Re: Metcard

["Translib Pty. Ltd." <enquiry@translib.com.au>]

Reuben Farrelly wrote:

> [snip]

> The station attendant told me to "get one at the machine in Moorabbin"
> as
> this was the only way to buy one.  Great...but did it ever occur to
> them
> that the Metcard machine is on the *other* side of the barriers when
> we get
> off the train???  Basically I'd have to get into the zone without a
> valid
> ticked before being able to buy one, a rather ridiculous thing to
> expect
> given $100 fines for not having a valid ticket!

The station staff can sell you a zone 2 only ticket from their booking
office machine (BOM).  However, most station staff have been instructed
not to sell Metcard to commuters (via an internal memo).  Did you
noticed a sign near the ticket window which read (something along the
line of) "... Metcards should be purchased at the machines ..."  I
suppose the P.T.C. want to force people to buy tickets from the machines
(how nice!).  So don't be shocked that one day the station staff refuses
to sell you a Metcard, even at premium stations!!

> I've also noticed that the Met TV screens have been pretty inaccurate
> lately - an example of this today was what was advertised at
> Camberwell as
> the 2:36pm Express to Richmond train, except that it stopped all
> stations
> except East Richmond (which made it worse if people had made the
> assumption
> that the stops all stations train was early!).  When we got to
> Glenferrie
> though, the stops all stations train wasn't due to arrive for another
> three
> mins   Loads of people piled on anyway though :)
>
> Is this some sort of mistake on the part of the Met (or Met train
> driver) or
> is it standard procedure to disregard the advertised schedules?

With the information you provided, it is difficult to say whether it is
a mistake as there are two possibilities (all time indicated are
departure times at Camberwell):

1.  14.21 [(3216) 13.39 up Lilydale] could be running very late.  It
does stop all stations, except East Richmond.

2.  14.36 [(3014) 13.47 up Belgrave] could have been altered to stop all
stations, except East Richmond, due to late running or cancellation of
the 14.38 [(2256) 14.26 up Alamein].

As far as the TV screens (officially known as the LED public information
display system - PIDS) are concerned, they are all pre-programmed.
Therefore, when a stopping condition is altered for a particular train,
someone has to alter that (provides he/she remembers such).  Camberwell,
rather than METROL, controls the PIDS at Camberwell and Glenferrie.

Cheers,

I.C.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Translib Pty. Ltd.                                 A.C.N. 077 950 513
712 Glenferrie Road                        Telephone: +61 3 9815 1233
Hawthorn  VIC  3122                        Facsimile: +61 3 9815 1299
Australia                              Email: enquiry@translib.com.au
                                 Internet: http://www.translib.com.au
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Books and Media            Information Service             Stationery
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Serving Your Library and Office Needs
Purchasing Victoria and MAPS Group CCT Approved Library Supplier