Trial to tell if Tcard's the ticket Daniel DaseyAugust...

Trial to tell if Tcard's the ticket

Daniel Dasey
August 20,
TRANSPORT authorities have stepped up testing of a new smart card ticketing system for buses, ferries and trains, with two new trials to take place in coming months.

The State Government hopes to introduce electronic transport cards - Tcards - to the public network by 2007, allowing commuters to use one ticket on all forms of transport.

Instead of inserting a paper ticket in a slot, users will hold the credit-card-like Tcard close to a sensor as they catch a ferry, board a bus or enter a train station. The cost of the fare will be electronically debited from a Tcard account linked to each card.

The system has been trialled on private school buses since January 2005 and rail trials are beginning.

At Sydney's Central Station this month authorities are testing new gates and barriers to be used when the Tcard system comes into use. Crowd flows are being studied.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Transport Minister John Watkins confirmed that a trial involving 2000 commuters issued with Tcards was expected to begin in October. Using hand-picked inner-west commuters, it will examine passengers' experiences as they use Tcards across the transport network.

The progress towards introducing the Tcard comes despite recent wrangling between the Government and Tcard contractor ERG. The Government withheld payments of $65 million last financial year because key milestones had not been met.

Commuters will buy a Tcard onto which they can place credit at newsagencies, railway stations, over the phone and via the internet or by direct debit.

A commuter will swipe the card to board the transport, then swipe it again at journey's end and the fare will be calculated and deducted.