CTA Fare Increase

[Guest ctafan630]

With the fare increase beginning January 1, does anyone know if the bonus for the Chicago Card will also be eliminated?

[Busjack]

With the fare increase beginning January 1, does anyone know if the bonus for the Chicago Card will also be eliminated?

The fare chart has been posted under the Board Meeting reports. The answer is yes (either way you interpret the question).

BTW, since it reflects that the 30 day goes to $86 rather than $90, it is the post meeting chart.

[jajuan]

The fare chart has been posted under the Board Meeting reports. The answer is yes (either way you interpret the question).

BTW, since it reflects that the 30 day goes to $86 rather than $90, it is the post meeting chart.

I also notice that the price of a 7-Day Pass is shown as $23 instead of $24, meaning that if this is price that goes into effect it's $28 for a CTA/Pace 7-Day Pass because of the $5 premium Pace mentioned over whatever final price CTA comes up with for the CTA only 7-Day Pass. All I can say is the fare system overall for both agencies is getting even more convoluted than it already was.

[Guest ctafan630]

The fare chart has been posted under the Board Meeting reports. The answer is yes (either way you interpret the question).

BTW, since it reflects that the 30 day goes to $86 rather than $90, it is the post meeting chart.

Thanks for the information. I will have re-load my Chicago Card before January 1 and take advantage of the bonus while it is still there.

[Busjack]

Thanks for the information. I will have re-load my Chicago Card before January 1 and take advantage of the bonus while it is still there.

I didn't think of it working that way, so good thinking on your part.

[Guest]

I have to say Im glad Pace will no longer accept the CTA Upass in 09. I find there are too many people that are abusing this pass. Sorry to any Upass users here in this blog.

[Kevin]

I have to say Im glad Pace will no longer accept the CTA Upass in 09. I find there are too many people that are abusing this pass. Sorry to any Upass users here in this blog.

Abusing in what way?

[Guest]

Abusing in what way?

As we all know the UPass has a picture of the person to whom it is issued, there are persons who are using this pass that the pass does not belong to them. I make an effort to visually check each UPass so long as the passenger isnt covering the picture, when they do cover the picture, I have to inspect and most times the pass isnt theirs. I find this occurence almost everyday on Pace. This is considered "theft of service", its wrong and it shouldnt be going on, the persons abusing this pass know very well they arent suppose to be doing this. Normally we are instructed to confiscate the pass when it is abused and collect the proper fare. I just nailed a guy thurs. on the #606.

[jajuan]

As we all know the UPass has a picture of the person to whom it is issued, there are persons who are using this pass that the pass does not belong to them. I make an effort to visually check each UPass so long as the passenger isnt covering the picture, when they do cover the picture, I have to inspect and most times the pass isnt theirs. I find this occurence almost everyday on Pace. This is considered "theft of service", its wrong and it shouldnt be going on, the persons abusing this pass know very well they arent suppose to be doing this. Normally we are instructed to confiscate the pass when it is abused and collect the proper fare. I just nailed a guy thurs. on the #606.

Well of course it's almost certain that if it's getting abused on Pace, some of these UPasses are also getting abused on CTA as well. When it comes to unobservant CTA operators, CTA is also getting ripped as well. Come to think of it, it's even easier to abuse it on the rail lines since fares are handle directly on the turnstile instead of by the Customer Service Attendants.

[Busjack]

If I remember correctly, that is a 2 way street, in that CTA requires that the U Pass be part of the student fees.

Regardless of the relevance of comment the prior paragraph, Pace's reason was that CTA wasn't reimbursing them for the fares (and RTA quit doing it). I wonder how easily the CTA-Pace 7 day pass will be distinguished from the CTA one and about people trying to pull something with the latter.

[jajuan]

If I remember correctly, that is a 2 way street, in that CTA requires that the U Pass be part of the student fees.

Regardless of the relevance of comment the prior paragraph, Pace's reason was that CTA wasn't reimbursing them for the fares (and RTA quit doing it). I wonder how easily the CTA-Pace 7 day pass will be distinguished from the CTA one and about people trying to pull something with the latter.

