The Consumer Price Index for the year ended September 2008 was 5.0% — unusually high, for Australia. As the ABS says: This is the largest annual change since December quarter 1995, excluding the period associated with the introduction of the GST.
This figure is used as the basis for the increase in public transport fares in Melbourne, which is generally announced in mid-December effective from 1st of January.
So, Metcard users, right now would be a good time to buy up some tickets in advance. Yeah it’s not ideal given it’s Christmas gift-buying season. But the more tickets you can squirrel away at the old price, the more you save.
And if you use PT almost every day, consider buying a PTUA Commuter Club Yearly — for Z1, it’s $1015 + $25 membership = $1040, compared to the estimated price 2009 of 12 monthlies, roughly $1315. The catch is that because Metlink only take orders once per month, the ticket needs to be ordered and the money paid by December 9th.
5 replies on “CPI and your Metcard”
Thanks for the reminder, Daniel.
That’s just solved the Chrissy pressie for the hard-to-buy-for Spouse ;)
I’ve always considered buying a yearly but I know for a fact the actual physical ticket would not last me a whole year (in fact I’d be amazed if it lasted me more than two months… I regularly have monthly metcards die on me for no apparent reason). The other concern I have (please don’t laugh) is that Myki might come online and I’ll be stuck on paper tickets til the end of the year.
That would be a reason not to buy one in, say, 2014, but probably not next year.
Nathan, the Yearlies are made of a plasticy stuff which is much stronger than the paper tickets used for monthlies etc. I did have a problem with a paper yearly once, but in recent years they’ve all been plastic and, kept in the Metcard cardboard wallet thingy, have worked for the full year.
If however you’re having problems with the mag stripes failing, that may be another issue. Worth checking you’re not placing them next to other mag cards etc.
heh Philip, good answer!