I knew this day was coming but I didn't actually think it would happen this early. Surprisingly I'm not that up on early myki history, I know the rollout started in Geelong but didn't know exactly when the first myki cards got issued to the travelling public. I guess now we have our answer, it was somewhere around December 4 2008. And, foolishly for myki, they gave/sold one of those first cards to Channel 9 journalist Andrew Lund (was he a journalist back then? I'm guessing yes, probably reporting on the myki rollout at the time).
For those who don't know what I'm talking about, myki cards have a built in 4 year lifespan. On expiration, the card stops working and can't have any more value added.
Here's Andrews Report last night on Channel 9
In a brilliant stroke of forward planning, the only place anyone can go to get their myki replaced is the PTV Hub (formerly the myki discovery centre) at Southern Cross Station. Since most of the oldest myki cards that are due to expire are probably in Geelong, this is going to be very convenient for those who use PT in Geelong.
The only alternative way to get your card replaced (for free at least) is to send it back to myki, they will send you a new one and transfer the balance over. This could take at least ten days, maybe longer.
Of course there is one more way to get a new card: just buy one. Which is probably what many people will end up doing, to cope with bureaucratic ineptitude.
As usual, the Transport Ticketing Authority drags out Bernie Carolan. Instead of apologising for any inconvenience that's going to be caused (and yes, it is going to be a big inconvenience, particularly on or around January 6 2014 which is the four year anniversary of when much of Melbourne received their first myki cards in the mail) he just makes excuses like "lots of cards expire". Yes, Bernie, we know that, but with most of those cards you just get a new one in the mail.
The obvious answer here is to let expired cards get replaced free at premium railway stations (which is what it says on page 75 of the myki fares and ticketing manual) and maybe even myki retailers.
Why they aren't choosing to honour what the Fares and ticketing manual says? Who knows.
For those who don't know what I'm talking about, myki cards have a built in 4 year lifespan. On expiration, the card stops working and can't have any more value added.
Here's Andrews Report last night on Channel 9
In a brilliant stroke of forward planning, the only place anyone can go to get their myki replaced is the PTV Hub (formerly the myki discovery centre) at Southern Cross Station. Since most of the oldest myki cards that are due to expire are probably in Geelong, this is going to be very convenient for those who use PT in Geelong.
The only alternative way to get your card replaced (for free at least) is to send it back to myki, they will send you a new one and transfer the balance over. This could take at least ten days, maybe longer.
Of course there is one more way to get a new card: just buy one. Which is probably what many people will end up doing, to cope with bureaucratic ineptitude.
As usual, the Transport Ticketing Authority drags out Bernie Carolan. Instead of apologising for any inconvenience that's going to be caused (and yes, it is going to be a big inconvenience, particularly on or around January 6 2014 which is the four year anniversary of when much of Melbourne received their first myki cards in the mail) he just makes excuses like "lots of cards expire". Yes, Bernie, we know that, but with most of those cards you just get a new one in the mail.
The obvious answer here is to let expired cards get replaced free at premium railway stations (which is what it says on page 75 of the myki fares and ticketing manual) and maybe even myki retailers.
Why they aren't choosing to honour what the Fares and ticketing manual says? Who knows.
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