You'll see that we've added info about the number of transfers and you'll see that SEQ misses out again. To find information about transfers we had to call the info lines for each Transit Authority.
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Our table of shame updated with more smart card info.
After feedback from Facebook followers we've done some research including interstate phone calls to find out what's going on with smart cards and fares. When we first created this table the Go Card system was the most well established in Australia. Now the Myki card is well established in Melbourne and in Perth the SmartRider card is the way to go. Adelaide's Metro card is a little more advanced than Sydney's Opal card.
You'll see that we've added info about the number of transfers and you'll see that SEQ misses out again. To find information about transfers we had to call the info lines for each Transit Authority.
You'll see that we've added info about the number of transfers and you'll see that SEQ misses out again. To find information about transfers we had to call the info lines for each Transit Authority.
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Translink Facebook page launch a total failure.
On or around the 26th of February 2014 the Translink Facebook page went live. Information about the Facebook page launch was unavailable until the 4th of March when the Department of Transport and Main Roads issued this statement.
At the time of writing no other announcement or promotion of the Facebook page has been issued. The minister Scott Emerson has made no statement through his website or on Twitter, the Translink website has no media releases and contains no mention or links to the Facebook page, and the Twitter handle @translinkseq has made no mention of the Facebook page.
On March the 6th this article appeared in The Courier Mail (online) titled "TransLink launches Facebook page and probably regrets it already". In it seasoned reporter Robyn Ironside outlines the wave of complaints and disparaging statements that followed the discovery of the page by residents of South East Queensland. These complaints have continued to pour in and a series of accusations of political bias and censorship have been received. We were active on the Translink page during this time and were subsequently banned from the page due to the repetitive nature of our posting. We also garnered more than 100 new followers. While we were one of the prominent posters of disparaging remarks Robyn Ironside and her editors were careful not to mention us or our name.
The vast majority of posts to the Translink Facebook page are from unhappy customers. Many have been very unsatisfied with the response of the page moderators to their complaints. One of the most poignant criticisms is that Translink's approach to community engagement through social media is typical of their style of engagement overall. Translink Facebook page moderators have been accused of being disingenuous gatekeepers with no real concern for attending to needs of customers.
To sum it up. No promotion and the absolute bare minimum of notice given to the public who actually use the services offered. One media story that highlights the extreme levels of public anger and frustration at Translink.
At the time of writing no other announcement or promotion of the Facebook page has been issued. The minister Scott Emerson has made no statement through his website or on Twitter, the Translink website has no media releases and contains no mention or links to the Facebook page, and the Twitter handle @translinkseq has made no mention of the Facebook page.
On March the 6th this article appeared in The Courier Mail (online) titled "TransLink launches Facebook page and probably regrets it already". In it seasoned reporter Robyn Ironside outlines the wave of complaints and disparaging statements that followed the discovery of the page by residents of South East Queensland. These complaints have continued to pour in and a series of accusations of political bias and censorship have been received. We were active on the Translink page during this time and were subsequently banned from the page due to the repetitive nature of our posting. We also garnered more than 100 new followers. While we were one of the prominent posters of disparaging remarks Robyn Ironside and her editors were careful not to mention us or our name.
The vast majority of posts to the Translink Facebook page are from unhappy customers. Many have been very unsatisfied with the response of the page moderators to their complaints. One of the most poignant criticisms is that Translink's approach to community engagement through social media is typical of their style of engagement overall. Translink Facebook page moderators have been accused of being disingenuous gatekeepers with no real concern for attending to needs of customers.
To sum it up. No promotion and the absolute bare minimum of notice given to the public who actually use the services offered. One media story that highlights the extreme levels of public anger and frustration at Translink.
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Oh the shame of it!
How embarrassing for South East Queensland that we have the dubious honour of being the most expensive city in the developed world for catching public transport. The January 6 fare hike has well and truly established this fact.
How strange that Lonely Planet should award Brisbane their 'hippest city in Australia' award when the public transport is not only extremely expensive, but confusing and infrequent.
Here is our table of shame for January 2014. It shows just how badly Translink compares to the other state capitals. Feel free to print it out and put it on the work fridge or notice board.
