On July 29th, 2013, CITYWTCHLA posted an article on the problems those of us who use the Metro system have with their TAP machines that sell TAP card daily, weekly and monthly passes - and which now the now required TAP cards for even single rides. And yet, every day, I still see many patrons struggling to get the machines to work properly.
As for my personal experience, after a few months with minimal problems, once again - the tap machines are malfunctioning so badly I can no longer refill my monthly pass TAP card.
For two weeks now when I try to fill my card, I am told that I can ONLY buy a daily pass on that machine since that machine can only handle function. That machine then tells me I need to use another machine to refill my monthly pass card . BUT - every machine in that station also says the same thing - that I need to use another machine - as does every machine in the other station I need to go to each day.
And no other option is given me other than to just try another machine. Meanwhile, Metro continues to collect daily pass fees from me - and pocketing the extra money they are collecting/stealing from me. And - as a final insult - I just noticed that no one from Metro ever bothered to posted a response to the July CITYWATCHLA article - or a response to the post I had made - even after Kevin Roderick over at LA OBSERVED linked to it.
UPDATE - Even though Metro did not post a response on the CITYWATCHLA post, Metro did reach out to the person who wrote the article and along with another person, were asked to comment upon proposed new upgrades to the system. And I commend them for that - and will have more on that later.
But - meanwhile, back in the real world - I have get together the money to double pay for this month's TAP card and then take an hour out of my day to walk to Union Station and wait in line to find out why the TAP machines will only let me me on a daily and not a monthly basis.
Not to excuse the poor machine infrastructure--because, come on, Metro, let's get it together--but before I'd pay double by buying the daily passes one by one, I'd just go online and put a monthly pass on my existing card that way. Maybe rely on that until they get their ducks in a row?
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