Free off-peak travel for Seniors this week

[Buzz Killington]

ACT Chief Minister and Minister for Territory and Municipal Services, Katy Gallagher, today announced that ACT and Interstate Seniors Card holders will receive free off-peak travel on ACTION buses during ACT Seniors Week 2012.

"The MyWay ticketing system will be programmed to automatically not charge ACT and Interstate Seniors Card holders between 9 am and 4:30 pm and after 6 pm on weekdays and all day Saturday and Sunday from 19 to 25 March 2012," the Chief Minister said.

"Patrons will need to ensure they tag on at the beginning and tag off at the end of their journey to ensure no fare is deducted. This will also help provide valuable data about where passengers get on and off for future network planning.

"Since MyWay was rolled out to seniors in February 2011 we have received a positive response from ACT and Interstate seniors to this new technology and many are receiving the benefits the card offers, including easy and convenient travel.

"Getting around Canberra by bus is now even easier. The ACTION bus fleet includes 213 easy-access buses, which are equipped with a ramp, a wide front entrance and space to accommodate two wheelchairs or walkers.

"Bus routes featuring easy-access buses on weekdays include routes 71, 73/74, 75 and 76/77, which are

off-peak services that provide access to town centres, hospitals, nursing homes and some local shopping centres," the Chief Minister said.

The Chief Minister said that if seniors do not have a combined ACT or Interstate Seniors/MyWay card they will still be able to travel for free during these times by presenting their ACT Seniors Card.

"Seniors who are interested in arranging a combined ACT Seniors/MyWay card should visit any Canberra Connect Shopfront, ACT Public Library or the Council on the Ageing office in Hughes. Combined Interstate Seniors/MyWay cards are only available from the MyWay Centres in Belconnen and Civic," the Chief Minister concluded.

For more information on MyWay please visit http://www.transport.act.gov.au/ or call 13 17 10.

[Barry Drive]

As you would expect some passengers and/or drivers did not get the message about the requirement to tag on as per usual. I encountered two passengers who got annoyed by the request that they still had to tag on! (The first one just walked straight on to the bus and sat down - when asked for a ticket she just said "Pensioner Week!" )