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On Wednesday, Metra will roll out a new website offering riders the convenience of buying tickets online by credit card. Revolutionary, given that for more than 150 years you could only buy a Metra ticket with cash or check. The "Ticket-by-Internet" feature will allow a rider to order up to two monthly tickets and three 10-ride tickets per transaction which Metra sends to you by mail. Regular commuters can go to the website and create a "My Metra" account to manage billing information, create a custom view of train schedules, and set up personalized e-mail alerts for service updates. You won't be able to buy tickets with a credit card at stations yet, but Metra says we can expect that in March 2010.
According to Chicago Breaking News Metra put off accepting credit cards because they did not want to pass processing fees on to customers. The new system will cost Metra about $2.2 million in startup expenses and annual processing fees of about $3-5 million. Metra has joined the CTA in the development of a credit card that would act as a universal fare card for Metra, CTA, and Pace - implementation is slated for mid-2012.
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Metra's been around since 1859?
Well, you're right that could be confusing - the source referred to the 150 year time period as pertaining to a "commuter rail ticket" in the Chicago area. My assumption was the commuter rail they are talking about is now known as "Metra". Navin, you're on top of it this morning.
I'm surprised that there was 'commuter' rail in 1859 period. I guess I figured such rail didn't come about until the 1880's.
Yeah, because those processing fees are so much more inconvenient than having to come up with cash or a checkbook every time you want to ride a train.
I went to have my license renewed recently, and despite the approximately 800 signs all around the facility letting me know that I could now use a credit card, my act of actually presenting said card for payment was greeted with frustration and near disdain. First, the clerk got all upset because she had to take the time to enter the previous 10 or so forms (which had been paid with cash and which she had apparently not been processing) before she could accept my card. Then she actually tried to talk me out of using the card because of the extra fee involved.
ME: "How much of a fee is there?"
CLERK: "Sixty cents."
(Stunned silence)
ME: "Just run the freakin' card, will you?"
I about lost my marbles last time I went to buy tickets and realized they didnt take credit cards, but they did accept checks. Who carries a freakin checkbook around anymore?! (I agree oph, that convenience is worth the "extra cost." Welcome to the digital age, Metra--or just the age of telecommunication.)
Although, this article only talks about the online feature, will they accept credit cards at the counter now too?
oh, hello Mich, read the whole article. Guess I got too fired up about the topic.
Figures they wouldn't take credit cards at the counter yet. Guess we'll have to wait another ten or so years for that... In the meantime, have you checkbook ready!
Every time something like this comes up, I can't help but wonder what's so inconvenient about cash.
what's weird to me is that they 'don't want to pass on the processing fee on to customers,' but they'll take the chance of the $25 NSF fee/s? it seems so much more likely that someone could bounce a check (unintentionally or not) versus being able to instantly know if their charge was declined or letting their bank accept the charge and then charge them an NSF fee if it was a debit card and they worked like that. no?