NEW SHOP FOR A TICKET TO RIDE
ASPIRIN G bus passengers have an exciting new way of buying their Green card thanks to the opening of a new Metro shop at Hobart’ s main bus depot.
Transport Minister Michael Ferguson and Metro Tasmania CEO Katie Cooper officially opened the new shop and call centre, where customers can obtain the popular travel card, make inquiries and provide feedback.
Metro’ s existing shop in Hobart’ s Elizabeth Street bus mall deals with up to 15,000 customers a month and issues up to 600 Green cards aweek.
Mr Ferguson said the expansion of the Metro retail network was a boon for passenger convenience.
“The Springfield depot Metro Shop is a significant development for Metro and its customers ,” Mr Ferguson said .“This is a fantastic outcome for the community to have this service again after the Metro Shop was closedin2011.”
Like many businesses, the government-owned-bus operator is emerging from a difficult year after being hit by the impact of the C OVID - 19 pandemic.
Metro Tasmania doubled its losses to $3.5 min the 2019-20 financial year as COVID-19 slashed ticket revenue by 25 percent. Passenger numbers on government buses fell by 13.6 percent last financial year, Metro’ s annual report reveals, to 7.34 million journeys.
As a result there was a $2.6 m drop in revenue from passenger operations.
The state government spends $41 ma year on service contracts for Metro to operate services in Hobart, Launceston and Burnie.