[LINK] myki

[Karl Schaffarczyk]

Karl,
the equivalent system here in the ACT is called MyWay, and it is used on
the local bus service - ACTION. It brings with it a number of issues - some
similar, some different.

1. We don't have any automats where we can buy MyWay cards - all card
purchases and top-ups need to made online, or through one of 18 licensed
retail outlets across Canberra. (We used to be able to buy bus tickets
practically anywhere!)

2. Our cards are free - the initial purchase price contains the equivalent
amount of usable credit.

3. When topping up online, either by card or by Bpay, the payment takes a
week to appear on the card. There appears to be no sensible reason for
this. Compare to New Zealand's Snapper, where you may buy a card reader for
home use and top-up cards instantly.
http://www.snapper.co.nz/snapper-accessories/#sectionFor-snapper-feeder

4. The local authority has made a clean switch to the contactless cards -
they are the only cards which may be used, and the only alternative is cash
to the driver (approx. double the cost).

5. The on-vehicle readers also display the journey cost and remaining
credit, but like you have experienced, this information is displayed for a
few moments only.

6. While the MyWay system is in theory anonymous, any concession holder
must register the card to both their concession and their name - data
matching between educational institutions/Centrelink and the transport
authority is carried out to ensure the concession remains valid.
Any use of online facilities, such as top-up or viewing remaining credit on
the card also requires registration, and only registered cards will be
cancelled if lost or stolen.



What I find severely lacking is that each jurisdiction is rolling out their
own incompatible system - why can't agreements be made to have the systems
interoperate so that when travelling interstate one card can work on them
all?

"The Snapper" in New Zealand operates in taxis, and seems to be realising
the potential of being a multi-purpose public transport payment system.
Everything we Australians do pales by comparison, and demonstrates narrow
thinking by those who design and implement these systems.


Karl.




>
> I'm in Melbourne for the 2012 IPv6 Summit, and being an adventurer I


[snip]


>

automats everywhere where "myki" cards can be purchased, but what
> exactly one is purchasing is completely unclear. There are two different
> kinds of card reader in the trams, one works with the myki cards, one
> doesn't.
>
> [snip]

>
> It turns out (from later discussions with a native) that the readers do
> display the available credit when touch the card to them, but geez, it
> must be brief. Also, the machines where you buy the cards have a touch
> pad where they will tell you the remaining credit. The touch pad looks
> like an ornament, and it does not have any markings to indicate that it
> is a reader or will show you the remaining credit.
>
> At least the cards are anonymous, though I wonder what happens when you
> buy with a EFTPOS - does the system link the purchased myki card to the
> purchasing card?
>
> Regards, K.
>
> --
>
>