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A Message to Q Booster Wannabes
Wednesday, February 14, 2007 4:42 PM

We have good news and bad news on this Valentine’s Day.

First, the good news: We’ve had an overwhelming response to our call for Q Boosters, and the program has exceeded expectations. We have more than 1,000 Q Boosters.

The bad news: We are not taking any more names.

For those of you who have signed up and are still waiting for your package, it should arrive within the next two weeks. We are waiting to receive correctly configured cards from the manufacturer.  Thanks for your patience.

“It’s been great, it’s been awesome,” said Ernest Chou, senior community relations rep, who is also a Q Card team member. “We are learning from our Q Boosters what they’re experiencing and appreciate their feedback. We are reading your comments on the blog and correcting them as fast as we can.”

If you experienced any problems, please call 713/635.4000 and hit the prompt for the Q Card help desk. Or send an e-mail to: qcard@ridemetro.org.

“We are documenting all this information and trying to figure out where the problems are,” said Chou. “We want to correct the problems before the full implementation.”

A clarification to a previous comment on registering your Q Card on-line:

To register, you must fill out a form that can be found in a red brochure entitled “Q Card User Guide.” These will be distributed with your new Q Card. You can also register by calling the Q Card Help desk. Call our main phone number at 713/635.4000, and press the prompt for the Q Card help desk. You will not be able to register your Q Card on-line due to security concerns.

 And Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

Posted by Mary Sit
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    • Comments

    PubliusTX said:

    Maybe some version of this program can be used continuously in the future to provide useful feedback from real users on the whole of METRO's operations?
    # February 14, 2007 6:12 PM

    Scott B said:

    "You will not be able to register your Q Card on-line due to security concerns." Does this mean that the on-line feature has been discontinued and will not be a part of the Q-Booster benefits?
    # February 14, 2007 11:38 PM

    gettaclue said:

    I have some big Q Card questions, but cannot get any response to my email I sent to the qcard@ridemetro.org. I also tried the Q Card Desk at the 713/635.4000 number you listed and got three different answers. I am a Q Booster and have successfully used the initial $10 on my Q Card and would like to add more to keep using it. However, like many Commuter route riders, I use Stored Value (SV) cards. I have literally hundreds of dollars invested in the SV cards and am very hesitant to spend additional dollars funding the Q Card too while I have so much invested money already in the SV cards. So, I would like to transfer the current amounts on my SV cards to the Q Card. My questions are: 1) How can I do this? 2) Where can I do this? 3) What is the maximum amount I can transfer to the Q Card? 4) Will I be able to transfer the full balance of my SV cards to a Q Card? (In other words, will I lose any of the value of my SV cards?) maria at the Q Card desk said that I could do this, but only at the 1900 Main Ride Store location. Knowing that this will entail an entire afternoon off of work for me to go to this very inconvenient location, I expressed my deep concern about taking the time off to get there and then possibly about get grief form inexperienced employee about making the transfer of funds. So Maria put me through to that location, where I spoke to Cynthia who, exactly as I had feared, told me that I could not do it there. She told me I had to do it at "Treasury." Someone else then came on the line and said I could not do it at all. Please, HELP!
    # February 15, 2007 9:13 AM

    Laurence Simon said:

    I think the limit is $500. But I'm not sure I'd want $500 on a card without some kind of volume discount you used to get with 30-day or 365-day passes.

    Treasury is on Second Floor of DTC. They're very nice, and it's fun to watch them huddle up in a scrum when something's new and exciting.

    Folks in the Ride Store will send you there if it's anything more complicated than buying passes and loading up a card that involves money.

    # February 15, 2007 10:24 AM

    Mary Sit said:

    Scott B., the fact that there is no on-line registration of Q Cards should not affect any Q Booster benefits you have. Your Q Booster card was  already registered when we gave it to you. Can you clarify what you mean by "the on-line feature will be discontinued"? Thanks.

    Gettaclue, we are very sorry you had to go through that runaround. You may have been the first person to ask for a transfer from a stored value card to the Q Card. We are researching now exactly what should happen and will post an answer asap.

