Wednesday, July 27, 2011

That MetroCard will cost you!

From NBC:

All that yellow plastic you see scattered around the floor of your favorite subway station may look cheap and disposable.

But the MTA says it costs the agency $20 million a year to print and clean up those cards. So the MTA is now planning a $1 surcharge on MetroCards to help offset the cost.

The MTA insists regular riders will hang on to the cards they have, and refill them, instead of buying new cards and paying the fee.

That would lead to less waste, cleaner stations, and less overtime spent on the janitors who have to pick up the discarded cards.

23 comments:

georgetheatheist said...

Bring back the token.

Anonymous said...

This is one of the few rare times I have to agree with the MTA.

If this "slob surcharge" does the trick, then so be it1

Anonymous said...

What about those of us without subway stations (Greetings from Staten Island, again)? We do not get any discount 'cause we can't get the cards, if we do get the cards we can't refill them.

Anonymous said...

You know what people never throw away and last for decades??? TOKENS!

Anonymous said...

Metro cards suck!!! Hated them since they were introduced. Why do they expire! Hate it when they dont read at the turnstile! Started hording them and will sell 4 for dollar when this is implemented.

Anonymous said...

Bring back tolls on the East River bridges.

Anonymous said...

Time to bring back the token. Don't know why NYC government had to destroy such a simple concept with computerized cards and an expensive system that needs to be maintained. No scammers. No trouble at the turnstile by swiping ten times. Customers don't have to wait months to get a refund. Simplicity. What a concept! Bring it back and stop jerking us around.

Anonymous said...

Why not sell more durable credit type cards? use it like an EZ Pass?

Joe said...

This could very well be a Trojan to keep your money or something else

The MTA recently made LIRR fares expire in 14 days then add a $10 processing fee for refunds **only under 14 days** ?
If is what the MTA bastards did with the LIRR !!

Anonymous said...

Yea brink back the token.

How does a 30 day unlimited token work?

Anonymous said...

For those in a double fare zone, tokens are NOT an option...dumbasses!

Anonymous said...

The card wear out too quickly to put more money on them. As it is they changed the bonus structure so I usually end up with an odd ammount of change left over that I throw away and lose and the MTA keeps.

Anonymous said...

You can track a card user electronically which you can't with a token.

Welcome to the brave new world order!

But maybe the MTA will bring tokens now that we can all be tracked by our cell phones.

Anonymous said...

everybody wants the old token system back anyway. It just made good sense. So you'll never see it. Right?

Anonymous said...

Tokens are always good and always work. Remember the 2-fare zone? Think of all the money the MTA would make on that. No more 30 day card. It's pay as you go without an expensive system to maintain. Sounds too simple for the MTA idiots. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. The MTA is looking to fix us by jacking up the fares again.

Anonymous said...

Not sure why no one has mentioned this:

The magnetic strip on these cards wears out very fast. You start out having to slide the card once, then as time goes by twice, and then you begin to have to slide it over and over again. If I could keep refilling a card for a year I would, I only keep buying new cards because the cheap crappy cards wear out so fast.

I'm sure that $1 will be put towards making durable cards that last longer though. Not.

Anonymous said...

"The card wear out too quickly to put more money on them."

I mentioned it.

Anonymous said...

For a dollar, you'd have to triple the thickness. Otherwise, thirty cnets.

Anonymous said...

Tokens are always good and always work but wont be back.
The MTA wants to track people.
Big Brother is alive and well and all part of this new Trojan

Anonymous said...

"The card wear out too quickly to put more money on them."

I've been using the same one for over 9 months.

Anonymous said...

"The card wear out too quickly to put more money on them."

I've been using the same one for over 9 months.
_____________________________________________

Well aren't you special?

Anonymous said...

"Well aren't you special?"

"Yes, yes I am"

Phineas and Ferb

Anonymous said...

"Yes, yes I am"

Phineas and Ferb

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You mean Hideous and Nerd!