the_trav (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} the_trav) wrote,@ 2009-06-02 09:22:00 |
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The bus ate my ticket!
So I got on the bus yesterday, put my ticket into the validation machine, and it didn't come out.
It wasn't expired (it was a yearly with a bit over a month left on it) and it didn't beep or anything.
The bus driver took down my name and number and told me to call the depo and that I'd need to buy a ticket on the way home.
I got to work, called the number on www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au they forwarded me to one link, they forwarded me to flinders st, they forwarded me to the bus depo, they forwarded me back to flinders st.
After all that assing around I found I had two options
1 - Get the bus depo to open up the validation machine and retrieve my ticket (I would need to pay for a ticket to cover me until I was able to pick it up)
2 - Go to Flinders st, fill out a "lost ticket" form, get it signed by the police, pay $12 and get a monthly while they invalidated my old ticket and replaced the balance in monthlies.
The first option seemed crap because I'd be out of pocket, and additionally the guy at the depo was a pain in the ass to deal with (at first he tried to bullshit me into filling out a form "oh yeah, we don't do that for yearlies")
The second option seemed crap because I'd be out $12, and about an hour of buggering around after work walking to flinders, dealing with police etc.
I ended up doing both, fortunately the station master at Flinders st was a really nice guy, polite, informative and helpful. He agreed to waive the $12 because really metlink was at fault. Unfortunately the police box at flinders was busy dealing with some elderly junky and the police station at Flinders lane had a guy filling out a theft/lost property report, so that took longer than it needed to.
I ended up leaving the city at about 6:45pm after leaving work at 5:30. I got an sms this morning saying I should call metlink to organize pick up of my yearly ticket that has been retrieved from the validation machine.
I'm going to tell them not to worry about it as I have a replacement ticket, I'm also going to send a complaint to metlink & whatever ombudsman deals with the PT because they don't have a process for replacing tickets where THEY are at fault and I can see people less assertive than myself getting stung for $12 and a lot of hassle when metlink's dodgy machines cock up
So I got on the bus yesterday, put my ticket into the validation machine, and it didn't come out.
It wasn't expired (it was a yearly with a bit over a month left on it) and it didn't beep or anything.
The bus driver took down my name and number and told me to call the depo and that I'd need to buy a ticket on the way home.
I got to work, called the number on www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au they forwarded me to one link, they forwarded me to flinders st, they forwarded me to the bus depo, they forwarded me back to flinders st.
After all that assing around I found I had two options
1 - Get the bus depo to open up the validation machine and retrieve my ticket (I would need to pay for a ticket to cover me until I was able to pick it up)
2 - Go to Flinders st, fill out a "lost ticket" form, get it signed by the police, pay $12 and get a monthly while they invalidated my old ticket and replaced the balance in monthlies.
The first option seemed crap because I'd be out of pocket, and additionally the guy at the depo was a pain in the ass to deal with (at first he tried to bullshit me into filling out a form "oh yeah, we don't do that for yearlies")
The second option seemed crap because I'd be out $12, and about an hour of buggering around after work walking to flinders, dealing with police etc.
I ended up doing both, fortunately the station master at Flinders st was a really nice guy, polite, informative and helpful. He agreed to waive the $12 because really metlink was at fault. Unfortunately the police box at flinders was busy dealing with some elderly junky and the police station at Flinders lane had a guy filling out a theft/lost property report, so that took longer than it needed to.
I ended up leaving the city at about 6:45pm after leaving work at 5:30. I got an sms this morning saying I should call metlink to organize pick up of my yearly ticket that has been retrieved from the validation machine.
I'm going to tell them not to worry about it as I have a replacement ticket, I'm also going to send a complaint to metlink & whatever ombudsman deals with the PT because they don't have a process for replacing tickets where THEY are at fault and I can see people less assertive than myself getting stung for $12 and a lot of hassle when metlink's dodgy machines cock up
