Re: [Vic] Metcard - What could be done.

["Dave Proctor" <daproc@spambait.ozemail.com.au>]

"Chris Gordon" <cmgord@VICSIG.alphalink.com.au> wrote in message
news:394764CD.3374920C@VICSIG.alphalink.com.au...
> > Who knows. The systems are the same (if you count a tram the same as a
bus,
> > and for all intents and purposes it is in terms of requirements to
> > validate), about the only difference is the requirement ot validate on
> > boarding every *train* in Adelaide. I think the requirement to validate
an
> > already valid ticket at a non-gated station is silly, but then I think
that
> > far more stations should be gated (in Sydney as well as in Melbourne).
>
> We have been through all this before, a tram is not the same as a bus
> (see about 100 previous posted messages).

It is in so far as it is street based travel. The only difference is that
you do not have staff policing the validation of tickets like you do on
buses.

> My last visit to Sydney I saw about 20-25% of people getting onto Sydney
> Buses not validate.

Then drivers were not doing their jobs.

> > When in Melbourne in January for the Australian Open, we have  around
350
> > umpires, of which no more than 100 are from Victoria. Of the remaining
250,
> > there would be about 120 from other Australian states, leaving about 130
> > umpires from overseas.
> >
> > The place I normally stay at in Elsternwick has a large number of
umpires
> > staying there, about 8 from Sydney and another 15 or so from around the
> > world - United States, France, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakie,
Austria,
> > United Kingdom and Sweden was our make-up for 2000.
> >
> > Not one of these people complained, all validated their tickets on
boarding
> > the trams, not one ticket stuffed up, all were using weeklies. If people
> > from this makeup of countries, from around the world, of all ages (most
of
> > them not being rail enthusiasts, although there were two, one from
Sweden
> > and one from the Czech Republic) can cope with the system, then anyone
can.
> > Which is why I think it is an unwillingness to change which is the main
> > reason for all of the criticisms.
>
> Would you like me to dig out the post you posted about your free travel
> on trams around the australian open (and not just the route 70 and
> special trams to the tennis center).  You openly posted "I was using my
> free travel......" (that was when you were complaining about the
> inspectors or something) and expect me to believe you used metcards on
> the trams?  I am sure you used Metcard while in Melbourne, but I would
> like clarification where and when did you use free travel?

The free travel was restricted to Yarra trams. For the majority of our
travels, Swanston Trams was the company of choice (this was not just related
to getting to and from work). So we bought weeklies.

Dave