Re: [Melb] Prizes for Validating Metcards

["John Wayman" <trecker@optusnet.com.au>]

Revalidation is becoming a comedy, and the Met admits it!

I saw an ad in the Herald Sun today that says that they are going to have
roving comedians who will reward unwary commuters who revalidate their
tickets properly!

I thought that the Hillside/Bayside staff already provided the comedy and
the whole ticketing system is the joke,

Cheers
John Wayman

Michael <mk@netstra.com.au> wrote in message
8E93858E6telstraNews@vic.news.telstra.net">news:8E93858E6telstraNews@vic.news.telstra.net...
> Hi,
>
>
> >You state that revalidation is encouraged, but you therefore imply that
> >it isn't necessary. Most passengers don't like unnecessary bureaucracy,
> >so if given the option wouldn't bother.
>
> At this point of time, it is not an option. A ticket requiring machine
> validation must be revalidated upon entry to transport property where a
> working validator is provided.
>
> >Obviously, by abolishing the need to revalidate, it would eliminate some
> >of the problems with this ticketing system. Transport staff could then
> >concentrate on detecting passengers without a valid ticket, without the
> >negative image created by the revalidation system.
>
> There are two main reasons that revalidation is pushed:
>
> * It allows the private rail and tram companies to cut down on services
> where they see fit. If the val/revalidation rates are low for a given
> service, it is then not needed, thus saving money.
>
> * It cuts out more employment, where in the past, and even up to these
> days, people were/are hired to collect statistics of when people board a
> train or tram, thus saving money.
>
> This is purely speculation on my part, however I believe that the tram
> stops that have been planned to be removed are for the reasons stated
> above. Not enough people have utilised these stops or validated their
> Metcards, hence brought them to be the least used stop.
>
> >To treat passengers who have a valid ticket to travel as criminals is
> >stupid. If the ticketing systems doesn't meet the needs of the passenger
> >as well as the bureaucracy then it is flawed.
>
> The government should not make companies pull in a profit (mainly entering
> Jeff's pocket previously) at the expense of the average Australian.
> Stations should still have staff to sell a fully valid ticket to a
> customer. If they are concerned with statistical collection (which added,
> is purely for their pockets in the first place) put up electronic counters
> like shopping centres have. Do you see shopping centres making people
> collect a ticket for manual validation each time they enter?
>
> Electronic counters hidden strategically won't be prone to too much
> interference from people waving their hand in front of it. Even when it
> does happen, from graphs you will notice that one given statistic (it's
> hardly likely for a kid to stand at a station all day just to bugger up
the
> statistics) may be invalid, and it can then be averaged with the rest, or
> averaged over other days of the same time. Not quite as accurate as the
> machine validation system (provided 100% of people revalidate all the
time,
> once only, which will never happen) but close enough for them to get the
> idea.
>
> Having said this, I have no problem with the concept of Metcard, but
purely
> as a ticketing system. There are other, easier ways of collecting
> statistics, as I have stated above. The current Metcard system, with the
> statistical side of it removed, can be an almost perfect ticketing system,
> along with some other changes:
>
> * Allow the purchase and validation of incorrect zone tickets from the
> machines, as long as it can be proven that the person holds another ticket
> for the correct zone (Either entry of the ticket number on the eftpos
> keypad on the large machines, or have a slot for entry of the current
> ticket on the machines. Give the person the option of validating their
> ticket from the machine).
>
> * Daily tickets on trams (Everyone's said this, no argument really)
>
> * Plastic coated periodical tickets and Metcard Xpress available to
> everyone. Paper tickets, properly stored and revalidated all the time do
> not last a month, as I have found.
>
> Thus, if the above is implemented, people will no longer be treated like
> criminals and the railways will not be abused as yet another profit making
> scheme. With the above implemented, there will be more employment for
those
> who need it. For this to happen however, the companies will need to be
> government run once again, and preferably integrated as before. Therefore
I
> conclude in asking, what is so good about the current system, for the
above
> changes not to be made?
>
> Regards
> Michael
>
> --
> Michael
> Email: mk@netstra.com.au
> Website: http://www.netstra.com.au/~mk
> ICQ: 1459118
> Telephone: 0416-044-124
>
> What is the point of having quotes at the end of your .sig?
>
>
>
>