10 September 2010

ACTION's MyWay card on it's way

| Holditz
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Swipe machine

I sighted the above this afternoon- the first ACTION MyWay card swipe machine.

I’m looking forward to MyWay, I’ve used similar systems in Perth and Melbourne, and overseas in London and Tokyo. It’s definitely so convenient- no fossicking around in pockets for the right change, nor dealing with cards that are wearing out or jam in the machine. Just swipe and you’re on.

But I wonder how popular it’s going to be. I travel ACTION all the time (no alternative, I haven’t a licence). During the weekdays most people use or purchase period tickets (weekly or monthly) or the twenty ride tickets.

During the weekend though it’s mainly cash, from teenagers or senior citizens. I actually get irritated with the senior citizens, many who are regulars on my local route, who keep purchasing two hour tickets, when they would be better off with twenty ride tickets. If they don’t purchase multi-ride tickets what is going to convince them to get a card, let alone learning how to add funds to the card? Teenagers may use the card for school, but do they have the discipline to keep their cards in the black?

Plus it’s never going to get rid of tickets altogether, nor attract people on to the buses. There are people who will only need to take the bus occasionally, and the systemic problems of the ACTION bus system won’t be solved by the card. I expect there will be a hugh PR push to encourage people to take up the card trumpeting how it will make bus riding easier.

Nevertheless I do welcome the introduction of MyWay- it’ll make my commuting easier. Now if they would only outlaw panhandling at bus interchanges that would be the next step.

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Updated information has been released on the ACTION website http://www.action.act.gov.au/myway.html

“MyWay cards will be available to the community from mid-January 2011. … there will be a gradual withdrawal of pre-paid magnetic stripe tickets from sale.”

farnarkler: yes it’s like Oyster Card – you place the card on the reader as you tag on and off. (And you can leave it in your wallet while you do so.)

p1: still in early testing mode, so I don’t think it’s been used with any real volume. But it is (should be) exactly like Perth’s system – while theirs does occasionally take two attempts to tag off, as long as you are checking the screen when using it, you will know whether your tag off is successful or not. It will/should also beep for tag offs (tags off?)

Yes there will be a unit at the back door on buses which have a back door. All buses have now been fitted with the brackets onto which the readers will be installed – so you can see where the machines will be. Handy hint: even if the back door is not opened, you will still be able to use the back door validator to tag off as you approach your bus stop.

ML-585 said :

Just one thing to add – you MUST tag off after each bus journey for the correct fare to be charged. If you fail to tag off you may be charged an additional fee next time you tag on.

Has anyone actually used the ACT version yet? I am interested in how quick and consistent the reader unit it? I know some of the complaints about other cities implementation of this technology have revolved around them not reading particularly quickly, resulting in people not always managing to swipe off correctly in a rush, with a bunch of people pushing behind you.

Will the unit be fitted at the back door as well, or are those officially just emergency exits these days?

Is this a swipe system like those at supermarkets, where the card is swiped through a channel and has the magnetic strip read? If so, it’s not like London’s Oyster at all. The Oyster card isn’t swiped, it’s put on the reader pad for no more than a second and then beeps to confirm it’s been read.

Aeek said :

Can I transfer the balance from my 10 ride ticket? It took me 2 years to use the last one.

Yes. Refer to #14. But for a short time, both systems may be in operation.

Eirlys said :

But I think there are 2 main questions how does it work with spontaneous travel (rather then travelling to work every day) and short trips and 2 how much warning will they give us constant travellers before it starts to ensure we don’t waste money on monthlies, 10 trips or weeklies. Given their history of bad communication I don’t hold out much hope.

It will use the current fare structure (sort of). There will not be any “short trip” fares, just the current flat fare with built-in transfer. Not quite sure what question 2 is asking — it works as a stored value card and determines the best fare by itself. Unlike Melbourne’s myki where you have to choose what type of ticket you want (periodical pass vs stored value), MyWay is a stored value card with a fare cap built in. So on any day, you won’t exceed the daily ticket value and in a given month, you won’t exceed the monthly ticket value.

Just one thing to add – you MUST tag off after each bus journey for the correct fare to be charged. If you fail to tag off you may be charged an additional fee next time you tag on.

If you have any further questions, please post them here or have a look at http://actbus.net/forum

Piratemonkey3:08 pm 12 Sep 10

Solving the teenager and pensioner problem is simple. Once the system has been in place for 6 months cash fares become 5 bucks no matter what, with no pensioner or student discounts availible. Then no one can mess with coins and there is a good incentive to look into the card.

To get a student or pensioner discount people will need to use the swipe card. Pensioners should be issued the card free if they ask for it and teenagers can simply learn. It will not take long once the system is in. During the implemetation everyone with who asks for a pensioner/student fare can be issued with a flyer explaning what is coming.

