Re: [Melb] $3.30 tickets almost useless

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

>Hardly.  What this system means is that passengers using non-premium
>stations either have to go out of their way to get to a premium
>station, or pay more for a ticket which they don't need.  Of course,
>the ideal solution would be to have all stations staffed, but if that
>isn't going to happen (which it isn't), they should at least make sure
>that the ATMs will issue the full range of tickets.
>
>Another thing which seems rather stupid is that the off-peak tickets
>are not valid on weekends and public holidays.  Why not?  on most
>lines, the weekend services are as bad or worse than the off-peak
>weekday ones.  So basically on weekends, you pay more to get less.
>
I guess for a special offer limited time ticket like this, it would be way
too expensive to pay Onelink to change the machines. Hence the need for a
paper based ticket hence the need for staff to sell it hence the need to
sell it at Premium stations only.

If it is popular enough and they keep it, you would probably find it would
make its way to ATMs as a ticket type and have the problems as described
above.

I agree with the comments made about validating after 9.30am, sounds like a
retrograde step to me. Off peak tickets as far as I'm aware have never been
sold on weekends. Why has no-one complained before, the old off peak ticket
to the city has existed since at least the early 80s when the neighbourhoods
were introduced and probably before that in some guise or other. Would be
interested if anyone can contribute some details on off peak tickets before
the neighbourhood ones in Melbourne and their limitations.

Having said that, I think a weekend ticket other than the getabout tickets
(small group travel) would be good.

And in fairness to the current initiative under discussion, I think it is a
good attempt to introduce a cheap ticket which encourages loyalty to the
train mode (and maximises railway company profits at the expense of tram and
bus companies...) and the marketing with the cheap offers brochure at
Melbourne Central is a good idea too.