Linkable Transit....

[Guest]

It seems that the issue of the old transfer card isnt over. Pace will still sell a transfer card on its buses but it is not valid on CTA,

It is only valid between Pace Suburban Buses. On the Pace routes I ve worked I had a few people so far purchasing transfer cards on my bus and then they would ask me if the card is valid on the train (CTA). I tell them no not anymore and then they get stuck paying an additional full fare to a CTA bus or train. The RTA needs to address this issue, the transfer cards were being phased out but it seems they still cause commuter confusion. I guess not everyone wants to deal with the transit card/smart cards.

Also, is CTA still charging the 1.00 to or from the train station shuttle fare? What if youre using a transit card? It will still deduct a full fare. Anybody know about this? Ive been away from CTA for 2 years now.

[trainman8119]

It seems that the issue of the old transfer card isnt over. Pace will still sell a transfer card on its buses but it is not valid on CTA...

...Also, is CTA still charging the 1.00 to or from the train station shuttle fare? What if youre using a transit card? It will still deduct a full fare. Anybody know about this? Ive been away from CTA for 2 years now.

CTA doesn't accept transfers, period. They feel they lose money with them. For that matter, they really don't want to co-exist with Pace and for many years have tried to find ways to screw them with transfers, fare cards, etc. I have often said that Pace can't survive without the CTA. They seem to be the only agency that depends on everybody else to survive. I guess that is just how they are set up.

As for the CTA $1 shuttle fare, it is a thing of the past. That went to the fare grave with the recent fare hikes. It is 2 bucks, just like everything else. If you have a fare card it is $1.75.

Should the Doomsday plan take effect, it won't matter. Those routes would be history anyway.

[Busjack]

Universal fare media have been mandated for years and ignored by the RTA. All of the things mentioned above went into effect in 2005 when CTA did raise fares somewhat to deal with the then deficit (since the state legislators asked when was the last time you raised fares). It is also an attempt to force people to use either Transit Cards or Chicago Cards, where the fare did not go up (similar to the Tollway doubling tolls unless you have I Pass). Of course, since you work for Colonial/Academy, it is possible for passengers to get a transit card at the Rosemont station, but probably not at the Schaumburg or Elk Grove Village end of the route. There are also parts of the city (such as the southeast side) where it isn't very easy to get a transit card or Chicago Card, either. According to the CTA, you can get them at some Jewel and Dominick's stores, but nowhere near your routes.

The Auditor General noted how the current system discourages occasional riders, but all the RTA does is pay consultants to conduct studies that don't come to a conclusion, since they can't figure out a way to integrate Metra's distance based fares and on board inspection system with a smart card system. So, the legislature gets dissed, again. The Auditor General also tried to describe the manner in which CTA and Pace split transfer fares, which I couldn't figure out.

[geneking7320]

CTA doesn't accept transfers, period. They feel they lose money with them. For that matter, they really don't want to co-exist with Pace and for many years have tried to find ways to screw them with transfers, fare cards, etc. I have often said that Pace can't survive without the CTA. They seem to be the only agency that depends on everybody else to survive. I guess that is just how they are set up.

As for the CTA $1 shuttle fare, it is a thing of the past. That went to the fare grave with the recent fare hikes. It is 2 bucks, just like everything else. If you have a fare card it is $1.75.

Should the Doomsday plan take effect, it won't matter. Those routes would be history anyway.

My $0.02 on CTA transfers is they likely feel their losses come from people soliciting transfers which have rides left on them. In recent years you would hear almost as a mantra... "does anyone have a transfer they don't need?". Some people would even get on a bus and beg for your transfers.

Gene King