Public transport making money (Was: Re: Metcard Xpress and Plastic Tickets (was: Metcard Machines and Tickets))

[Michael <mk@netstra.com.au>]

Hi,

Christopher_Martin GORDON said on 28-Sep-1999 in 
<7sp18o$93c$1@mulga.cs.mu.OZ.AU>:

>Why won't the government let Onelink use plastic coated tickets?
>Do they have problems in Sydney of Plastic Coated tickets being left
>as litter?

Very simple answer. Looks like an S, but has a long vertical line through 
it. Something like this: "$" Paper is probably cheaper than a combination 
of plastic and paper. With the way our government twist things around, they 
make it look good to use plain paper instead of plastic coated paper. 

>Time to start writing the government letters.  "We want plastic
>coated tickets, We want Metcard Xpress" other wise we will stay the
>way we are now,

Why stop there? We want all our stations staffed, with staff checking 
tickets after each train departure. iirc, the process of the station 
master/assistant closing the gate until the train has departed, then 
opening it back up upon checking tickets was a good process. The process 
was also good at keeping trains ontime, by not letting people in who will 
force their way in when the train begins to move.

I am not totally negative against Metcard. I just believe there is a far 
better way of implementing it. As Chris mentions, plastic coated tickets 
and Metcard Xpress, combined with station staff, and possibly tram 
conductors will really make our system stand out. But alas, it's all money 
that would be better spent on a better way of making money, i.e. roads.

While on the topic of railways not making money, why not re-introduce in-
train advertising? Comengs have enough wall space to fit at least 15 
advertisements in the M cars, and 16 advertisements in the T cars. 
(Advertisements the same size as the current system map posters. Including 
the system map posters, you will lose 4 advertising spaces per car, but 
still, 11 or 12 is better than none).

In refurbishing the Hitachi's, the glass pane advertising panels above the 
windows were lost. In the unrefurbished Hitachi's you can still see most of 
these in place, some with advertisements from many years ago (One that 
stands out is the Mt Buffalo Chalet advertisement).

Some Comeng's for a while also had electronic advertising. Why did this 
stop? A lot of the units are still scrolling "TRAIN-ADS BY LOCOMOTION. BE 
SEEN 4600 TIMES A DAY AND BE SEEN BY OVER 1 MILLION PEOPLE EACH DAY. 
TELEPHONE 1800-63-43-82" continuously. Calling that number, was found to be 
disconnected. 

Regards
Michael