Melbourne will be one of the world's only cities where public transport users cannot buy a short-term ticket

But the government plans to abolish short-term tickets even in these towns at the same time Metcard is switched off. It is likely the 50 million tickets in storage will ultimately be pulped.> > > > > Abolishing all single-use public transport tickets when myki replaces Metcard will leave tourists and occasional train, tram or bus users unable to travel unless they have a non-refundable $10 smartcard.> > > > > Melbourne will be one of the world’s only cities where visitors and occasional users cannot buy a short-term ticket.

via theage.com.au

What? I’m speechless. If the whole Myki debacle was a shit cake, this would be the stoolcherry on top. No short term tickets? Do they honestly expect tourists and short-termers to buy a $10 card just for the privilege of riding a tram? How stupid is that? My brain is making gibbering noises. I would say “unbelievable”, but knowing the kind of moronic decisions that have been made so far, this is certainly well in line with them.

And the justification is beautiful: “However, the decision to dump short-term tickets will help the government reduce myki’s complexity and cut its operating cost.”

Not running it at all would greatly reduce its complexity and operating costs. There wouldn’t be any! In fact, if they just stopped running trains, trams and busses, think of all the complexity and operating costs that would be reduced!

The only reasonable solution at this point is to take Myki out in the back parking lot and pulp the whole works.