Back in March 2013 a bug appeared on Myki equipment across the Melbourne tram network – readers rejecting user input while stuck displaying an “In service” message onscreen.
Supposedly over in Myki land, “In service” means the machine was in the state of being serviced, not that it is open for use. As well as single Myki readers going on the blink, occasionally I would encounter a tram where every reader onboard was defective.
I also found a third scenario where all readers would go down for a 30 second period, only for them to come back again. Too bad for any passenger who boarded the tram during that time, noticed the system was dead and sat down, only for a ticket inspector to board once the Myki readers came back up.
Since then, it appears those in charge of Myki have pulled their finger out and done something about it – the “In service” message is much less common, with a more useful “Out of order” being displayed instead.
Unfortunately the stability of the software behind it isn’t any better – recently my tram to work had every reader showing the new “Out of order” message.
I wonder how much money Kamco (the developer of Myki) squeezed out of the State Government for this simple change request?
Elevators also say “in service”, when they are actually not in service.
Apparently, this is supposed to mean that the elevator has been placed in exclusive service for the removalist, or the refrigerator delivery-man, or the janitor, or the fireman, or the elevator repairman, or the penthouse tenant, but not available to anyone else.