Chicagoist: Possibly Annoying Situation Averted

armchairdj

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 11:44:41 -0600

I don't even understand how anybody could have one of those cards for 4 years. Every time I try to keep mine in my wallet, it de-magnetizes and I have to schlep my butt down to Lake Street to pay $5 for a new one. How can these $10 "smart" cards be so dumb?

Shannon

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 15:28:34 -0600

just make sure they have the right address on file for you. i lost mine recently (chicago card, not plus), put in a request online to have a new one sent to me, typed in my address on the form...and still got it sent to my old address. thank goodness whoever lives there now returned it to the CTA.

starcrunch

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 15:11:24 -0600

I wonder how many people are going to be surprised by getting a new Chicago Card in the mail, considering less than 40% of the cards are registered are used in an average month. Also, I know the CTA normally charges $5 for them, but it costs them $10 each. Had they planned this earlier, they could have simply mailed everyone with an expiring (registered) card and then given them some sort of easy option to renew. This new option seems like a waste of money. The person in the article compared them to credit cards, how you get a a new one in the mail automatically, but those are just pieces of plastic with a magnetic strip. These are $10 smart cards.

matty

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 15:00:45 -0600

check it. west side!

Alicia Dorr

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 14:45:55 -0600

I'm glad about you, matty

matty

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 14:28:00 -0600

thanks alicia dorr!