    # February 15, 2007 11:47 AM

    Mary Sit said:

    Here's more clarification from David McMaster, director of customer service & sales:

    "Not registering the card online is intended to prevent someone from falsely registering someone else's card by simply guessing at the serial number.  This does not mean that we will not have the means for customers to load value or subscribe to automatic loads on the Web, but we've not introduced that option yet for Q Boosters.  It will be part of the general launch."

    # February 15, 2007 2:22 PM

    David said:

    One QCard question that has appeared a couple of times, but I don't think has been addressed: How will the driver be able to confirm that a QCard customer has "paid" without an audible confirmation from the QCard reader?  When using the QCard, I have noticed several times that the driver is not necessarily looking at the "green light" when I tap the card to the reader. While this has worked OK during the testing (because I believe that the drivers are understanding of the "test" mode), I'm wondering how it will work when there is a queue of people lined up to get on the bus, some paying with cash and some paying with the QCard. Because of where the QCard readers are placed, they are not always within the line of sight of the driver, especially if the driver is talking to a patron in front of the QCard user. Will I need to establish eye contact with the driver and direct his line of sight to the reader in order for him to observe the "green light" as I pay with the QCard or, on a crowded bus with several patrons boarding at once, will he take it on faith that QCard patrons who tap the card on the reader when the driver is not looking have indeed "gotten the green light"? By the way, thanks for striving to make a good system better! David

    # February 15, 2007 2:23 PM

    Scott B said:

    At one point, I was told that a QCard user could register his/her card online and be able to look online to see available balances. This would be considered a benefit to me.
    # February 15, 2007 4:31 PM

    wakester said:

    One thing Metro needs to do is tell all the Drivers that there are people using it.  

    This morning when I tried to transfer to the 286 bus (bus # 4914) the driver told me that I was not suppose to be using it yet.  When I told her that I had been using it for 2 weeks now and I had just transfered from the 214 bus she told me that she does not care what other driver do, that this is her bus and I can't use it on her bus.  At one point I thought she was going to make me get off the bus.

    This is the second time I have been told that I am not suppose to have it.  And they imply that I am trying to pull a fast one and ride for free or something.

    # February 16, 2007 10:49 AM

    Mary Sit said:

    David, you asked about an audible beep when the Q Card is placed against the Q Box:

    The Q box beeps either way…a short beep for green light, and a longer beep for a red light.

    # February 19, 2007 9:07 AM

    Mary Sit said:

    Gettaclue, here's an answer to transferring balances from Stored Value Cards to Q Cards:

    You will be able to transfer balances from Stored Value Cards to Q Cards at either RideStore and in Treasury. But we do not plan to start these transfers until our official Q card launch date. You will then have about two months after that to either use up the values on the stored value instruments or to transfer the balances to the Q Card.

    # February 19, 2007 9:48 AM

    David said:

    Re audible alert to driver of QCard fare approval: I have used the QCard 20-25 times now on busses and have never heard a "beep" when I tapped the card to the reader. In fact, when I boarded the bus this morning, I paid with the QCard, and the driver apparently did not see me do so. Another patron boarded after me. I took a seat and about the time I sat down, the driver looked back at me with a "Are you going to pay?" questioning look on his face. I held up my QCard for him to see, and he seemed to be OK with this. Maybe the QCard readers are SUPPOSED to beep, but I have NEVER heard one. Again, I think that this will continue to cause confusion for the drivers if they don't observe passengers "getting the green light" when paying with the QCard and have no audible confirmation of payment.
    # February 19, 2007 11:24 AM

    gettaclue said:

    Thank you so much for the definitive answer! It is VERY much appreciated!! I would like to request however that other locations be made available to make the transfer of funds. Many of us suburban commuter route people never go downtown, have no idea where these places are, and what's worse, we work the same hours as the hours that those locations are open. One brilliant idea: Addicks Park and Ride (and maybe others?) has a glass-front building/room that looks as if it were designed for some kind of counter service. Couldn't that area (and others like them, if/where available) be used as a temporary change-over service center, even if just for a couple of weeks? It could also serve people coming from/going to the Kingsland P&R. It makes so much sense, it's crazy! Is this possible? What will it take to get the idea on the table and brought to fruition?
    # February 19, 2007 4:10 PM

