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This weekly comparison is based on actual trip diaries,
using various combinations of single trip, daily and weekly
tickets, with trip lengths between one and six zones.
To obtain indicative results, trips are being taken during
peak and off peak times, and on most days but not every day.
The discount that applies to the SlowCard [officially known
as the GoCard] after 10 trips in a week has been calculated.
The results are clear - despite the huge increase in fares for
paper tickets and misleading and expensive Translink
propaganda and spin - paper tickets remain cheaper if the
traveller takes a little time to plan his/her trips in advance.
And these are just the monetary benefits of boycotting the
cards. Anyone who has had to ask Translink to fix a Card
failure or overcharge will know just what we mean.
And we haven't needed to remember to touch on or off
correctly once, or find an outlet to recharge a Card, or to
wait 24 hours for the system to recharge a Card.
Weekly updates will continue to be posted indefinitely.
Total TOTAL TOTAL SAVE
No. COST W/ COST WITH
of PAPER USING PAPER
trips TICKET CARD TICKET
$ $ %
using various combinations of single trip, daily and weekly
tickets, with trip lengths between one and six zones.
To obtain indicative results, trips are being taken during
peak and off peak times, and on most days but not every day.
The discount that applies to the SlowCard [officially known
as the GoCard] after 10 trips in a week has been calculated.
The results are clear - despite the huge increase in fares for
paper tickets and misleading and expensive Translink
propaganda and spin - paper tickets remain cheaper if the
traveller takes a little time to plan his/her trips in advance.
And these are just the monetary benefits of boycotting the
cards. Anyone who has had to ask Translink to fix a Card
failure or overcharge will know just what we mean.
And we haven't needed to remember to touch on or off
correctly once, or find an outlet to recharge a Card, or to
wait 24 hours for the system to recharge a Card.
Weekly updates will continue to be posted indefinitely.
Total TOTAL TOTAL SAVE
No. COST W/ COST WITH
of PAPER USING PAPER
trips TICKET CARD TICKET
$ $ %
Wk to 10 Jan 20 22.80 32.66 30
Number of days travelled = 4
Number of days travelled = 4
Wk to 17 Jan 21 33.10 37.95 12
Number of days travelled = 6
Wk to 24 Jan 30 46.30 47.24 1.9
Number of days travelled = 6
Wk to 31 Jan 25 31.20 37.20 16
Number of days travelled = 6
Wk to 7 Feb 20 31.20 32.45 3.8
Number of days travelled = 5
Wk to 14 Feb 16 24.60 27.50 11
Number of days travelled = 5
Wk to 21 Feb 20 31.50* 32.09 1.9
Number of days travelled = 5
*We tried the most costly Paper alternatives this week, even buying a
ticket for an extra zone, but still couldn't exceed the total Card cost
Wk to 28 Feb 24 30.70 37.33 17.7
Number of days travelled = 5
Wk to 7 Mar 13 16.10^ 23.80 32.3
Number of days travelled = 3
^We purposely reduced our number of trips to check whether the cost
savings for paper tickets would remain when usage was lower - as you
can see, the differential actually increased! This is the 10the consecutive
week that the paper ticket cost has been cheaper than the SlowCard
Number of days travelled = 6
Wk to 24 Jan 30 46.30 47.24 1.9
Number of days travelled = 6
Wk to 31 Jan 25 31.20 37.20 16
Number of days travelled = 6
Wk to 7 Feb 20 31.20 32.45 3.8
Number of days travelled = 5
Wk to 14 Feb 16 24.60 27.50 11
Number of days travelled = 5
Wk to 21 Feb 20 31.50* 32.09 1.9
Number of days travelled = 5
*We tried the most costly Paper alternatives this week, even buying a
ticket for an extra zone, but still couldn't exceed the total Card cost
Wk to 28 Feb 24 30.70 37.33 17.7
Number of days travelled = 5
Wk to 7 Mar 13 16.10^ 23.80 32.3
Number of days travelled = 3
^We purposely reduced our number of trips to check whether the cost
savings for paper tickets would remain when usage was lower - as you
can see, the differential actually increased! This is the 10the consecutive
week that the paper ticket cost has been cheaper than the SlowCard
