I can understand the need to set a date when the magnetic media will stop working on the bus, but I fail to see the point of making the transfer stop date coincide with it.  If people still have blue cards in April, I don't see the harm in letting them transfer the balance to a Q-Card.  Metro sold the Blue cards with the implied contract that I gave them money up front for rides at a later date and there was no expiration date when they were sold.  Now all of a sudden Metro decided that they would expire on 3-31-2008 and they do not have to honor the contract.

I have a larger problem with Metro not accepting the Red monthly pass cards after 4-1-08.  The same principle applies.  Metro sold 30 day passes and accepted our money for unlimited rides during a 30 day period.  Metro has the money but does not have to honor the contract.  With the Blue cards, at least we can transfer the balance remaining on them but with the Red cards there is no way to transfer the remaining balance.

All of a sudden?

Seems that it has been a coupla months since the announcement.

wi11ie

BORING!  Y'all people have been warned that this was coming.  If they (those who think this wasteful warning should be extended) STTILL don't get it, oh well!  They'll figure it out when they'll no longer able to use those "magnetic" strips and such.  Deal with it.

My little ranting for today but this warning deal is atarting to get too doggone old!

My THREE options are:

1.  Use cash.  You can still do that, of course.

2.  Use the Q.  I've been using it for a while now and it's been a breeze to me.  Tap and go.  Heck---I keep it in a little pouch-like thing and I don't even take it out---unless it's for these two reasons:  If an officer is checking to see if I've recently tapped OR if I need to "refuel" the Q.

3.  My favorite option if the two above options don't suit your tastes=>STOP RIDING METRO!  This option is ONLY for people who think they can ride for free.

When April 1st come around, let the fun begin---and it won't be an April Fool's joke, either.  *LOL*

I feel better now!

It's getting very rare on the 132 to see anyone still using magnetic cards, and I don't see many people using cash either.  Wasn't the last day to purchase magnetic cards January 31?  If so, then those cards would have expired by now.  It seems like most of these people with extras are those who got them from their employers.

P&R Rider said:

"With the Blue cards, at least we can transfer the balance remaining on them but with the Red cards there is no way to transfer the remaining balance."

-------------------------

Actually, per a Metro rep who came to talk to us in the Medical Center, you can transfer remaining balance on your red card, or 30-day pass, so I'm not sure why you think you can't.  Transferring the balance is easier if it hasn't been used, but he indicated that you could still get credit for the unused portion.

Unless you belong to some special companies that are on their list you cannot go to the Travis store you have to go to 1900 main. Thanks for making that clear Metro.

P&R Rider said: >> Metro sold the Blue cards with the implied contract that I gave them money up front for rides at a later date and there was no expiration date when they were sold.  Now all of a sudden Metro decided that they would expire on 3-31-2008 and they do not have to honor the contract. <<

APPLAUSE!!!!

Elizabeth;   Yes, METRO stopped selling the red mag cards some time ago and theoretically they should have been used up, but some people who ride Metro infrequently had accumulated several that could not be used before 4-1-08.  

I also believe that it was Metro policy to not transfer the red cards.  Maybe Mary Sit can confirm, but I think it was the individual ridesponsor companies that were doing the transfer of monthly passes to the Q-Card to help employees that had them left over.

At one time Metro had published a plan to only transfer an activated red card on a pro-rated basis so you would have to board a bus, activate a red card and go that day to 1900 Main and transfer 29/30 of the cost of the pass since one day was used.  This was very early in the Q-Card planning and I think Metro decided it was too much trouble to figure what amount to transfer so they said no red card transfers.

Here's what transferring cards has cost me:

$6 to park downtown.

1/2 day off work @ $31/hr.

2 gallons of gasoline at $3.12/gal

That's $136.24 merely to keep the value of the Blue cards which I had already purchased!  Will Metro be reimbursing me for those costs?

Moreover, I have repeatedly asked on blog for Metro to  go to Park and Ride lots to do the transfer of stored media cards to the Q cards.  I was told that they "didn't have the equipment to do it."  Interestingly, when I went downtown...at great expense....the only tools they used to make the switch were the exact same machines they currently have on board all buses.  So I assume this means that Metro does not have buses?  Craziness!!!!

I have asked repeatedly on this blog to find out what metro officials I could call to speak with about this issue.  No referral or information has ever been forthcoming.  Clearly, they did not want customer's input, nor did they want to be held accountable for their nonsensical decision making.

Why does Metro refuse to believe that MANY people do not work downtown??  They show this idiotic belief in their useless routes and in their refusal to bring Metro services to the places where the customers and would-be customers live and actually work.

M'neeka; Metro did the switch to the Q-Card to raise revenue without raising fares.  The balance transfer was done with as much inconvenience to riders as possible to make us not want to take the time and effort to transfer balances so they can keep the money we spent (or our companies spent in the case of subsidised bus cards) and not provide any service.

