Delivering A New Public Transport Ticketing System Progressively Across Metropolitan and Regional Victoria To Unlock Customer Benefits

The Department of Transport and Planning has embarked on an ambitious, progressive upgrade to its public transport ticketing. Customers will experience a range of convenient new ways to pay for public transport including tap and go payment with credit and debit cards, digital watches, and digital wallets on all smart phones. Bluetooth based tokens will improve accessibility for Victorians to use the transport system more easily. The introduction of QR codes will provide group and special event ticketing.

The project will progressively roll out across Victoria, giving those customers from regional and country Victoria and greater metropolitan Melbourne the same public transport ticketing experience. Customers will be able to manage multiple payment options to their own online account. A centralised concession management platform will provide a simplified, paperless application process for customers which links seamlessly to concession providers. Importantly, the system is being future-proofed to work across the whole of government services.

The project is underpinned by extensive customer research and lessons learned from international jurisdictions. Human centred design principles will guide technology development and customer testing is core to its success. The solution will enable upgrades as new technology becomes available, allowing for continual customer improvements.

Major change for a large, diverse and dispersed population can be a challenge. The project will be implemented in a series of phases so that customers can easily adjust to each step. A multi-channel customer care program will be in place to assist travellers with accessibility needs. The outcome means Victorians can look forward to the latest ticketing technology that has proven successful nationally and internationally.