Man Sues Metra Over $66 In Unused Fares

By Chris Bentley in News on May 9, 2012 5:20PM

Attention hoarders: Your unused Metra tickets could have value yet, if a lawsuit filed by one disgruntled rider has its way.

Metra’s limited ride tickets currently expire one year after purchase. Any rides leftover on the popular 10-ride and one-way passes, for example, go to waste. John DeVito, of west suburban Roselle, alleged in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that those tickets fit the state's definition of for "gift certificates" and are thus protected under the Illinois Consumer Fraud Act. That would mean Metra tickets could not legally expire sooner than five years after purchase.

"Sellers — like Metra — who set artificially short redemption periods are planning in advance to make money by not providing the very services for which buyers have paid in advance," the lawsuit states.

DeVito’s unused $66 could snowball into a class action suit against Metra, who sold 1.9 million 10-ride passes and 9.5 million one-way passes in 2011 alone. So far, Metra has not commented to the press.