Fare Change 2014 Frequently Asked Questions & Answers

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1 Fare Change 2014 Frequently Asked Questions & Answers Fare change What is happening? From Monday 6 January 2014, fares across all TransLink services (bus, train and ferry) will increase by 7.5%. How much will fares increase? Fares will increase by 7.5%. This is half of the previously scheduled 15% fare increase under the previous government. When is it happening? Monday 6 January What will change? Paper ticket and go card fares will increase by 7.5% across the network (buses, trains and ferries). This is half the previously scheduled 15% increase under the previous government. Why are you doing another fare Increase? Fare increases support TransLink to continue to improve public transport in South East Queensland. Will this fare increase contribute to providing better services? We are always working to improve service reliability and the extra funds generated by the new fare structure will allow us to make improvements across the network.

2 How much will I pay from Monday 6 January 2014? Off-peak changes What changes are being made to off-peak? From Monday 6 January 2014, the start of the off-peak period will be brought forward to 8:30am, instead of 9am. This is a 12 month trial by the State Government.

3 When is off-peak? The new off-peak period will be from 8:30am to 3:30pm, after 7pm on weekdays until 3am the following day, and all day on weekends and state-wide Queensland gazetted public holidays. How will I benefit from this change? By bring the off-peak period forward, you ll be able to receive 20% off your journey for an additional 30 minutes during weekday mornings. Why doesn t off-peak apply before 6am? Off-peak fares apply from the time a customer touches on at a station or when boarding a bus/ferry. The off peak fares are an incentive to travel outside the peak periods when there is less demand for services. By applying an off-peak fare customers are likely to still be arriving at their destination in the peak period therefore not achieving the incentive of off-peak travel. What if my journey starts in off-peak but finishes after off-peak (or vice versa)? It is based on when you touch on. If you make a multi-trip journey across standard and off-peak fare times, your go card will automatically calculate the fare for you as a mixture of normal and off-peak. Other fares Are there any changes to Airtrain fares? Yes. Airtrain fares will increase by 50 cents from Monday 6 January Will there be any changes to the School Transport Assistance Scheme (STAS) fares? Yes. STAS top-up fares will increase by 10 cents. Are there any changes to regional qconnect fares? Yes. In accordance with BCI, regional qconnect fares will increase by 2.68% from Wednesday 1 January Are there any changes to SEEQ card prices? No. SEEQ cards, TransLink s tourist go card, will remain the same price in 2014.

4 go card benefits & discounts What are the benefits of go card? There are many ways a go card will save you money: go card is at least 30 per cent cheaper than a single paper ticket. Travel in off-peak and save a further 20 per cent. Travel between 9am and 3.30pm, after 7pm on weekdays and all day on weekends and on public holidays to receive an additional 20 per cent saving off your go card fare. Make 9 journeys then travel free. Travel for free after your 9 th paid journey in a 7 day period, from Monday to Sunday, regardless of the zones travelled. Are you making a journey or a trip? One, Two, Free for seniors and pensioners. Seniors Card +go, senior go card or green pensioner concession go card holders who use go card for two paid journeys in one day travel free for the rest of the day. What is 9 and free? Customers who make more than 9 paid journeys in a seven day period, from first service any Monday, will be able to travel free until the last service of the following Sunday. The more you use a go card in a week, the more you will save. Pensioner, seniors and war veterans will continue to receive free journeys after their first two paid journeys in a single day. Please note discounted fares do not apply to an Airtrain journey. Why don t you have free off-peak travel for seniors similar to Perth or Sundays in Melbourne? Seniors, pensioners, students and children receive half price travel on the TransLink network. We believe this is a fair contribution to cover the cost of running the network. go card - ticketing What is the difference between go card fares and paper ticket fares? go card fares will continue to be at least 30% cheaper than a single paper ticket for the same journey. Why are go card fares cheaper than paper tickets? The fare structure maintains the go card fare as the base ticket price on the TransLink network. The use of go cards helps to speed up the public transport network, saving up to seven minutes in bus boarding time. It also provides us with better information about how you re using the network, to help inform how we plan the network and better target services to areas of greatest need.

