FREQUENT TRAVELLERS GET SMART CARD BONUS
Published Thursday, 01 November, 2007 at 10:15 AM
Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
Frequent passengers on the TransLink network will be eligible for a 50% fare discount when the smart card is introduced.
Transport Minister John Mickel said the frequent-user scheme was the first product being offered to passengers who used the smart card which is being progressively introduced on TransLink's public transport network in south east Queensland.
"Smart card users will get the half-price fare on every subsequent trip after they've travelled six journeys in a seven-day period between Mondays and Sundays.
"That means that for commuters who travel on public transport to and from work five days a week, their cost for this will be the same as on a paper ten-trip ticket.
"Many smart card systems around the world offer a range of products and so will TransLink's smart card, this just being the first."
The machines on Brisbane Council buses used to validate Ten Trip Saver tickets are outdated and need to be replaced they are failing at a rate of around 900 incidents a week.
Brisbane Transport Ten Trip Savers will be able to be used until mid 2008
The smart card is additional to existing integrated paper tickets, and single, daily, off-peak daily, weekly and monthly integrated paper tickets will still be available for those customers who prefer to continue to using them.
Frequent travellers who use the smart card will not have to nominate a certain number of zones, as is the case with existing paper multi-trip products. Once a passenger reaches the six-trip threshold, the 50% discount would apply to all trips, no matter how long they are.
Someone who travelled through three zones to and from work during the week, for example, would get discounted travel on the Thursday and Friday, as well as if they took a 15-zone train trip to the coast on the weekend.
As a result of feedback from participants in pilot programs using the smart card, TransLink will reduce the fixed amount for not 'touching off' the card at the end of their journey.
Passengers will pay a refundable deposit of $10 to open a smart card account, although the card itself is free.
"This deposit will reduce the potential for fare evasion, and it is also a safety net for customers allowing a passenger to make one last trip when their balance is low," Mr Mickel said.
"Passengers will then have to restore the balance to be able to use the card again."
Smart card users will be able to register their card to protect their balance against loss or theft.
Media contact: Chris Brown 3237 1944 or Elouise Campion 3237 1125.
November 1, 2007
Transport Minister John Mickel said the frequent-user scheme was the first product being offered to passengers who used the smart card which is being progressively introduced on TransLink's public transport network in south east Queensland.
"Smart card users will get the half-price fare on every subsequent trip after they've travelled six journeys in a seven-day period between Mondays and Sundays.
"That means that for commuters who travel on public transport to and from work five days a week, their cost for this will be the same as on a paper ten-trip ticket.
"Many smart card systems around the world offer a range of products and so will TransLink's smart card, this just being the first."
The machines on Brisbane Council buses used to validate Ten Trip Saver tickets are outdated and need to be replaced they are failing at a rate of around 900 incidents a week.
Brisbane Transport Ten Trip Savers will be able to be used until mid 2008
The smart card is additional to existing integrated paper tickets, and single, daily, off-peak daily, weekly and monthly integrated paper tickets will still be available for those customers who prefer to continue to using them.
Frequent travellers who use the smart card will not have to nominate a certain number of zones, as is the case with existing paper multi-trip products. Once a passenger reaches the six-trip threshold, the 50% discount would apply to all trips, no matter how long they are.
Someone who travelled through three zones to and from work during the week, for example, would get discounted travel on the Thursday and Friday, as well as if they took a 15-zone train trip to the coast on the weekend.
As a result of feedback from participants in pilot programs using the smart card, TransLink will reduce the fixed amount for not 'touching off' the card at the end of their journey.
Passengers will pay a refundable deposit of $10 to open a smart card account, although the card itself is free.
"This deposit will reduce the potential for fare evasion, and it is also a safety net for customers allowing a passenger to make one last trip when their balance is low," Mr Mickel said.
"Passengers will then have to restore the balance to be able to use the card again."
Smart card users will be able to register their card to protect their balance against loss or theft.
Media contact: Chris Brown 3237 1944 or Elouise Campion 3237 1125.
November 1, 2007