nerm. ([info]bluepoet) wrote in [info]chicago_el,
@ 2005-12-28 09:04:00
Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend!  Next Entry
RedEye article: Making sense of the CTA's fare hike
Anyone read today's article in the RedEye? (Online through the Tribune here)

When I read it, I was pleased. It reads as one of the easiest explanations of the new fare structure. The article does say that "If you pay cash or use a magnetic strip card on the 'L,' your fare will increase 25 cents; no transfer for you." This really surprised me, and while it didn't concern me for my own travels (Chicago Card Plus user), I was thinking about all of occasional users I know who have stuck with the magnetic strip cards instead of going the smart card route. What I've seen in the CTA explanations (pdf) is that, yes, the rail fare is up to $2 starting Jan. 1 for magnetic strip card users on the rail, but everything seems to say that the transfers still exist on the rails and buses with the magnetic cards--the only transfers gone are for cash fares.

Essentially, the article that seemingly makes this all seem easy to understand has the wrong information, it seems. Right? Just when I thought this was going to be easy...

(Post a new comment)


[info]omokage
2005-12-28 03:24 pm UTC (link)
Chicago Card and Chicago Card Plus users are not suffering from the fare hike.

The controversy wasn't over the fare hike in general, but the proposition that handicapped riders would have to pay more.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]bluepoet
2005-12-28 03:28 pm UTC (link)
Yeah, both of those things I know. It's this hiccup in info on the transfers that I think is annoying for the general public. I get this all, but is the average rider going to take time to look all this up online like I did?

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]woodychitwn
2005-12-28 04:35 pm UTC (link)
As an occasional user myself, the Chicago Card Plus makes perfect sense. Before I got it I would take cabs or drive, even when the el made more sense. The reason being, I never had any clue how much was on my card. That's no longer a concern, because now I always know I have enough on my card.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]bluepoet
2005-12-28 04:43 pm UTC (link)
I love that about having mine. I hate carrying cash, and I felt like I was always putting money on my fare card. I wish I could convince my brother of all of this; he prefers to drive everywhere, when I think the L makes more sense sometimes.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]sage_grouse
2005-12-28 04:57 pm UTC (link)
I usually have a U-Pass, but not over winter break (until Jan 14th). Can you still buy transfers with cash? Would it just be $2.25?

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]bluepoet
2005-12-28 05:02 pm UTC (link)
No cash transfer. It looks like you'll pay $4 in cash to go from one bus to another (what would have been a $1.75 fare with an extra 25 cents for your transfer card). You should look into the magnetic strip transit cards (if you don't want to go Chicago Card/Chicago Card Plus), which you can get at rail stations and various other places, like some currency exchanges and grocery stores. Magnetic fare cards will still have 25 cent (for 2) transfers that we've been used to.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

[info]sage_grouse
2005-12-28 05:05 pm UTC (link)
Oh ok. Thanks :).

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

[info]chi_thirdrail
2005-12-29 01:09 am UTC (link)
Just get a regular Chicago Card. If you register it to your name (which allows you to have it replaced, less $5 in value for replacing the card), you can get one for free. It'd arrive by Saturday, at the latest, if you ordered it online tonight.

Fill it up at rail stations or at Currency Exchanges that are equipped for it (there are dozens now). Then, use it as-needed. One neat perk for the unprepared is that if you board a bus with less than enough fare to ride, it allows you to board anyway, leaving you with a negative balance, so long as you started your trip with more than zero, allowing you to more easily get somewhere to refill the card. In other words, if you have $0.85 on it, the display will allow you on and just show $-0.90 on the card. Transfer to another bus, and you'll see $-1.15. At the train station, it won't let you through, since you can refill it at all 140 CTA stations.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

[info]sage_grouse
2005-12-29 01:25 am UTC (link)
Super helpful, thanks. I had a minimal understanding of what the Chicago card entailed but I get it now. I'll do that then, at least for when I don't have a U-Pass.

(Reply to this) (Parent)
uhhhh....
[info]btripp
2005-12-29 04:17 am UTC (link)
"It'd arrive by Saturday, at the latest, if you ordered it online tonight."

Actually, they're saying "10 days" ... and mine took closer to 14 days to get here (but I did break down and get one).


Visit the BTRIPP home page!



(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
Re: uhhhh....
[info]chi_thirdrail
2005-12-29 04:34 am UTC (link)
Hmm. Maybe there's a backup. Last time they were free, I got mine the next day. But, there wasn't about to be a fare increase for people that didn't have them. I figured an automated system would just pump the things out and USPS would take care of the rest.

Mail has been slow leading up to Christmas too. Maybe it'll be better now.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]ninstr
2005-12-28 07:56 pm UTC (link)
See what confused me was the transfers. If you buy an unlimited and go from bus to train will that work? It was the end "no transfers and no reloading", because I use a fair amount of the bus and train. I have the Chicago Card and plan on getting the Chicago Card Plus, but I prefer the unlimited cards because then I don't waste as much money a week, yet I can't afford making the Chicago Card Plus an unlimited monthly. Gah!

