First Urban Adventures with the TAP Card

[mattapoisett]

So finally got my TAP card and used it this weekend when my Fiance and I went on our urban adventures with our bikes on the trains [and bikes on Trains are not as easy as metro would lead you to believe but that’s another Post.] We had errands to run downtown and were going to try Bus 439 to see how convenient it is to Union Station. The bus was pulling in as we were getting to the Fox Hills Transit Plaza and 15 seconds later it was on it’s way and deaf to shouts of “wait Up!”. Plan B was take the CCB # 6 to Aviation station and the Green to the Blue.

On the Culver City bus, we were the first TAP Cards the driver had encountered. My Fiance tried to use her TAP card for both of us, but after the first tap it locked her out. Then we tried to get transfers but the fare box wouldn’t take the cards again, so the driver just handed over undated MTA paper ones. When we got to the Green line I did not see any TAP Pylons and the fare machines were near the escalator not the elevator where we were with our Bikes. We didn’t tap we had transfers.

Green To Blue lines, had trouble figuring out how to get down to the platform went out of the station at street level and back in. Tapped and it took $1.25 off the card. Got on a packed train for 7th and Metro Center. When we got there the elevator had been closed off so some homeless Guy could have some personal space. But he shared and we went to street level.

Biked around Downtown. Went to the Library, California Plaza and Grand Central market. Then headed for Pershing Square, TAPed on the Red line for another $1.25 to Hollywood and Highland where we biked back home to Culver City.

I’d give My TAP experience a C+. I’d used a similar smart card in DC 7 years ago and it was much easier then. Though it was nice to have one fare card for Culver City and MTA but there are things I have questions on like, When will transfers be worked out? If you reach $5 during the day will you have a day pass? How is Proof of Payment handled before fare gates? If you need a paper transfer from MTA do you go to the ticket Machines? I know this will be worked out but the lack of info from the MTA on this is irksome considering how long it has taken to implement.

Take Care

- P.

[Transit Coalition]

Matt: Interesting experience. But here are some basic problems:
How much did you pay for the TAP card? $62 for a Metro monthly or $70 for a Metro / Muni EZ TAP card? (I don't believe these are out yet, but I will find out soon). So, if you didn't pay $62, then you paid $17 for a weekly TAP card. Either way, it is only good for one person, not two.

Now, in this phase of the roll out, you have either a weekly or a monthly pass, not a per ride pass. Right now the system only tracks that you validated for each ride you take, but it only acts the same as a paper pass.

While Culver City is now TAP equipped, you would have had to buy a $70 Metro/Muni TAP card for it to register on the Culver City bus. If that was not the case, then the coach operator should have charged you a basic Culver City fare. But, this is learning curve time for both you and the Culver City drivers.

At the Rosa Parks station, you should have just gone done the escalator straight to the Blue Line platform. I am not sure that you would have encountered any TAP machines, as you are inside the system making a rail to rail transfer.

Once you realize that you simply have a monthly or weekly pass, and that you TAP when you enter the rail system or per bus, then it isn't so complicated. It is nice to learn how you see things as a consumer, so the marketing can be adjusted.

[mattapoisett]

Hi Bart,

I bought 2 of the debit version which I only put $30 each on. The theory is when I tap it will deduct only what it needs to. So if I get on a Culver City bus it deducts .75¢ If I then get on a Metro bus and I TAP The theory it will only take .35¢ or .25¢ depending on which fare rules are at work. What I think happened is since it is not smart enough yet to deal with inter-agency transfers it deducts the full fare each time. I will find out tomorrow when I go from Culver City to Beverly Hills on a CCB and Metro Bus. When I was issued this card Culver City said to Get a transfer I would Initially TAP twice once for the Fare and Once to have the system issue me the transfer but that did not work on Saturday. And I am still not sure what will happen when I hit $5 in a day or $17 in a week or $62 in a Month with the card I have. Though, I probably won't hit the thresholds all that often. And when I Tap it is Deducting the fare and the card balance changed appropriately

Also at Rosa Park Station I could not Take the Escalator since we both had Bikes and it is frowned upon to send them down the moving stair. Neither Elevator on the platform had a sign with Directions to the Blue line.