How strange that Lonely Planet should award Brisbane their 'hippest city in Australia' award when the public transport is not only extremely expensive, but confusing and infrequent.
Here is our table of shame for January 2014. It shows just how badly Translink compares to the other state capitals. Feel free to print it out and put it on the work fridge or notice board.
Monday, December 2, 2013
Daring to Dream: Our visit to the Tramway Museum in Ferny Grove
Brisbane has a little known historic gem thanks to some smart thinking folk back in the late 60's when Clem Jones got rid of the trams. It is a place of child-like joy that brings smiles to all ages.
The Tramway Museum on Tramway Street in Ferny Grove is a great place to dream big about public transport in South East Queensland!
We say 'blue sky thinking" shouldn't be just for big wigs and corporate types. It should be for all of us!
Why shouldn't we say bring back the trams?
The Tramway Museum on Tramway Street in Ferny Grove is a great place to dream big about public transport in South East Queensland!
We say 'blue sky thinking" shouldn't be just for big wigs and corporate types. It should be for all of us!
Why shouldn't we say bring back the trams?
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| Thanks to support from the Brisbane City Council the Tramway Museum is able to keep rolling. |
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| Peter the driver at the helm. |
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| Peter steering the tram forward. |
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| Leon sells the tickets and souvenirs. |
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| We wish they had saved the trams! |
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| Alex the conductor wont accept gocard. |
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| An unmissable photo opportunity. |
Sunday, October 13, 2013
MEDIA RELEASE: Bus service cuts and the public transport affordability crisis, Brisbane
The Translink Ripoff
Today Translink will implement changes
to Brisbane bus services after protracted consultations and
redesigns. These changes come amid an unprecedented public transport
affordability crisis in South East Queensland. We anticipate there
will be a lot of angry bus users, who will be even angrier when they
are slugged with yet another 7.5% fare increase in January 2014.
Consultation with the people of
Brisbane around changes to bus services has been a minimal
afterthought. The Brisbane City Council provided a nine question
survey, virtually identical to the one used by Translink in their
limited consultation. Translink user satisfaction surveys are
designed to minimise criticism by skirting or ignoring the real
issues, namely, that public transport in SEQ is sub-standard and far
too expensive.
If bus service reforms are to be
effective they must involve genuine engagement with the people who
use them.
The people of Brisbane used their
democratic rights as ratepayers and citizens to reject the original
Translink reforms. They did this in a climate of plummeting
affordability. It was a last ditch effort to protect the little
service quality that could be relied upon from a public transport
system with profound problems that leave most users disillusioned.
We believe the public transport system
is in need of total reform if Brisbane is to become a truly
international city with affordable, reliable, fast and regular
service.
This Thursday, October 17 we will
celebrate our 2nd birthday as The Translink Ripoff. During the last
two years we have provided a responsive sounding board and a place
for righteous anger for disillusioned Brisbane public transport users
who feel they have nowhere else to go. It is the thoughtful
criticisms from public transport users and our willingness to listen
and respond that has seen our blog included in the Queensland
Government funded Pandora Archive. Our blog The Translink Ripoff is
regarded by the team at the State Library of Queensland as having
“lasting significance” and will continue to be archived.
Ends
Media contact:
Page Manager - The Translink Ripoff
Michael Swifte
0449 180 465
Links.
'Why the bus cuts fell to pieces' from
The Translink Ripoff blog
Pandora Web Archive – Translink
Ripoff
The Translink Ripoff – Facebook page
Creative Craft Activism by Donna from
Toussaint Trading
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Unearthed 2004 Zone Map: What it shows us.
We found this map after one of our Facebook page followers alerted us to Wayback Machine Internet Archive.
This map was replaced shortly after with the rail lines removed - it was called a 'bus zone map'. The railway stations shown in red are in a different zone from the zone indicated by the Translink zone boundaries.
To us this means we've always had a separate zone system for rail since the beginning of integrated ticketing.
It is a key piece of evidence in making our case that the system presided over by Translink is broken and need thorough reform!
