20 September 2024

Public transport users ride for free as ticketing switchover starts

| Ian Bushnell
Join the conversation
58
Chris Steel on a bus

Transport Minister Chris Steel with driver Maddison Young at the switchover announcement. Mr Steel said the fare-free travel period would provide the community time to prepare for the change and encourage people to try bus and light rail travel as part of their daily commute. Photo: Ian Bushnell.

Public transport passengers are now catching light rail and buses for free as the system begins its six-week transition to the new MyWay+ ticketing system.

Existing MyWay equipment is being removed from buses and at light rail stops so it can be replaced with new MyWay+ validators and other hardware.

This means the old MyWay ticketing system will no longer be available. Travel on buses and light rail will be free until MyWay+ launches in November, and passengers will not be required to tap on and off during this fare-free travel period.

READ ALSO Productivity Commission shows pathway to universal early childhood education and care

Both buses and light rail will continue to operate as per the normal timetable and frequency.

However, the NXTBUS information system will no longer be available. This includes real-time information onboard buses, at bus stops and interchanges, as well as the NXTBUS real-time website and SMS service.

Timetable information will still be available at interchanges, major bus stops and online, while next stop information for light rail will still be available on board and at stops.

System testing has begun and involves more than 200 Canberrans providing feedback on MyWay+ and how journey planning is working.

Transport Canberra says that although there is no longer a need for passengers to tap on and off with their MyWay card, passengers are asked to hold onto their card as the number is needed for the transfer and refund process.

People who were not able to register their MyWay card with funds before the Friday, 20 September, cut-off date are also asked to hold on to their card.

These cards can be transferred to a new MyWay+ account once the system is launched in November. Further details will be available in the coming weeks.

READ ALSO ‘Missing middle’ public housing proposal for Yarralumla

Transport Minister Chris Steel said earlier in the month that the decision to have a hard switchover was to avoid the public being confused by having two systems in different states of commissioning and decommissioning.

He said the fare-free travel period would provide the community time to prepare for the change and encourage people to try bus and light rail travel as part of their daily commute.

“MyWay+ will seamlessly integrate buses, light rail and real-time information to get you where you need to be. Powerful journey planning, live service updates and more ways to pay will put the power of public transport in your hands,” he said.

The government says the easiest way to plan a trip is by using the Transport Canberra Journey Planner or referring to timetable information.

Visit Transport Canberra for updates and further information.

Join the conversation

58
All Comments
  • All Comments
  • Website Comments
LatestOldest

You’d have to pay me to get on public transport.

GrumpyGrandpa4:22 pm 25 Sep 24

Last night, we tried to catch a bus to Tuggeranong.
The government had advised us that Nexbus wouldn’t be operational and passengers should refer to the timetable. A timetable is a fat lot of use, when the bus doesn’t turn up.

Good news for Canberrans with adequate public transport services, another kick in the teeth for all those who lost their peak hour express buses, local route and nearby bus stop.

Leon Arundell7:52 pm 22 Sep 24

Canberra’s trams and buses provide one out of every twenty-five local trips. Canberra’s ratepayers (and, indirectly, Canberra’s renters) normally contribute $10 towards the operating costs of each of those trips. The government has decided to increase that to $12 until November, and Labor proposes to continue that $12 subsidy every Friday.

Nothing but nothing is free in the ACT under this collaboration of wannabes.

Tom McLuckie6:55 am 21 Sep 24

Let’s remember, it is only free because the Government dragged the chain despite about 8 years notice the 3G network was going to be turned off and couldn’t update the payment system in time. Every cloud of incompetence has a silver lining, so Steel gets to claim this is a purposeful benefit being delivered to the community. And in reality, it’s not free, we will be paying for this through increased rates and land tax, and continued stamp duty fees if this mob is re-elected. Complete incompetence!

@Tom McLuckie
Let’s not forget, that during the free period, the only reliable reference to bus arrival information, the real-time updates at interchanges and the NxtBus SMS system, will be unavailable.

Of course, “Timetable information will still be available at interchanges, major bus stops and online”. If only being able to ‘tell the time’ was a criterion for bus driver selection, that would probably suffice – especially in relation to the easily addressed, early arrival at bus stops. Sadly, that won’t change under the new system.

Is this legal coming into an election?

@Oscar Mike
I did a check before posting my response and this document (https://www.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/2544837/Guidance-on-Caretaker-Conventions-2024.pdf) explains the caretaker convention.

In particular is states”
. “During the caretaker period, the ongoing business of government service delivery and
administration continues.”; and
. “The Caretaker Conventions ensure that the government avoids:
• making major policy decisions that are likely to commit an incoming
government;
• making significant appointments; and
• entering into major contracts or undertakings.”

Without wishing to defend anything that Steel does (IMO only marginally more competent ministerially than Gentleman), I don’t think there is anything illegal about this initiative, which was announced before the caretaker period commenced.

Leon Arundell2:44 pm 20 Sep 24

An even better policy would support us to better equip and better maintain our healthy non-polluting bicycles. We currently travel a quarter as far by bicycle as by public transport. We would cycle more if the government would support us to have bicycles that we can ride at night, and that don’t spray us with muddy water when we ride on wet roads (it pays the full cost or providing public transport users with fully-equipped vehicles). We would cycle more if the government would support the 10 c/km cost of properly maintaining our bicycles (it subsidises public transport operating costs by $10 per person per trip).

Daily Digest

Want the best Canberra news delivered daily? Every day we package the most popular Riotact stories and send them straight to your inbox. Sign-up now for trusted local news that will never be behind a paywall.

By submitting your email address you are agreeing to Region Group's terms and conditions and privacy policy.