5 When will single paper tickets be phased out? The single paper ticket remains part of the Fares & Ticket package and TransLink has no immediate plan to remove them. Why are paper tickets rounded up to the nearest 10 cents and go card prices rounded to the nearest 1 cent? Paper tickets are rounded up to the nearest 10 cents as it reduces the need for the use of 5 cent pieces. This makes it easier for bus drivers to handle change. Why haven t you re-introduced a daily paper ticket? go card is a trip based system which enables customers to only pay for the travel they use. go card also offers seniors, pensioners and war veteran s free travel for the rest of the day after their first two paid journeys in a single day. Currently more than 6000 senior and pensioner go card users a week take advantage of free journeys. go card users also benefit from the frequent user discount program (make 9 go card journeys in a week then travel for free). Where can customers get a paper ticket or a go card? You can purchase a go card online or over the phone or at over 590 locations including: o selected retailers o staffed train station ticket offices o Airtrain locations o busway and major bus interchange fare machines o on board CityCat services. There are more than 1,600 locations to top up your go card across the TransLink network including: o selected retailers o staffed train station ticket offices and fare machines o busway and major bus interchange fare machines o onboard Brisbane CityCat and CityFerry services o over the phone o on the internet. To find your nearest go card purchase/top up location, visit translink.com.au or call anytime. Are there any changes to student tickets? All go card and single paper tickets will rise 7.5% from Monday 6January 2014, including student tickets. The School Transport Assistance Scheme will also increase by 10 cents.

6 Can a student purchase or travel with a concession go card if they don t have a concession card? No. Customers can only travel on a concession fare if they carry with them their proof of concession eligibility such as a valid student identification card. Don t forget to update your concession go card expiry date when you receive your new concession ID card at selected retailers. What is the difference between a trip and a journey? Definition for a trip: A trip is defined as the distance travelled from the point of boarding a vehicle (or vessel) to where the passenger disembarks from the vehicle (or vessel). A trip may be the full journey or part of the journey. Definition for journey: A journey is the distance travelled from the origin to the final destination. A journey might involve several trips using different transport modes. The sum of these trips will make up one journey. How does auto top-up work? The go card balance will automatically be topped up at an amount selected by the cardholder when the balance drops below $5. Auto top-up is available to all customers with a registered go card. If you haven t registered your go card, you can do so by going online at translink.com.au or calling Once your card is registered, you can set up auto top-up online via the TransLink website or by calling What is the cost of the go card ticketing system? It cost $99 million to implement the go card system. The most recent TransLink Annual Report shows that $53 million has been allocated to maintain the system until September Compared to systems that are being established Melbourne and Sydney costing in excess of $1.3 billion, Queensland operates a very cost effective public transport ticketing system. What if I need assistance with the go card machines? If a customer experiences problems with their go card they should report it immediately on so we can investigate and rectify the balance on your go card if required. Why don t you sell different types of go cards at all retailers or fare machines? go cards such as child, concession and student go cards need to have the expiry date of the card set to the same expiry date of the relevant concession entitlement card. This means your concession go card will expire when your concession card does. Card dispensing fare machines located on the TransLink network sell adult go cards only, owing to limitations on the storage available inside the machines. For a full list of retailers and their functionality, go to translink.com.au or call

