The Chainlink

OK - it's Friday (TGIF btw) and I am going to unload a M_A_J_O_R VENTra...I got my card in the mail; followed the instuctions to activate it (very poor btw) and received a message that 'my card is already activated' (wtf). OK - I'll play along. I do not know the access code (never set it up - do-h); cannot log in to retrieve it (two strikes for you), so I call the "toll free" number (what a joke); and to speak with someone about it I am told

(with a very cheery female voice (oh spare me honey) "your wait time will be approximately 26 minutes". yeah right. like I have NOTHING better to do than sit on hold

and listen to this nauseating music (good thing I collect barf bags from southwest airlines (now THERE is a company with awesome customer service btw - can you say capitalism with a KAPITAL SEE?????). VENTRA darling - you get a BIG FAT F- in my grade book. I am flushing this lovely little card down the toilet. Oh wait - i will use my handy dandy "pick puncher" and make some nice guitar picks out of you; it was nice knowing you. and why do I hate the CTA ??? let me count the ways. When I get even a B+ from my customers I have to meet with them to see what ever I can do to change that grade to an A+.

 

OK - I feel SO much better now...TGIF

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7 days here. If I call 1-877-NOW-VENT, and enter my Ventra card number, the system doesn't even recognize it, despite me having used the card already for a bus ride,

Will G - 10mi said:

It will trigger the transfer, but for me that meant removing the money from CC+ and then...well, keeping it. Still waiting for the actual transfer part to occur, right now it's more of a "steal" rather than a "transfer."

It's been 9 days now since my "transfer" was activated, it's a little frustrating.

Anne Alt said:

If you're able to log in using the info from the email and set a PIN for the account, then use that PIN in the activation phone call to the 888 # on the sticker on the Ventra card.  Successful completion of the activation call triggers the balance transfer. Good luck! Hope the rest of the process is easier for you.

It will reduce the barrier to use public transit, by no longer having to carry a separate card, or have to worry about change. This article mentions the rise of universal fare payment systems as one of the reasons behind the decline in driving

http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2013/10/what-rise-technolo...

h' $550 said:

so what's the point? So that tourists can subsidize the system by overpaying with credit cards?

Couldn't they come up with a sensor that works for both?

Cameron 7.5 mi said:

As good as the CC+ was a best case scenario that few are expected to achieve.


h' $550 said:

Not quite. I have been able to swipe most of the time with my CC+ without even taking it out of my pocket.

It sounds like that won't be possible with Ventra, so at best I'll have something that doesn't do everything my Chicago Card did.

BTW-- why are they making it a point to call it "touchless" if they're speaking of "tapping" it in the same breath?

Cameron 7.5 mi said:

The best part of is whole mess is that after we finally get through all this transition frustration, at best we'll have something that does everything that our Chicago Cards did.

Duppie, just out of curiosity, if you log into your account on ventrachicago.com, is your account status "active" or "closed"?  Or are you locked out of your account right now?

Just curious to see if they're having a phone system glitch or if not recognizing your number is an account issue.
 
Duppie said:

7 days here. If I call 1-877-NOW-VENT, and enter my Ventra card number, the system doesn't even recognize it, despite me having used the card already for a bus ride

They already do. Look on youtube for some videos of Google Wallet being used to go thru a turn-stile.

I think the missing link for now is that you cannot add them to your account, so you have to re-load them at a vending machine

BruceBikes said:

I've read that Ventra will eventually be able to accept NFC-enabled phone payment.  It'll be nice to have one fewer card in my wallet.

h' $550 said:

so what's the point? So that tourists can subsidize the system by overpaying with credit cards?

Couldn't they come up with a sensor that works for both?

Cameron 7.5 mi said:

As good as the CC+ was a best case scenario that few are expected to achieve.


h' $550 said:

Not quite. I have been able to swipe most of the time with my CC+ without even taking it out of my pocket.

It sounds like that won't be possible with Ventra, so at best I'll have something that doesn't do everything my Chicago Card did.

BTW-- why are they making it a point to call it "touchless" if they're speaking of "tapping" it in the same breath?

Cameron 7.5 mi said:

The best part of is whole mess is that after we finally get through all this transition frustration, at best we'll have something that does everything that our Chicago Cards did.

My account says 'Active'. I have used it already, and reloaded using a linked credit card. Which was very easy on my phone while waiting for my connecting bus. At least that part works....

Thunder Snow said:

Duppie, just out of curiosity, if you log into your account on ventrachicago.com, is your account status "active" or "closed"?  Or are you locked out of your account right now?

Just curious to see if they're having a phone system glitch or if not recognizing your number is an account issue.
 
Duppie said:

7 days here. If I call 1-877-NOW-VENT, and enter my Ventra card number, the system doesn't even recognize it, despite me having used the card already for a bus ride

 

 

And a little caveat about the different prices you pay with a Ventra card, a credit/debit card with cash loaded into your Ventra account vs. just any old credit/debit/Google wallet that isn't linked to your Ventra account:

 

What would be the purpose of adding money to your own personal credit/debit card lol? Just skip to the second part - tap your phone and away you go! I did just that today.

        
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Same here, "Active" account, have been able to load with money from a linked credit card, works at the El stations. In fact, it seems to be working great EXCEPT that Ventra took the money from my CC+ card/account and kept it. The people I reach by phone at Ventra tell me that it'll come, except that can't seem to tell me when. I kinda feel like a 7 days wait was my limit. When do I report it to CPD as a theft?


Duppie said:

My account says 'Active'. I have used it already, and reloaded using a linked credit card. Which was very easy on my phone while waiting for my connecting bus. At least that part works....

THUNDER SNOW (tom) :

 

OK - let's turn this into a NON-VENT.

 

last wknd I biked to FFF and Flossmoor brewery; guess what t-shirt I bought at  flossmoor station brewery???   (thunder snow....;-)) what symmetry

Me WANT!!!  Now I gotta ride down to Flossmoor....for a shirt.  And a beer.  And another beer.  ("Flossmoor"?  Was a dentist involved in the founding of this brewery?)
 
dan brown said:

last wknd I biked to FFF and Flossmoor brewery; guess what t-shirt I bought at  flossmoor station brewery???   (thunder snow....;-)) what symmetry

Very cool!

I hope iPhones have the necessary technology to do this as well. iPhones do not support this.

Thunder Snow said:

 

I used my Ventra first time ever when I took the bus to work this morning. Checked my balance and the display is a little confusing, but it looks like the correct fare was deducted. And I didn't have to tap it a bunch of times, like I've heard others had to do. So far, so good. Still would rather ride a bike when it's not raining.

Strangely enough, while my CC+ credit wasn't transferred, but I did received $25 on my Ventra card. Don't know why or from where. It seems to be a stop-gap measure.

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