The most stressful part of a new job? Getting an AT HOP card (whinge warning)

Forums › Off topic › The most stressful part of a new job? Getting an AT HOP card (whinge warning)

chewster

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#248665 4-Apr-2019 20:43

Why can't it just be a mobile app anyway?

What ever happened to the NFC trial? Would love to just use an app and skip the card mayhem. Nah, shutdown.

What about the HOP card I already have?

No can't do that, old card which I paid $10 for the privilege to own at uni, expired after 2 years of inactivity. They recently updated the expiry to 6 years - but it was already too late for me. Stink.

Ok I'll just buy one at the train station, maybe the ticket machine sells them now?

Nope, but they have a new vending machine to sell you snacks, how thoughtful 🤷‍♂️

Maybe they sell them on the train now?

Of course not, don't be stupid.

What if, a dairy or gas station or cafe near a train station sells them?

Swanson? Mt Eden? Kingsland? Nah, nah, nope - forget it.

Lets make a trip to the Four Square 5km from the train station that (according to AT HOP location map) sells them.

The dairy don't stock them anymore (haven't for ages). Oh well.

Just order online?

Sure I guess, sent by super reliable NZ post, only option and untracked of course. While you wait for it to snail mail its way here, just keep paying double for standard one-way fairs.

/rantover...

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Sounddude

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#2210933 4-Apr-2019 20:49

They need to go the way of London and allow for Paywave from creditcards etc.

So much easier for everyone and for tourists.

hio77

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#2210945 4-Apr-2019 21:04

If your traveling swanson to cbd, good luck.

that ride is a nightmare to take daily!

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sbiddle

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#2210946 4-Apr-2019 21:04

Sounddude:

They need to go the way of London and allow for Paywave from creditcards etc.

So much easier for everyone and for tourists.

They can't - for reasons that have been discussed pretty extensively on here in the past.

NZTA have seen the light and now realise that the Thales AT HOP is a $100 million lemon. As Wellington rejected the Thales solution we're now going to be getting a new integrated ticketing solution (that Snapper may or may not be part of) and once that is in place it will be rolled out to Auckland to replace AT HOP and will be tokenisation based so allow open loop ticketing.

KiwiSurfer

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#2210948 4-Apr-2019 21:09

I'd just drive or get a cheap one-way ticket to the nearest staffed station (there's at least two on every line so won't need to go too too far) and get one there. Easily done. :)

Western: Henderson(?), New Lynn, Newmarket or Britomart

Onehunga: Newmarket or Britomart

Southern: Pukekohe(?), Papakura, Otahuhu(?), Newmarket or Britomart (or even Manukau is an option if you don't mind changing at Puhinui)

Eastern: Manukau, Otahuhu(?), Panmure, Britomart

I do agree AT should at least try and make it easier to get the cards. I understand they did a deal with Foodstuffs (IRRC) to sell AT HOP cards thu Pak'n'Save, New World etc but not sure if they still do that.

KiwiSurfer

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#2210963 4-Apr-2019 21:23

sbiddle:

NZTA have seen the light and now realise that the Thales AT HOP is a $100 million lemon. As Wellington rejected the Thales solution we're now going to be getting a new integrated ticketing solution (that Snapper may or may not be part of) and once that is in place it will be rolled out to Auckland to replace AT HOP and will be tokenisation based so allow open loop ticketing.

I'm hoping that NZ look at implementing something along the lines of the Dutch system where payment for most (if not all!) public transport services in the entire country is all on one card (OV-chipkaart). Last year I travelled by intercity train between Dutch cities, internal trains/trams/buses within several Dutch cities only using one single card for all services regardless of operator/region/mode/etc.

Ironically the "lemon" Thales system you speak of is the same system being used there. Even the tag posts on buses, fare gates, top-up machines, etc there are the same/similar models to what we have here in Auckland. I understand the cards themselves use the same MiFare standard. I was hoping we would follow their lead by using the exisiting Thales system (which as you note we have spent $100m on) as the foundation for a national system—as the Thales system is obviously capable of doing this.

