Re: Yarra Trams Article in Sunday Age

[james_shugg@my-deja.com]

In article <01c08bb5$ea64f440$208817d2@rodsmith>,
  "Roderick Smith" <rodsmith@werple.net.au> wrote:
> I agree heartily with Thomson Family, and disagree with anonymous
whitehat.
> I have used a wide variety of world systems, most recently many in
USA.
> The majority of new USA installations have tvms which accept notes,
sell
> all ticket types, and give change: exactly what Melbourne should have
had.

Yes, it is poor that you can't buy a daily or use a five buck note on
the trams to buy a ticket - I hadn't realised that was the case, what
is one supposed to do when without coins?

But when in Mebourne recently, and catching a peak hour tram from the
CBD to Port Melbourne with a (church-going, believe it or not) friend,
I was a bit taken aback when he said "hang out here down the back, we
don't have to pay".

I think there are two related but distinct points.  The companies
should get their act together and pay better heed to their customers'
needs - wider ticket choice and payment convenience.  But some
Melbournians do seem to resent the Kennett sell-offs and so have taken
a petulant, I'm not paying (but ultimately dishonest), position.

Just an outsider's view (though I lived in Melbourne when you could buy
a 3 hour ticket for $1.10, cross the Sandridge bridge by train, travel
on a Harris set, and when L class electrics still hauled passenger
trains).
James


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