09-01-2016, 09:26 AM
(08-31-2016, 06:09 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: I cannot find the citation, but I seem to recall that it was suggested that top up machines would be found fairly universally, not just at GRT facilities, I think supermarkets were explicitly mentioned.
I’ve given tickets to people asking for bus fare on the street, and I’ve seen others do the same. Some people I know do that who would not be comfortable giving cash for their own reasons.
Some households buy strips of tickets to be used by multiple members. I have a neighbour who asks another neighbour for a bus ticket when he takes one of his very seldom bus trips.
These kinds of things are not possible with a fare card.
No matter what, tickets will be more flexible than a pre-loaded card, even if you can preload at very many locations and with no minimum top-up, using any form of money. I still don’t think that’s a strong argument against moving away from tickets, but people of less means will be disadvantaged in some ways that should be mitigated where possible.
Question for anyone who might know: if an EasyGO card is loaded using cash at a machine, is there any requirement to associate a name or any other personal information with that card? For people who buy passes, can the pass be purchased at a kiosk and a receipt provided, again without a name or other information being associated with the card?