After it was announced last year that Victoria would move on from its current public transport ticketing system Myki, Victorians have been eagerly awaiting changes, with the first step now underway.
Passengers are now one step closer to using bank cards, smartphones, or wearable devices to tap onto public transport, with trials in Wangaratta kicking off this week.
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The trial will run for the next six months on four local bus service lines, with Wangaratta chosen to trial tap and go payments due to the size of the town and its bus operations. As a mid-sized location, it was well-suited to test the technology in a targeted way with a sufficient number of passengers.
The changes come after US company Conduent Business Services was awarded the state’s public transport ticketing contract last year, as part of a new 15-year agreement.
“The trial in Wangaratta will help shape the design and delivery of our ticketing system – making sure it has been tried and tested by the public on the ground in regional Victoria,” a Department of Transport and Planning spokesperson says.
“We’re investing in technology to improve our ticketing system by giving passengers more options and making it simpler and quicker to travel on our network.”
The trial is for full fare passengers, with costs of $2.80 for 2 hours or $5.60 daily.
If you’re a concession passenger or continuing your journey on V/Line train or coach, don’t participate in the trial and pay for your ticket as normal.
There are no immediate changes to the current Myki ticketing system while the trial is underway.
New ticketing features will be tested, refined and gradually rolled out once they meet passengers’ needs.
