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MetroCards can be converted under plan that will include $1 green fee for new cards

Harry

By Harry,
in New York City Subway

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Harry

Harry

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[float=left][/float]Straphangers can now keep using the same MetroCard, even if they want to switch to a different payment plan. MetroCard vending machines will now let you convert an expiring seven-day or 30-day MetroCard to a Pay-Per-Ride MetroCard — or convert a Pay-Per-Ride card to an unlimited pass. By keeping the same piece of plastic instead of buying a new card, a rider can avoid the new $1 green fee that goes into effect with fare hikes next month. The green fee will be charged whenever a new MetroCard is purchased. A MetroCard that holds both a dollar value and unlimited ride time will use the unlimited time first. The dollar balance remains on the card and becomes available once the unlimited time on the card expires.

Read more: nydailynews

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jemcclain1

jemcclain1

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As an employee I do have a serious problem with the fact that we don't get literature or any type of flyers that specifically tells us in detail on how this new MetroCard system works. If I didn't frequent the MTA website or if I wasn't a member of this community. I myself would have a hard time understanding the new questions that would arise from passengers. Now I know most of you would probably say, well its really not that complicated to understand the new changes in the refilling of the cards. In fact, it really isn't. But if you are not properly informed of the changes, you are left in the dark. Granted, posters were posted on the bus. The posters that was put up on the buses only go as far as to say, that starting on February 20th, you are now able to add more time onto your current unlimited metrocard. It does not go into details to say that you could have a monetary value and unlimited rides at the same time that could be intertwined between different agencies, such as Path and Airtrain.

An example of a question that I could get from a passenger while on the bus. ( Let's say I am completely unaware of the changes ) Driver I just had five dollars on my MetroCard. Now it's telling me that is going to expire within seven days. What happened to my five dollars. I just lost five dollars, are you for real. ( I kid you not, this is the attitude we get from the passengers ) My answer would have been, you can't have a metrocard with money on it and still have unlimited rides it's just not possible. You must have a different metro card with the five dollars on it. As you could see this could only go down a wrong path.
Am I wrong for being ignorant of the changes. Yes. It is my job to be up to date with whats going on at my job. The fact of the matter is, I shouldn't have to go looking around for information that should be given to me from the get go.
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Via Garibaldi 8

Via Garibaldi 8

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As an employee I do have a serious problem with the fact that we don't get literature or any type of flyers that specifically tells us in detail on how this new MetroCard system works. If I didn't frequent the MTA website or if I wasn't a member of this community. I myself would have a hard time understanding the new questions that would arise from passengers. Now I know most of you would probably say, well its really not that complicated to understand the new changes in the refilling of the cards. In fact, it really isn't. But if you are not properly informed of the changes, you are left in the dark. Granted, posters were posted on the bus. The posters that was put up on the buses only go as far as to say, that starting on February 20th, you are now able to add more time onto your current unlimited metrocard. It does not go into details to say that you could have a monetary value and unlimited rides at the same time that could be intertwined between different agencies, such as Path and Airtrain.

An example of a question that I could get from a passenger while on the bus. ( Let's say I am completely unaware of the changes ) Driver I just had five dollars on my MetroCard. Now it's telling me that is going to expire within seven days. What happened to my five dollars. I just lost five dollars, are you for real. ( I kid you not, this is the attitude we get from the passengers ) My answer would have been, you can't have a metrocard with money on it and still have unlimited rides it's just not possible. You must have a different metro card with the five dollars on it. As you could see this could only go down a wrong path.
Am I wrong for being ignorant of the changes. Yes. It is my job to be up to date with whats going on at my job. The fact of the matter is, I shouldn't have to go looking around for information that should be given to me from the get go.

I agree with you 100%.  I often hear passengers asking B/Os questions about the farebox and many times some of them don't have a clue.  In fact it happened the other day on the express bus and I just thought the B/O was playing dumb.  I said how could he not know if buses taken dollars or not, but I didn't say anything because I figured he was just playing dumb so that if anything happened he wouldn't get an earful from management.

 

My question is how many refills can these cards take now?? Can you still only do one refill of one item at a time? In other words, if I have a card with money and an unlimited Express Bus Plus refill on it, can I add additional things to that one card??