7 Will TransLink make go cards more available? There are currently over 590 locations to purchase a go card across South East Queensland. To find your nearest go card distribution location visit translink.com.au or call Customers can also purchase their go card online at translink.com.au or by phoning anytime. Is TransLink forcing people in to go card? Single trip paper tickets are still available under the new fare structure. However TransLink believes that many customers will continue to switch to go card. Benefits include: o Quicker no need to queue for a ticket. o Great value at least 30 per cent cheaper than a single paper ticket, with additional discounts available for frequent travellers, seniors, pensioners and gold repatriation card holders and for travel taken during off-peak periods. o Convenient no need to carry cash with you and, if you register your card, you can top-up online or by phone and protect your card balance from the time that you report it lost or stolen. o Easier simply touch on at the beginning of your journey and touch off at the end. Your fare is automatically deducted from your card balance. o Smarter the technology calculates the value of your journey, including up to three transfers. o Reusable easy to top-up and the money you put on your go card doesn't expire. You can choose how much money you put on your go card. o Safer you can register your card to protect your balance against theft or loss. Why do go cards require a deposit? Before you start using your go card, you will need to top-up your card and pay a refundable deposit. This deposit acts like a safety net and allows you to finish your journey even if you have insufficient funds on the card (as long as your balance is positive at the start of your journey). The refundable deposit is $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for all other card holders. I ve heard some people have problems using go cards when they first use them. Once customers get used to touching on and touching off with every trip there are rarely any problems. Equipment malfunctions can be immediately reported to TransLink on who will look into the problem and if necessary, provide a refund to the customer. When will my go card expire? You cannot use your go card after the expiry date. Adult and Seniors go cards have a ten year expiry. Child go cards expire on the child's 15th birthday. Concession go cards expire on the same date as the concession entitlement card that is, the school student identification card, tertiary student identification card, Pensioner Concession

8 Card or Queensland Repatriation Health Card that was used to prove eligibility when the go card was purchased. Thirty days before your card expires you will see a warning message on the card reader each time you touch on or touch off. Your go card expiry date can be updated prior to the expiry date, or within 90 days of the card having expired, at selected retailers or at staffed Queensland Rail ticket offices. We recommend that you do this soon after receiving a new or updated concession ID. If you have been unable to update your card expiry date prior to the expiry, you will need to purchase a new go card. You can then apply to have the remaining balance from your expired card transferred to your new card, either online at translink.com.au, by phoning , or by obtaining a go card Guide to Balance Transfers and Refunds form. Additionally, you can update this expiry date within 90 days after the card has expired. To update your concession card expiry date visit a go card retailer who can update your card. For a full list of retailers and their functionality, go to translink.com.au or call Why do I need to register my go card? If you register your card, your personal information will be held on a secure central system and linked to the serial number of your go card. You will then be able to call TransLink to block the use of your card if it is lost or stolen and apply for a balance transfer. The balance on your registered go card will be protected from the time you call TransLink. You will need to register your go card in order to be eligible for the auto top-up function. When will my top-up fund be available for travel? When topping up in person, the funds are generally available immediately. However, if topping up online or by phone, it may take up to 48 hours to process the amount you add to your card balance. What if I forget to touch on or touch off? If you don't touch on or off, the system won't be able to calculate the correct fare and will charge you a non-refundable fixed amount. The fixed amount may be more than the correct fare for your journey. Fixed amount (charged Adult Child Senior/Concession if you do not touch on or off) Train $10.00 $5.00 $5.00 Bus & Ferry $ 5.00 $2.50 $2.50 Airtrain $30.00 $12.50 $30.00/$25.00 The next time you use your go card the card reader display will show you have been charged a fixed amount. If you see this message do not touch on again, your touch has been recorded. Please note: if your go card has been charged a fixed amount and your balance is less than the fixed amount, your card will have insufficient funds to travel for your next trip. If you think you ve been