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]bluepoet
2005-12-28 08:00 pm UTC (link)
You don't have to go 30-day with the Chicago Card Plus. You can still do pay-per-ride like you do on the Chicago Card, but the CCPlus is connected to your debit or credit card.
For Chicago Card users, it looks like pretty much nothing is changing.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

(Anonymous)
2005-12-28 08:07 pm UTC (link)
Except that it's cheaper to buy an unlimited because I use it more than I spend on it. If I were to pay for every ride a week I'd end up spending about $30-$40 with my Chicago Card. I think it's somewhat more convenient but not terribly more so than a magnetic strip. Then again, I'm not really impatient and don't run for a bus or train so I never had a problem with people "taking forever" because they were paying with cash.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

[info]bluepoet
2005-12-28 08:28 pm UTC (link)
I hear that. I'm not impatient; I'm just poor. A 30-day pass gets me to and from work at $5 a month cheaper than I'd pay with a pay-per-ride option--and that doesn't even account for errands, trips to volunteer, and rides to and from fun.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]broan33
2005-12-28 08:18 pm UTC (link)
Unlimited is unlimited... transfers are irrelevant...

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

(Anonymous)
2005-12-28 08:24 pm UTC (link)
All I needed to know, thank you.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

[info]unhappymeal
2005-12-28 08:31 pm UTC (link)
That's cause broan is DA MAN!

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

[info]broan33
2005-12-29 06:43 pm UTC (link)
I thought you hated me?

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]chi_thirdrail
2005-12-29 01:03 am UTC (link)
Unlimited ride cards, be they magnetic 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, or 30 day cards (which are available all over town), or a CC+ set to 30-day, will allow unlimited rides on all CTA and Pace buses, and CTA 'L' rapid transit lines.

The only people to see any real difference will be those who refuse to plan ahead and buy fare media (just like we used to buy rolls of tokens before the mid-90s at Jewel or Currency Exchanges to save money). Otherwise, those who pay-per-ride with magnetic cards will see a $0.25 increase, as part of encouraging people to use the Chicago Cards so buses will move a little more quickly.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]chi_thirdrail
2005-12-29 01:16 am UTC (link)
Allow me to make it even easier.

Full Fare w/Chicago Card: $1.75
Transfers w/Chicago Card: $0.25 for first xfer, 3rd ride free

Full Fare w/Transit Card: $2.00
Transfers w/Transit Card: $0.25 for first xfer, 3rd ride free

Full Fare w/Cash: $2.00
Transfers w/Cash: Not allowed

Unlimited ride cards: Nothing different

Other notes:

Chicago Card Bonus: $1 for every $10 added when minimum $20 added at one time. (Note, it used to just be $1 added for every increment of $10 you add at once, with no minimum--this means you HAVE to add at least $20 at a time to get any bonus!)

Transferring from Pace (suburban bus system): Transfers from Pace buses when the initial fare was paid in cash will NOT be accepted by CTA. You HAVE to pay using a Transit Card or Chicago Card if you wish to transfer to a CTA bus or train, no matter where you start.

(I'm going to post this to this group once I finish updating savechicagotransit.com)

(Reply to this) (Thread)
oh..
[info]nowthatsbleach
2005-12-29 07:21 pm UTC (link)
hmmm, i thought the new Chicago Card bonus only kicked in for each $20 you put on a Chicago Card, rather than each $10 you put on after an inital $20. i hate how that you still would be able to get it for each $10 you put onto it, but that you have to put a minimum of $20 before you can get it for putting $10 on at a time! (adding up to $30, $40, and etc. for $10 increments)

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
Re: oh..
[info]chi_thirdrail
2005-12-30 12:32 am UTC (link)
You're right. I went and updated savechicagotransit.com last night and realized that it is only $2 for $20.

Someone explained it to me improperly elsewhere.

Wow. Even I got confused. That's not good. lol

(Reply to this) (Parent)
and to state an omitted fact about the new fare structure
[info]nowthatsbleach
2005-12-29 07:35 pm UTC (link)
and to correct what you said about the Transit Card fare hike, from what i've already heard(the Red Eye article above even reconfirms this):

Transit Card(first ride being on the 'L): $2
Transit Card(first ride being on a bus): $1.75(this being the omitted fact)
transfers w/Transit Card: same price as before, $0.25 extra for 2nd ride, free for 3rd ride

its weird, since i believe in another post or responce on this community, i saw that noone cited that the inital fare with a Transit Card is still the same if your first ride is on a bus(and that the 25 cent increase is ONLY if your first ride is on the train). still, i'm planning to get a Chicago Card, since i originally was gonna get one last summer, and never got around to doing so.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
Re: and to state an omitted fact about the new fare structure
[info]chi_thirdrail
2005-12-30 12:33 am UTC (link)
I think that was what I heard initially, but CTA's materials don't seem to show that. Maybe I have to go back and re-read.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
Re: and to state an omitted fact about the new fare structure
[info]chi_thirdrail
2005-12-30 12:43 am UTC (link)
Ah! Yes. It is still only $1.75 on bus!

(Reply to this) (Parent)

Create an Account
Forgot your login or password?
Login w/ OpenID
English • Español • Deutsch • Русский…