Welcome to Twitter Tuesday, our roundup of the latest Metro related tweets. To get our attention, add the #MetroLosAngeles tag to your tweets and subscribe to our feed if you haven’t already. For specific complaints and customer service, please use the Customer Comment Form on metro.net.
If having problems viewing this post, please read part one and part two on the Storify website.
Categories: Feedback, Twitter Tuesdays
Steve,
“The bottom line is that everyone is expected to TAP before boarding, whether they have a single ride ticket, day pass or weekly or monthly pass. Tapping is the way that Metro can check that everyone paid.”
More clarity on the TAP card itself would be helpful. As it stands now, they read:
“Card must have a valid fare product and must be tapped on bus fare box or rail station validator/gate for every boarding”
However, this statement alone is still ambiguous as people and tourists are not really clear what “a valid fare product” means.
It would be more clear to tourists and those who aren’t used to transit to add the bolded suffix “…regardless whether it has a pre-paid unlimited ride pass or cash value” to that sentence to re-iterate that.
Thanks for the response to my question/complaint. (As a reminder, I tweeted “@metrolosangeles Got a day pass but had to get off Expo Line/miss train since I forgot to tap before. It’s unlimited. Why was I told to tap?” to which you replied: “Even though it’s unlimited for the day, Metro still needs to check that you paid your fare at each station. Even without the gates being locked yet, tapping is the best way to check.”)
I think I’m still a little confused. To clarify, I saw a train coming from across the street at the Expo Park/USC stop (ground-level, gateless stop) and just barely made it on board before the doors closed. Because there’s no gate to enter the stop, I didn’t realize I had to tap my unlimited day pass before boarding (in my rush, I didn’t even see a tap target, though I’m assuming one was there). The officer on board who scanned my day pass later said I’d have to get off at the next stop and tap before re-boarding or face a $75 fine. I thought I’d be able to tap quickly and jump back on, but at the next Expo line stop, the only tap target was at the bottom of a long staircase, so I had to miss the train I was on and wait for the next one. My confusion is: if it’s a prepaid, unlimited day pass, why did the officer make me leave a train I had paid to ride? Didn’t her card reader show when she scanned my card that it was unlimited and I had already paid for my day’s rides in full when I bought it? It would’ve been nice if she had just informed me that next time, even with a day pass, I have to tap (even at stations without a gate at all), and then let me continue riding the train I was on.
Lesson learned for me, but if stations like Expo Park/USC remain gateless, I’m sure there are going to be confused tourists with day passes who will have to learn their lesson the same way I did.
Hi Liam;
The bottom line is that everyone is expected to TAP before boarding, whether they have a single ride ticket, day pass or weekly or monthly pass. Tapping is the way that Metro can check that everyone paid.
Steve Hymon
Editor, The Source
About the late night service, and Metro’s lack of definitive zones. If Arthur MArtinez was in a Red Purple zone (Union Station to Wilshire Western), there would be ten minute service. The five minute service in that zone is brilliant after rush hour. The same applies for pico station, Ive seen headways of 3 minutes, where as a year ago, one might wait ten to fifteen minutes for just a blueline train (Also, this was before ten minute service). Metro should look at its zoning, as it is very efficient in some areas. In example between Wilshire and Alvarado, there are three (actually 4 options), RedLine, Purple Line, 720, and 20. The same can be said for Vermont between Wilshire and Sunset; options are 204, 754, and Redline. Its cool once you can memorzie the schedules, and with the metro app its even easier, if you are above ground.
lenny,
It’s already up on City of Whittier:
http://www.cityofwhittier.org/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?blobid=5479
Basically what they do is put a stupid little sticker on front of the TAP card and you show it that you have a TAP card.
Quite frankly, it’s a stupid idea because anyone with a scanner can make a perfect clone of the sticker by printing them out onto a sticker label that anyone can buy at Stapes and Office Depot.
rumor has it that EZ passes are going to finally be available on TAP, but that you’ll need an EZ pass sticker to let non-Tap operators know of your TAPpage…can you confirm, deny or enlighten us please
Hi Lenny;
We’ll be posting soon about this. Very soon.
Steve Hymon
Editor, The Source