FYI My name is not Matt. Mattapoisett is just the name of the town where I grew up

Take Care

- P.

[dasubergeek]

admin said:

At the Rosa Parks station, you should have just gone done the escalator straight to the Blue Line platform. I am not sure that you would have encountered any TAP machines, as you are inside the system making a rail to rail transfer.

Once you realize that you simply have a monthly or weekly pass, and that you TAP when you enter the rail system or per bus, then it isn't so complicated. It is nice to learn how you see things as a consumer, so the marketing can be adjusted.

Metro have just spent years teaching everyone that transfers are dead (at least Metro-to-Metro transfers, anyway). This includes rail-to-rail transfers; if I want to go from Union Station to LAX on Metro Rail, it would cost me $3.75 -- $1.25 for the Red Line, $1.25 for Ghetto Blue and $1.25 for the Green Line.

Mattapoisett said he put $30 on a TAP card, so it's hard for me to imagine that it's any kind of time-limited, one-person pass.

Early adopters of technology often have frustrating experiences, but there are plenty of case studies of TAP-type cards in large cities for Metro to have used to gather "lessons learned". Hong Kong, for example, has the most successful prox-card system I've ever seen -- the Octopus Card has branched out from its transit roots and can be used as a debit card anywhere. London has its Oyster card, which is a huge boon for tourists who are trying to figure out the bizarre distance-and-belt-based, multi-company transit system.

A little extra signage would not go awry: "Debit TAP Card Holders Must Tap For Transfer" in a station, or "No Tap Required For Transfers" as the case may be.

I am looking forward to the system's maturity -- and it's my very great hope that it will be a resounding success and the standard for Socali transport, so that my Metrolink pass can be put on a TAP, or an OCTA pass. No more of those awful dot-matrix card printers à la BART at Angel Stadium -- just tap and go.

Ah, I suppose I'm dreaming.

[joequality]

I'm thoroughly confused now....

Initially I thought the TAP would be like a card you put $xx.xx amount on and use it like a credit/debit card: TAP it instead of dropping coins, and that amount is subtracted from the card.

Then someone clued me in that it can only be purchased in terms of monthly or weekly passes. Individual rides are not "purchased" but the TAP is just like a pass.

So how did "Mattapoisett" buy only $30 worth?

(And Metro really should more info on the website about this)

[mattapoisett]

Because I bought mine from Culver City Transit which has been desperate for a replacement for Metro Cards since they were phased out. For the most part it did work as predicted. but I don't know if other systems besides CCB and Metro are up with them. Some one asked me today about Big Blue Bus and I did not know.

Edit: Big Blue Bus said it will be a year before it will implement.

[nickv]

I am looking forward to the system's maturity -- and it's my very great hope that it will be a resounding success and the standard for Socali transport, so that my Metrolink pass can be put on a TAP, or an OCTA pass. No more of those awful dot-matrix card printers à la BART at Angel Stadium -- just tap and go.

Ah, I suppose I'm dreaming.

Well, parts of your dreams may be a reality soon and very soon all because of an okay from the Metro Board to install fare gates. Either that, or say good bye to the Metrolink transfer/EZ-Pass agreement for Metro Rail; here's why...

Since the Metro Board approved fare gates for many of its rail stations, Metrolink will need to upgrade its fare media so that a valid Metrolink ticket or pass will open the gates (those gates probably won't be equiped with custom-built OCR scanners to read the exiting Metrolink fare media). This move comes at a very bad time since Metrolink's budget is already cash-starved due to high gas prices and inflation. I know Metrolink riders would find it unacceptable if the EZ Pass agreement was scrapped due to all of this...

The Metrolink board proposed a few days ago more fare hikes and possible service cuts.