Ventra - Feedback and Updates

[jajuan]

Well tomorrow is the big day guys. This is the last day that mag stripe cards will be accepted on CTA. Come tomorrow, Ventra cards and RFID debit and credit cards will be the only cards accepted for fare payments. I noticed last week that CTA put up notices at the rail stations listing the closest Jewel, Walgreen's, currency exchange and other Ventra retailer close to that particular station for riders who've procrastinated in getting a Ventra card so they can possibly avoid any potentially long lines at the station Ventra vending machines.

[TripleTransit1]

This is it. Today's the day. RIP Magnetic stripe cards (1997-2014).

[Ratjeev]

I'll be travelling to Chicago again soon. My last visit a year or so ago using mag stripe cards. My question is will a 7 day ventra card cost $28 or $33 ($28 + $5) when bought at the vending machine. If I order a card beforehand on ventra's website, will the 7 days start on the 1st tap? Sorry if these questions sound dumb as I can't find the exact answer on CTA or Ventra's websites. Thanks in advance.

[Busjack]

I'll be travelling to Chicago again soon. My last visit a year or so ago using mag stripe cards. My question is will a 7 day ventra card cost $28 or $33 ($28 + $5) when bought at the vending machine. If I order a card beforehand on ventra's website, will the 7 days start on the 1st tap? Sorry if these questions sound dumb as I can't find the exact answer on CTA or Ventra's websites. Thanks in advance.

The answer seems to be put $28 on it, register it, and after it is registered, use the $28 to buy a pass. Otherwise, pay the $33, and get $5 of transit value back when you register it.

Either way, it is a cumbersome, multistep process.

Also, the first tap should start the 7 days.

__________

An aside, your question seems to assume that there is a specific card called a Ventra 7 day pass. There is only one Ventra card, but it can have various types of transit accounts associated with it, including passes and pay per ride.

[Kevin]

I'll be travelling to Chicago again soon. My last visit a year or so ago using mag stripe cards. My question is will a 7 day ventra card cost $28 or $33 ($28 + $5) when bought at the vending machine. If I order a card beforehand on ventra's website, will the 7 days start on the 1st tap? Sorry if these questions sound dumb as I can't find the exact answer on CTA or Ventra's websites. Thanks in advance.

There's no $5 card fee if purchased from Ventra's web site. I recommend that out of town visitors order Ventra cards from the web site in advance to avoid the fee, unless they plan on using their own contactless bank card. (Although I recently discovered that Canadians are out of luck, as Ventra only ships to US addresses.)

[Busjack]

There's no $5 card fee if purchased from Ventra's web site. I recommend that out of town visitors order Ventra cards from the web site in advance to avoid the fee, unless they plan on using their own contactless bank card. (Although I recently discovered that Canadians are out of luck, as Ventra only ships to US addresses.)

That's because ordering it on the website registers it, while just buying it from a machine or a merchant does not.

Of course, using the website depends on whether they will ship the card to Ratjeev in time to use it.

[MarioM]

I'll be travelling to Chicago again soon. My last visit a year or so ago using mag stripe cards. My question is will a 7 day ventra card cost $28 or $33 ($28 + $5) when bought at the vending machine. If I order a card beforehand on ventra's website, will the 7 days start on the 1st tap? Sorry if these questions sound dumb as I can't find the exact answer on CTA or Ventra's websites. Thanks in advance.

The $5 fee is waived for Ventra card purchases by phone, over the web, and at Ventra retailers through 7/7/14. It is not waived at Ventra vending machines.

The 7-day period starts running when you first use the pass, not when you buy it.

[MarioM]

There's no $5 card fee if purchased from Ventra's web site. I recommend that out of town visitors order Ventra cards from the web site in advance to avoid the fee, unless they plan on using their own contactless bank card. (Although I recently discovered that Canadians are out of luck, as Ventra only ships to US addresses.)

Only until 7/7. Unless they extend it, after that point they will make you pay the $5 fee in addition to whatever pass or transit value you order, but immediately credit your account for $5 since you have to register it.