I just hope the stupid ACT government would extend the card to being able to also pay for parking at the outer town centres when being used in a “Park and ride” type scenario.

Hell put the system in taxis as well and it can be the comlete flexible canberra travel solution. Therefore saving my precious change for important things like coffee and fundraiser chocolates. Oh and if action is listening i will pay a $20 premium if i can pick the design on my card 🙂

Can I transfer the balance from my 10 ride ticket? It took me 2 years to use the last one.

Clown Killer10:55 am 11 Sep 10

The ACTION My Way system is being implemented by the same company who installed the system in Perth & they had minimal issues.

I’ve been using the Perth based system on and off for a while and it works well. You buy a plastic card for a nominal fee and then deposit credit on the card (cash, EFT of direct debit). it’s all easy.

Jungle Jim said :

If it’s anything like the Oyster system in London, then I reckon it’s a great idea.

Which is why it wont be anything like it. Has the act gov ever copied an idea and gotten it right? They’ll take the best bits of several different systems, throw them together, wonder why it doesnt work, change the systems for a year or two, then realise they were better off with bits of paper, printed with the date and maybe a magstripe on the back.

excession said :

Swipe -what-? There hasn’t been any word on what token is being used, or how it’s purchased/recharged, and your (blurry) picture is the only information I’ve seen on the soon to be introduced ticketing system.

BTW, there are no ‘twenty ride’ tickets, it’s ten ride, weekly, or monthly (or school term tickets), so you’re a little bit out of the loop with your accusations of incompetence.

Have you been to the Action website? Clearly not, if you had of you would see some info about the new system and what is currently happening with the rollout.

interestingly I have had a bus every day this week with the myway installed on them, and the 2s from Deakin to Civic didn’t have working normal machines, which was interesting. But I think there are 2 main questions how does it work with spontaneous travel (rather then travelling to work every day) and short trips and 2 how much warning will they give us constant travellers before it starts to ensure we don’t waste money on monthlies, 10 trips or weeklies. Given their history of bad communication I don’t hold out much hope.

Regular updates on the My Way system changeover will be posted on the ACTION website at http://www.action.act.gov.au/myway.html

Once the changeover is complete, all tickets that ACTION passengers still have can be exchanged for credit on their My Way card. So if someone has 2 rides on a Faresaver 10 that they bought in 1999, then they’ll get a $5 credit.

If you go to tag on the bus & you have insufficient funds, the machine will light up with red lights & beep & a message will display on the drivers console & he/she will then ask the passenger to cough up some extra cash. The machine will display how much credit you have left when you tag on/off. But direct debit should be available, so whenever your cards funds get low the money will automatically be deducted.

The ACTION My Way system is being implemented by the same company who installed the system in Perth & they had minimal issues. It is also the same company that owned the current ACTION ticket system.

excession said :

Swipe -what-? There hasn’t been any word on what token is being used, or how it’s purchased/recharged, and your (blurry) picture is the only information I’ve seen on the soon to be introduced ticketing system.

BTW, there are no ‘twenty ride’ tickets, it’s ten ride, weekly, or monthly (or school term tickets), so you’re a little bit out of the loop with your accusations of incompetence.

You clearly haven’t bothed looking on the ACTION website have you? If you did you would see some info about it.

http://www.action.act.gov.au/myway.html

The following link may answer some questions, with a few bits and pieces from bus drivers: http://actbus.net/forum/index.php?topic=2430

There will be no choice eventually in terms of myway- its not going to complement the currenting ticketing system but replace it. Long overdue and as long as it works ok it should be good.

Why can’t we drop this “My” crap? It isn’t “mine” it’s “theirs” and no labelling is gonna fool me into thinking of it as something I own.

Maybe mybugbear.com is worth a go.

google Myki fail! Although I think they’re mostly ironed out, Myki has had some massive troubles there.

James-T-Kirk11:40 am 10 Sep 10

I would love to know if the tickets I still have that are printed on the plasticised paper that I purchased in the mid 80’s are still valid!

If it’s anything like the Oyster system in London, then I reckon it’s a great idea. Although, Oyster is obviously perfectly suited to mass transit systems, rather than the occasional bus trip…

google. Myki.

Question – is my ten trip ticket still valid once this is in ? I’m only a few trips in and don’t use the bus regularly.

Ta for anyone with info 🙂

Swipe -what-? There hasn’t been any word on what token is being used, or how it’s purchased/recharged, and your (blurry) picture is the only information I’ve seen on the soon to be introduced ticketing system.

BTW, there are no ‘twenty ride’ tickets, it’s ten ride, weekly, or monthly (or school term tickets), so you’re a little bit out of the loop with your accusations of incompetence.

Woody Mann-Caruso9:35 am 10 Sep 10

I actually get irritated with the senior citizens

Worry less about small sh*t and you might live to be one.

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