Faulty Ticket Reading Machines

[dusty_rusty_2000]

My daughter has an ACTION student pass that cannot be used due to the ticket machine having issues with reading the magnetic strip. The bus driver told her that she would have to pay the fare or walk to school as her ticket is now invalid. What he failed to consider was that her pass was valid every other day this semester when she traveled on that service and the problem with the ticket was caused by the ticket machine on the bus, not by her. Luckily her friend had some money to buy a ticket otherwise she would have been stranded.

I contacted ACTION customer service who informed me that sometimes the magnetic strips fail when the weather warms up. This response was a total cop out as we had the same problem with another student pass last semester (winter time in Canberra). I didn’t worry too much about the previous pass as it failed on the second last day of school so my daughter just paid $3.80 cash on these days.

ACTION inform me that I have to take the pass to their depot for replacement and that there will be no refund for the bus fares I was forced to pay due to the malfunction with their ticket machine. I have to take time off work and travel a 26km round trip, during their office hours of 8.30am to 4.30pm weekdays, to obtain a new pass as they don’t deal with kids. So far their faulty ticket machines have cost me $7.60 in semester 3, $7.60 for yesterday and today, plus the time I will be docked when not at work to get the pass replaced. All of this stuffing around for a $65.00 bus pass hardly seems worth the effort, especially when I need to make sure that my daughter carries cash in case the new ticket is rendered invalid by the dodgy, double dipping system in place on these buses.

I fail to understand why ACTION is spending tens of thousands on TV and radio advertising to attract new patronage when they rip off the customers they already have.

[greatgats]

no action from action??? What is your next action Mr dusty (sorry couldnt resist) cheers!!

[Thing]

If its such a drama why not just use cash and forget the Action card thing...

[computerflyer]

ACTION must be operated by the Victoria governmnet or the ACT may be about to become our next shire.

I had always thought Victoria had the most user abusive public transport system in the western world. Every possible ticketing failure is put onto the consumer, no responsibility is taken for dodgy machines or the periodic failure by the provider. The icing is the system is designed to encourage "not my problem" from Metlink + Metro+ Yarra Trams + local bus companies and all the grief and out of pocket expenses are squarely on the customer.

Perhaps there is really some competition for the most user abusive out there?

[Thing]

In Qld we have a similar thing called a Go card - to persuade people to use it the Govt raised paper tickets by 40%
However I've never experienced any great drama's with it & the policy of buses up here (well where I am anyway) is if the card reader on the bus doesn't work they don't charge you

[Ganges 12]

Just hope Cap'n Bligh doesn't hear of that Thing or there could be serious repercussions.

[samantha22]

I remember those inspectors and having to get the ol manto pay up for feet on the seets pretty bad better to be polite and wave your ticket at them...