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| Translink Zone Map July 2004 |
This map was replaced shortly after with the rail lines removed - it was called a 'bus zone map'. The railway stations shown in red are in a different zone from the zone indicated by the Translink zone boundaries.
To us this means we've always had a separate zone system for rail since the beginning of integrated ticketing.
It is a key piece of evidence in making our case that the system presided over by Translink is broken and need thorough reform!
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Why the bus cuts fell to pieces.
by Michael Swifte
When we first saw this photo posted to the Annerley Junction Annerley Arcade facebook page we knew we were witnessing a pivotal moment in the relationship between the people of Brisbane and their public transport providers. We've watched the public transport scene very closely over the past 2 years and have seen nothing online or elsewhere that showed such a positive and fierce response to the brutal strategies of Translink under successive governments. This image was shared widely on facebook and twitter, spawned newspaper stories and blog posts, and also made it onto local TV. This image/action helped to strengthen the resolve of the many local groups who were lobbying their councilors to save their bus routes. It also led to the transport minister Scott Emerson handing over the Brisbane bus routes review process to the Brisbane City Council.
For many Brisbane bus users there is one route that is most important, it passes within a short walking distance of their house, and there are generally just enough services during peak times to get to and from work. They have an intimate knowledge of the small part of the network that they rely on, and they know the only other options available to them are infrequent, inconsistent, and much further to walk. In the last 4 years Brisbane bus users have seen a 72.5% increase in fares, little improvement in service frequency, congestion on busways and in the CBD, and no improvement in buses arriving on time. So when Translink presented their review and suggested cuts the people clung to what they knew could be relied upon.
Most Brisbanites don't have time to analyse the latest political squabble or planning trend and are understandably suspicious of the transport minister's latest promises and spin. Most have a general understanding of their political representation and most know who is responsible for running the buses. It's not surprising then that in frustration at Translink they saw an opportunity to seek advocacy as constituents and rate payers. Brisbanites turned to their local councilor to defend what they knew worked for them.
The handover of the reform of Brisbane bus networks to the BCC revealed in technicolor that Translink is at odds with its largest bus service provider. It also revealed that Translink had failed to consult effectively with the public. Planners and transit boffins decried the loss of Translink's new high frequency network plans, but the people whose local buses were set to disappear were happy that they had retained that last sliver of convenience. In failing to effectively consult the people Translink failed to identify an important component of public transport provision that industry leaders call 'coverage' (not leaving huge unserviced gaps). They also failed to identify an important trait shown by people who have been beaten down and boxed into a corner - they rise up and fight back harder than ever!
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| Yarn bombed bus stop on Sarah St in Annerley. |
For many Brisbane bus users there is one route that is most important, it passes within a short walking distance of their house, and there are generally just enough services during peak times to get to and from work. They have an intimate knowledge of the small part of the network that they rely on, and they know the only other options available to them are infrequent, inconsistent, and much further to walk. In the last 4 years Brisbane bus users have seen a 72.5% increase in fares, little improvement in service frequency, congestion on busways and in the CBD, and no improvement in buses arriving on time. So when Translink presented their review and suggested cuts the people clung to what they knew could be relied upon.
Most Brisbanites don't have time to analyse the latest political squabble or planning trend and are understandably suspicious of the transport minister's latest promises and spin. Most have a general understanding of their political representation and most know who is responsible for running the buses. It's not surprising then that in frustration at Translink they saw an opportunity to seek advocacy as constituents and rate payers. Brisbanites turned to their local councilor to defend what they knew worked for them.
The handover of the reform of Brisbane bus networks to the BCC revealed in technicolor that Translink is at odds with its largest bus service provider. It also revealed that Translink had failed to consult effectively with the public. Planners and transit boffins decried the loss of Translink's new high frequency network plans, but the people whose local buses were set to disappear were happy that they had retained that last sliver of convenience. In failing to effectively consult the people Translink failed to identify an important component of public transport provision that industry leaders call 'coverage' (not leaving huge unserviced gaps). They also failed to identify an important trait shown by people who have been beaten down and boxed into a corner - they rise up and fight back harder than ever!
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