9 charged a fixed amount in error, you can report an incorrect fare by calling What if my card is faulty? If you cannot touch on or off and you see that other people can, your card may be faulty or damaged. Call TransLink on for assistance. Does my go card allow me to transfer between services and operators? You can transfer up to three times in one journey. Your go card will automatically calculate one overall fare for your whole journey, as long as you follow the transfer rules. o Touch on and touch off every service at each leg of your journey. You need to touch off from one service and touch on to another within the 60 minute transfer window. o You must touch on to start the final trip of your journey within the three and a half hour maximum transfer time. o You must touch off at the end of the last leg of your journey within six hours from the time you started your journey. o When transferring using train services only, you need only touch on to start your journey and touch off at the end of your journey, not between train services. What if my go card is lost or stolen? If your registered go card is lost or stolen, phone TransLink immediately on As soon as you do this, your card can be blocked so no one else can use it. Any funds remaining on your registered card will be guaranteed from this time. If your card is not registered, TransLink is unable to block the card. You can then arrange a new go card over the phone, and transfer the balance from the old card to the new card. Please note that for registered cards, the cardholder will be required to request the balance transfer. Your balance transfer will usually take about 24 hours but please allow up to 10 working days. Alternatively, you can cancel your go card and obtain a refund by completing the cancellation and refund form (registered go cards only). Where can I obtain a transaction history for my go card? A transaction history can be obtained through the following: o online at my go card account (registered cards only) o at fare machines at QR stations and major bus interchanges (last 10 trips) o at selected go card retailers o by calling TransLink on (registered cards only). How do I cancel a trip? To cancel a trip after you have touched on, wait 10 seconds and touch your card again (to the reader nearest the driver) at the same bus or ferry stop (on board the service) or train station within 20 minutes.

10 The card reader will display a message showing that no fare was deducted and the available balance remaining on your go card. If you are at a gated train station, you must exit the station through a fare gate to cancel your trip. Is my go card secure? TransLink go cards and card readers use secure, fast and reliable technology. If I lose my go card, can someone else access my bank details? No. No one can access your name, address, bank details or any other information about you from your go card. Credit, debit and bank account numbers are encrypted for storage on a secure central system. The only information you or any other person may be able to obtain from your go card is the card balance and card history. How is my privacy protected if I have a go card? TransLink is committed to protecting the privacy, accuracy and security of personal information in accordance with the Queensland Government Information Standard 42 - Privacy Information. Go to translink.com.au/go to view the privacy statement. Can the Police track me through my go card? Under the Information Privacy action police can request access to travel information. TransLink is working with the Information Commissioner to ensure we meet the highest standards of customer privacy. You can be sure your personal information is secure. What personal information is linked to my go card? All personal information is held on a secure central system - not your go card. The type of information held depends on whether your card is registered or unregistered. How do I organise a balance transfer? Call the TransLink call centre on or visit translink.com.au/go Can I use my go card in Airtrain? Yes. However, Airtrain sets their own fares that are adult and child only. Senior and concession travel is treated as adult for the purpose of Airtrain fares.

11 Fixed fares Are there any changes to fixed fares? No there will be no changes to fixed amounts. What are fixed fares? A fixed amount is the amount charged to your go card if you don't touch off at the end of your trip. Fixed amounts are there to ensure a fair go for all passengers on the TransLink network so remember to always touch on, touch off. Fixed amount (charged Adult Child Senior/Concession if you do not touch on or off) Train $10.00 $5.00 $5.00 Bus & Ferry $ 5.00 $2.50 $2.50 Airtrain $30.00 $12.50 $30.00/$25.00 Please note: if your go card has been charged a fixed amount and your balance is less than the fixed amount, your card will have insufficient funds to travel for your next trip. If you think you ve been charged a fixed amount in error, you can report an incorrect fare by calling Why do fixed fares exist? Fixed fares ensure a fair go for all passengers on the TransLink network. To allow TransLink to provide more frequent and reliable services and build a more efficient network for customers, we need to ensure passengers are using the system appropriately and touching on and off correctly. If everyone uses the system in the right way, the resources spent on minimising fare evasion could easily be reinvested to improve the TransLink network and provide better services for customers. General questions How do fares on the TransLink network compare to those in other Australia capital cities? Based on the geographical size and integrated nature of the TransLink network, the TransLink s fare structure remains competitively priced compared to other major Australian networks. Customers can save even more with the added discounts go card offers, including a 20% discount for all off-peak travel and free travel after 9 paid journeys in a Monday to Sunday week. How does the 9 and free scheme affect me? The same customer travelling 10 times a week in February 2012 would have paid $42.40.

12 Even with the 7.5% fare increase in 2013, the same customer will pay just $41.04 due to the new 9 and free scheme. That s equivalent to a saving of $1.36 per week or $65.28 a year.