quick question for those already using Ventra....

[nowthatsbleach]

Since IMO, when I've looked at it(and if you asked me, the FAQ on the official Ventra website isn't good IMO), it hasn't answered my biggest question about it. Can you use it and temporarily go to a minus balance on your Ventra card, if you're riding a CTA bus or Pace bus? I know on the Chicago Card(still am using it, since Ventra's been lazy and

Comments

[mamculuna]

I miss this board, too.

I haven't activated my card since I saw that it was a debit card that would draw directly from my bank account. Not ready to let the city have quite that much access...

[broan33]

You don't have to use the debit part of it, it doesn't have to be linked to a bank account, and if it is, you don't have to set it to autoload.

[mamculuna]

Really? It seemed to me that it was a debit card on a bank.Maybe I'll go back and look at the terms. And it was so easy to have a credit card on autoloan--I really want to be able to have that.

[le_trombone]

To be fair, most of the activity on this forum came from one person (who fortunately was a good writer). This suggests a way to revive it...

I'm currently still using my CTA card, which replenishes itself via a credit card charge when it dips below a certain level. The docs for the Ventra card suggest that I can set up a similar account, so I don't expect much to change beyond that.

[ext_2304778]

My registered Ventra card allowed me to complete one transaction that took my about $1 negative.

No idea if this is policy or if it'd be allowed again.

I would recommend against giving Ventra your bank account/cc info - they've already proven themselves incompetent. Something else I discovered is that they store your password either without encryption or with reversible encryption. I don't trust them to implement best practices around keeping my data secure.

Adam

[nowthatsbleach]

I guess it might be allowed after all for CTA buses and Pace buses, then. I was increasingly thinking as of late I might just suck it up, and purchase a Ventra card for myself. And yes I agree if I can avoid mentioning my bank info when I register, that'll be even better since like you, I have NO interest in using Ventra as a credit/debit card. Already have a bank account for that, anyway. Thanks for your comment, and I'll post a later comment in this thread(whenever I choose to sign up, since I may not do it for a few more weeks for all I know....) describing what occurs in regards to minus balances and riding the bus, when it gets that low.

[broan33]

The debit account is separate from the Ventra account, both on the same card. They do allow negative balances.