Amtrak41 Posted August 23, 2013 Report Share Posted August 23, 2013 I have a Registered Chicago Card, so theoretically will be mailed a Ventra Card starting Aug 26th. How long does it take for a mass-mailing to occur ? How do they initiate the $5 fee ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trigger Posted August 23, 2013 Report Share Posted August 23, 2013 No worries. If you are among the lucky registered Chicago Card holders, there is no fee. The card will include instructions on how to activate it. The activation process is supposed to transfer the balance from your Chicago Card to your Ventra Card. If you are amongst the chosen, you will be notified by email first. In fact, you can order a Ventra Card from their web site right now. No fee until the end of the year for online orders. But you do have to load it with a pass or at least $2 in transit value. https://www.ventrachicago.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amtrak41 Posted August 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2013 I am leaving for Chicago on Friday on Amtrak 29. I hope the Card makes it. According to pdf file: http://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/media_relations_documents/13sw048_Ventra_Milestone_Chart_with_Vending_8_21_on_cta_pace.pdf Registered ChicagoCard Customer: "My balance will not be automatically transferred" Chicago Card Plus Customer: "I’ll get my Ventra Card in the mail. Once activated, my balance willbe transferred" I do not have PLUS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trigger Posted August 23, 2013 Report Share Posted August 23, 2013 Wow. That's new. Thanks for pointing it out. I am sure they were saying at one point that registered CC holders would get their balances transferred. Or maybe not. In any case, they are sending out the new cards free. You don't have to worry about the $5 fee. And your old cards will still work for a while. And I don't know if you want to be the guinea pig for this. People are complaining about buses that have defective Ventra Card readers and Tracy Swartz over at the Tribune has reported seeing gates that only rotate half way when you use your Ventra Card. She says it happened to her and others. https://twitter.com/tracyswartz/status/370904888554684416 It's not like this is a regular thing they do. I don't know how to predict their timing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jajuan Posted August 24, 2013 Report Share Posted August 24, 2013 Hmmm speaking of the Ventra readers, one thing I've noticed on the buses is if the operator isn't properly logged into the Clever Device unit the Ventra readers aren't turned on. I happened to realize that detail upon boarding N9 Ashland buses driven by one particular operator who's never logged into the Clever Device system when he's on layover either at Clark/Belle Plaine or North/Clark and waits to log back in a few blocks after turning back on to Ashland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amtrak41 Posted August 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2013 True or False: On a bus, the "target" for a Chicagocard is the same one as for a Ventracard ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trigger Posted August 24, 2013 Report Share Posted August 24, 2013 True or False: On a bus, the "target" for a Chicagocard is the same one as for a Ventracard ? False. The CC reader is attached to the farebox. The Ventra reader is on the railing to your right as you board the bus. See: http://assets.dnainfo.com/generated/chicago_photo/2013/08/ventra-13754645279406.JPG/extralarge.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jajuan Posted August 25, 2013 Report Share Posted August 25, 2013 False. The CC reader is attached to the farebox. The Ventra reader is on the railing to your right as you board the bus. See: http://assets.dnainfo.com/generated/chicago_photo/2013/08/ventra-13754645279406.JPG/extralarge.jpg That's if the bus is one of the New Flyer models. In the case of the Optimas and Novas, the Ventra reader is on the railing but to the left of the farebox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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