| Location | Brisbane, Australia |
|---|---|
| Launched | 2006 |
| Technology | MIFARE Classic |
| Operator | Cubic Corporation |
| Manager | TransLink |
| Retailed | Online |
| Telephone | |
| Newsagents | |
| Trains Stations | |
| Website | www.translink.com.au/go |
The go card is an electronic smartcard ticketing system developed by Cubic Corporation and currently used on the TransLink public transport network in South East Queensland. To use the go card users hold the card less than 10 cm away from the reader to "touch on" before starting a journey, and must do the same to "touch off" the service at the end of the journey. The cost of each journey is deducted from the go card balance.
The Queensland Government awarded the $134 million contract to design, build, operate and maintain the go card system to Cubic Corporation in July 2003. In July 2006, TransLink signed up around 1,000 volunteers to trial the new smartcard system in the Redcliffe area. The go card was launched throughout Brisbane in February 2008, the go card was available at selected retail stores and Queensland Rail stations. It could also be accessed by phone or online.[1][2][3]
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The go card was a major part of the Queensland Government's integrated ticketing system to improve the efficiency and convenience of public transport. In July 2003, the Queensland Government awarded the $134 million contract to design, build, operate and maintain the go card system to Cubic Corporation.[1][4] Following the development of the go card, in July 2006, TransLink signed up around 1,000 volunteers to test out the new smartcard system in the Redcliffe area. TransLink installed the new smartcard equipment in Hornibrook Bus Lines and later Brisbane Transport buses. Sunbus's bus fleet also underwent pre-wiring so onboard equipment can be installed later. TransLink also installed new smartcard fare machines at Petrie, Sandgate, Brunswick Street, Central and Roma Street stations.[2][3]
The go card was launched throughout Brisbane in February 2008, the go card was available at selected retail stores and Queensland Rail stations. It could also be accessed by phone or online. TransLink had staff on hand at rail stations and major bus interchanges to talk to passengers about go card and answer any questions.[5] To encourage the use of the go card, from 4 August 2008 all go card trips received a minimum 20% discount off paper tickets. Regular users who travel more than 10 journeys within a week received an additional discount of 50% off the price of any extra journeys.[6] On January 4 2010, to encourage the use of the go cards during 2010, TransLink are giving away 400,000 free go cards loaded with $10 credit. go cards users also received off-peak discounts and automatic top-up.[7]
The go card is available as Adult, Child, Concession and Seniors. Adult is for use by passengers without concessions. Child is for use by children under the age of 15 years. Concession is for use by passengers entitled to a concession, such as full time secondary and tertiary students, holders of a Pensioner Concession Card, and holders of a Repatriation Health Card. Seniors is for use by passengers who have a Queensland Seniors Card issued by the Queensland Government.
When purchasing a go card, a refundable deposit will apply, on top of the starting balance. The deposit allows users to finish their journey even when they have insufficient funds on the go card, although the go card have to be in the positive at the start of the journey. To use the go card, users need to hold their card less than 10 cm away from the reader to "touch on" and do the same to "touch off" the service at the end of their journey. The cost is deducted from the go card balance for each journey taken. Users are required to "touch off" at the end of their journey, this allows TransLink to charge the correct amount for journey traveled. Users who do not "touch off" are charged a fixed amount.
Peak and off-peak is used by TransLink to encourage passengers to travel during non-busy hours. TransLink does this by offering discounts to passengers for traveling during off-peak hours. Peak is from 2am to 9am and 3.30pm to 7pm weekdays, except public holidays. While Off-peak is from 9am to 3.30pm and after 7pm weekdays until 2am the following day and all day weekends and gazetted public holidays. Last trip must be commenced before off-peak ends. TransLink allows go card users to transfer between services (up to 3 times and within three and a half hours) without charging a new fare. TransLink does this by only charging for the number of zones that are travelled. Under the frequent user scheme, go card users are charged half price fares after completing ten journeys in a week.[7]
Sight-impaired users have also reported problems reading the card reader screen.[8]
Security experts found the cloning of a go card is possible - though no verified instances have yet been discovered - which allow people to clone and use other people's go cards. Both London's Oyster card and the Dutch equivalent for the go card are being phased out due to these security concerns. TransLink have indicated that systems exist to detect fraudulent activity and reject cloned cards, however no details about these systems are available.[9]
In a move to encourage the use of the go card, TransLink changed the fares, in January 2010, to make the go card cheaper than paper tickets, achieved by increasing the price of paper tickets. In some cases the increase was as much as 40%.[10] Although more users now using the go card than before, the move has created another issue with a limited number of train stations selling the go card, some users could not buy the go card and had to go on using paper tickets with higher fares. TransLink confirmed more stations will sell the go card in the future.[11]
In March 2010, a loophole was discovered that allowed go card users to avoid fares on buses by "touching off" at the back door after touching on at the first door, TransLink confirmed that doing this would waive the fare. In April 2010, during peak hours at major train stations, go card users found it very difficult to touch on and touch off against the waves of commuters. The issue was caused by the fact the go card fare gates are bi-directional instead of uni-directional.[12]
In July 2010 it was reported in major newspapers around Australia that people have had their movements tracked by using the card. It had turned out that Australian police had been accessing the Go Card records to find out about the movements of certain people. Terry O'Gorman, the president for Australian Council for Civil Liberties had commented that he wasn't surprised that the police were accessing Go Card records. He said that their previous concerns had been justified. He said that they had the Go Card records were going to be used for surveillance. In effect they were basically scoffed at, during that time. It's now obvious that things are different.[13] He also said that he was unsure if his Go Card was registered as his wife had obtained it for him. He did say however that he would be de-registering it.[13] As of August 2010 Queensland Police were set to appeal to the state’s privacy commissioner not to cut their access to the movements of Brisbane's commuters that were recorded on the Go Cards.[14]