The death of Victoria’s trouble-plagued myki system has begun

VICTORIA’S trouble-plagued myki ticketing system is on the way out with commuters to use other means to pay for their travel. Premier Daniel Andrews says a cardless system is a “logical extension” of the current technology.

EXCLUSIVE

THE myki card is on the way out with commuters set to use mobiles and debit cards to pay for trips from as early as June.

The Sunday Herald Sun can reveal the “tap and go” technology — which means travellers will eventually no longer have to shell out up to $6 for a myki card — is to be soon trialled aboard Melbourne’s new E-class trams.

myki readers capable of allowing people to scan on with a debit or credit card are ready to go across Victoria, including regional areas, ahead of a mass rollout.

The hi-tech trial will within months begin on either tram Routes 11, 86 or 96 which service suburbs including St Kilda, West Preston and Docklands.

MORE: myki fares increasing in 2018 as Vic public transport costs are revealed

E-Class trams will be among the first to trial new payment technology that allows commuters to “tap and go” using their bank card or compatible smartphone.

Findings will be used to determine how the technology could be deployed across the state’s public transport network including every train station, tram and bus.

More than 600,000 people use myki daily.

The overhaul will address a key criticism that the $1.5 billion trouble-plagued system fails to cater for single-use travellers such as tourists.

It will make tapping on to services faster and eliminate the need for multiple cards.

Premier Daniel Andrews said a cardless tap and go system for Myki was the “logical extension” of the current smart card technology.

Mr Andrews said the trial was the next step in upgrading Melbourne’s public transport system.

“Whether it’s a Fitbit or a handheld phone ... the technology is becoming much more available so that you don’t need a card,” Mr Andrews said.

“You’ll be able to touch on and off using the devices you carry with you every single day.”

Mr Andrews said trials would be running by the end of the year but Myki cards would not be phased out.

The Premier said the trail would not require any additional budget allocation.

Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan told the Sunday Herald Sun:

“We are currently looking at a range of options to make it easier for more Victorians to use our public transport system.”

“We are always looking for ways to make the public transport system more accessible for Victorians,’’ Ms Allan said.

Transport Minister Jacinta Allan said work is being done to improve the way commuters can pay to travel on the state’s public network system.

Myki — which the Bracks Labor government conceived in 2005 — has been riddled with problems.

It suffered a budget blowout of more than $500 million and was rolled out in late 2009 — almost three years behind schedule.

The political storm later engulfed former transport minister Lynne Kosky.

The “tap and go” revolution would incorporate 15,000 card readers statewide.

It’s understood no extra fees would apply to use a bank card.

Commuters with contactless payment technology within their smartphone or smartwatch could also use their devices to pay.

Such technology is already in use at more than 80 locations across the world including London’s transport network which uses the acclaimed Oyster card.

In London commuters can use bank cards instead of an Oyster card to travel on the capital’s transport network.

About 40 per cent of all journeys on its system are now made using contactless payment.

Opposition transport spokesman David Davis said it was not clear how the government planned to provide a new modern system and whether it would work.

“The Labor Government introduced myki in the mid 2000s and squandered billions on this legacy system,’’ he said.

“It’s time that ticketing is brought into the modern age but Labor will spend millions to retrofit for modern smartphones and credit card capacity.

“It’s not clear how much this will cost.”

Mr Davis called for assurances the plan would not fail like previous myki stuff ups.

There are more than 15 million active myki cards in circulation — worth a collective $90 million if each was purchased at the existing $6 cost.

Almost 400 million journeys were last year made using the ticketing system.

The Sunday Herald Sun has learned work has also begun to remove much-despised 90-minute delays in adding money to myki cards online.

A new smartphone app is also being developed as part of the solution, which could curb fare evasion for customers caught out with no money on their card.

myki commuters can top up their cards using machines at train stations.

The improvements are part of a new $700 million contract signed between the Andrews Government and global IT giant NTT Data to run for seven years.

University of Melbourne enterprise fellow for cyber security Dr Greg Adamson said it was important people were assured their personal details would be safe if using bank cards to travel.

“One of the problems is how do we know a particular organisation has the capacity to protect information,’’ Dr Adamson said.

“What is the mechanism to make sure the information stays where it needs to stay?”

Contactless payment is also being rolled out in NSW and Queensland.

Getting the technology to cap how much commuters pay for travel across a certain time frame has proved a sticking point and is yet to be resolved.

myki imposes a capped limit for two-hour, daily and weekly travel.

myki cards cost $3 for people with concession, seniors or child.

Commuters were this month hit with a 4.7 per cent fare hike.

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@sophieelsworth

-With Genevieve Alison and Alex White