The Victorian Public Transport Ombudsman’s office reported its workload doubled in 2011/2012 with complaints about public transport up by 96%, enquiries up by 88% and the number of complaints requiring PTO investigation up by 124%. The total caseload dealt with by the PTO went from 1,838 in the last financial year, to 3,555 in the 2011/2012 year – up 93% and well exceeding the forecasts for the year. Complaints and enquiries about ticketing issues more than doubled – with most about myki.
“We’re investigating more complaints, and they are becoming more complex,” said Ombudsman Janine Young. “Commuters have sought us out in increasing numbers. Our investigations are well up because complaints were not being effectively dealt with in the first place.”
Ms Young said myki complaints centred around a number of issues including poor customer service, delayed or declined refunds and reimbursements, faulty myki cards and lack of information about refund calculations on the myki website. Other issues included the need to mail in myki cards following auto top-up failures, withholding customer funds following auto top-up failures and incorrect estimates about myki pass refund amounts.
Ms Young said the PTO has been working with the Transport Ticketing Authority to remedy some of the recurrent issues. “There is now refund information on the myki website, and a myki contact centre refund calculation tool,” she explained.
Despite this drastic rise in complaints Ms Young said it was unsurprising, given Melburnians began switching to the smart card ticketing system en masse in February. However, the workload increase was larger than expected causing the PTO office to boost its staff from 9 to 12. For the coming year Ms Young said the PTO is forecasting an increase in cases, with current indicators projecting a modest increase up to around 3,900 cases from the 3,555 this year.
Other issues with public transport included issues ranging from service delivery (punctuality, cancellation and disruption) and customer service through to infrastructure and rolling stock, including accessibility issues, and the approach taken by Authorised Officers.
This report is the latest blow against a system which has been plagued with problems. Ms Young recommends the TTA switch its focus from implementation of the system to customer service. With myki being the only system available from the end of this year Melburnians will quickly find out for themselves if the glitch-ridden system can be fixed.