[il-talk] {Disarmed} Read this about Ventra

[Robert A.Hansen]

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Gripes and guffaws: CTA’s flawed Ventra system hits low-income riders hardest
7 comments  
By YanaKunichoff, October 14, 2013 at 9:37 am 
 Photo by Steven Vance/flickr.   
The Chicago Transit Authority’s rollout of the new 
Ventra fare card had a rocky time last week, after a series of technical and customer service problems forced the CTA to backtrack on its plan 
to stop issuing old passes.
The endless thread of comments—mostly complaints--on the Chicago 
Transit Authority’s Facebook page, as well as responses our reporters 
solicited on social media about the first few days of planned 
Ventra-only transit were almost Kafka-esque. Some people had yet to 
receive their cards but were already receiving multiple emails urging 
them to register their card. One man received more than 100 cards. Others reported waiting on hold indefinitely to speak with a representative who never answered.
But many complaints centered on the fact that the Ventra system could cost more for those who have less to spend.
To use the old CTA magnetic fare passes, there was no additional cost beyond what was placed on the card as transit fare. But for Ventra 
cards, the process is more complicated. A card itself costs $5. The 
money is returned if the card is registered online or over the phone 
within 90 days. But for thenearly 40 percent of Chicagoans who are entirely offline or have limited access to Internet connections, registering the Ventra card could be difficult.
A commenter on the Facebook page of one of our reporters expressed 
concern for people who did not have regular Internet access to check 
whether they were being double charged for their cards:
The bogus charges they put on your account, when you actually 
don't use the card. In other words, they are robbing folks by charging 
them extra swipes, and swipes that you have not made. And if you don't 
have a computer or Internet access, there's no way to know they are 
stealing from U. It only gets fixed after you call, however what happens if you never notice it?
Another commenter noted that it was difficult to see how much money 
is on the card, which made it hard to take advantage of the $.25 
transfer fare:
I think my biggest complaint, though, is that Ventra doesn't let 
you know the balance on your card every time you use it, which the old 
fare cards did. I'm on CTA a lot, every day, which makes it hard to keep a mental running note of my balance. Unexpectedly not having enough for a transfer is a giant PITA.
Another commenter on a reporter’s Facebook page said privatizing fare systems gave private companies access to money that should be going 
into the public coffers:

The banking partners now have access to your money to use for their 
other investment opportunities. They can also transfer wealth via fees 
from your bank account directly to them. Ten cents and twenty dollars 
from one victim is nothing. From hundreds of thousands of victims... 
FOREVER... is REAL money for these people to use in other ways in other 
markets. It is a straight up wealth transfer and an invitation to 
abuse/fraud. etc. Oh, in return there will be less public employees 
making salaries; spending money and paying taxes to SUPPORT the city and
 getting pensions. Sort of a lose, lose, lose for people and a virtually
 bottomless piggy bank for Org. Money...
As we previously reported, the Ventra system is run by a San 
Diego-based company called Cubic Transportation Systems. Cubic oversees 
revenue services on five continents, and has received more than $4 
billion in contracts doing it. A Freedom of Information Act request from the Chicago Reporter requesting a copy of Chicago’s contract with Cubic has yet to be returned, but the Chicago Sun-Times reported that the 
contract cost almost half a billion dollars.

Despite the CTA’s insistence that the Ventra card was introduced because
 the old transit cards were becoming outdated, many comments expressed 
confusion as to why Ventra was introduced in the first place:
I want to know who is making money off this new system. Why did they make a switch that no one seemed to ask for??
While others had their theories:
I have a question - which CTA or city hall bigwig can we expect 
it to be eventually be revealed has a familial or business relationship 
with Cubic Transportation Systems? It's hard to think of another reason 
why this would be farmed out to San Diego at the cost of Chicago 
residents' jobs. Unless it was on ideological grounds - I know the Mayor of Chicago hates public services and public workers and wants to see 
them all privatized.
The rocky road to Ventra has also been ripe for satire. The Whiskey Journal, a local website, announced Wednesday that:

In an unexpected move the Chicago Transit Authority announced on 
Wednesday that the organization’s current transit card would be replaced
 with a slice of ham, according to city officials.
Citing the absolute lack of problems with current card system, the 
CTA announced the new ham slice system was critical and would take 
effect immediately.
Or, as another commenter put it:
At last, a parking meter deal for those of us without cars! 
 
A previous version of the story said that to register a 
Ventra card, it had to be connected to a bank account. That information 
has been corrected. 
Filed under: Government and Politics 
Tags: Chicago, CTA, transportation 
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[what's this]

CommentsLeave a comment 
	* Olaf1 said 3 weeks, 2 days ago
You do not have to connect your Ventra Card to any kind of bank account in order to register it.
If you wish, you may set it up for autoloading from a bank account, but this is not required. 
All that you have to provide to register it is your name, address, 
phone, and birth date.  (And, no, they do not check your ID.)  You can 
even do it over the phone if you don't have internet access.  NO bank 
account or credit/debit card is required.  And you get your $5 purchase 
fee credited to your Ventra Account.
Reply 
	* Brian Wolf said 3 weeks, 2 days ago
In reply to Olaf1:
Why do journalism and fact-checking when you can just copy and paste uninformed internet comments?
Reply 
	* Ryan Williams said 3 weeks, 1 day ago
In reply to Olaf1:
This comment brought you by Cubic Systems incorporated.
Reply 
	* CharlesPaidock said 3 weeks, 2 days ago
Re:  Private Company with Access to Fare Box
The one comment about concerns regarding a public-private partnership I believe are genuine.  I testified both before the CTA and the State 
of Illinois public hearings, expressing concerns about a bank we found 
was classified as one offering low service and high fees, etc.  There 
are a number of articles about PPPs found at the lower portion of our 
website. 
The concerns of the riders about registration are justified.
Charles Paidock, Secretary
Citizens Taking Action for public transit
www.CTAriders.org
Reply 
	* CharlesPaidock said 3 weeks, 2 days ago
Re:  Private Company with Access to Fare Box
The one comment about concerns regarding a public-private partnership I believe are genuine.  I testified both before the CTA and the State 
of Illinois public hearings, expressing concerns about a bank we found 
was classified as one offering low service and high fees, etc.  There 
are a number of articles about PPPs found at the lower portion of our 
website. 
The concerns of the riders about registration are justified.
Charles Paidock, Secretary
Citizens Taking Action for public transit
www.CTAriders.org
Reply 
	* Olaf1 said 3 weeks, 1 day ago
Thank-you for making the correction.
Anyone who does not have internet access can register their Ventra 
card by calling 1-877-NOW-VENT.  Internet access is not required.
Reply 
	* Cassandra West said 3 weeks, 1 day ago
In reply to Olaf1:
Thank you for pointing out the error.
Reply 
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