The principle is the same as the sales rebate plans on many electronic items especially at Fry's.  They make it very difficult to actually get the rebate with the hope that we will not send in the paperwork and they can keep the money.  Every line must be filled out correctly and the right UPC code cut out and mailed in before you wait 8 to 12 weeks for a rebate check to arrive.

But if you read way back on some of the earlier posts on this blog, Mary Sit did supply the name of a supervisor at Metro that ruled on some aspect of the balance transfer.  When I get a chance I'll try to look for it but maybe Mary will read your plea and give you a name to call.  You could always start with CEO Wilson and work your way down. ;)

M'neeka;  The name Mary Sit provided was Michael Flory, fare retail management director at METRO.

I'm like willie,

not just as an operator, but as a reader on this blog!  I believe there has been ample time hummmm, approx 4 months to  get this done!!  no, everyone does not work downtown but some things have to be done!!

whining over it now, is not going to settle anything but i most certainly can tell you, there are 5 more days to transfer cards please do not pout....go do it!!  

THEY WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED......UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES!!

P&R RIDER, YOU ARE RIGHT ABOUT FRY'S REBATES. AND CALLING TALKING AND YELLING DOES NOT SPEED UP THE PROCESS, NOR DOES IT CHANGE IT.  FACT OF THE MATTER IS THE WAY IT IS AND THE WAY ITS GONNA BE!

Is there any way to get the remaining balace refunded. My situation dosnt allow me to ride the bus anymore..

mizz_porkie said:  "I'm like willie,

not just as an operator, but as a reader on this blog!  I believe there has been ample time hummmm, approx 4 months to  get this done!!  no, everyone does not work downtown but some things have to be done!!

whining over it now, is not going to settle anything but i most certainly can tell you, there are 5 more days to transfer cards please do not pout....go do it!!  

THEY WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED......UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES!!"

I wouldn't worry too much about this---if I were you because any complaints will not get anybody anywhere.  Just accept the changes that METRO is making and move on.

M'neeka said:  "That's $136.24 merely to keep the value of the Blue cards which I had already purchased!  Will Metro be reimbursing me for those costs?"

I can honestly tell you---no---not unless the feds tell them to.

When April 1st rolls around, let the whining begin!!!!!  *ROTFL*

P&R Rider said:  

"Metro did the switch to the Q-Card to raise revenue without raising fares."

-------------------------------------

Absolutely!  Just eliminating the day pass and free transfers has probably accomplished this very nicely.

Not whining here, just commenting on the situation.  I transferred about $800 worth of rides to my 2 Q-Cards so I am set for a few weeks.

My original point was why do the 2 dates have to coincide?  No matter how much Metro publicizes the date that mag media stops working, there will be some percentage of people that will try to board the bus on 4-1-08 with a worthless mag card.  Why not make them pay cash, send them to 1900 Main and give them a Q-Card and transfer the balance to it so they don't loose the balance?  An overlap period of a couple of weeks should be enough to get the uninformed riders weened off the mag cards.

P&R Rider said:  "I transferred about $800 worth of rides to my 2 Q-Cards so I am set for a few weeks."

2 Q-Cards?  OK---so who did you swipe one of those Q-Cards from?  Just kidding!  *LOL*

"No matter how much Metro publicizes the date that mag media stops working, there will be some percentage of people that will try to board the bus on 4-1-08 with a worthless mag card."

I'm already anticipating this will happen.

I had to get 2 Q's since the balance limit is arbitrarily set at $500 per card (one of my other pet peeves) so I went to 1900 Main and got my first one and a few weeks later I got my 2nd card from my company.  I transferred about $400 to each card at different times at 1900 Main.

Don't tell anyone, but I actually have a 3rd Q-Card that I applied for online in my wife's name which Metro mailed to me.  I also was a Q-Booster Tester and had a 4th Q-Card that Metro deactivated when they mailed me a replacement.  Metro kept the original Booster card when I went to transfer balances to my 1st Q-Card, so I am down to only 3 now.

I can honestly say....uninformed? NOT!!  riders just want to "MAKE" us believe they did not know...you know i.e, "PRETEND TO BE STUPID" ...."JUST MAYBE I'LL GET BY".....it happended with the day passes, transfers, and now with the MAG STRIPE CARDS, and monday with parents with children who just did not want to CONFORM to CHANGE!!

P&R Rider, I have two Q cards myself:  one through my employer and one registered in my name.  I just don't feel comfortable adding money to the one registered to my employer, particularly since they've had some problems with this transition.

mizz_porkie,

           That happens almost everyday but you won't have to worry about me stooping to the levels of people trying to take advantage of things in life.  Even with the Q, there'll still be problems---especially if people can't put too much on those cards---meaning---they'll "try" to ask to reload and then don't pay at all.  It's happening now and it'll continue to happen in the future so good luck with that problem.

right cedric, there are folks putting $1.00 on it every trip!!  metro needs to raise the minimum onboard the buses to $5.00

For what it's worth, it seems to me there's been ample warning for all of these changes.  There have been signs on the buses, flyers on the trains, big red lettering on transfers before they stopped, big signs at the rail stations, and there have even been announcements on the buses with everything in English and Spanish.

