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smashdracs
Joined: 23 Nov 2005
Posts: 999
Location: Wellington NZ
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| Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 6:53 pm Post Subject: Snapper. Cashless public transport hits Wellington |
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http://www.snapper.co.nz/
What's Snapper? (From the website)
Snapper is smart.
It's a payment card or USB stick. Snapper can store up to $300 in value, and because it's reloadable, you can feed it again and again. No need to waste time looking for the right change.
It's fast. There's no PIN so transactions are quick, really quick. You can use it to buy your coffee, your lunch, your paper, your bus fare and other everyday items. Just touch your Snapper to the Reader, hold it still for a moment until the 'beep' or the green circle, and it's done.
It's cheaper to bus. Soon you'll be able to snapper adult bus fares on GO Wellington buses and get a 25% discount, off every single adult cash fare.* Buses are being snapper-enabled from mid July 2008. Look for the red 'Snapper It' sticker by the door, and you'll know the bus is enabled.
It's easy to use. Simply tag on and off the bus using your Snapper and it will work out the correct fare whatever the zone, less any discount. Later this year children, seniors and monthly passes will be able to snapper their bus fares.
*Note that the 25% discount doesn't apply to the special inner city $1 fare, or After Midnight service fares. The 25% discount may not apply to special promotions and events. Check the GO Wellington website.
And on and on it goes...
Every single bus in Wellington now has these "smart" devices installed at the front and rear doors which you swipe your card past as you board and leave the bus.
Shops and cafe's are getting in on the action as well, you can now make purchases at shops and pay for your coffee using your Snapper smart card.
At the moment if you lose your card it is the same as losing your cash, however, shortly you will be able to register your card to your name meaning if lost you simply buy another card and your balance is transferred.
The company launching Snapper in New Zealand is Snapper Services Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Infratil Limited. Infratil is listed on the New Zealand Exchange, and is an infrastructure owner and operator specialising in renewable energy, airports and public transport in New Zealand, Australia and Europe.
For now, the Snapper smarts' are in a card and usb stick, but in the future, Snapper could be in other things, like your mobile or even a key ring, or a bracelet.
It'll also be able to be used as an access card for buildings or libraries and an i.d. card for students and others.
This arrived suddenly here in Wellington and looks to be spreading fast. The days of tangible cash look set to end here shortly. |
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smashdracs
Joined: 23 Nov 2005
Posts: 999
Location: Wellington NZ
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| Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 8:27 pm Post Subject: |
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There is the logo btw... |
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Crakka
Joined: 07 Aug 2008
Posts: 1687
Location: The Wild West
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| Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 9:08 pm Post Subject: |
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| Now if that's not a piece of pure Sun Cult symbology then I don't know what is!!! |
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smashdracs
Joined: 23 Nov 2005
Posts: 999
Location: Wellington NZ
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| Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 9:14 pm Post Subject: |
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"COUGH"
Er, what you talkin about Willis? :wink:
Yes, well you will be paying premium price for your bus fares if you dont buy your snapper card from now.
I imagine you wont get all the "benefits" financially shortly if you don't hand over your identity details in the next 6 months if you own one.
Infratil will know where you travel to and what you buy.
Lucky I have full and complete faith in them to only do what is best for me.
:wink: |
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treknut72
Joined: 03 Dec 2006
Posts: 21
Location: Hamilton, NZ
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| Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 6:42 pm Post Subject: |
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I am guessing then that technology was trialled in Hamilton, as we have had these smart cards for well over a year. Not to sure who the service is contracted to and will have to do some investigating for that.
The card can only be used on buses but I guess that businesses will follow. Seems a "natural" progression.
I didn't have to provide any details when I got it but again I guess that will follow.
And yes, it is cheaper to use the card.
All this and more can be seen at
http://www.ew.govt.nz/Regional-services/Passenger-transport/ |
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smashdracs
Joined: 23 Nov 2005
Posts: 999
Location: Wellington NZ
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| Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 6:54 pm Post Subject: |
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I guess this will be normal across the country by the end of next year.
I am interested to see how it goes aside from being in use on public transport here in Wellington. |
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Crakka
Joined: 07 Aug 2008
Posts: 1687
Location: The Wild West
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| Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 9:56 pm Post Subject: |
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| smashdracs wrote: | "COUGH"
Er, what you talkin about Willis? :wink: |
Uhh yeah, sorry 'bout that! :lol:
Just that that fish symbol is so stylised. They can call it a "snappa" after the company name if they like but it's a "jesus fish" as far as I'm concerned lol!
