Canberra carparks may go MyWay

Started by Buzz Killington, August 26, 2011, 06:54:01 PM

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Buzz Killington

The painful process of procuring copious amounts of coinage in order to pay for rising public carpark fees could soon be behind us, with the ACT Government investigating how the MyWay smartcard could be used to pay for other transport services.

Territory and Municipal Services (TAMS) Minister Simon Corbell said the smartcard technology had great potential for other modes of transport, including carparking and bike lockers.

"We are looking at how (the MyWay card) could be used to pay for parking so you didn't have to use coins. Carrying coins is a constant source of frustration for people," Mr Corbell said.

Existing parking meters would require modifications in order to allow people to swipe their MyWay card, with the cost being deducted from the card balance as per bus fares.

Usage and balances can be tracked online, with direct debit and auto-load functionality available to ensure users are never caught without their parking money.

Despite initial delays, Mr Corbell said he was happy with the roll-out of the MyWay system, which replaced ACTION's magnetic tickets, which were well past their use-by date. Around 146,000 MyWay cards are currently active, with over 70,000 trips being made daily.

The cards are providing much more specific data on passenger movements, allowing transport planners to modify existing services and tailor future services to better cater to commuter needs.


Barry Drive

You don't "swipe" a MyWay card - you tap, touch or tag.

ajw373

Sounds like a good idea especially given the high cost of parking and the fact that most, if not all ACT gov carparks don't accept notes.

And ACTbusspotter swipe has many meanings one of which is "to make a sweeping stoke". Not surprising considering the word is derived from the word sweep, which in this context means "to pass or draw (something) over a surface with a continuous stroke or movement". So swipe is actually 100% correct, as too of course is tap or touch.

The Love Guru

Quote from: ajw373 on September 01, 2011, 08:46:15 AM
Sounds like a good idea especially given the high cost of parking and the fact that most, if not all ACT gov carparks don't accept notes.

And ACTbusspotter swipe has many meanings one of which is "to make a sweeping stoke". Not surprising considering the word is derived from the word sweep, which in this context means "to pass or draw (something) over a surface with a continuous stroke or movement". So swipe is actually 100% correct, as too of course is tap or touch.

It is NOT the correct way to use the MyWay system. Swiping the card causes the reader to either misread the card and say it is faulty or read the card a lot slower. Cards are to placed on the target on the reader, or just in front of it. It is not a magnetic strip type card so swiping the card is not required and the system was never designed to be used in that way.

ajw373

Quote from: Chris_Guru on September 01, 2011, 10:08:55 AM
It is NOT the correct way to use the MyWay system. Swiping the card causes the reader to either misread the card and say it is faulty or read the card a lot slower. Cards are to placed on the target on the reader, or just in front of it. It is not a magnetic strip type card so swiping the card is not required and the system was never designed to be used in that way.

You missed the point. The word swipe means "to make a sweeping stoke", so the simple act of getting the card and moving it towards the reader in the manner you have suggested is in fact a form of swipe.

Barry Drive

But to many/most/everyone-but-you people, the word "swipe" is associated with how barcode readers are used: by moving the item across the reader. Which is exactly how you do NOT use a smartcard.

Suggest you watch passengers trying to tag on. The ones where the card read (or to be more accurate: the card write) fails is due to the passenger moving, waving or swiping their card across the face of the reader.

Have a look at this poster from Melbourne:



Source: http://thoughts.dan.cx/post/6049664607/why-do-people-still-swipe-their-myki-the-poster

p_stampy

I think it sounds like a good idea - apart from the fact that it means the price of everything will probably go up to fund the upgrade.

Snorzac

A lesson in using MyWay, demonstrating that MyWay does not work when swiped.

Disclaimer: This video does contain some coarse language, if you believe you may find this offensive do not click on the link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opIHa_8DArg&feature=channel_video_title

Barry Drive


Busnerd