November 20, 2007
PATCO Begins Using Futuristic Moon Cards
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No! This simply cannot be done. After all, that's what SEPTA has been telling us since cards became the payment option of choice for most subway riders around the country. (This was sometime in 1955 or so.) PATCO's new system was delayed nearly a year due to software glitches, but now it offers a MetroCard-style pass that will apparently work through your purse or pocket, too.
Of course, it was expensive? Or something? And although SEPTA wants to have a new fare system in place within three or four years, they'd rather just do this: "[A]gencies may find it much cheaper to let the credit-card industry develop a smart credit card that pays for passage on their buses and trains.... One challenge is that many SEPTA riders don't have credit cards, so any system would need to accept cash, too."
Mark my words: When tokens are eliminated on SEPTA, humans will have had colonies on Mars for at least 30 years.
PATCO issues 'smart cards' [Inquirer]
Posted by D-Mac on November 20, 2007 08:25 AM
Posted to Credit Cards
, Moon Money
, PATCO
, Public Transportation
, SEPTA
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Comments
In New York you can buy MetroCards using credit/debit cards or cash out of a machine for either single rides, a pay per ride where you choose how much money you want to place on the card (you get a bonus $2 for every $10, so $10 will get you $12), or an unlimited card valid for either 1, 7, or 30 days from the first use. So if you got a 7 day card today, it would expire 7 days from now. This was done to avoid people buying cards all at once, say on the first of the month.
Only two types of fare medium are used, paper single ride cards and the plastic cards which are encoded with either the value you want or for unlimited timed use. This way all fare medium ordered is in theory used, which eliminates the waste of printing weekly and monthly passes valid for short periods of time.
All cards can also be purchased from token booths, and pre-valued cards are on sale at various retailers such as newsstands and drug stores.
Tokens were eliminated in 2003 and the conversion allowed for free bus/subway transfers and unlimited use MetroCards.
Other transit properties use the card, such as PATH, so some other transit property could use the same system with ease.
Posted by: A. V. at November 20, 2007 11:33 AM
SEPTA has been "getting there" for well over 20 years, man.
When are they gonna GET THERE?
Or are they even trying?
I swear, they've been shaking the city down mob-style FOREVER...
Posted by: -ihsanamin- at November 26, 2007 07:56 PM
Septa is a joke, and I would rather walk ten miles in the snow than get on and give them my $2 and have to smell piss at the same time.
Posted by: JJ at November 30, 2007 01:38 AM
SEPTA officials need to take some of their (probably) numerous vacation days and ride the Metro in DC. Funny how they managed to have machines that accept cash or credit cards and spit out pre-loaded cards with whatever dollar amount you want on it.
Then the system charges you for as far as you go, deducting it off the balance of the card. That makes using public transportation for short little hops much more practical than SEPTIC, where you're charged the same amount for 1 stop or 20. But that would be too logical.
Posted by: friendlynerd at November 20, 2007 09:46 AM