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NSW fare restructure to help Tcard

The NSW Ministry of Transport has announced a public transport ticketing restructure which will help it introduce a replacement for its failed Tcard e-ticketing system.
Written by Colin Ho, Contributor

The NSW Ministry of Transport has announced a public transport ticketing restructure which will help it introduce a replacement for its failed Tcard e-ticketing system.

NSW government fare restructure

NSW Transport's new MyZone website
(Credit: MyZone)

A spokesperson from the Ministry of Transport told ZDNet.com.au that the MyZone fare structure, scheduled to go live 18 April, will be adopted by its planned new e-ticketing system.

The government intended to choose a supplier for the system from shortlisted consortia led by rival transportation systems companies Cubic Transportation Systems and Scheidt & Bachmann by the end of this quarter.

"When Electronic Ticketing comes in, the new fare structure will be used as the basis of the smart card fare structure," the spokesperson said, "It is a simpler, fairer system."

The original electronic ticketing system, Tcard, which was being implemented by ERG Group subsidiary ITSL, was cancelled in 2008 due to a lack of progress.

ERG had said that one of the reasons for the delays implementing the system was that the current NSW public transport fare structure was too complicated. ERG did not believe the government should have cancelled the contract and is currently seeking compensation from the NSW Government in a court dispute.

According to the Ministry of Transport spokesperson, the MyZone scheme will use existing ticketing machines and require minimal programming to change fare structures.

"The new fare structure uses all existing ticket machines and equipment, and will standardise ticket products available to commuters regardless of where they live," said the spokesperson, confirming that the upgrade will be rolled out on all public and private buses, ferries and trains.

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