It costs an arm and a leg to pay the fare in SEQ

On valentines day we went to Central Station and Inala Plaza to talk to people about the cost of fares and to have a little fun. We brought two mannequin arms and legs to help make our point.

We got the usual nods of agreement from the commuters at Central Station, and had a little fun and listened to some real people's stories at the Inala Plaza bus stop.

We were stoked that so many people were happy to have their photo taken.

George thinks its too expensive.

Mrs Adam is angry, 'In Inala we can't afford to go anywhere, fares have taken over our lives'.

Michael thinks fares are way too dear.

Joe has had enough.

Gladys wants cheaper fares.

Beverley can't go as often as she'd like to.

Yolanda thinks its too expensive.

Cassandra is not happy about Translink fares.

Sharni is not happy about the price of fares.

Abdi says it is much too expensive, more than anywhere else.

Notching Up in 2013

The current government said they were going to do something about the cost of living. They said they would do something to make public transport more affordable. But instead they've just sold their fare increase as less bad than the one planned by the previous government. Changing the 10 journey cap to a 9 journey cap was a tiny tweak to an existing fare saving opportunity that is targeted only at those who commute to work full time. 

But there is a way to squeeze the highest possible value out of the absurd transfer rules and this unfair and ineffective 'affordability' measure. We call it 'notching up'.

Here's how our notching up service works. 

• I provide the service to people who work in or around the Brisbane CBD on Monday mornings so as to optimize the benefits for the rest of the week. Ideally you will have notched one journey getting to work. 
• You need to provide me with an unregistered go-card as this protects both of us from infringement of Translink rules as anyone can be the bearer of an unregistered go-card.
• I charge $1 per notch and the go-card needs to be charged with enough credit to cover the cost of 8-1 zone (off peak) journeys $21.04 or the cost of 9-1 zone (off peak) journeys $23.48 if you have not notched up a journey that morning.
• Text me your workplace address or a meeting place, I'll meet you between 9am and 10am, grab your go-card and $8 or $9, and return it before you finish work. 

That means that the cost of each journey will be $3.63 which is a significant saving! I am eager to get as many go-cards as I can as I have a new strategy that will allow me to notch up go-cards 5 go cards at a time. This may interest your co-workers?

Michael Swifte

0449 180 465