Re Validation of Metcard

[Jurrie Aykens <j.aykens@bom.gov.au>]

Hi
I have read a few of the comments about the new Metcard system.
I agree with the comment written about this being a system and not a
service. Cast your mind back to when you purchased a weekly or a monthly
from a pleasant person at the counter. This person would validate the
ticket by stamping the termination date on the ticket. End of story, no
more hassle. There was no requirement to go to the counter everyday and
have the ticked restamped. Similarly when purchasing a Metcard (weekly
or monthly) there should only be a requirement to validate at the time
you commence travel. The system knows at the first validation that you
have a weekly or a monthly, and that you have validated it. This is
confirmed by the expiry date printed on the back. The system is
wonderful up to now apart from the pandemonium  during  the pile up of
people trying to get at the one validator prior to the train arriving. A
weekly or monthly does away with this hassle of milling around a counter
or the validator just before the arrival of the train.
The real advantage of the Metcard is the fact that you can purchase it
in advance, hence no standing in line except at the time of validating.
Why won't the Metcard people program the system to accept valid tickets
up to the date of expiry. For goodness sake they know its valid. For me
the Metcard problem is at Central Station where the gates reject my
valid Metcard and the attendant tries to explain the system to me. Maybe
if multiple gate type validators were installed at stations the milling
would be less and validation would not be the frustration that it
currently is.
I suggest the bean counters look at the cost of this system vs the
service we had before. At least fare evasion was minimized, just check
any tram, it makes me angry to see all the fare evassion going on and
I'm the one being hassled for having a valid ticket.

Cheers
Jurrie