[il-talk] Fw: Ventra Fare Machines

Thu Oct 3 21:28:07 UTC 2013

Kelly and all, I believe there was a different number that we need to use to
activate our card; I think it was in the letter we got which, of course, was
in print. Before I actually read the letter, Ray Campbell provided it in
another context. Calling it got me to a person immediately, and she was very
helpful in activating my card and adding value to it. Now that this is done,
I am able to use the automated system as at least for me, I can read the
numbers with one hand and enter with a land line with the other hand.
Avoiding the frustration of the general number makes all the difference in
the world as I, too, had lengthy waits and dropped calls.

-----Original Message-----
From: il-talk [mailto:il-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kelly Pierce
Sent: Thursday, October 03, 2013 4:18 PM
To: Steven Hastalis; NFB of Illinois Mailing List
Cc: Serpe, Amy
Subject: Re: [il-talk] Fw: Ventra Fare Machines

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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