On the weekend the Sunday Age reported the new Victorian public transport smartcard ticketing system may be abandoned. Apparently budget blowouts and time delays may see the new “myki” system shelved.
This is disappointing news. Flexicar is eagerly awaiting the introduction of a modern smartcard public transport ticketing system. The new myki smartcard ticketing system uses the same sort of technology that runs the Flexicar fleet. If such a smartcard public transport ticketing system existed, the opportunity to integrate public transport and Flexicar would create a whole new spectrum of personal transportation for Melbournians.
With one smartcard you could get on a tram, a train, a bus, and a Flexicar – all your transport needs covered by one swipe of the wrist. How good would that be? How much easy would it be to live car free?
It may sound futuristic, but many cities in European already have integrated sustainable transport systems that include car share. And this plan has already gained support from the Victorian government way back in 2005….(when we used to be called Flo Carshare).
But back in 2005 the Victorian government told us we’d have new public transport smartcard system by 2007. It now sounds as though the delays to myki mean a world class, integrated, sustainable transport system for Melbourne is still some years away.
Tags: car share, Flexicar, myki, Public Transport, smartcard
