Ten years later, Sydney still waits for electronic ticketing

More than a decade after the first contract was signed, Sydney’s transit riders are still waiting for an electronic ticketing system. But with a new government and a new contract in place, commuters may see progress as early as 2012. Cubic Transportation Systems, which won the contract last year, says everything is on track to introduce electronic ticketing on ferries by the end of next year and across the rest of the system by 2014. Sydney is likely to implement a distance-based fare structure that requires riders to tag on and tag off, which has sparked some fears of longer boarding times and penalties for those who forget to tag off. New South Wales transport minister Gladys Berejiklian tried to address those concerns. “I think all commuters would agree that tagging off is a much preferred option than having to buy a clumsy paper ticket, buy a ticket for each different mode of transport,” she said. “Just tagging on and off without having to worry about your journey, without having to worry about where you buy your ticket from, is a very, very exciting prospect.” Link to full story in The Sydney Morning Herald.

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