Smart Cards

[mr.x]

TransLink ticket expiry times to stay in force

Oct 12 2007

A move to extend how long transit tickets are valid has fizzled.

Vancouver Coun. Peter Ladner wanted the expiry time for proof-of-payment tickets increased from 90 minutes to two hours.

He argued the current valid time for a ride sometimes isn’t enough to cover a long trip on the system, especially if congestion is heavy.

TransLink staff reject the idea, saying a wider window of time would cut into TransLink revenues and give much more opportunity to illegal ticket-flippers, who resell discarded but still valid tickets, often for drug money.

It would also have required reprogramming ticket vending machines at a cost of $100,000.

TransLink has had only 34 formal complaints in the past two years about the 90-minute ticket time.

“This issue does not seem to be a major concern to most customers,” a staff report said.

It also notes TransLink’s planned move to a smart card payment system in the next few years will likely bring in an entirely new fare structure that would eliminate current zones and instead charge based on actual distance travelled.

Transit riders may also have more time to use tickets than many realize.

“The proof of payment is still valid as long as the passenger boards the last link of their trip before 90 minutes,” the report says, noting someone could board SkyTrain or a bus 85 minutes after buying or validating the ticket, then legally ride for another 40 minutes for a total trip of more than two hours.

In addition, there’s also a six-minute grace period, so passengers can board as late as the 96-minute mark.




We've heard about the smart card program for quite awhile, but hardly any details about it except that it was to be called "ORCA" or One Card For All until Seattle stole our name because Translink was too slow to go ahead with this program.

I remember reports that said the card would be in operation in 2009, but obviously it won't be ready for many more years. What's exactly a "few" years? 5? 10?

I hate that word.

[djh]

Originally Posted by mr.x2

TransLink ticket expiry times to stay in force

Oct 12 2007

A move to extend how long transit tickets are valid has fizzled.


Transit riders may also have more time to use tickets than many realize.

“The proof of payment is still valid as long as the passenger boards the last link of their trip before 90 minutes,” the report says, noting someone could board SkyTrain or a bus 85 minutes after buying or validating the ticket, then legally ride for another 40 minutes for a total trip of more than two hours.

In addition, there’s also a six-minute grace period, so passengers can board as late as the 96-minute mark.

The number of times I've got on a bus, inserted my ticket, the machine has beeped and the driver has looked at the ticket and said flatly "It's expired" is innumerable. I bet no driver is even aware of this "six minute grace period" rule. Frankly, they are sometimes *un*gracious about that, and when I consider the probability that the timestamp and the actual time are likely different, I really want to cause a fuss. But no, I buy yet another ticket.

[zivan56]

^^ Even if they let you in, the transit police can still fine you (as they don't know when you got on).

[deasine]

We've heard about the smart card program for quite awhile, but hardly any details about it except that it was to be called "ORCA" or One Card For All until Seattle stole our name because Translink was too slow to go ahead with this program.

I remember reports that said the card would be in operation in 2009, but obviously it won't be ready for many more years. What's exactly a "few" years? 5? 10?

I hate that word.

Completely agree. This is a fine example of "big talk no done"

[clooless]

Originally Posted by djh

The number of times I've got on a bus, inserted my ticket, the machine has beeped and the driver has looked at the ticket and said flatly "It's expired" is innumerable. I bet no driver is even aware of this "six minute grace period" rule. Frankly, they are sometimes *un*gracious about that, and when I consider the probability that the timestamp and the actual time are likely different, I really want to cause a fuss. But no, I buy yet another ticket.

But then you get drivers that smile and say "No problem" when you're 25 cents short on a fare. It works both ways.

I wonder if the fare boxes on the buses are programmed to give you a six minute grace period? If they aren't and the transit police ticket those within this six minute window then there really isn't a six minute grace period, is there?

[cornholio]

Originally Posted by zivan56

^^ Even if they let you in, the transit police can still fine you (as they don't know when you got on).

Dispute it and use this quote in court.

“The proof of payment is still valid as long as the passenger boards the last link of their trip before 90 minutes,” the report says, noting someone could board SkyTrain or a bus 85 minutes after buying or validating the ticket, then legally ride for another 40 minutes for a total trip of more than two hours.

[deasine]

Oh just to disappoint us even more, GTA and YRT is expecting to have their Smart Card system by 2009.

[twoNeurons]

Originally Posted by zivan56

^^ Even if they let you in, the transit police can still fine you (as they don't know when you got on).

I guess this assumes that most trips on most buses don't last more than 40 minutes... you could argue that you got on the bus at its start and still be within its time window.

I think they're more likely to try to catch those that have expired tickets from 3 hours ago.