The point of my prior comment is when you have someone who is using a UPass who shouldn't, CTA is losing the fare that unauthorized person should be paying otherwise regardless of the payment for service through the fees paid by the student either with help from family or financial aid. Of course Pace loses out more because they aren't being compensated for UPasses. I understand CTA5750's frustration with these characters, but as you point out they aren't the crux of why Pace will no longer accept the UPass come Jan 1st.

What's needed is an end to this one upsmanship between the service boards that started with the arrogance of past CTA chiefs thinking the CTA is more important than Pace or Metra when all three together are important to providing reliable service to the region. If RTA were by some miracle were to use its mediation authority to get them to realize that, maybe we could go back to some semblance of them working together on providing a fare system between them that's again streamlined and simplified with Pace getting fare compensation for accepting CTA fare media instead of what we have now a complicated mess resulting from them not working harder to do what's best for riders across the region as a whole.

[Guest]

Well of course it's almost certain that if it's getting abused on Pace, some of these UPasses are also getting abused on CTA as well. When it comes to unobservant CTA operators, CTA is also getting ripped as well. Come to think of it, it's even easier to abuse it on the rail lines since fares are handle directly on the turnstile instead of by the Customer Service Attendants.

If it is a problem on Pace, with CTA, it goes without saying, it has always been a constant problem. I cant remember how many people I would see a day pulling this stunt. I know I cant stop every UPass abuser, but it is one of my pet peeves when Im driving my bus. I still maintain a professional attitude when I catch a person abusing the Upass. I make every effort to avoid any confrontations because of course its not worth anything getting into any fare dispute, I certainly dont like getting into fare disputes. On the rails of course it cant be monitored because there really is no contact with rail station agents.

[sw4400]

I also notice that the price of a 7-Day Pass is shown as $23 instead of $24

Correct. But there will also be a new 7-Day pass introduced soon as well. The CTA/Pace 7-Day pass(this pass is to smooth transition from CTA to all Pace Bus routes). It'll be $5.00 more than a standard CTA 7-Day pass(which IMO will eliminate the standard pass eventually, as who would want a pass good only on CTA and maybe a couple of Pace routes when you could have a pass for both CTA and all Pace routes for a few dollars more). This pass will sell for $28... When we get it at my store, I don't know yet.

[CircleSeven]

I just hope CTA & Pace advertise there new joint 7-day passes for people who don't have computers. Because I have a feeling many folks may not know about the joint 7-day and they'll end up getting the regular 7-day at a Currency Exchanges or a Grocery Store and when they use it on the Pace Buses and it won't work on their fareboxes after January 1. That would be a devastation right there.

[jcmellencamp78]

I'm a UPass user...and even I agree that is never should have been able to be used on Pace...especially is Pace isn't seeing any of the fees for that. But most of the people I know who have the UPass don't use Pace as much.

And as someone mentioned...the CTA is taking advantage of the participating schools and students as well. At UIC, the UPass is not an option. It is automatically put on our tuition bills (Originally $95.00 now I hear its going to be $100.00 in the Fall of 2009 because they can't raise the price of the UPass in January because they already had the contracts with the schools). So, in theory, if you don't use the CTA, they are getting $95.00 of pure profit. And I know that some students, especially those who live near campus, walk or ride bikes everywhere, so they really don't use the UPass as much.

[jajuan]

Correct. But there will also be a new 7-Day pass introduced soon as well. The CTA/Pace 7-Day pass(this pass is to smooth transition from CTA to all Pace Bus routes). It'll be $5.00 more than a standard CTA 7-Day pass(which IMO will eliminate the standard pass eventually, as who would want a pass good only on CTA and maybe a couple of Pace routes when you could have a pass for both CTA and all Pace routes for a few dollars more). This pass will sell for $28... When we get it at my store, I don't know yet.

I already mentioned the CTA/Pace 7 Day Pass a little further down in that same post you're quoting. As for who would want the CTA only pass, riders like me who use Pace very little if at all. Why would I want to pay an extra $5 for the CTA/Pace pass when I hardly use Pace (once every three to six months in my case).