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Metro CSW

Metro CSW

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I just have a question with all of this new metrocard system changes, say you have a 30-day unlimited and you want to put $$ for the Express Bus, would the card get rejected or would the money balance be paid?

 

To my understanding, I think it goes like this....

 

For example, if you have $5 in value remaining on your MetroCard and add a 7-day unlimited ride pass, the next time you use your card, it will activate the unlimited rides and the $5 value will only become available when the 7-day time period expires. Note again however, that if a customer wants to access locations where a 7-Day pass is not accepted such as express buses, PATH or AirTrain stations, the appropriate fare will be deducted, as long as there is enough monetary value on the card.

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QM1to6Ave

QM1to6Ave

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As an employee I do have a serious problem with the fact that we don't get literature or any type of flyers that specifically tells us in detail on how this new MetroCard system works. If I didn't frequent the MTA website or if I wasn't a member of this community. I myself would have a hard time understanding the new questions that would arise from passengers. Now I know most of you would probably say, well its really not that complicated to understand the new changes in the refilling of the cards. In fact, it really isn't. But if you are not properly informed of the changes, you are left in the dark. Granted, posters were posted on the bus. The posters that was put up on the buses only go as far as to say, that starting on February 20th, you are now able to add more time onto your current unlimited metrocard. It does not go into details to say that you could have a monetary value and unlimited rides at the same time that could be intertwined between different agencies, such as Path and Airtrain.

An example of a question that I could get from a passenger while on the bus. ( Let's say I am completely unaware of the changes ) Driver I just had five dollars on my MetroCard. Now it's telling me that is going to expire within seven days. What happened to my five dollars. I just lost five dollars, are you for real. ( I kid you not, this is the attitude we get from the passengers ) My answer would have been, you can't have a metrocard with money on it and still have unlimited rides it's just not possible. You must have a different metro card with the five dollars on it. As you could see this could only go down a wrong path.
Am I wrong for being ignorant of the changes. Yes. It is my job to be up to date with whats going on at my job. The fact of the matter is, I shouldn't have to go looking around for information that should be given to me from the get go.

The (MTA) really needs a better method for keeping employees up to date. Don't you get an official MTA email address? They should email new changes to relevant titles, so every employee has the opportunity to be up to date on changes. I still remember after the 2010 cuts, some dispatchers were telling people where the catch buses that no longer existed. 

 

 

On the news, they said that unlimited cards will now be accepted on express buses, which is a new change. I'm assuming they meant that unlimited 30 day cards with PPR cash loaded onto it as well will use the PPR cash.

 

I noticed on the bus this morning that the faebox read "Pass OK" when it used to say "XFER OK", but I don;t know if this is related to the change or not. 

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Via Garibaldi 8

Via Garibaldi 8

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The (MTA) really needs a better method for keeping employees up to date. Don't you get an official MTA email address? They should email new changes to relevant titles, so every employee has the opportunity to be up to date on changes. I still remember after the 2010 cuts, some dispatchers were telling people where the catch buses that no longer existed. 

 

 

On the news, they said that unlimited cards will now be accepted on express buses, which is a new change. I'm assuming they meant that unlimited 30 day cards with PPR cash loaded onto it as well will use the PPR cash.

 

I noticed on the bus this morning that the faebox read "Pass OK" when it used to say "XFER OK", but I don;t know if this is related to the change or not. 

That makes no sense. How can non Express Bus Plus unlimited Metrocards be accepted on express buses??  The Express Bus Plus card is the only unlimited MetroCard that can be used on Express buses, otherwise you have to pay the regular fare at $5.50.

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QM1to6Ave

QM1to6Ave

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That makes no sense. How can non Express Bus Plus unlimited Metrocards be accepted on express buses??  The Express Bus Plus card is the only unlimited MetroCard that can be used on Express buses, otherwise you have to pay the regular fare at $5.50.

None of the details make any sense. Seems like the MTA realized last minute that they needed to give more options to let people hold onto their cards longer when they should ahve given peopel these options years ago. 

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Via Garibaldi 8

Via Garibaldi 8

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None of the details make any sense. Seems like the MTA realized last minute that they needed to give more options to let people hold onto their cards longer when they should ahve given peopel these options years ago. 

