Inconvenience Pass
Today I used a SEPTA "One Day Convenience Pass" for the first time. Contrary to my expectations, it is not the same size as a weekly or monthly pass; it's about 3"x4", far too big to fit in a wallet. So much for actually making the design intelligent. The usage is just fascinating, too: it has a mag-stripe on the back, so first you swipe it, and then hand it to the operator to punch. In theory, the first operator is supposed to punch the date, as well as the first trip; in practice, this is how it went for me:
1st trip: second digit of the day (1) and Trip 1 punched.
2nd trip: month (August) and Trip 2 punched.
3rd trip: nothing.
4th trip: Trip 3 punched.
5th trip: first digit of day (0) and Trip 4 punched. Also, the El icon, though as far as I know they don't have to punch the mode icons, they're just there to show what it's valid on, and in any case I was riding a trolley. Up to that point, I thought that I might be able to use the remaining trips on, say, August 11, or 21, or 31, with the simply application of a hole-punch, since most transit operators just have fairly ordinary circular punches.
Oh, and the DayPass exchange program? Royal pain in the ass, at least at Primos, because the agent insisted on verifying that I purchased the pass less than a year ago, which she couldn't do because I had bought it at a different location; after she attempted to call about four people to figure out what to do, I ended up having to fill out a refund form to get her to give me the Inconvenience Pass. She's always annoying, though, so I may try Secane to see if they'll hassle me less on the others.
So, all in all, about par for the course for SEPTA.
And meanwhile, since they've been court-ordered to keep selling transfers until at least Monday, it may be a little while longer before I actually have to use one again, though I also want to use them up before I move, since they expire on December 31, 2007. Not clear what they'll do when the new year gets closer-will it just be impossible to buy them for use in 2008 until 2008 actually arrives? Will they exchange 2008 ones for 2007 ones? Who knows. They won't be offering refunds, though, since they're marked nonrefundable.
1st trip: second digit of the day (1) and Trip 1 punched.
2nd trip: month (August) and Trip 2 punched.
3rd trip: nothing.
4th trip: Trip 3 punched.
5th trip: first digit of day (0) and Trip 4 punched. Also, the El icon, though as far as I know they don't have to punch the mode icons, they're just there to show what it's valid on, and in any case I was riding a trolley. Up to that point, I thought that I might be able to use the remaining trips on, say, August 11, or 21, or 31, with the simply application of a hole-punch, since most transit operators just have fairly ordinary circular punches.
Oh, and the DayPass exchange program? Royal pain in the ass, at least at Primos, because the agent insisted on verifying that I purchased the pass less than a year ago, which she couldn't do because I had bought it at a different location; after she attempted to call about four people to figure out what to do, I ended up having to fill out a refund form to get her to give me the Inconvenience Pass. She's always annoying, though, so I may try Secane to see if they'll hassle me less on the others.
So, all in all, about par for the course for SEPTA.
And meanwhile, since they've been court-ordered to keep selling transfers until at least Monday, it may be a little while longer before I actually have to use one again, though I also want to use them up before I move, since they expire on December 31, 2007. Not clear what they'll do when the new year gets closer-will it just be impossible to buy them for use in 2008 until 2008 actually arrives? Will they exchange 2008 ones for 2007 ones? Who knows. They won't be offering refunds, though, since they're marked nonrefundable.