I only hope that whatever we replace the Thales system with actually works as well as (or better) than what we have now especially if we have to write off $100m dollars and presumely spend even more money on the new system.

xpd

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#2211069 5-Apr-2019 07:42

My HOP card was giving me major issues which was costing me money, but think AT would replace it ? Nope. Had to pay for a new one although I had proven the card was not being read properly.

And when the thing was working, the drivers would have the wrong route punched in, so would take all my funds for a $2 trip leaving me stranded. Complained to AT about this, and they said if I had gone to a customer service desk, they have the ability to put some credit on you can get home. Pity Smales Farm staff knew nothing of it and told me good luck on getting home.

Bus pass was better way to go... occasionally would get pinged for "missed tags" but they seem to have changed the system now so if it sees youre on a pass, it ignores it.

XPD / Gavin

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nzkc

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#2211124 5-Apr-2019 09:38

For a company whose sole goal should be to get people to their destination faster than they did yesterday and safer than they did yesterday. They seem to be a doing a good job of making that hard for themselves.

wellygary

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#2211127 5-Apr-2019 09:46

nzkc:

For a company whose sole goal should be to get people to their destination faster than they did yesterday and safer than they did yesterday. They seem to be a doing a good job of making that hard for themselves.

AT are not a company, they are a local government Quango, with plenty of jobsworths to boot

Lyderies

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#2211129 5-Apr-2019 09:46

Il be needing one soon and in all honesty am dreading having to go back to public transport

They have new double decker buses.... that if windy they cancel due to tree heights .... that they don't announce have been cancelled .... I only know this because my flatmate takes the same route i will be

I'm going to noob myself past judgement

allan

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#2211155 5-Apr-2019 10:08

Lyderies:

...They have new double decker buses.... that if windy they cancel due to tree heights ....

Well that's one cancellation approach Metlink have not yet tried in Wellington. I would have thought if any services were cancelled due to wind, it would have been here!

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#2211789 6-Apr-2019 15:10

xpd:

And when the thing was working, the drivers would have the wrong route punched in, so would take all my funds for a $2 trip leaving me stranded. Complained to AT about this, and they said if I had gone to a customer service desk, they have the ability to put some credit on you can get home. Pity Smales Farm staff knew nothing of it and told me good luck on getting home.

In the few times that had happened to me, I just emailed AT customer services with the date/time of the transactions and requested a correction. They've always obligied for me no questions asked if I've given them the exact date/time and the route I had actually taken.

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alexx

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#2211892 6-Apr-2019 18:29

It sounds like you're on the Western Line, so I'm pretty sure you can get one at Newmarket or Britomart. First time might be more expensive, but you'll save from there on.

I was wondering the other day if they should partner with someone like Lime, where Lime provides the mobile app and billling and takes a cut of the fare.

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Kyanar

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#2216166 12-Apr-2019 22:31

alexx:

It sounds like you're on the Western Line, so I'm pretty sure you can get one at Newmarket or Britomart. First time might be more expensive, but you'll save from there on.

I was wondering the other day if they should partner with someone like Lime, where Lime provides the mobile app and billling and takes a cut of the fare.

Uber does actually have Transit billing in some markets.

xpd

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#2216232 12-Apr-2019 23:53

KiwiSurfer:

xpd:

And when the thing was working, the drivers would have the wrong route punched in, so would take all my funds for a $2 trip leaving me stranded. Complained to AT about this, and they said if I had gone to a customer service desk, they have the ability to put some credit on you can get home. Pity Smales Farm staff knew nothing of it and told me good luck on getting home.

In the few times that had happened to me, I just emailed AT customer services with the date/time of the transactions and requested a correction. They've always obligied for me no questions asked if I've given them the exact date/time and the route I had actually taken.

Yeah they sorted me out, still left me potentially stranded that day. Thankfully a friend worked nearby and hadnt left, so got lift with them :)

XPD / Gavin

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