    Rorschach said:

    Might I ask what the point of holding off all these web functions and transfer abilities until after the general launch is? Isn't the whole point to beta test the system? What happens when you come upon launch day and there are problems with those aspects of the system? Now you'll be caught flat footed trying to figure out workarounds and fixes while people who rightly expect the system to be working beforehand are standing in front of you getting more steamed every minute they are delayed while you try to figure out what to do. Get a clue and roll this out beforehand and test it so you'll have a chance to fix the problems before you have unruly hordes chasing your people around with pitchforks.
    # February 19, 2007 5:24 PM

    Rorschach said:

    as to the issue of drivers not noticing you using the q-pass, the system should have some sort of display for the driver to show the SN of the card and the time stamp so that you can prove to the driver that you did swipe the card. Because of the no-passback feature it is not as if you can swipe it again to prove it was done. If the driver is inattentive, distracted, untrained (which seems to be the case in most instances of problems) or just dumb, you will have no way to prove you paid. the system has a fatal flaw here. You need to fix this before you pull the trigger on this or you are going to have drivers and pass holders coming to fisticuffs over whether the fare was paid or not.
    # February 19, 2007 5:29 PM

    Bluelight said:

    I don't have the q-pass but I have seen other use it. I usally am sitting towards the front of buss. From what I have seen I do see lights flash when the card is swiped. I want to say I heard a beep once before when the woman infront of me pass but I could not say for sure if it was the q-pass beeping or not. As far as the driver seeing you. Say you did and if he does not belive you reswipe it. You dont have to worry about getting hit twice for the no-passback will kick in. If you tried to cheat and did not swipe it the first time you will be hit on the card the second time you swipe it. And as far as not wanteding to drive to downtown to transfer the funds. It is a one time thing. Take all of your store bought credit and transfer it to the q-pass and then from then on just use the q-pass. I am assumeing once they release the q-pass most places will quit selling the long term store-passes.
    # February 20, 2007 10:10 AM

    Scott B said:

    Mary,

    No, Gettaclue was not the first to ask about transferring funds from the stored valued cards. A couple of us asked at your post called "Your Questions on the Q Card."

    http://blogs.ridemetro.org/blogs/write_on/archive/2007/02/08/Your-Questions-on-the-Q-Card.aspx

    I do see that you answered it here. Thanks for that.

    Scott B

    # February 20, 2007 11:16 PM

    gettaclue said:

    >>And as far as not wanteding to drive to downtown to transfer the funds. It is >>a one time thing.

    That is exactly the attitude that I fear Metro itself will take too!  Why should riders have to take off a half-day of work to accomplish this?  Many riders don't even own cars and thus getting downtown and back to work, or from work to downtown, is impossible, making it a full day of missed work.  Metro either needs to stay open outside of "banker's hours" or provide some short-term transitional outlets closer to the people who use who use the commuter buses.  We bought these passes in good faith as a money-saving tactic and taking off time from work can blow that savings right out of the water.  It could even cause some to lose  their jobs, if they have no ability to take time off.  I have to hope that Metro will step up to the plate and not put their most committed riders through all of that.

    # February 21, 2007 4:56 AM

    Bluelight said:

    Last time I checked metro had a buss stop right out side of their office.  M-F 8AM-5PM those are normal bussiness hours.  It would be hard for me to make it down there if I had to go to that office everyday.  But I could make the trip for one time if it was just to swap out cards.   Most employers I know will let you take off half a day if you need to.  Espically if it meant to go and get a bus pass so you could continue to make it to work.  Metro has not raised the price of their fare in a long time even though the cost of living and gas has gone way up.    So if they have to take off a day of for one day small price to pay to ride the buss.  If people are really concerned about missing work.   Go early in the day be there when they open and swap out the pass and I am sure they can be back at work before lunch time.  Beside if they give a 2 month dual pass time frame.  Time when you can still use the old fare card or the new q-pass card most old fare cards would either expire (7-day pass and 30 pass) or a store value card should not have much on it.   What the everay person puts what a 100 bucks 200 bucks on a card.  How long does that last the "MOST COMMITTED RIDERS"   I have not pitty for someone that goes and buys a store value card or a 30 card durning the 2 month grace period and them complains about haveing to swap it out.  Only people I see that would have to go swap out cards would me the 360 day pass holders and the ones that have store value cards but don't ride on metro on a daily base.  

    # February 21, 2007 10:06 AM

    Mary Sit said:

    RE: Transferring balances from stored value cards to Q Cards.

    When we launch the Q Card, we will open the RideStores for a limited number of Saturdays to make it more convenient for customers to do such things as transfer balances to their Q Cards. We will also be working with RideSponsors on a way to do this through your company if your firm is a RideSponsor. We are still developing plans and will post details later as we get closer to launching the Q Card.

    # February 21, 2007 11:55 AM

    Laurence Simon said:

    Mary-

    I just watched the MTTV video and heard something disturbing in it: "Simply throw it away" with regards to METRO Money.

    The old passes were paper with a very thin magnetic strip layer. I'm going to assume the paper would degrade over time in a landfill and that the ink is nontoxic.

    But what are the new passes made of? All plastic with a chip inside the layers?

    With all the talk of "green" buses and energy conservation, I'd think that would be a step backwards, don't you agree?

    Do the cards degrade in a similar fashion to grocery store plastic bags, or are they a more durable and environmentally-unfriendly compound?

    Thanks,

    -ls

    # February 23, 2007 9:10 AM

    Mary Sit said:

    Laurence, researching an answer for you - will get back to you as soon I get some answers. RE: The beep on the Q Card reader when you flash or tap your card: Several of you mentioned that the sound was inaudible. There IS a beep when you flash or tap your card against the Q Card reader. We are currently testing to see if this beep needs to be louder. Gettaclue, you mentioned using space at a Park & Ride to do a temporary change-over to the Q Card. I will make sure your suggestion gets to the Q Card team here and will see if it's feasible. I think the main issue here is making this change to the Q Card as convenient as possible for our customers - and we will work on doing that! Thanks for all your suggestions, everyone, and for asking good questions.
    # February 23, 2007 9:38 PM

    gettaclue said:

    Thank you so much for hearing us!! That's a huge thing for a customer of any business or governmental entity these days!! 3 Cheers for Mary!!
    # February 24, 2007 7:40 AM

    Marc B said:

    is there any way to know if we will be part of the q booster program or not? i know it would have been a couple of weeks before the next shipment was sent out, i registered on the monday afternoon when the program was announced and still have not received any feedback whether it was accepted or not.

    i'd like to test the program, because i'm concerned of what's being said and what will be reality.

    # February 26, 2007 9:56 AM

    Mary Sit said:

    Marc B, we just received the next batch of Q Booster Cards. They should be going out to our Q Boosters later this week.

    # February 26, 2007 5:51 PM

    genna said:

    I received my Q card and I love it. I was however, reading that you will be offering student passes at a discount. Is this going to include college students? And if so will it be all colleges because I attend the Art Institute of Houston. Right now we do not have U Passes or any kind of discount. It really sucks because school is expensive as it is. What would I have to do to get a student card if it is allowed? Thanks for the great service.

    # March 7, 2007 4:56 PM

    Ripley said:

    I have used my Q card on a couple trips (when the station was not closed) and actually got a cheer from one of the drivers!!! It was funny seeing how excited he was. I got a chuckle.

    On the couple Stored Value questions - I was informed that ONLY the price paid for the card was the amount that would transfer over...e.g. your $204.50 value card that you only paid $150.00 real dollars for will transfer over at the $150.00. Is this right, Mary? Or was I mis-informed?

    # March 13, 2007 12:23 PM
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