 
I'm pretty sure most here already know but (from http://www.otherpossibilities.org/ ) -
Fish or Cross?
When the movement that was to grow into Christianity was being initiated out of Rome (not Palestine), the Earth had only recently, c. 60 CE, entered the Age of Pisces. An "Age" is the period of time during which the Sun rises and traverses over a dominant constellation at the vernal equinox, a period that lasts some 2160 years.
Earth had just exited the Age of Aries (c. 2220 BCE to c. 60 BCE) during which the ram and lamb had played prominent roles in various religious movements of the world. Prior to that, in the Age of Taurus (c. 4380 BCE to c. 2220 BCE), the bull (and cow) had been focus of much of the world's religious attention.
In the early days of the Christian movement the symbol used by the cult as an indicator to other followers was of two arched lines that suggested the form of a fish. The arched symbol would be the standard for the struggling society well into the third century CE. (How, where, and why this early symbol for Christians was replaced with the cross is given detail in Time Frames and Taboo Data.) The cross as emlematic of Jesus' death was not regarded to be symbolic of the instructive teachings of the master that were held central to the emerging society.
Proof of the importance given to the fish symbol was uncovered in 2005 at Megiddo Prision, Israel, where the remains of an early church were discovered under rubble being removed from a planned site of a new prison ward. There was much awe and excitement at finding two mosaics, one of which had as it central focus a depiction of two fish, each facing in opposite directions--an acknowledgement of the Age of Pisces.
Considerable hype was given to the ancient Christian symbol in the mosaic as predating the cross, and that the Greek writing used in inscriptions revealed that the money for the church and the mosaics were donated by a Roman officer and a woman named Aketous. The depiction of fish forms indicate that the church was active up to the fourth century CE--or just before Constantine, recognizing the political clout of the fanatical converts, legalized Christian observances across the Byzantine Empire.
It was only after the fourth century that altars began to be used in Christian churches for priestly theatrics, and focus was deliberately altered from the fish symbol to the cross to emphasize Jesus' theoretical sacrifice for believers. With Jesus' death installed as the central theme of the movement, ritual and circumstance quickly overshadowed all that had once offered any means of experiencing inner peace.
Further info - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ichthys |
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Deano
Joined: 22 Mar 2005
Posts: 710
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| Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2008 10:55 pm Post Subject: |
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Quite right Crakka that particular fish symbol is god or gift from god.
"Jesus fish" is a tad off though, but it is a fairly safe bet to say they consider their product a divine work. |
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Crakka
Joined: 07 Aug 2008
Posts: 1687
Location: The Wild West
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| Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 3:14 am Post Subject: |
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| Deano wrote: | | "Jesus fish" is a tad off though... |
Hehe! Which is why I wrapped it in inverted commars and followed it with a "lol" :wink: |
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secondfield
Joined: 14 Oct 2006
Posts: 377
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smashdracs
Joined: 23 Nov 2005
Posts: 999
Location: Wellington NZ
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| Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 11:55 pm Post Subject: Unfortunately more negatives |
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You cant clip a mate with no money on the bus with your snapper chip.
You used to be able to help a mate out by asking the driver to clip your ticket twice when 2 of you boarded the bus.
Kiss that goodbye sweetheart. Snapper says f@RK OFF. |
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smashdracs
Joined: 23 Nov 2005
Posts: 999
Location: Wellington NZ
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| Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 12:01 am Post Subject: |
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| If I had the money the "Alien Car Fish" thingy would be a good buy. |
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Crakka
Joined: 07 Aug 2008
Posts: 1687
Location: The Wild West
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| Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 12:13 am Post Subject: |
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One thought I had as I watched some electronics company working away on a new installation...
I've noticed that all main bus-stops are having those electronic timetable thingies erected on them all around Auckland. Now with buses moving to cards I wouldn't mind betting a part of the electronics in at least some of those timetable signs includes some sort of scanning device much like your supermarket ones that have just gone in. Would totally make sense for the bus company to be doing this to track movements of buses & passengers for commercial reasons but if this is the case then the possible connotations for privacy and population tracking as more people are forced to use public transport is something to consider. |
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smashdracs
Joined: 23 Nov 2005
Posts: 999
Location: Wellington NZ
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| Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 12:30 am Post Subject: |
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| Welcome to the New World. |
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steve clougher
Joined: 15 May 2007
Posts: 857
Location: north-east victoria
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| Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 12:52 pm Post Subject: |
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| invest in a pair of gumboots, beat the rush |
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