The issue of foreign credit cards is interesting. Some foreign cards no longer have magnetic stripes, which means that the Ventra vending machines can't read them and so foreign visitors can't use them to pay for a Ventra card or ticket. Plus if you pay with a credit card, the machines demand that you enter a zip code, which people outside of the United States won't have. I've received reports from someone from Canada that entering a random number works for them and from someone from the UK that it doesn't. It might depend more on the issuer of the card than the country.

I haven't been able to determine whether foreign contactless bank cards will work at Ventra card readers. It is my understanding that while the EMV (Chip & PIN) cards can be equipped with Paywave or a similar contactless feature, the data transmission standard it uses is different than the US cards.

[Busjack]

Only until 7/7. Unless they extend it, after that point they will make you pay the $5 fee in addition to whatever pass or transit value you order, but immediately credit your account for $5 since you have to register it.

...

The only way this is pertinent is whether one has to pay $28 or $33 on the web, but the whole business of CTA "waiving the fee" was bogus to begin with, as it depended on registering the card, although it was automatically registered if they mailed it to a CC+ holder who was able to activate it, or Pace made registration mandatory at one of its events.

The essential question is whether, if a visitor pays the $33, the visitor will get any use of the $5 transit value, or that is just something against CTA is going to assess a dormancy fee.

[MarioM]

The only way this is pertinent is whether one has to pay $28 or $33 on the web, but the whole business of CTA "waiving the fee" was bogus to begin with, as it depended on registering the card, although it was automatically registered if they mailed it to a CC+ holder who was able to activate it, or Pace made registration mandatory at one of its events.

The essential question is whether, if a visitor pays the $33, the visitor will get any use of the $5 transit value, or that is just something against CTA is going to assess a dormancy fee.

And that was Ratjeev's question: whether he had to pay $28 or $33.

Until 7/7, if you purchase at a retailer (Walgreens, CVS, Jewel, a currency exchange), you don't have to pay the $5 or register the card.

[Busjack]

And that was Ratjeev's question: whether he had to pay $28 or $33.

Until 7/7, if you purchase at a retailer (Walgreens, CVS, Jewel, a currency exchange), you don't have to pay the $5 or register the card.

That was never the case. As sw pointed out (and he was selling the cards at Jewel), he had to ring up the $5 fee plus at least $1 of transit value, under separate PLUs, and give separate receipts, or the card could not be activated.

Anyway, the question was buying on the web, and you didn't answer whether the $5 fee applied. Now, if you want to contradict Kevin....

[MarioM]

That was never the case. As sw pointed out (and he was selling the cards at Jewel), he had to ring up the $5 fee plus at least $1 of transit value, under separate PLUs, and give separate receipts, or the card could not be activated.

Anyway, the question was buying on the web, and you didn't answer whether the $5 fee applied. Now, if you want to contradict Kevin....

http://www.transitchicago.com/news/default.aspx?Month=&Year=&Category=2&ArticleId=3315

$5 Ventra Card fee continues to be waived at retailers until July 7.

The $5 one-time new card fee will continue to be waived until July 7 at

the more than 1,300 drugstores, currency exchanges and other

conveniently located retailers throughout the Chicago region that

distribute Ventra Cards. The $5 fee also continues to be waived for all

online and phone orders for Ventra Cards. Ventra Cards obtained at

vending machines in CTA rail stations require a $5 one-time new card

fee, which is immediately refunded as transit value upon registration of

the card.

[Kevin]

http://www.transitchicago.com/news/default.aspx?Month=&Year=&Category=2&ArticleId=3315

$5 Ventra Card fee continues to be waived at retailers until July 7.

The $5 one-time new card fee will continue to be waived until July 7 at

the more than 1,300 drugstores, currency exchanges and other

conveniently located retailers throughout the Chicago region that

distribute Ventra Cards. The $5 fee also continues to be waived for all

online and phone orders for Ventra Cards. Ventra Cards obtained at

vending machines in CTA rail stations require a $5 one-time new card

fee, which is immediately refunded as transit value upon registration of

the card.

Note that unlike for retailers, no end date is specified for web or phone orders. I guess we'll know after the 7th.

[MarioM]

Note that unlike for retailers, no end date is specified for web or phone orders. I guess we'll know after the 7th.

