Re: Melbourne ATM's -- "touch" panels?

[Michael Walker <walker@hotkey.net.au>]

The Met Smartcards (officially called Metcard Xpress) will be like
rechargeable paper tickets. They will not be of a set amount or value
but rather can have anything from a 2hr ticket stored on it up to a
yearly. Intending users will need to fill out a form and apply for one
at their local staffed railway station - so there aren't very many
places to get one from 8^). I believe (but am not 100% certain) that a
deposit may need to be put down to receive a Metcard Xpress so you look
after them. The only advantage I can see in having the Xpress is that
you won't have to put it in the validator but merely wave it like a
magic wand in front of the yellow dot on a validator and it will
validate. In theory, you could have it in your hip pocket and walk in
front of a validator to validate it without it leaving your pocket
(although you would get some funny looks from people thinking you are a
fare evader).

Paul Dwerryhouse wrote:
> 
> "Translib Pty. Ltd." <enquiry@translib.com.au> writes:
> 
> >I suspect this person has not gone through the MetCard training course
> >as yet.  Or he simply forgot what he has learned at the course!
> 
> Or, alternatively, is just blatantly stupid. There's quite a few of them out
> there and unfortunately they keep getting put in positions of responsibility.
> Believe me, I deal with one every day.
> 
> But I digress...
> 
> ObAusRail:
> 
> Speaking of the Met SmartCards (whatever they're called) -- does anyone
> know what duration they'll be for? Yearly, monthly, weekly?
> 
> Or are we looking at a non-consecutive 30-day type ticket that'll make
> you think twice about using the bus to pop down to the shops for 30 minutes
> on a weekend?
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Paul.
> 
> --
> Paul Dwerryhouse                                        paul@xenu.ee.mu.oz.au
> "The growing use of e-mail, not to mention Web-page publishing, threatens to
> reverse the trend towards illiteracy among the supposedly educated without at
> the same time improving their spelling". -- Michael Swaine, Dr. Dobb's Journal