[il-talk] Fw: Ventra Fare Machines

Thu Oct 3 21:18:23 UTC 2013

Steve,

If Dave was calling Ventra to activate his card, he may not have
explained why he needed to speak to a representative rather than using
the automated system with a touch tone telephone.  The automated
system requires very rapid entry of numbers, allowing only three
seconds or so to press a button.  If a number is not entered within
the three second timeframe, the session is terminated and the end user
needs to begin entering the 16 digit card sequence all over again.  By
contrast, the switched telephone network uses a 20 second interval
between entry of numbers before invalidating a dialing attempt.  This
interval has been used for decades to provide universal access to the
telephone system for all Americans.  Yet, CTA ignores successful
telephone protocols that have been around for decades and somehow has
decided that three seconds is now the appropriate standard.

As you raised Dave’s issue with the lengthy hold times, I wanted to
add this additional information as to why a blind person needs to
activate a Ventra card with a sighted person.  The extremely short
interval for entering numbers makes it impossible for nearly all blind
people to read the Ventra card number in Braille with their fingers
and use fingers to enter numbers on a telephone.

Kelly

On 10/2/13, Steven Hastalis <steve.hastalis at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi Amy,
>
> I am forwarding some of the messages which blind people and officers of the
>
> National Federation of the Blind of Illinois are exchanging on Il-talk, the
>
> organization's statewide list serve.  I personally know the people who have
>
> written these messages, and they all ride CTA several times a day.
>
> Additionally, last night, Tuesday, David Meyer, president of the Chicago
> Chapter, reported problems interacting with ventrachicago.com.  He then
> called Ventra which told him that he would have to wait 33 minutes.
>
> We must have responsible Ventra officials attend our next ADA Advisory
> Committee.  That is, they need to hear from the blind community and resolve
>
> some of these complaints from long-time, regular, daily riders.
>
> I heard unsolicited compliments from blind people back in 1996 and 1997,
> when CTA implemented its Transit Card program, with related vending
> machines.  As you know, I then worked for CTA, first in Customer Service,
> then  in ADA Compliance.  I now hear problematic reports about Ventra with
> increasing frequency.  I find this apparent dichotomy disturbing, and I
> regret reaching this conclusion..  Let's work together to resolve these
> issues.
>
> Cordially,
>
> Steve Hastalis
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Kelly Pierce" <kellytalk at gmail.com>
> To: "NFB of Illinois Mailing List" <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, October 02, 2013 3:56 PM
> Subject: Re: [il-talk] Ventra Fare Machines
>
>
>> The volume is very low also with earbuds and headphones so this isn't
>> an alternative.  I wish it were so I don't have to run to my
>> neighborhood CVS for a card refill.
>>
>> Kelly
>>
>>
>>
>> On 10/2/13, pattichang at att.net <pattichang at att.net> wrote:
>>> I also experienced a volume problem using your bugs yesterday at the
>>> Chicago
>>> and Franklin station.
>>>
>>>
>>> Patti S. Gregory-Chang
>>> NFBI President
>>> NFB Scholarship Comm. Chair
>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>
>>> On Oct 2, 2013, at 1:56 PM, "Deborah Kent Stein" <dkent5817 at att.net>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Do the machines have a headphone jack?  The volume problem might be
>>> lessened
>>> listening with earbuds.
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kelly Pierce" <kellytalk at gmail.com>
>>> To: "NFB of Illinois Mailing List" <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Wednesday, October 02, 2013 12:32 PM
>>> Subject: [il-talk] Ventra Fare Machines
>>>
>>>
>>>> I wanted to let everyone know that the Ventra Fare machines for the
>>>> Chicago Transit Authority and Pace have extremely low volume output.
>>>> This is so for both the external speakers and with headphones.  It
>>>> does not appear that the machines have a volume control mechanism, as
>>>> required by the 2010 ADA Guidelines for Accessible Design. The ADA
>>>> Compliance Manager for the CTA, Amy Serpe, has been alerted to the
>>>> issue for the past two weeks.  In the meantime, people can add fares
>>>> to Ventra cards at the retail locations on the Ventra website.
>>>>
>>>> I have had a Ventra card for about three weeks now and found the
>>>> volume is so low that I cannot use the Ventra machine independently to
>>>> add money to a fare card.  I am not able to hear reliably all the
>>>> information being spoken.  Realize this is from a person who has used
>>>> many hundreds of talking ATMs, kiosks, postal machines, and voting
>>>> machines. I have never had a volume issue until now.  I also tried
>>>> registering my reduced fare Ventra card online and was unsuccessful.
>>>> Calls to Ventra customer service result in very long hold times. An
>>>> e-mail Sunday to Ventra has not been answered.
>>>>
>>>> The Ventra rollout has just started and I wanted to inform the group
>>>> about these problems and temporary measures that can be taken to avoid
>>>> the hassles. As issues are resolved or new issues arise, I will post
>>>> updates.  If others have additional information, please share.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Kelly
>>>>
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>>>
>>>
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>>
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