Leap Card in Cork

Victor

http://www.nationaltransport.ie/news/leap-card-to-come-to-cork-2/

Leap Card to come to Cork
04/06/13

The National Transport Authority will begin to roll out its successful Leap Card to the travelling public in Cork in the New Year. That’s according to Mr Gerry Murphy, CEO, who addressed the 9th Intelligent Transport Systems European Congress in the Convention Centre, Dublin today (June 4, 2013).

With over 270,000 Leap Cards issued in its current operational area (Greater Dublin), and accounting for 20% of all journeys taken in the region, the integrated transport smartcard has been a great success, and is to be rolled out to other cities, starting with Cork.

Other technological developments announced by Mr Murphy to the Congress include a new route mapper enhancement to the National Transport Authority’s Journey Planner, an integration of the Journey Planner with Northern Ireland’s planner, an agreement with Google to make all of the National Transport Authority’s journey planning data readily available to members of the public through Google transit, and a new cycle planner for Dublin.

For more information click Leap Card to come to Cork Speech

deRanged

great! there's a bit to upgrade though I imagine.

bk

I believe currently roughly only half the buses in Cork have the wayfarer ticket machines and thus support the Leap card.

The wayfarer or similar ticket machines will need to be rolled out to all buses in order to have leap work.

Given that Cork has flat fares, I wonder if they will support flat fare tag-on only. Could definitely speed up dwell times.

Great to see Google Transit mentioned, I can't wait for it to finally release.

AngryLips

Hard to believe that only 20% of public transport journeys in Dublin are on leap card. Wonder if that percentage increases much when you strip out those on annual and monthly tickets...

Victor

I imagine cash transactions on Dublin Bus vary between 30-50%, with the rest being various smart cards or passes.

Victor

bk wrote: »

Given that Cork has flat fares, I wonder if they will support flat fare tag-on only.

Well, you'd hope that, except they have a different fare for the 215 (a joint city/suburban service), 216 and I think one or two more routes.

AlekSmart

AngryLips wrote: »

Hard to believe that only 20% of public transport journeys in Dublin are on leap card. Wonder if that percentage increases much when you strip out those on annual and monthly tickets...

That 20% is an atrociously low figure,which in a fully functioning democracy,would have Gerry Murphy knocking on Hatch 14.

Victor is quite corrrect in that on-bus cash transactions still account for c.50% of DB's Fare Income stream.

Nothing less than an immediate halving of that figure should be acceptable,and as soon as possible if not sooner.

We now have LeapCard standing at 270,000,which in my humble O,is still some 130,000 short of the critical mass required for it to achieve market dominance.

What many fail to appreciate however,is that there is very real antipathy,now well developed,towards Leapcard,and if it's not successfully challenged very soon,the entire ediface risks collapse.

Vic_08

bk wrote: »

I believe currently roughly only half the buses in Cork have the wayfarer ticket machines and thus support the Leap card.

The wayfarer or similar ticket machines will need to be rolled out to all buses in order to have leap work.

Given that Cork has flat fares, I wonder if they will support flat fare tag-on only. Could definitely speed up dwell times.

Great to see Google Transit mentioned, I can't wait for it to finally release.

The majority of the Cork fleet have compatible machines, only the expressway coaches that need to be able to be worked from other depots have not been upgraded.

Dublin is in a similar position, leap has been on test for some time and is due to be available shortly on commuter routes. As well as discounted single fares there will also be a 1 and 7 day zonal fare available.

davidlacey

270,000 people have a leap card says nothing about usage! I admit i have three as i went through the phase of losing one and then buying another only to find the one i lost a few days later. So i have two leap cards that are not active in the system and i am sure there are many more around which are the same.If someone does not like the service they will simply not use the card anymore but is this included in the 270,000 as it is assumed they are a leap card user? Is 270,000 a active usage or is it sales of the leap card itself which would drastically bring down usage levels compared to cash or other prepay options...

AlekSmart

davidlacey wrote: »

270,000 people have a leap card says nothing about usage! ..... So I have two leap cards that are not active in the system and I am sure there are many more around which are the same.If someone does not like the service they will simply not use the card anymore but is this included in the 270,000 as it is assumed they are a leap card user? Is 270,000 a active usage or is it sales of the leap card itself which would drastically bring down usage levels compared to cash or other prepay options...

Valid point indeed,which is why I see that 20% figure as being nothing to write home about,in facta,I would call it pretty poor,given the overall budget and time-frame involved in Leapcard's introduction.

Leapcard useage levels need to rise substantially,and fast,if the product is not to flounder,which is why I am advocating the NTA getting real on the issue of aggressive marketing.

