Monthly Leap Card for Luas, tag on / tag off ??

DaireQuinlan

I have a monthly tax saver ticket for the LUAS. Up until this month it was all rosy, you got a cardboard monthly ticket in the post every month, stick it in your wallet, and forget about it until an inspector came round.

This month though they replaced them all with personalised LEAP cards. The stickler is this, apparently you have to tag on and tag off every time you want to use the LUAS, regardless of the fact that it's a monthly ticket. Is this ACTUALLY the case ? It seems really stupid. A 'valid ticket' apparently gets loaded onto your LEAP card every time, which presumably isn't valid for anything other than that one journey.

I'd expect to have to tag on once a month or something, but not every time I want to use the LUAS...

Dravokivich

You will have to tag on/off to validate the journey. Also, as it's a monthly ticket, it'll never be updated for the following months if you don't validate.

DaireQuinlan

Dravokivich wrote: »

Also, as it's a monthly ticket, it'll never be updated for the following months if you don't validate.

yeah, THIS bit I get, I'd expect to have to do it once a month ...

Dravokivich wrote: »

You will have to tag on/off to validate the journey.

THIS bit is the stupid bit, having to do it for every journey. I assume there's some systemic constraints that prevent the LEAP card from holding the information that I have a valid monthly ticket which has been validated at the start of the month by me tagging on just the first journey I took in the month.

donspeekinglesh

The monthly Irish Rail ticket really only requires tagging once a month to pick up the ticket. Never had an issue when my ticket was checked and I hadn't tagged that trip.

don't see why the LUAS should be different.

markpb

DaireQuinlan wrote: »

The stickler is this, apparently you have to tag on and tag off every time you want to use the LUAS, regardless of the fact that it's a monthly ticket.

Where did you see this? Was there any leaflets provided to you when you bought the ticket?

DaireQuinlan wrote: »

I assume there's some systemic constraints that prevent the LEAP card from holding the information that I have a valid monthly ticket

The cards can definitely store monthly tickets on them. I'm not sure why tagging on would be required. Maybe it's to check if the card was reported lost or stolen?

donspeekinglesh wrote: »

Never had an issue when my ticket was checked and I hadn't tagged that trip.

How do you make Dart/suburban trips without passing through ticket barriers first?

donspeekinglesh

I used to use Howth Junction - and the gate for the centre platform was usually open, and I wasn't going to walk all the way around to one side and back again just to tag on when the train I wanted was stopping at the centre platform.

bk

It makes sense, it is the same in London and many other cities.

It is so they can accurately measure the number of people using public transport and when and it also allows them to invalidate a lost or stolen card.

markpb

bk wrote: »

It makes sense, it is the same in London and many other cities.

It is so they can accurately measure the number of people using public transport and when and it also allows them to invalidate a lost or stolen card.

Normally I'd agree with that but the Luas stops aren't ready for a system which drives most passengers into tagging on and off. There aren't enough validators, they're not well placed and, in the case of Stephens Green, would bring the whole thing to a standstill.

DaireQuinlan

bk wrote: »

It makes sense, it is the same in London and many other cities.

It is so they can accurately measure the number of people using public transport and when and it also allows them to invalidate a lost or stolen card.

So good for them, not good for me. It figures. I could alternatively just not bother ever tagging on and just appeal every fine I got

DaireQuinlan

markpb wrote: »

Where did you see this? Was there any leaflets provided to you when you bought the ticket?

https://www.leapcard.ie/en/_uploads/TaxSaver%20Leap%20Card%20Information.pdf

And yeah the situation in stephens green with tagging off is very annoying. There's always a queue of people at peak times blocking the platform waiting to tag off. Luckily I don't ever actually tag off so it's just the congestion that bothers me :-D

LXFlyer

DaireQuinlan wrote: »

https://www.leapcard.ie/en/_uploads/TaxSaver%20Leap%20Card%20Information.pdf

And yeah the situation in stephens green with tagging off is very annoying. There's always a queue of people at peak times blocking the platform waiting to tag off. Luckily I don't ever actually tag off so it's just the congestion that bothers me :-D

Best way around that - travel at the rear of the tram and tag off on the opposite platform. That way you also avoid the crowd on the platform.

Tarabuses

Why would you need to tag off a monthly ticket? It doesn't matter what fare is deducted for each journey.

DaireQuinlan

Tarabuses wrote: »

Why would you need to tag off a monthly ticket? It doesn't matter what fare is deducted for each journey.

Yeah I never bother. OTOH having to tag ON for every journey is equally stupid IMO

beauf

Is this still the case you have to log on off with a monthly rail leap card. Or do ye just not bother.

