As some Purple and Red Line riders have noticed in recent days, Metro is in the process of converting ticket machines at stations to TAP only. That means that all paper tickets will disappear except for Metro to Muni transfers.
The conversion has taken place at ten subway stations and will continue in coming weeks to include all Metro Rail stations, as well as the Orange Line and any other Metro ticket vending machines in the area.
The bottom line: If you don’t currently have a TAP card, you will need one in order to pay fares at Metro Rail and Orange Line stations. (Please see below for more information for Metrolink riders).The ticket machines are being converted to TAP as a prelude to locking the turnstiles at some Metro Rail stations. The first gates are expected to be locked later in 2012.
When the ticket machines in stations are converted, Metro staff will be on hand for a few days to help customers with any issues. Staff are also handing out free TAP cards immediately after the machines are converted.
TAP cards are also available at Metro Customer Centers, online at taptogo.net, at 866-TAPTOGO or at one of over 500 pass sales locations throughout the Los Angeles area,
•For those transferring from Muni bus lines to Metro: Starting in September, when you purchase the transfer on the bus you will be given a transfer on a paper TAP card to pay your fare on Metro rail.
•For those transferring from Metro to a Muni bus: The Metro ticket vending machine will issue you a paper transfer that you can use when boarding a Muni bus. You will still need a TAP card for the Metro part of your journey.
•For Metrolink ticket holders: Your Metrolink paper ticket is still good for entry to the Metro system. Metro and Metrolink continue to work on the best way to get Metrolink on the TAP system.
•For EZ transit pass holders, an EZ transit pass on a TAP card will be available for purchase beginning with September pass sales. It’s a hybrid pass on a TAP card with a sticker. Tap the card on systems that accept TAP and show the pass on all other participating bus lines.
As the ticket machines are being converted, Metro is working to inform riders of the changes. Brochures have been put on buses, banners are hanging in rail stations and there are scrolling message signs on the ticket machines. You can find updated conversion information on our TAP fare pages on Metro.net.
Posted with Blogsy
Simple, like milk, put the expiration date on the thing; just like forms of ID, debit and credit cards. This way many can know when the cards expire. A simple solution to what could become a big problem. If this were the case, I could call ahead of time and “transfer funds”, although I do not understand this since I only buy a $75 thirty day pass, but it would be ideal if I knew, I’d get a new card ahead of time. Being charged for a new one I think is a bit of a crock, but I don’t know of many gift cards that are actually free or without an activation fee. Or the opposite, place the issue, manufacture, or whatever date on the card, so we know that it expires three years from that date. I see this like a large bubble in tough mud, its only a matter of time before a mess erupts.
Today, Saturday, I went to the East Los Angeles Customer Center. They have a ‘Ticket’ Vending machine there. I was playing around with it. The price of a TAP card on it was $1.00. [Previously, it had been $2.00] one could buy peak and off-peak Senior/Disabled oneway-trips. I bought an off peak for $1.25. Since ‘ID-Required’ is needed, I am not sure why a eligble person can not get a day pass. That the blue card can handle a ‘Senior/Disabled’ fare, it can not be impossible for a day pass. Why have not offered it? Potential for fraud? Forgot or did not consider it?
Steve H’s Tip:
“Tip: when buying the fare, note that there are two choices for Senior/Disabled one-trips — peak and off-peak. When gates eventually lock, turnstiles will not allow entry for an off-peak one-way that is purchased during peak hours.”
“The best advice I can provide is to be mindful of when your card expires and to either get a new card and have the balance transferred ahead of time or keep the balance low on the old card in preparation of getting a new card.”
“The best I can tell you is that this is the existing system and if you are cognizant of the rules, I think it’s manageable.”
Sorry Steve, but I don’t think this is a winnable battle. Legal issues that TAP cards fall under the CA Gift Card Law aside, under nowhere in the main TAP FAQ section states any warning about this.
How can be people be “cognizant of the rules” when something that’s supposed to be important as “you can’t get your money back” isn’t written anywhere and be made aware of in the first place? Don’t you think “no way to get your money back” is something that’s worthwhile important to be written down? Or does Metro find it convenient to keep this part a secret for their benefit?
Well, it certainly seems that way because the only place where this gotcha is written down anywhere is in the TAP customer agreement available online at taptogo.net:
http://taptogo.net/pdfs/TAP-Cardholder-Agreement-v01a.pdf
“YOUR FIRST USE OF THE TAP SMART CARD SIGNIFIES YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS TAP CARDHOLDER LICENSE AGREEMENT”
Secton 7.2.5
“Carholder’s are not entitled to a refund of Transit Stored Value balance, pass products, or Transit Stored Rides should the Cardholder wish to terminate this Agreement.”
Metro deems that it’s not even necessary for people to be aware about these terms and gotchas beforehand. Instead, they use scam tactics where people unknowingly agrees to the unfair terms upon their first TAP use. And now TAP cards are mandatory to ride Metro Rail?
The complainers were right on this one: THIS IS A TOTAL SCAM BY METRO. All it is another way for Metro to find “alternative sources of funding.” And this time, Metro has stooped its lowest by using scam tactics to squeeze out more money from their own passengers! Now that’s an all time low, Metro.
I call on everyone to boycott Metro!
Is there a reason why Metro NEVER posted anything anywhere in the subway cars, stations, and train arrival monitors about the end of paper tickets and conversion to TAP only?
One would think that if this major change was going to happen, that they would do something like that to educate riders BEFORE the change. The only thing I saw was a crawl on the train arrival monitors on August 28 saying that paper tickets were gone and that you had to purchase a TAP card.
Furthermore, all of the “How to Ride” signage located outside stations and on the mezzanine before the fare gates STILL say that you can purchase 1-way fres with paper tickets. Does Metro even think about these things before making a change.
In addition, they need to consider a better way for using tokens with the TAP card. A casual user like myself who would use tokens to purchase 1-way fares has no direction on the current setup on how to use a token. I had to call the Metro Service Center and be taken through a multi-step process!