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Photo by waltarrrrr via Flickr.
The perils of being an early-adopter: I was recently surprised to discover that my 3 year old TAP card had expired.
And I’m not the only one. We received this tweet today:
@blinkie Tried to load my TAP card with a day pass and the machine said it expired. @metrolosangeles since when do they expire?
It’s a good question, and the answer is: since always. According section 9 of the TAP Cardholder Agreement (which you agree to upon first use of the card):
9. CARD EXPIRATION
Each Card will expire approximately three (3) years after its date of issuance, except for Personalized Cards which will expire based on Cardholder’s period of verified eligibility.
I was vaguely aware of that TAP cards had a limited lifespan, but I wasn’t thinking about that last week when I added $40 to my card only to have a turnstile alert me that my card had expired (and my added value inaccessible) a few days later.
Not only are stored value and passes inaccessible on an expired card, according to the Cardholder Agreement:
“upon card expiration [...] an administrative fee of $1 per month of Transit Stored Value will be deducted from any remaining Card Transit Stored Value balance.”
Yikes. So how do you take care of an expired card? Answer after the jump (you’re not going to like it).
According to TAP representatives, the only way to fix an expired card is to replace it… by buying a new one.
A new card will set you back $2 and if you had stored value or passes on your expired card you must call 1.866.TAPTOGO to have the cash or passes transferred to your new card.
Not ideal, I know. That’s why I recommend checking for the expiration date of your card to avoid any surprises.
How do you do that? You can register your card at taptogo.net (watch this tutorial on how to do just that) and you can find the expiration date of your card in the “My Cards” section of the website. Alternatively you can check the expiration date at a Ticket Vending Machine (“View TAP status”) or by calling 1.866.TAPTOGO.
My first use of the TAP card was on a bus when LA Metro drivers were giving them away if one bought a day-pass. Where/when was I informed of the TAP Cardholder agreement in order to give my consent?
I don’t recall agreeing to any expiration date or other terms of service when I bought and loaded my TAP card at one of the vending machines at a subway station.
Incidentally, a lot of Metro bus drivers still don’t know what to do when you use a TAP with stored value on an express line with zones. I got a free ride because of that today, but still.
My Tap also expired approximately after 3 yrs. I never saw a Terms of Service when I had to buy a New Tap card for $2. I don’t see how Metro is still struggling for $, but they must be to nickel and dime you into submission.
Ronny Rueda, Y Fukuzawa: Actually, adult Clipper cards do have an expiration date — ones given out last year are valid until some time in 2030. The people with the most to complain about are senior citizens, since two of the participating agencies (AC Transit and VTA) refuse to allow senior monthly passes to be loaded onto Senior Clipper Cards, requiring anyone who wants one to obtain an RTC Discount Card (which has a $3 issuance fee and not more than three years of validity). Note that if you have a reduced-fare TAP card, that entitles you receive one courtesy RTC Discount Card good for the same term (but not more than three years).
Hi Fred:
I just checked my two picture TAP cards and they don’t expire until 2013.
There is no money in or on either as I still use the paper Senior EZ Pass until I hear from you or Matt Raymond as to any changes.
I showed my cards (including the one whose photo completely faded)to Matt Raymond at a METRO Citizens Advisory Council meeting some months ago and he explained the tech problem with the photo cards which I originally handled through Jack Gabig when he was at METRO (he is now at Gardena Bus Lines as the Director of Gardena Bus Lines).
Incidentally, Jack spoke at our last Southern California Transit Advocates Meeting and was very well received.
FYI.
—”Ken” Ruben—
Director-at-Large
Southern California Transit Advocates
http://www.socata.net
The newer ones have the expiration date printed on the front just under your name.
Mine says nothing about 3 yrs.But when I bought a 1 day pass on board Thurs, it didn’t go thru.On the lower left on the back, it says AK-08-11, which presumably is the expiration date.