‘Significant surge’ in sales

Greg Thom
Herald Sun
March 13, 2012

COMMUTERS have begun the forced stampede toward the controversial $1.35 billion myki ticketing system in earnest.

Statistics released by the Transport Ticketing Authority exclusively to the Herald Sun, revealed the number of people touching on with myki surged 10.5 per cent to more than 2,338,992 in the week ending February 24.

This followed an eight per cent jump the week before.

Commuters boarding trains at South Yarra meanwhile, have sent the station to the top of the suburban myki charts.

More than 79,283 travellers touched on with myki at South Yarra in February – the highest of any station outside the CBD.

This was followed by Box Hill (74,615), Glenferrie (70,001) and Caulfield (69,191) and Footscray (62,513).

Flinders St was ranked number one for myki use over the same period, with more than 588,401 touch-ons recorded via the new ticketing system.

Commuters bought more than 33,524 myki cards in the week ending March 2, up 23 per cent on the previous week.

The news comes as the countdown to the removal of weekly and monthly Metcards from March 26 gains pace.

TTA chief Bernie Carolan, said a price drop combined with increased availability of cards was behind the myki momentum.

“The recent reduction of myki card fees to $6 for a full fare and $3 for a concession myki, combined with the introduction of myki card sales at myki machines and all 7-Eleven outlets, has seen a significant surge in the number of myki cards sold in the first months of 2012,” he said.

Mr Carolan said while public transport travel dropped as expected over the summer months, myki card sales and use increased significantly throughout February.

He said this suggested many passengers made the switch to myki on their return to work or school.

More than a third of all public transport commuters are now using myki.

While many passengers continue to complain of faulty myki machines and slow card readers, the TTA said scanning speeds should improve once the shared Metcard/myki units are replaced by standalone myki models.

“Work is currently under way to permanently turn off all Metcard ticket machines at railway stations and we expect to see more passengers make the switch to myki once they have used up any Metcards they have left,” Mr Carolan said.