Myki has inferior technology

I have just got back from a holiday in Melbourne, Australia. The train/tram/bus transit systems of Melbourne now have a ticketing system called 'Myki'. Up until late last year, they also had a paper-ticket system called 'Metcard', which worked very well. Over a few years they have been gradually phasing in Myki, and have now gone totally to Myki.

Up until this recent trip, I was able to use Metcard, but on this trip I was forced to use Myki.

Myki is a card system, you purchase one, with whatever amount of credit that you want on it, and top it up at a automatic booth or by a person at major train stations (and I think the driver can do it on buses, but not trams).

My very negative experience is with the tag-on and tag-off. You place the card on a tag on/off machine when boarding or alighting a bus/tram or at a train station.
And this is a pathetic mechanism, incredibly slow and error-prone.

On previous visits to Melbourne, I noticed some people have difficulty with tagging on and off.
Well fast forward to my last visit where I got to use a Myki myself, and I have experienced first-hand how useless it is.

The basic problem is that the tag on/off machine is incredibly slow to recognize a card, measured in seconds. You have to hold it there, counting the seconds, while you are holding everyone up.

Then, for some unknown reason, sometimes the machine doesn't want to recognize the card. This happened to me once, the tram had stopped, I had the card pressed to the machine, nothing happened, the tram doors closed and the tram started moving. I muttered an expletive under my breath, and went to another tag on/off machine, this time succeeded in tagging off, then got off at the next tram stop.

Contrast this with the tag on/off system used by Transperth in Perth, Western Australia. I went home by bus after returning to Perth. Tagging-on, my card was recognized instantaneously -- that is, no discernable delay. Ditto for tag off.

I have used the system in Perth many times, and it is reliable and fast. While on the bus, I looked at the manufacturers label on the machine:

Wayfarer Transit Systems Ltd

Given that the Myki system has been introduced very gradually over many years, the problems would have been identified, so how come they didn't fix tagging before now?

Here are some critical links:
http://90million.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/melbournes-myki-system-doesnt-work-and.html
http://petercampbell.blogspot.com.au/2010/02/why-myki-should-be-canned.html
http://wongm.com/2013/04/the-not-in-service-in-service-myki-reader/
http://mykileaks.org/
http://www.yourlifechoices.com.au/news/in-too-deep

Here is the official web site:
http://www.myki.com.au/

...yeah, given that zillions of people visit Melbourne, the old paper ticket system was so convenient. Gone now.
The sad thing is, all those visitors, accustomed to superior ticketing systems elsewhere, will not be getting a very good impression of technology in Australia.

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Comments

Whose Ki?
Username: ozsouth
After Perth's Cat buses (free), being forced to use myki really grates. No amount of protest seems to sway the pollies - many have tried to get single use tickets introduced - absolute refusal. I rarely go into Melbourne CDB & always drive now.

STILL unregistered
Username: Rooey
"Voted/labeled one of the greatest cities in the world, Melbourne isn't the most visitor friendly. My Dad in his 60's rang citylink, who sold him a day pass, advising it covers ALL the city's tolls. So a invoice from eastlink, followed by fines ($200 & something)& his vehicle having it's registration canceled, left him confused, with further calls to citylink not helping. I had a problem with the "tap-&-go" chip on the bank cards never working until finally a kid at the supermarket said hold it there for longer. THANKS MARKETING!

RFID
Username: 01micko
"There is nothing wrong with how[url=http://www.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/high-tech-gadgets/rfid.htm]RFID works, it's been around for awhile. I suspect it's the software technology behind the scenes. Typically, Australian governments go for anything Microsoft. Probably similar of US (State, County, Local) policy. Why? That's the question. I would bet any EU nation would go on performance, and typically that would not be a Microsoft product! Thankfully, Queensland's [url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/go-card-cost-rises-to-thwart-rorters/story-e6freoof-1226623822782]Go card system seems to work better than you describe, though it's not perfect. 2c

Fingerprint and bill next month
Username: K Godt
"Would I honestly prefer . As long as it needs bits of paper or plastic , the whole stamping is annoying . http://now.msn.com/tallinn-estonia-offers-free-public-transportation :happy:

Trend?
Username: Dewbie
"01micko wrote: [i]Typically, Australian governments go for anything Microsoft. Probably similar of US (State, County, Local) policy.[/i] Apparently things are [i]slowly[/i] starting to change... http://www.google.com/search?q=us+government+using+linux&hl=en&gbv=1

ATSPI top 10 list video
Username: wb7odyfred
"After opening 01Micko's URL above I found this US government website with a version of Linux to download for the public to use and a 2011 comment about Puppy Linux. http://www.spi.dod.mil/docs/Top_Ten_640x360.wmv Funny video about software protection in the manner of Dave Letterman's top 10 list. From the comments following this Geek.COM article http://www.geek.com/chips/u-s-dept-of-defense-offers-up-tiny-secure-linux-distribution-1405659/ [b]Can do the exact same thing using Puppy Linux and a Proxy[/b] The distro is called Lightweight Portable Security (LPS) and has been created to allow any system, secure or not, to be used in a trusted way. LPS does this by running directly from a CD or USB stick, executing only within a machine’s RAM, while offering up Internet access, a web browser, file system, and a small range of applications to use. April 16, 2013 Deluxe version 1.4.1 http://www.spi.dod.mil/docs/LPS-1.4.1_public_deluxe.iso Lightweight Portable Security Download website http://www.spi.dod.mil/lipose.htm

ATSPI top 10 list video
Username: wb7odyfred
"After opening 01Micko's URL above I found this US government website with a version of Linux to download for the public to use and a 2011 comment about Puppy Linux. http://www.spi.dod.mil/docs/Top_Ten_640x360.wmv Funny video about software protection in the manner of Dave Letterman's top 10 list. From the comments following this Geek.COM article http://www.geek.com/chips/u-s-dept-of-defense-offers-up-tiny-secure-linux-distribution-1405659/ [b]Can do the exact same thing using Puppy Linux and a Proxy[/b] The distro is called Lightweight Portable Security (LPS) and has been created to allow any system, secure or not, to be used in a trusted way. LPS does this by running directly from a CD or USB stick, executing only within a machine’s RAM, while offering up Internet access, a web browser, file system, and a small range of applications to use. April 16, 2013 Deluxe version 1.4.1 http://www.spi.dod.mil/docs/LPS-1.4.1_public_deluxe.iso Lightweight Portable Security Download website http://www.spi.dod.mil/lipose.htm

Or Police State
Username: Ted Dog
"The well integrated public companies tie in with the Texas Department database allows no-pass no-signup needed, You take a for pay superhighway, the toll company will send you an full trip report and the cost by mail from TXDot data, also your insurance company policy is instantly available to TXDoT. I've been warned to remove a ketchup package from my VIN tag since my car was flagged for unreadable VIN via a special reader found under all major crossroads. As you pass under roadsigns a small directional UHF style antenna pointed down reads your VIN. So do you want a super slick system like Texas, think again! Can feel the Freedoms slipping away.

Toll roads
Username: BarryK
"One thing that I like very much about Western Australia is that there are no toll roads. The State Government has undertaken to build all roads, so they are public property. On the other hand, Melbourne has toll roads. My daughter and partner have a thingy that clips on the windscreen. And it can get expensive.

RFID and police state
Username: BarryK
"The proliferation of RFID cards is a worry. In theory, it is a mechanism to track everybody's whereabouts. If "they" can get sensors close enough to your card, that is. Don't buy one of those stainless steel wallets! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uG1NXvdzLko :happy:

Selling out
Username: Dewbie
"[b]BarryK wrote:[/b] [i]The State Government has undertaken to build all roads, so they are public property.[/i] Disturbing trend here in the States: http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/01/going-down-the-private-road-route/ http://www.google.com/search?q=chicago+privatized+parking&hl=en&gbv=1

End of Month
Username: K Godt
"Have only some 50 bucks left to the rest of month .. Would like to rent all the flat roofs I look up upon to put solar cells onto them . Anyone capable to program a sensor that turns the cells directly into the sun ?

Tags: general