Linkt (Previously Govia) Changes the Top Up Trigger Amount.
I have had a GoVia account (the Queensland Toll Tag) for some years now, and use tolls a small number of times per year.
My account was set to top up with $25.00 once my balance dropped to $10.00. As in this example, where my balance dropped to $9.97 and was automatically topped up with $25.00
You will see that I don’t often use tolls, hence having the trigger set at the lowest option of $10.00. I used one on 4th January 2018, then again 21st April 2018.
However, LINKT took over on the 16th May 2018, and they must have changed some things on the account settings, including how soon I wanted to top up my account balance…
So now, when my balance dropped below $20.00 on 22 Oct 2018, Linkt charge my debit card with $25.00 instead of waiting. I now have a balance of $43.06. Maybe my increased use of tolls, THREE toll uses in 3 months, made them think I need to keep a larger balance with them..
Obviously I hadn’t noticed the change, and I was never informed about it.
I only noticed because I took a trip to Sydney last week, and wanted to now how much I had spent in tolls, as I did accidentally use them in Sydney.
When I noticed my balance, currently nearly $40, I was very surprised. It might take me 2 or 3 years to use that. I immediately changed it back to a $10.00 top up on the account settings.
However, I have heard that some people have complained about their top up trigger being changed again, automatically, even after changing it back down again.
The system accepted the change to $10, as can be seen in the image above, but after logging out, and back in again, five minutes later, it was back at $20.00. I then set it at $15, and reduced the top up amount to $20 at the same time, as I saw these options on the Linkt website.
The attempt to set the top up to $20 was immediately rejected stating a minimum of $25.
So, I have it set at at trigger of $15 balance, and a top up of $20, for the future.. I think…
I am trying to check it again, and the Linkt website says: “We’re currently experiencing technical issues.”
Transurban is an owner and operator of urban toll roads in Australia and the United States, with more than five million account customers across Australia under the Linkt brand.
Linkt has replaced CityLink in Victoria, go via in Queensland, and Roam Express in Sydney.
If they increased every account balance by that extra $10, that would give them an extra 50 million dollars in account balances, effectively a massive interest free loan.
- 5 million accounts with a minimum balance of $10 = $50,000,000 in their bank account, waiting for us to spend it with them.
- 5 million accounts with a minimum balance of $20 = $100,000,000 in their bank account, waiting for us to spend it with them.