[LINK] more myki pain

[Tom Worthington]

Crispin Harris wrote:
> The TransPerth is also Zone based, is almost contactless ... running without major issue... appears to rely on
> some additional smarts inside the vehicle for fare determination ...

Yes, the Perth system is called "SmartRider". There were some early
problems for a few months, but it appears to be working well now.

There is a description of the technology sued in the Wilipedia:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SmartRider#Physical_technology>.

This uses the Dutch developed MIFARE system:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIFARE>.

> It amazes me that Myki is having so many problems.

It is not unusual for there to be problems with smart card ticket
systems. Problems usually are caused not by the smart card technology
itself, but because the smart cards are introduced at the same time
previously separate transport systems are integrated. This involves
rationalising the fare structures, installing new readers on old
vehicles (such as 100 year old trams) and working out how to divide up
the revenue from the system.

Media reports seem to suggest that there are problems with communication 
between readers on the tram, a control device on-board and the central 
system. This would not be surprising as trams can have high levels of 
electrical interference from the high current, high voltages used. What 
would be surprising is if the Myki system was designed to require a 
reader to be in constant data communications to operate. I have used a 
smart ticketing system on the 100 year old Taksim to Tunel tourist tram 
in Istanbul which worked fine: 
<http://www.tomw.net.au/travel/istanbul.shtml>.

The Dutch system had some problems, for example:
<http://www.nrc.nl/international/article2126395.ece/Nationwide_transportation_card_implemented_despite_problems>.

There was concern in Goa as to who controlled the money on the cards:
<http://www.mail-archive.com/goanet@lists.goanet.org/msg11113.html>.

The issue of who controls the money is a major one. In theory there is
no need for issuing transport smart cards in Australia: banks are now
issuing contact-less smart cards to their clients which could be used
for travel. However, the banks, and not the state transport authority,
would have control of the cash stored on the cards. One of the main
reasons the states are keen on the smart cards are that they are a zero
interest loan from the commuter to the state government.


-- 
Tom Worthington FACS HLM, TomW Communications Pty Ltd. t: 0419496150
PO Box 13, Belconnen ACT 2617, Australia  http://www.tomw.net.au
Adjunct Lecturer, The Australian National University t: 02 61255694
Computer Science http://cs.anu.edu.au/user/3890