Good point.

[ctrabs74]

The $5 fee is waived for Ventra card purchases by phone, over the web, and at Ventra retailers through 7/7/14. It is not waived at Ventra vending machines.

The 7-day period starts running when you first use the pass, not when you buy it.

As I found out when I bought my Ventra card from the TVM at the Clinton Blue Line station. But at least I have one now.

[sw4400]

Note that unlike for retailers, no end date is specified for web or phone orders. I guess we'll know after the 7th.

I imagine it'll be universal, Kevin... otherwise retailers like Jewel will have Ventra cards sitting around not getting bought taking up space. If a customer can order one on the web or over the phone, why go to a retailer and pay a $5 fee? I don't think retailers get any payment from CTA for reloads, just for sales of new cards.

[MarioM]

I imagine it'll be universal, Kevin... otherwise retailers like Jewel will have Ventra cards sitting around not getting bought taking up space. If a customer can order one on the web or over the phone, why go to a retailer and pay a $5 fee? I don't think retailers get any payment from CTA for reloads, just for sales of new cards.

Jewel puts a Ventra card in your hand immediately. If you need to ride the bus today, it doesn't help if cards are available to order over the net. Jewel also lets people pay in cash. For all the unbanked masses in the inner city who don't have credit cards, this is an important feature.

According to this Group Sales brochure:

How does the commission process work for buying and selling Ventra Cards?

If you have a Ventra Terminal, you will receive a 1.5 percent commission on all sales of Ventra Cards and transit products added to Ventra Cards. This commission does not apply to Ventra Tickets. You can make commission and sell cards from your account as long as the transaction is made on a Ventra Terminal.

I assume the same applies to everyone who has a Ventra Terminal? Is Transit Value a "transit product"?

On another subject: 1.5 percent won't even cover their credit card merchant fees if the customer pays by credit card. I assume that's why many Currency Exchanges only accept debit cards or cash for Ventra.

[Kevin]

You could also buy a $15 Ventra Card for just $7 from a guy standing outside Bryn Mawr this evening.

[sw4400]

You could also buy a $15 Ventra Card for just $7 from a guy standing outside Bryn Mawr this evening.

Buyer beware on that one... that card might be stolen or defective, etc...

[jajuan]

Well NP has begun taking the readers for Chicago Cards, CCP and mag stripe cards off their fareboxes in light of Ventra cards and Ventra tickets being the only farecards sold and accepted for fare payment on CTA and Pace now as of last Tuesday. I saw it done for 1397 on the 50 Damen and 4144 on the 22 Clark today. NP is the only garage I've seen removing those readers. Buses at the other garages still have them so far from what I've been able to see, and most of them are taped over waiting for eventual removal.

[garmon757]

Damn, talk about a triple play on the Ventra machines because none of them aren't taking any bills. Courtesy of 69th Red Line.

[Busjack]

Damn, talk about a triple play on the Ventra machines because none of them aren't taking any bills. Courtesy of 69th Red Line.

So, what was someone supposed to do if they didn't preload? Were CAs letting people through the turnstile?

[Kevin]

Note that unlike for retailers, no end date is specified for web or phone orders. I guess we'll know after the 7th.

So there's still no card fee if purchased online, and I'd guess the same is still true for phone orders as well.

I am still trying to get answers regarding how Ventra works for foreign visitors. Ventra doesn't appear to ship to non-US addresses and it's not clear if you can register a card with a non-US address. As was brought up earlier, even paying with credit at a vending machine is unclear since they request a US ZIP code. I've both emailed and tweeted Ventra regarding these questions. No response. At this point, the best advice I can give to a friend visiting from Canada next month is to bring US cash and register their card to 1060 West Addison.

[Busjack]

....At this point, the best advice I can give to a friend visiting from Canada next month is to bring US cash and register their card to 1060 West Addison.

Garmon's post puts a question to the first, and the Illinois State Police are still looking for Elwood Blues at the second.

[garmon757]

So, what was someone supposed to do if they didn't preload? Were CAs letting people through the turnstile?

Good question because I was wondering why the transit police was over there. So I'm guessing that someone was going through the turnstile or the handicap gate.