There are certainly a class of people who will try to get away with not paying.  I saw one lady play the "I'm Dumb" trick on the 163 bus one day.  She had a Q-Card but it was either defective (to give her the benefit of the doubt) or she had no money left on it.  She held it up by the green display, red light.  The operator told her to hold it by the red reader, same red light. The lady tried every inclination, forward, backward, but every time was a red light.  After several minutes of trying, the operator told her she needed to add money to it and to go sit down.  So she got a free ride.

I'll bet this scene is played out many times on 4-1-08 and many days afterward until the Metro operators stop allowing the fakers to board.

Not on the 56 that I drive....

Training folks for them and myself has made my trips and theirs a much smoother transition...

yeah I do occasionaly get a "new" person who tries the scam. Fortunately I have a bit of leeway in the schedule and they get it reloaded and make their way back up front and tap the card or I sit...:)

They only try that once and the others on the bus look at them all crazy and then they comply..

It's great being me!

wi11ie

Well Wi11ie, I commend you for caring about the freeloaders and making them pay their fair (fare) share. ;)

It looks like the big day is tomorrow and on my 265 bus this morning I counted only 2 people who used mag cards, 3 people paid cash and the rest of the 50 or so that rode in paid with the Q-Card.  Some can't figure out the big red target and have to scan a few times, but I only saw one lady whose card did not work and was allowed to ride.

The tricky part is going to be when the cash machine isn't working.  This morning on the 132 the dollar bills wouldn't feed into it, so people with cash got to ride without paying, whereas those of us with the Q had to pay.  That's not the bus driver's fault, but Metro really needs to maintain the equipment a little better than they have in the past, or people are going to think it's unfair for people paying cash to get a free ride, or vice versa if the Q reader isn't working (that's happened three times in as many weeks).

AS FAR AS FARE COLLECTION GOES I AM AN OPERATOR AND I BACK WI11LIE.  I MAKE THEIR FREELOADING BUTTS PAY AS WELL OR WALK!!  EVEN THE HOMELESS WHO PANHANDLES DAILY HAVE A DOLLAR.....TRUST ME ITS A GAME IF YOU FALL IN THE TRAPS!!

YES METRO NEED TO MAINTAIN THE EQUIPTMENT MUCH MUCH BETTER!!  

AND WE AS OPERATORS NEED OUR TIME BACK IN THE SCHEDULES SOWE HAVE AMPLE TIME TO ENFORCE FARE COLLECTION.  I DRIVE THE INFAMOUS 52 SCOTT AND TIME IS OF ESSENSCE ON THERE.  EVERY GAME INVENTED IS TOLD ON THERE.  MORE TIME IN THE SCHEDULE WOULD HELP TREMENDOUSLY!!

Yeah Sweetie,

But more time in the schedule means less trips made by the same operators which then destroys the illusion of a service increase which Royko is always moaning about. Sadly I do agree with some of his rantings.Not many,but some.

Sorry Hun, won't happen!

wi11ie

well i know that!! but its worth another rant and rave!!!  

got to go catch this MULE!!

On routes where the patrons are playing tricks, how about some MPD officers with Q card readers.  I don't hink some people on the 52 or 56 could pay a $75.00, much less, $500.00 payment.

BTW, if that paatron is playing tricks, either Bus or Rail, and is PI, panhandling, et. al., they get the $500.00 ticket.  NO 75.00 ADMIN FEE.  

I'm sorry, but the only morality today seems to be the pocketbook type:  it is wrong if it hits me in the pocketbook.  Illness or economic condition is NO EXCUSE!

i think you are absolutely right dominic....i had one yesterday got busted on the 52!!   it was great to see my fellow co workers in law enforcement in action!!  

also...i nly had 1 to try and get by...and i told him straight up pay or get off!!  and ofcourse he paid up!!  its a game!

what i hate is the "sister" game!  told the guy my "brother"  would not get on here asking me for a free ride!!

NONE TRIED THE MAG-STRIPE CARD YESTERDAY...EVEN ON THE DREADED 52 FOLKS CONFORMED....WHAT IS THE PROBLEM ON THE P&R'S?  

WHINE, WHINE, WHINE!!!  

The problems on the P&Rs seems to be that they thought that the change applied to everyone else but them!

Having $400+ on SV cards I guess that they thought METRO would have to honor such an amount. Had your warnings, had the time, didn't fix it?

Not METROS prob...

Sorry

wi11ie