Juzzys Journal
politics, art, vegan, Melbourne, life, and just stuff…

Apr

2

Yarra Trams – the story of a failure of public-private-partnerships…

Filed Under Australian Politics, State Government

This is a personal story, it’s only me that’s giving an experience I’ve had on Yarra Trams but I’ve seen many have the same experience. My experience stems back two years over six episodes, but each similar and not original.

I live on a steep tram route, I don’t go on the trams often so I take enough change ($5+) on the tram to pay for a daily ticket. So I get on the tram, pay $5.60 however the machine doesn’t recognise my last $0.20 cents. I don’t have any more change as I’ve only carried the ticket amount. I hit the cancel button to try again and i get roughly $2 back in small coins… I can’t remember the exact amount, as I’ve said it’s been two years.

I read the instructions, they say the machine is operated by the National Australia Bank, they say the driver cannot issue change. They say if I wish to complain I need to call a 1300 number, noting the date, the time, the route number, the tram number and the machine number. I always carry around a notepad so I write down all these numbers, I own a mobile so I call the 1300 number on my phone and talk to the operator. I give all of the details to the operator and then get told I need to purchase another ticket to have a valid trip however I’ll be sent a reimbursement form to complete to get the rest of my coinage back.

In all ridiculousness I tell the operator I don’t tend to carry around $13 in coin change… So I get a reference number and I’m told to give any ticket inspectors the details and reference number.

I wait a month… Nothing happens. I call back Yarra Trams, giving the original reference number I was given to travel without a ticket. The operator promptly tells me that the operator taking my details had a heart attack the day of my complaint. I’m left speechless, I feel sorry for the guy and I’m not sure what to say. The operator on the line says I’ll be sent a reimbursement form and takes my name and address again.

I wait another month… nothing happens however during that time I lose money on the ticketing machine once again. I call up the phone number provided, noting all the details. They tell me I’ll be sent a reimbursement form and I wait… I wait…

Nothing comes…

I watch as others on the same trip lose money into the machine, I’m beginning to think someone has mistaken a pokie machine and placed it on a tram.

Four events later, where the machine has taken more money than registered and returned less money than what i provided. I give up on my complaining, as I assume others have as well.

How many times do we need to complain until you mail us a reimbursement form?

What path do I take when I don’t get a reimbursement form?

I’ve copied this post to the Minister for Public Transport, Lynne Kosky and I will post her response word for word as a reply to this post.

Comments

2 Responses to “Yarra Trams – the story of a failure of public-private-partnerships…”

  1. Cal_t on April 3rd, 2008 5:29 pm

    Hello Juzzy

    Firstly, let me advice you on something, never call up the Metlink hotline, they’re staffed by incompetent UCMS staff.

    Secondly, envelopes for refunds of out of order/non working to full capacity ticket machines are available at ticket offices at all premium stations and Metshop.

    Metcard machines are actually not the responsibility of the individual operators, Metlink does the RCH (revenue clearing house- so splits ticket sales per EACH ticket regardless where its sold to 40% Connex, 40% Yarra, 10% gov, 10% Bus Associ Vic). NAB used to be the financer of these machines, but given the Onelink Consortium’s contract with Vic Gov has been fulfilled (min amount of agreed years for the use of those machines), the NAB no longer owns the machine but the Victorian Government themselves, so they can be flogged off by the Vic Govt to whoever they want once myki transition finishes. So forget about contacting the NAB.

    So the 2nd stage of complaint for you is the Transport Ombudsman, after lodging your complaint in writing to Metlink and YT. The ombudsman will look into that for you and will investigate. This is pretty much your final step before writing to the the Minister.

    So what to do to avoid this fiasco? Pre-purchase. The pre purchasing campaign has been around for a while now, “Look for the blue metcard flag at retail outlets” or purchase online. By buying bulk and from a person in the shop, you save money and time. 7-11 is so close to you, you can do it there or from your computer.

    Given that there’s a 5xweekend saver out (that is the bulk replacement ticket for the sunday saver that works on weekend as well), combined with a 2hrx10 will give you the cheapest ticketing combination in single zone travels.

    Best of luck with your endeavours of trying to find out what happens.

  2. Lisa Clague on April 4th, 2008 10:46 am

    Hi Juzzy,
    I’m fairly sure the Vic Govt. bought the old vote counting machines from the USA and turned them into ticket machines on our trams…
    If you ever get stuck again, give me a call and I will come and pick you up in my politically incorrect car and we will drive on all the toll free backroads to the Ministers office, to complain in person.

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