Bring back the token!?

[MainStreetBound7]

I've been thinking about it recently, and wouldn't it be more efficient to use tokens instead of metro cards. They cause less errors then metro cards.

 

Metro Card Errors:

 

Magnetic strip getting messed up

Getting folded by accident

Just plain old not working.

 

Tokens never had this many problems, the only thing I can think of are people making counter-fit tokens. Or the machines taking the tokens just not working.

 

Give your feedback of why you think metro cards or tokens are better.

[St Louis Car 09]

I remember some grocery stores actually took (NYCT) Tokens as currency to buy items like snacks,soda,etc... IMO I think the was in better shape when tokens were around.:tup:

[Messino]

Aint going to happen, tokens cost too much money to produce. They would have to modify the turnstiles all over again... They take up too much space in the vending machines... Theft reasons.....cant be tracked with a serial number... Fraud....Cant be used as evidence against someone..

[Kamen Rider]

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

[Gorgor]

Yeah, I really want to have to go carry around some bulky tokens all day. And for student metro cards? Give them free tokens and they'll go give them to their parents.

[Kamen Rider]

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

[Roadcruiser1]

Poor idea. With tokens you would have to coin make and haul them. Not just that they are really heavy and bulky, old fashioned, and easy to counterfeit. So no tokens are not a good idea. Instead of tokens we should utilize a smart card system. Which is simple and computers can easily read.

[m7zanr160s]

Poor idea. With tokens you would have to coin make and haul them. Not just that they are really heavy and bulky, old fashioned, and easy to counterfeit. So no tokens are not a good idea. Instead of tokens we should utilize a smart card system. Which is simple and computers can easily read.

 

Touch and go, man. Touch and go. Looking forward to that.

[Nova RTS 9147]

I've been thinking about it recently, and wouldn't it be more efficient to use tokens instead of metro cards. They cause less errors then metro cards.

 

Metro Card Errors:

 

Magnetic strip getting messed up

Getting folded by accident

Just plain old not working.

 

Tokens never had this many problems, the only thing I can think of are people making counter-fit tokens. Or the machines taking the tokens just not working.

 

2/3 of the reasons you gave have to do with the care and upkeep of them with their users as opposed to any fundamental problem with Metrocards. Think of it as a credit/debit card. Would you treat that like crap? Or would you put it in your wallet unfolded...

[rr4567]

Aint going to happen, tokens cost too much money to produce. They would have to modify the turnstiles all over again... They take up too much space in the vending machines... Theft reasons.....cant be tracked with a serial number... Fraud....Cant be used as evidence against someone..

 

Whaddya mean modify them all over again? All they have to do is remove the little metal sheet that covers the token slot. If you look, all the turnstiles have the coin return slots. (oh, the high entry ones.......well that's a different story)

 

On the cost: Maybe if the tokens were plastic? Like in them little play cash registers (note: I'm joking)

[Guest lance25]

It took damn near ten years, if I'm not mistaken, to make the entire system MetroCard-ready. To revert back to tokens would not only be a complete waste of money, but also a step back in terms of technology.

[Law]

Whaddya mean modify them all over again? All they have to do is remove the little metal sheet that covers the token slot. If you look, all the turnstiles have the coin return slots. (oh, the high entry ones.......well that's a different story)

 

On the cost: Maybe if the tokens were plastic? Like in them little play cash registers (note: I'm joking)

 

Most of the newly installed turnstiles don't have a toke slot.

[Gorgor]

I totally agree, we NEED to go back to tokens! You don't know how many times I've accidentally folded my metro card and screwed up the magnetic strip, it happens likee allll the time. </sarcasm>

 

The two main arguments are trying to protect idiots against their own stupidity...

[EE Broadway Local]

God, those were the days. Tokens in the subway, tokens (or change) on the bus, paper transfers between the old Franklin Avenue station and Franklin Avenue 70(A), double fare (two tokens) south of Broad Channel and change in PATH.

 

I have a small collection (including one of the last ones). The tokens with the cutout Y are cool. My smallest one is the size of a dime and was good for a 15/20 cent fare.

