There is one thing the Q will NOT do.  It will NOT fire off a metal dectector.  At least not the one they use at the METRO board roonm.

The 3-31-08 deadline to transfer balances is ridiculous.  I understand that 3-31 is the date when magnetic media will cease to work on the Metro system and I accept that Metro had to set a date to stop using them, but to make the balance transfers end on the same date is very short sighted.

No matter how much publicity Metro does on the Q-Card switch, there will invariably be a small percentage of people who will show up on April fool's day (how appropriate you chose 4-1 to be the day) and try to use a 30 day pass or a Blue card and be denied service.  They will be told it is too late to recoup any balance left and they will be very angry.  Why not relent and allow balance transfers for another 6 months?  People paid for a valid fare item and Metro has arbitrarily refused to accept the item.

My other pet peeve is the arbitrary $500 limit on the Q-Card balance.  This may be about a years worth of local bus rides at 2 per day, but the $3.50 Park & Ride fare will only last 71 days.  I would think that Metro would not care if I want to put $2000 on my card.  They get the money in their hands up front and are able to use it.

Mary Sit – thank you for posting additional answers. I applaud Metro for Tuesday's chat. Great job!

I am also pleased with the upcoming opening of the Grand Parkway Park & Ride.

At the same time, I despise Metro for screwing people with balance transfers from SVC and 30-day passes.

Metro said: "Treasury will know by the serial number of the card where the card was purchased." --- Big Brother is watching you!

Instead of tracking who Metro sold passes to, it might try tracking its buses so they arrive on time.

Metro also said: "If [the passes] were provided by your employer, many employers are requesting unused passes and unused Stored Value Cards be returned."

Again, why would Metro care who provided the passes?! It doesn't ask me this question when I use my pass for paying bus fare today, so why does it care about it when I want to exchange unused passes for future use?

It is clear to me that METRO IS TRYING TO INVALIDATE AS MANY VALID FARE ITEMS AS POSSIBLE during the transition to the Q Card.

Which garage will run the new 222 run?

David I.

30-day pass holder said:

"It is clear to me that METRO IS TRYING TO INVALIDATE AS MANY VALID FARE ITEMS AS POSSIBLE during the transition to the Q Card."

ITA, Metro is trying it's hardest to make it as inconvenient as possible to transfer balances. I have been to Treasury twice to transfer balances.  I went both times early in the morning to avoid the lines, and both times there is one person at the window to handle all transfers plus regular business.  This is very short-sighted.  As the deadline approaches, they should put at least 5 people in the lobby to handle the crowds.

Riders who bought SVC items directly from Metro and have less than $500 to transfer will have the least trouble.  Riders who bought SVC at a discount from their employer must obtain a letter from the employer saying the employee's name is authorized to transfer balances.  The letter must have your name on it and cannot be a generic form letter.  If you no longer work for the employer where you bought the SVC, you still have to get a letter from them or the balance transfer will not be done.

Metro sold the passes in bulk at a 10% discount to ride-sponsor employers which is why they want to know where you bought your SVC.  If you go to treasury to transfer a $75 face value ($97.50 value) SVC, Metro only got $67.50 when they sold the card to a big company so they need to know if they are to transfer $67.50 or $75.

Some employers have decided to handle the transfers themselves and should communicate with their pass holders.  If you work for one of those and show up at 1900 Main, you will be told to contact your employer and you transfer will not be done.

I finally got my hands on a Q card a the TMC transit center.  but having to call to register? Remain on hold for about 10 minutes? as if I had nothing else to do? we should be able to register them online!!

"Which garage will run the new 222 run?

David I."

I'll give it a shot.  Either West or Northwest since both garages have P&R buses running out there on the Katy Corridor.  This is just a guess.

~Cedric Collins~

Mary Sit said:  David I.

The new 222 will run out of the Northwest garage for now.

Cool!  That was one of my choices.  SWEET!

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