(Sydney Transport) MyZone: expect a few bumps in the road (April 18, 2010)

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/myzone-expect-a-few-bumps-in-the-road-20100418-smn8.ht\
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MyZone: expect a few bumps in the road
MATTHEW MOORE AND LOUISE HALL
April 19, 2010

THE state government predicts confusion on the city's transport network could
last a week as commuters adjust to the biggest ticketing shake-up for 20 years.

Despite yesterday's relatively smooth soft launch of the new MyZone system, the
Transport Minister, David Campbell, warned that today - the first working day
for new fare structures on trains, ferries and public and private buses - was
likely to cause queues and delays.

While vendors will be selling MyZone tickets at bus queues in the Hills area
where private bus companies will use public transport tickets for the first
time, and a roving team of 70 officers has been handing out information to
explain how the system works, Mr Campbell urged commuters to be ready for
problems.

''Despite these efforts, commuters should still expect some delays in the early
stages and I advise people to think about arriving at their train station, bus
stop or wharf a little earlier than usual,'' he said.

''One day isn't going to be the answer. Until we've had a full week of
operation, we won't see how it settles down.''

Like many private bus users, Kellyville commuter Paul Gerrard has always bought
a weekly bus ticket each Monday for his travel to the CBD.

While he is pleased his old $50.40 ticket now costs only $34.30, it took him a
week to find somewhere to buy one and he expects big delays this morning as
fellow commuters discover they can't buy a weekly ticket on the bus and will
have to buy singles.

Drivers will then have to mark each pre-purchased ticket as private buses do not
have machines used on public buses which read and stamp the tickets.

''Tomorrow the buses will be late, the timetable will be shot to pieces and
people will ask why they don't get back in their cars,'' he said.

Central station was quiet yesterday and for many travellers the only noticeable
change was the cut in price the government says applies to most journeys.

David Young, from Moss Vale, said he used to pay $22.50 for his return trip but
yesterday the cost had dropped to $10.80.

''You could say I'm fairly happy,'' he said.

The opposition transport spokeswoman, Gladys Berejiklian, said MyZone was
''essentially replacing one clumsy system with another''.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• myzone
• cityrail
• railcorp
• sydney
• buses
• nsw
• railway

[Evil374]

I collect any MyZone tickets that a find on the bus, train or footpath. On the bus yesterday, there were 20 expired MyBis tickets