Hell Yes, Melbs Commuters: Myki’s On-The-Spot Fines To Be Binned From 2017

LOL MYKI LOL.

The horrendously borked public transport ticketing system that’s been thoroughly confusing Melburnians ever since it was introduced many moons ago is finally undergoing something of a renaissance period.
A few days ago came the announcement that the notoriously slow and laborious “smart card” system would be receiving sorely-needed upgrades in the form of tap-and-go technology on vending machines, and faster, digital validators.
But today, dear friends. Oh boy are you gonna get a kick out of this one.
The Andrews State Government has announced that Myki‘s highly contentious on-the-spot fine system will be scrapped, as part of an overhaul to the public transport network’s fine system.
The on-the-spot fines, for those unaware, worked under the theory that “Authorised Officers” could give passengers caught without a valid ticket the option of paying a $75 fine right there and then, rather than be issued the full $223 infringement notice in the mail. It was devised as a means of alleviating the strain of challenges to fines being felt by the Magistrates Court, which was buckling under the weight of some 40,000-odd cases.
In practice, however, it could not have been more different. Rather than being used as a lighter option, the fines were repeatedly used as bullying tactics by overbearing and heavy-handed ticketing officials, who often exhibited little-to-no sympathy for people caught because of genuine human error, faulty validating machinery, or people who were either homeless, mentally unwell, or understood little English.
Worse still, the irony of the system allowing tram passengers to pay their fines but not being able to buy a ticket whilst on board was lost on absolutely no one.
In fact, the staggering number of successful fine challenges that the courts either threw out or overturned (in 2014, it was an unbelievable 93% of all cases that made it to a court hearing, even despite 80% of people pleading guilty) meant that the on-the-spot fines were merely viewed as more of an attempt to more-or-less extort money out of passengers, rather than run the risk of issuing them a legally-flimsy infringement notice.
(Author’s Note: I… I’ve got a lot of feelings about Myki, ok?)

The new system will completely scrap the on-the-spot fine option, and will be geared significantly more towards leniency for people who make genuine mistakes or suffer from equipment errors.
Instead, the overhauled fine structure will be geared towards targeting repeat, systemic fare evaders (i.e. everyone).
Under the old system, a person could never touch on, pay 20 on-the-spot fines in a 12-month period, and still pay less than the price of a yearly, full fare, zone one and two Myki pass.
The new system will see ticket inspectors empowered with the discretionary ability to hand out warning notes – WARNING NOTES! – to commuters, instead of straight-up dropping mad fines on them.
A raft of other changes to the system will also help alleviate the stress of navigating Denis Napthine‘s labyrinthine system that he lovingly queefed out unto the Victorian capital as a final measure of revenge, including reducing the processing time for online top-ups from 24 hours down to 90 minutes, increasing the volume on Myki reader beeps, and the aforementioned faster, digital ticket validators.
Victoria’s Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allen heralded the new changes as a move towards making the system less-hostile towards honest commuters.

“The system we inherited from the former Liberal government is confusing, unfair and inequitable. It penalises and intimidates the most vulnerable while providing an incentive to travel without a ticket.”


You still, however, will not be able to buy a tram fare whilst actually on board a tram, or at the absolute majority of tram stops for that matter.

The new system is set to be implemented on January 1st, 2017. Keep your wits about you until then.
Source: The Age.
Photo: Michael Dodge/Getty.

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