Well to be honest, most of the stations don't give a sh*t about express bus riders in most cases, so it makes sense that they would be misinformed.  You would think we lived out in the boonies somewhere.  For that matter, they're usually clueless about MetroNorth and the LIRR as well.  

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Metro CSW

Metro CSW

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Reading more into the article, I'm actually excited about the part where I can put two-weeks of unlimited fares into one card. I guessing that when I can purchase a new card or refill my current one, I can just simply put the card back into the machine and make the option so that in week 2 I won't have to worry about refilling every week because some jobs nowadays pays bi-weekly. (every two weeks) IMO, It's brilliant!

 

Can't wait until I try these the rest of the new features when PATH, AirTrain and the express buses. ^_^

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peacemak3r

peacemak3r

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Reading more into the article, I'm actually excited about the part where I can put two-weeks of unlimited fares into one card. I guessing that when I can purchase a new card or refill my current one, I can just simply put the card back into the machine and make the option so that in week 2 I won't have to worry about refilling every week because some jobs nowadays pays bi-weekly. (every two weeks) IMO, It's brilliant!

 

Can't wait until I try these the rest of the new features when PATH, AirTrain and the express buses. ^_^

 

Wasn't this a feature already?  I could of sworn I was doing bi-monthly's once I heard they were doing this.

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QM1to6Ave

QM1to6Ave

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Well to be honest, most of the stations don't give a sh*t about express bus riders in most cases, so it makes sense that they would be misinformed.  You would think we lived out in the boonies somewhere.  For that matter, they're usually clueless about MetroNorth and the LIRR as well.  

 

This is true

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Grand Concourse

Grand Concourse

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If addressed somewhere, I apologize I'm advance: what about when the card is close to its expiration date or is beaten to hell? would I be able to exchange that card for a new one and not be hit with the $1 surcharge? I mean I get the point about reusing a card longer than to just tossing it out, but a person can't keep using the same old card for too long and needs to replace it eventually.

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Via Garibaldi 8

Via Garibaldi 8

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If addressed somewhere, I apologize I'm advance: what about when the card is close to its expiration date or is beaten to hell? would I be able to exchange that card for a new one and not be hit with the $1 surcharge? I mean I get the point about reusing a card longer than to just tossing it out, but a person can't keep using the same old card for too long and needs to replace it eventually.

They'll replace it for free if it's expired or has malfunctioned.  Keep in mind that if you buy them from a store, there is no fee.... What I'm going to do is just keep 3 or 4 of them and switch off between them this way they won't get worn out so fast.

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B35 via Church

B35 via Church

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This should've been done awhile ago

Exactly what I said in the other/older thread where this was a topic of discussion...

 

So that's what that was. I actually had an MVM yesterday ask me Add Time or Add Rides (Or something along that line) before I was able to select. 

Yep, I noticed that early this morning also....

 

For the hell of it, I'm going to see for myself what constitutes the "add time" feature on a dummy/null MC......

My exact words when I saw that prompt at nevins whilst refilling the MC was "C'mon, add time, what the f*** is this shit now"....

 

If addressed somewhere, I apologize I'm advance: what about when the card is close to its expiration date or is beaten to hell? would I be able to exchange that card for a new one and not be hit with the $1 surcharge? I mean I get the point about reusing a card longer than to just tossing it out, but a person can't keep using the same old card for too long and needs to replace it eventually.

If you do it via the MVM, it'll tell you your card is about to expire, and it'll prompt you if you want a new one..... Hit yes, then it'll give you a new card w/ whatever amount you wanna put on it (plus w/e amount you had on the old card) & you'll be good to go... No one dollar fee or nothin like that.... If you do it via the s/a, he/she will tell you your card's about to expire & will automatically give you a new one (that happened to me once also).....

 

Now if they were to charge people $1 for getting a new card due to an old one expiring, yes, that would be some bullshit IMO... If that's the case, these things shouldn't have expiration dates on em.....

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RestrictOnTheHanger

RestrictOnTheHanger

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So I tried to refill my card the other day, and the MVM told me that it was "not valid for refill"... despite the fact that it's a PPR card that expires at the end of the year. I had to go to the booth to put my money on it.

 

What gives?

It does that to me sometimes when I try to refill a joint Metrocard / rr ticket. Not sure why

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