Leapcard €1.40 Flat Fare Weekends......now THAT level of discount might drag in a few more bodies....the goal being to get the reluctants actually accquiring and using Leapcard.

jkml

davidlacey wrote: »

270,000 people have a leap card says nothing about usage! I admit i have three as i went through the phase of losing one and then buying another only to find the one i lost a few days later. So i have two leap cards that are not active in the system and i am sure there are many more around which are the same.If someone does not like the service they will simply not use the card anymore but is this included in the 270,000 as it is assumed they are a leap card user? Is 270,000 a active usage or is it sales of the leap card itself which would drastically bring down usage levels compared to cash or other prepay options...

That's a fair point. I replaced my rail smartcard with a complimentary Leap Card and then replaced my Luas smartcard with an additional Leap Card, which I figured someone at home might use. Now the Student Travel Card functions as a Leap Card so my other two are redundant.

davidlacey

AlekSmart wrote: »

Valid point indeed,which is why I see that 20% figure as being nothing to write home about,in facta,I would call it pretty poor,given the overall budget and time-frame involved in Leapcard's introduction.

Leapcard useage levels need to rise substantially,and fast,if the product is not to flounder,which is why I am advocating the NTA getting real on the issue of aggressive marketing.

Leapcard €1.40 Flat Fare Weekends......now THAT level of discount might drag in a few more bodies....the goal being to get the reluctants actually accquiring and using Leapcard.

Totally agree I think they need to focus on discounts ,better daily capping and integration rather than limiting peoples paying options so eventually their only prepay choice will be the leap card. They need to encourage integrated usage on bus rail luas as in 5/10€ unlimited travel a day which means people dont have to worry about topping up constantly so changing from bus to rail for example would be seamless and stress free. Plus a return fare on the dart for an example i pay 4.40 return two flat 2.20 fares which yes is cheaper than cash return but really encourage further usage with a 4€ return etc.. small and petty things but they need ideas because people are not sold on this leap system its just not convenient for the majority...

Victor

Additional operators have been added.

Auto top-up is live with a few hundred test users. I've not had any problems (other than the usual bus driver knowledge ones) having used it for about 3 months.

Luas daily capping is live with the public.

Irish Rail daily capping is about to go live with the public.

Dublin Bus daily capping is at the internal testing stage.

Agreeing mutli-operator capping has been difficult and I don't know what stage it is at.

It is intended to have transfer fares (e.g. reduced fare on second and subsequent legs of a journey).

All this will take time.

LoonyLovegood

It's annoying that only Luas seems to have a cheaper fare for those with a student leapcard. Would it not make more sense to try convince students to use the leap function on the card by having a cheap flat fare (eg €1.60) for buses or trains? I'd use my one in Dublin more often then, but as it is it's cheaper for me to have a thirty day student ticket.

Macy0161

There's a hassle saving on dart and luas with not having to queue/ pay for tickets and tag on and off. imo that is missing from Dublin Bus.

jkml

CTYIgirl wrote: »

It's annoying that only Luas seems to have a cheaper fare for those with a student leapcard. Would it not make more sense to try convince students to use the leap function on the card by having a cheap flat fare (eg €1.60) for buses or trains? I'd use my one in Dublin more often then, but as it is it's cheaper for me to have a thirty day student ticket.

I think their intention is to make it possible to load your prepaid ticket to your Leap card instead of carrying separate tickets. But you're right, it's still generally cheaper to buy numerous journeys in advance. That's probably true for commuters who aren't students too.

Dravokivich

CTYIgirl wrote: »

It's annoying that only Luas seems to have a cheaper fare for those with a student leapcard. Would it not make more sense to try convince students to use the leap function on the card by having a cheap flat fare (eg €1.60) for buses or trains? I'd use my one in Dublin more often then, but as it is it's cheaper for me to have a thirty day student ticket.

They'd be hesitant to as there is no relevant cash fare in general, for third level students. As JKML mentioned, it seems it can be for tickets in future.

mk6705

So this is only for buses? Nothing for rail on Cork to Cobh, Midleton or Mallow? Not exactly an integrated approach if that's the case.

Victor

Adro947 wrote: »

So this is only for buses? Nothing for rail on Cork to Cobh, Midleton or Mallow? Not exactly an integrated approach if that's the case.

It will likely include Cork-Cobh/Midleton rail. Mallow has the problem that the fare is well above the €5 usable deposit. Adult Single is €11.20.

The_Wanderer

I suspect Mallow may not fall under the Leap Card product as it is an "Intercity" fare to/from Cork. The East Cork lines (Cobh and Midleton) are "suburban" fares so these should be included.

goingnowhere

Its the NTA's decision not Irish Rail's

Mallow is fully fitted for leap already

Dravokivich

Victor wrote: »

It will likely include Cork-Cobh/Midleton rail. Mallow has the problem that the fare is well above the €5 usable deposit. Adult Single is €11.20.

There's nothing to prevent Irish Rail from issuing tickets through Leap, similar to Bus Eireann.

goingnowhere

Apart from the lack of booking office equipment to do so

Dravokivich

Once there are validators, it can be done with an online transaction.