What's your public transportation system like?

**Chalet** · January 6th, 2018, 10:34 PM

I'm reading about Chicago's Venta card where the rider taps their card and waits for a green light. Something like this will happen in NYC in a couple of years and eliminate the Metrocard which is swiped into a slot. It's supposed to save on boarding time. Sounds like it might become like the Suica card in Japan, which appears to be a debit style of card, loaded with fares and can be used for shopping.

**greysfang** · January 7th, 2018, 10:28 PM

Denver’s eco cards have an ID photo on them and a chip inside to swipe.

**Waterslide** · January 7th, 2018, 11:13 PM

I've been working and living in the suburbs for a while now so I can't say what the public transportation in Chicago is like anymore, but my constant complaint is that you can't get on the train at point A and get to point B without a million buses and cabs/uber/lyft. They have been upgrading things so, maybe it's better now. Venta had a lot of problems when it started out, but I think that's to be expected. I will hopefully soon be spending more time in the city, so I can let you know. I always loved DC's public transport better than Chicago's.

**A*O** · January 8th, 2018, 12:14 AM

Pre-paid Myki card - tap on, tap off. Works on trains, trams and buses. After at least 10 years of getting the glitches sorted it's more or less working at last but of course it cost WAY over-budget and a few contractors got very rich from it. That's because instead of importing a perfectly good system from London (Oyster) or Hong Kong (octopus), they decided to reinvent the wheel and start from scratch.

**funky_chicken** · January 8th, 2018, 05:10 AM

We have something like a self-control system. You can buy your ticket online, at an office, on your mobile device or at a ticket machine at almost every bus and train station. Normally, nobody will ask you about your ticket. But if the security personnel will do a ticket controlling and you haven't got a valid ticket, you get a really high fine. It starts with 100 $ and will get higher each time you're in a control without a valid ticket.

**VeraGemini** · January 8th, 2018, 03:26 PM

What is this public transportation you speak of? We have buses. They take coins and smell funny. They will take you within a mile of your destination, unless your destination is in the suburbs.

**sputnik** · January 8th, 2018, 09:50 PM

the DC metro is cleaner and roomier than the cramped subway tunnels in new york but i fucking hate their card system. plus it's more expensive, doesn't run all night like new york and the trains don't come as often. the buses are better than in new york though, and to be fair there are less delays, accidents and fuck ups, and there are no rats on the tracks like in new york. but they have a weird complicated and stupid fare system where the price of a ride depends on the distance you travel so you tap your card when you go in but then you have to take your card out again when you exit (sucks when you're carrying a lot of stuff and your card is in your purse) and that's when they actually debit your card. it's fucking stupid. and if you want to get a monthly card it's also a fucking stupid complicated system where you have to pick if you want bus or just metro and there's no equivalent to just a flat rate unlimited card for everything. i miss the new york unlimited metrocard, you pay 116 a month and you can go anywhere, anytime, on buses, subways, etc.

**czb** · January 8th, 2018, 11:13 PM

+

**stella blue** · January 9th, 2018, 02:11 AM

Originally Posted by VeraGemini

What is this public transportation you speak of? We have buses. They take coins and smell funny. They will take you within a mile of your destination, unless your destination is in the suburbs.

We have buses too, but they only come by at 6am and you're only allowed to ride them if you're a kid on the way to or from school.

**Sleuth** · January 9th, 2018, 02:37 AM

A disgustingly expensive and unreliable transport system in Queensland. You basically must have a prepaid GO card to swipe on or off as you leave the service (bus,tram,ferry or train). Half the machines don't work properly and the ticket police are always waiting to catch you on those moments when it didn't register properly and make you feel like you tried to get a free ride. If you don't have a GO card be prepared to pay almost double the amount for a paper ticket. Majority of the trains smell like urine or are covered in graffiti. Also be prepared to fear for your safety as you encounter every drunk or drugged up moron. I'd rather drive.

**funky_chicken** · January 9th, 2018, 09:41 AM

Originally Posted by sputnik

the DC metro is cleaner and roomier than the cramped subway tunnels in new york but i fucking hate their card system. plus it's more expensive, doesn't run all night like new york and the trains don't come as often. the buses are better than in new york though, and to be fair there are less delays, accidents and fuck ups, and there are no rats on the tracks like in new york. but they have a weird complicated and stupid fare system where the price of a ride depends on the distance you travel so you tap your card when you go in but then you have to take your card out again when you exit (sucks when you're carrying a lot of stuff and your card is in your purse) and that's when they actually debit your card. it's fucking stupid. and if you want to get a monthly card it's also a fucking stupid complicated system where you have to pick if you want bus or just metro and there's no equivalent to just a flat rate unlimited card for everything. i miss the new york unlimited metrocard, you pay 116 a month and you can go anywhere, anytime, on buses, subways, etc.

I think London has the same system?

**Brookie** · January 9th, 2018, 11:12 AM

Originally Posted by VeraGemini

What is this public transportation you speak of? We have buses. They take coins and smell funny. They will take you within a mile of your destination, unless your destination is in the suburbs.

We have funny smelling buses here too (Detroit). We have something called the "People Mover" - it's an elevated rail system that takes you to specific stops within the downtown Detroit area. Basically useless. We recently received a new streetcar system that takes you up one of Detroit's busiest downtown streets and back - about a mile and a half. And only downtown, not out to the suburbs where a light rail system between there and downtown would be very useful (and very used). It's awesome when people park on the tracks and the railcars come to a complete standstill while a tow truck is called. The system is nice if you're going to one of the ballparks/sports arenas (they're all within a mile of each other) or a bar.

It's not called the "Motor City" because of its wonderful public transport facilities.