 

[Eric B]

Anyone notice how the Knicks have copied the "Y" token design? (Basically replacing the "C" with a "K")

[Grand Concourse]

No, They'd gamble them off. One of my classmates once lost his student metrocard in a dice game...

 

in a catholic high school...

 

in religion class...

 

 

did help that there were normily twenty of us, and instead there were like, 7 that day, most of the others off seeing a show with our nut job of an english teacher, and the religon teacher said screw it.

 

:smh:

Well, I'll add to that with this: few years ago in an arcade place, some kids placed a bullseye [$1.25] token into a machine that launches coins to some designated spot for ticket redemption. Meanwhile the subway stop was a block away and a token for this arcade machine was worth 25 cents. I'm :smh: when I saw how stupid these kids were.

I know either they found it or they didn't care, but they easily could've redeemed that subway token for 5 tokens.

[Noflexdont]

I think that tokens should come back but only for bus use. with the fare going up to $2.50 that going to be ten quarters. The fare system on buses would not have to be retrofitted at all. I just don't see the sense in having to bother a store for change (some do say no) when the store can sell you a token. MTA can sell rolls of 50 lets say to stores for 5% less of face value.This would be financially wise cause they are give a 7% bonus on Metrocards sales (starting Dec 30) and making 2% more on a fare with out giving a transfer to a train. just my thought .

 

i have a question what happen to the old tokens? Did they get melted down, if not use them again.

[Grand Concourse]

I think a large majority got melted down, but some were kept and given to the TM/annex to sell. The old tokens sells for the same price as the current fare [at least I think that's how much they cost].

[Ceya]

 

1.No, they just cause more of a mess. The station agents had to go out with a bucket and "pull" the turnstyles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.Who's fauilt is that; oh, that's right, yours for not taking care of it.

 

 

 

1. It is better than the computer going down or the machines take no bills.

 

At least we can have token booth clerks again full time.

 

2. Is it our fault that the cards get deducted a fare instead of deducting your transfer. 5 times in 4 months. All on buses. brand new cards on 4 of them.

 

S/F,

CEYA!

[Kamen Rider]

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

[R110B]

Wirelessly posted via (Mozilla/5.0 (Danger hiptop 4.6; U; rv:1.7.12) Gecko/20050920)

 

As much i liked and miss the token i prefer the card and the elimination of the double fare zone.

[R110B]

Wirelessly posted via (Mozilla/5.0 (Danger hiptop 4.6; U; rv:1.7.12) Gecko/20050920)

 

Also the 10pack was handy for the weekday.

[checkmatechamp13]

I think that tokens should come back but only for bus use. with the fare going up to $2.50 that going to be ten quarters. The fare system on buses would not have to be retrofitted at all. I just don't see the sense in having to bother a store for change (some do say no) when the store can sell you a token. MTA can sell rolls of 50 lets say to stores for 5% less of face value.This would be financially wise cause they are give a 7% bonus on Metrocards sales (starting Dec 30) and making 2% more on a fare with out giving a transfer to a train. just my thought .

 

i have a question what happen to the old tokens? Did they get melted down, if not use them again.

 

That seems like a good idea.

 

#1 pulling the turnstyles was the riskiest part of the job back then, they kept getting attacked by jerks trying to steal the tokens.

 

#2 If it deducted fares on diffrent buses, then the common factor is you and the card, the not buses.

 

Couldn't it be the farebox misreading the MetroCard? There have been times when the farebox scanned my MetroCard for 10 seconds until it accepted it, and I didn't bend the MetroCard or get it dusty or anything that could've caused it to be misread.

[Grand Concourse]

That's what I hate about the fare boxes on the buses. Sometimes it takes forever to read a card and mine are perfectly preserved in my wallet [not bent].

Some have either mis-labled a xfer for fare paid and I think a few times the box took another fare when it should've been just an xfer.

 

The bus system in Las vegas has readers that allows you to swipe your card and accepts $ bills. The MTA should bring back those types of boxes for this system. Would be a vast improvement over what we have now.

[lilbluefoxie]

yea the MTA really needs to put fare boxes on the buses that take dollar bills and give back change, at least up to $5 bills and gives back change, the express bus ones should be able to take $10 bills