Does not compute !

The long awaited Opal card is now fully integrated into the Sydney rail system and is fast expanding to the bus network.   The " tap on - tap off " payment for fares delivers huge savings to the government over the old paper issue ticket system and there is a small cost saving for those who make single, return or weekly journeys.

Unfortunately, the reverse applies for those accustomed to traveling on a monthly, quarterly or annual rail ticket from the far extremities of the Sydney rail system.   Amazingly, those who travel to Central from Gosford, Katoomba or Wollongong pay $ 2440 for an annual paper train pass - and are hiked to $ 2880 when they use the Opal card.    A fare increase of $ 440 a year is a big slug to the average traveler's budget.

It seems that this anomaly  is not intentional.   It is a software problem that the boffins have not been able to unscramble.   The computer has no problems charging the correct fare when a traveler signals a single journey using an Opal card, but gets totally confused when that same traveler has a mix of journeys from a range of different stations over the course of each day.   The computer is baffled by the need to differentiate that single journey that applies to a nominated discounted travel fare from other journeys the same traveler may make - on which the normal fare applies.

That is the very nature of accounting at which computers excel.    There seems an urgent need to develop software which can instantly recognise the traveler who is the holder of a seasonal ticket and match that to the nominated journey for which it is valid.    Obviously, such a ticket holder would automatically received the correct discount when the " tap on " occurred at Gosford, Katoomba or Wollongong - and the " tap off " registered at Central - and the reverse on the homeward journey.    Any additional public transport travel would be charged at the prevailing normal rate.

It is understandable that such hiccups occur when such a vast new system is being installed, but this anomaly needs fixing - fast.  The Opal card is intended to increase the popularity of train journeys and enhance public transport over car journeys.  A hike of $ 440 a year on distance travelers will do the opposite.

London has had it's " Oyster " card working for decades.  Now might be a good time to ask how they solved similar problems !