (Of course a Magistrate would likely throw such out of court.)

 

[Sprucegoose]

I wish Victoria had bought something off the shelf (read: old technology) instead of trying to re-invent the wheel. We have already rattled off half a dozen examples.

Now translate this to the big picture.,....try telling defence this!

Sorry to go OT but thus was a brilliant segue.

 

[serfty]

Now translate this to the big picture.,....try telling defence this!

Sorry to go OT but thus was a brilliant segue.

Actaully, it quite like in perception to the type of "defense" spending inferred.

From what I have been told, Kamco offshored the development, with their executives and senior PS's from the transport government department earning Elite airline status with regular pointy end flights to and from the sub continent.

Kamko won the tender with a ~$500 million price, due for completion by 2007 ... cost to date has been 3 times that at $1½ billion.:shock:

 

[medhead]

Given all the other Australian roll outs have been problematic with the exception of Perth, and they have the largest system, its probably not a bad thing to be going with old technology.

Really? I've not heard any complaints about the Adelaide system. What were the problems with it?

 

[markis10]

Really? I've not heard any complaints about the Adelaide system. What were the problems with it?

Given its only 7 weeks old I did not include it in the mix for obvious reasons, not withstanding its small scale by comparison.

 

[markis10]

It depends what you do with the "old" technology.

There is technology and there is design, two different things, the touch system being used in Queensland seems to be working fine now, pity you cannot always buy cards or top up on buses.

 

[serfty]

Given all the other Australian roll outs have been problematic with the exception of Perth, and they have the largest system, its probably not a bad thing to be going with old technology.

It depends what you do with the "old" technology.

I still can't get over the slowness of the system - and that to me is the real/main/major problem.

The original tender called for a 150ms response time. At best it is ½ second and in most cases well over 1 second. The system does not even meet that initial specification, but according to the Deloitte review, the original contracts were so in favour of Kamko that the current state government could not simply cancel the contracts for this most basic of non compliance without severe penalty.

Here's a rather detailed blog I found quite interesting, it's over two years old, so was before the current government decided to continue with this (IMHO) 'dog of a system'.

Beautiful Altona - The Myki Fiasco

 

[oz_mark]

Given all the other Australian roll outs have been problematic with the exception of Perth, and they have the largest system, its probably not a bad thing to be going with old technology.

Having been in the Perth test group, I can say from experience it had some issues, but nothing like the other cities have encountered.

 

[cmon0005]

The Myki topup machine are soooo slow when topping up via eftpos it's ridiculous,I ended up turning on auto-topup from my credit card so I didn't have to wait in a queue. Also when topping up via the website it's so stupid that it takes up to 24 hours for the topup to make it's way to the readers..
Having visited Singapore their ticket system is fantastic, Myki is an inefficient bloated piece of cough, granted it does 'work' but...

 

[medhead]

Given its only 7 weeks old I did not include it in the mix for obvious reasons, not withstanding its small scale by comparison.

My mistake. I took "all other Australian rollouts" to include the roll out in Adelaide.

 

[trentusjuventus]

the touch system being used in Queensland seems to be working fine now, pity you cannot always buy cards or top up on buses.

I would agree with this. Have lived in Brisbane for a bit and find the touch on-touch off system to work very well, especially considering that the SE Queensland area has something like 20+ zones to work out at well! As for the topping up on buses, it can be a bit of a pain, however I found that the online automatic top-up feature worked quite well. Set a minimum balance for your card and it automatically adds a pre-determined value from your credit card or visa/master debit. Not perfect for everyone I know but one way to get around having to constantly top-up.

 

[nlagalle]

IIRC London still operates paper tickets? This is not just an inconvenience to irregular commuters and tourists but people have forgotten how will the elderly cope will being forced onto Myki. Most don't know how to topup online (which not been running smoothly), 7 elevens are non existent in most suburbs and it is not convenient to go to a train station for most to top up.

They need Myki machines on each tram and Bus in my opinion if Ted Failue insists on no paper tickets.

Bit OT but can you top up your account at 7 Eleven with a Amex card?

London still has paper tickets. They charge you about 5 pounds to by an oyster card too. Don't think you get a refund either.

Now the system is by no means perfect, and cost waaaaay too much, but even if my Dad can use it easily enough i can't see why others can't. Also there are 7-11's everywhere, I live in the eastern suburbs and there are 3 within 3km of me. they are everywhere. I believe that anywhere that sold metcards can top up MyKi's too. I know the newsagent next to work will top them up no problems too.

Don't blame Ted, Blame Brumby Kosky and Bracks (Thwaites had his fingers in it too). They make this into the debacle that we have today. I know that metcard was end of life, the company contracted to maintain it were even running out of spare parts. So in addition to MyKi another system would have needed to be put in for paper tickets. If it was done right from the start, it would have had the provision for both ticket types, but it was another failure by Labor.

The Government worked out last year it was cheaper to keep the current mess than to start again.

Having said all I've never had a problem with my MyKi, it's worked well and has been better since the put new barriers at Flinders St. A friend who has a yearly one (waited til the last minute to change) has had to get his replaced and the process is a disaster too.

If the government were smart, they'd have cards in nearly every hotel etc across town!

 

[JessicaTam]

Slightly OT, but I heard on the radio this morning that SE Queensland has the highest public transport cost in the land.

 

[JessicaTam]

London still has paper tickets. They charge you about 5 pounds to by an oyster card too. Don't think you get a refund either.

...

London offers refunds.

 

[VA777]

The Brisbane system and the new Sydney system just starting its rollout are both bases on the London Oyster system but with more complexity on fares particularly around buses.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Slightly OT, but I heard on the radio this morning that SE Queensland has the highest public transport cost in the land.

Which perhaps stems from public transport in SEQ being traditionally woeful. We've always had to look after ourselves by way of transport and even now (SEQ public transport has come along way and continues to develop) it's sometimes unreliable and grossly overcrowded (during peak).

The SEQ Go Card however, seems to work well (my kids use it twice every school day). It works on many zones and across all bus, train, ferry services and multiple connections are permitted and depending upon the trip, I don't consider it ridiculous. For example, if I were to drive from my place to say Brisbane Hilton, the trip is about 70km, takes about 50 - 60 min (traffic dependant) so let's say about $10 in fuel and parking at the Hilton is $55/day. Cost 1hr(?) and $65 + vehicle running costs. If I use the Go Card and public transport, a bus stop is about 100m from my house which takes me to the train which takes me to Central station in BNE and then I have to walk about 1/2 a km I guess to the Hilton. Cost 1hr 40min and $8.16 (assuming off peak) or $10.19 (peak). If by myself and not time constrained, public transport's the way the go. If the family is travelling, weather is coughpy or under time constraints, the car is still by far the preferable mode.

The Go Card has a $5 deposit which is refundable upon surrender of the card, has a 10 year validity and is sold at the BNE airport train stations and tapping on and off is quick, so it does make a very viable option for guests to SEQ.