After the release of the 2018 Annual Report, Ombudsman Treasure Jennings pledged to increasingly focus on regional issues, highlighting complaints to her office about V/Line’s train service delivery rose 75 per cent in the last financial year.

Ms Jennings said during a ‘regional roadshow’ V/Line commuters highlighted their concerns about the service’s paper ticketing system. 

“People told us that the dual myki/paper system was a major inconvenience, especially when people had to make separate trips to pick up paper tickets before travelling,” Ms Jennings said. 

“In addition to the in-person feedback, we have been receiving complaints about the paper ticket system over a number of years.”

Ms Jennings noted V/Line had foreshadowed improvements to the system, including feasibility studies into e-ticketing and on-board coach ticket machines.  

V/Line chief executive James Pinder confirmed they were looking into e-ticketing options but V/Line could not give a timeline for the scheme.

“V/Line is exploring options for implementing e-ticketing and we are preparing advice for government on the best way to implement that,” he said.

Ms Jennings said there were more complaints and issues around the service delivery of trains than other transport methods, but it was not surprising as the majority of planned disruptions involved the rail network.

The report found V/Line issues had increased 75 per cent.

Mr Pinder said there was a ‘comprehensive performance improvement plan’ in place to help reduce unplanned disruptions and delays, saying Albury passengers had experienced a ‘big drop in cancellations compared to earlier in the year”.

The majority of formal complaints by regional Victorians, 33 per cent, related to transport staff, with infrastructure and rolling stock concerns also featured strongly.

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