Re: [VIC] Closed Metcard Barriers

["Johann Fan" <jyf@optusnet.com.au>]

"Chris Gordon" <cmgord@alphalink.com.au> wrote in message
392CFDE2.D13B76DB@alphalink.com.au">news:392CFDE2.D13B76DB@alphalink.com.au...
> > >What are touch cards?
> > >
> > >They are called Metcard Xpress, and operate the barriers/validators
> > >using the yellow contact area.
> >
> > Have you ever seen one? Do they work reliably?  I was under the
> > impression that Metcard Xpress had been abandoned due to unreliability
> > (based on something I read in this newsgroup).
>
> Yes I have seen them.  The CSEs at Flinders Street (Swanston Street end)
> were using them as a trial for a while, not sure if they are still using
> them, but they had all gates shut and when someone had a non-metcard
> they would open the gate with Metcard Xpress for them.
>
> > If they do work properly, are they quicker to use than the normal
> > cards?  Would they work in a bus or tram?
>
> They take a while to read (about 2 seconds) but that might have been
> because they had two Metcard Xpress tickets each and the machine was
> having fun reading two at once.

Trying to validate 2 tickets next to each other (ie held together) can
possibly wreck the ticket. Also keeping a touchcard pressed against a mobile
phone for long periods can also cause failure.

I found this out when in Hong Kong (where ERG supplies the Octopus card
(same thing)). It was really easy to find a CSO there when my ticket failed
and had to be refunded. (3 days later I had the money back, picked up from
nominated station) Oh... and the Octopus card that I bought back does not
open gates :-(

> > Can we ever expect them to be isued as monthlies, etc?
>
> No one knows.  The previous government was not going to have them
> available for anyone expect disabled.  But with a change of government,
> triplex tickets a load of crap and will not last 3 months so they have
> no hope to last a year.
>
> Wait and see, but for monthlies the best I think we will get is triplex
> tickets from the second slot as originally planned.
>
>
> --
>
> Chris Gordon
>
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