LXFlyer

Just to be clear here - There is no monthly LEAP Card.

There is a monthly rail only ticket loaded onto a LEAP Card. A LEAP Card is just that - a card - it's not a ticket.

If people have a monthly or annual ticket, yes they are supposed to tag on and off either on the LUAS or on the trains.

beauf

Ok.

Are their any penalties for not doing it? Or will this fall under the sweeping, not having a valid ticket for the journey.

LXFlyer

beauf wrote: »

Ok.

Are their any penalties for not doing it? Or will this fall under the sweeping, not having a valid ticket for the journey.

Well for a train I don't see how you can through the barriers without doing it?

Ultimately this gives the transport planners proper statistics and is helpful in that regard.

beauf

Most of the time I though a gate not a barrier, and through the wheelchair exit (with bike). I'll have to get one of those reel badge holders.

LXFlyer

Well what harm is there in tagging on/off?

It's hardly that difficult to do is it?

beauf

Difficult no. Inconvenient yes. Apart from pushing a bike through a gate while holding the gate, the tag point is usually at the same spot. Also taking a slim card in and out of your pocket, you increase the possibility of losing it. Hence I think I'll need to get one of those reel holders.

But I was just curious if you need to it. If you have to do it, then it doesn't mater how inconvenient it is.

Dravokivich

I Just tag on and only tag off if I need to to exit the station with my Taxsaver.

You need to tag your card at some stage to get the taxsaver updated for following month. And it tends to be rather uncertain when those updates are distributed.

Daith

lxflyer wrote: »

If people have a monthly or annual ticket, yes they are supposed to tag on and off either on the LUAS or on the trains.

Which is a pain especially for the busier times. It just needs more validators really.

AngryLips

I tag on at Luas but I don't think it's necessary to tag off. The screen displays the same text when tagging off as it does tagging on so that says to me it's unable to recognise the difference (unlike a regular pay as you go leap card which does).

beauf

Did you ever check online does it show up differently on the report of your journeys

Dravokivich

AngryLips wrote: »

I tag on at Luas but I don't think it's necessary to tag off. The screen displays the same text when tagging off as it does tagging on so that says to me it's unable to recognise the difference (unlike a regular pay as you go leap card which does).

It says the same thing because the balance of a period ticket wouldn't change.

KD345

I have no problem with tagging on or off, but it did take me a while to remember to do so. I've been using a paper annual ticket since Luas launched and it can take a while to change your habits.

The thing which bugs me is that despite there now being 500,000 Leap Card users, there have been no increase in validators at the stops. Stephen's Green is a nightmare when trying to leave the tram and tag off. The queues to tag off block those trying to leave the platform and it's quite difficult for any intending passenger to tag on while the tram empties.

Ideally, there would be some validators close by the platform along the street to help the flow of passengers tagging on or off.

LXFlyer

KD345 wrote: »

I have no problem with tagging on or off, but it did take me a while to remember to do so. I've been using a paper annual ticket since Luas launched and it can take a while to change your habits.

The thing which bugs me is that despite there now being 500,000 Leap Card users, there have been no increase in validators at the stops. Stephen's Green is a nightmare when trying to leave the tram and tag off. The queues to tag off block those trying to leave the platform and it's quite difficult for any intending passenger to tag on while the tram empties.

Ideally, there would be some validators close by the platform along the street to help the flow of passengers tagging on or off.

As I posted above:

lxflyer wrote: »

Best way around that - travel at the rear of the tram and tag off on the opposite platform. That way you also avoid the crowd on the platform.

KD345

lxflyer wrote: »

As I posted above:

That might help, however with over 300 people pouring into Stephens Green every 4 minutes on trams, that's not always practical. It's just a small problem on an otherwise smooth journey. More validators outside the fenced platform would certainly help.

Dravokivich

Don't know how to link tweets, but Luas have put one up recently retweeted by leapcard stating taxsavers who don't tag on/off are at risk of being fined if inspected.

LXFlyer

Dravokivich wrote: »

Don't know how to link tweets, but Luas have put one up recently retweeted by leapcard stating taxsavers who don't tag on/off are at risk of being fined if inspected.

From @LUAS twitter:

@LeapCard & Tax Saver customers - avoid the risk, not the fare! Remember to Touch On & Off when using #Luas

if I'm getting off at grafton st street ( last stop ) do I need to tag off with the leap card ?

if its a taxsaver Leapcard then no, tagging on is whats important

beauf

I was thinking tagging off wouldn't matter.

You kind of have to tag off to exit a main train station in the morning. Theres always a ticket checker there.
The suburban stations you never have to .