In less than an hour Melbourne residents will be able to order a free registered Myki online. Delivery is promised within seven days. Availability is advised on the Myki website, as below:
Effective today, Myki is valid for train travel within both Melbourne zones. Official public use on trams and buses will follow once the Minister is satisfied with its reliability.
Today's announcement represents a 'soft start' for Myki and a response to the government promise to have it operational by the end of 2009. For now, the average Melbourne passenger is probably better off with Metcard due to its acceptance on all modes. Nevertheless, the free Myki offer will appeal to curious train-riding 'early adopters'.
This larger body of users should also mean more rigorous 'real passenger' testing and better maintenance of Myki machines and readers at stations. Up to now much of the system had been live but with only 'first users' testing it, hardware maintenance had not always been given due urgency.
Today's announcement is a significant milestone for a project that has more than usual 'behind the scenes' work. However in many people's minds it won't have fully started until availability is widened and cards are accepted on all modes. The roll-out to bring this about over the next six months or so promises to be very interesting indeed.
Myki videos
A selection of videos shot during Myki's test phase in Melbourne. Note that some features may have changed or improved since these were made.
Myki ticketing coming to Melbourne
Myki under test in Melbourne
Myki card history machine
1 comment:
Peter, I wouldn't be so spongy on the developers and operators if I were you.
It's not valid to say that since it was a soft launch, therefore the hardware maintenance and repair was acceptably lax. You offer a product for sale - it works or it doesn't. End of story.
It is not up to your customers to suffer your product's defects in the name of research.
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