02 May 2009
ORCA Update
So.
I put some money on my card, and my account said it was "pending". I waited the suggested 24 hours, and it was still "pending". I called the ORCA people and, after much discussion and checking of records, the ORCA dude called the Metro people, and told me that because I hadn't used it yet, everything was still pending.
Which makes no sense at all. Any careful person (like, say, me) would make sure my money had cleared before I tried to use my card.
Anyway.
I used it this morning, and it worked fine. The bus driver was quite excited, actually. Apparently I was the first rider he'd had who used the new system.
On the way home, the bus driver had the ORCA box set for the free ride area. When I tapped my card to the box, it said "free ride area, no fare deducted". So I guess the bus drivers aren't used to the new system, either.
But hey, I got a free ride!
Here's the kicker: When I looked at my account tonight, it showed the money I added, minus the $1.75 I used this morning. It also said that my money is still pending.
Huh?
I put some money on my card, and my account said it was "pending". I waited the suggested 24 hours, and it was still "pending". I called the ORCA people and, after much discussion and checking of records, the ORCA dude called the Metro people, and told me that because I hadn't used it yet, everything was still pending.
Which makes no sense at all. Any careful person (like, say, me) would make sure my money had cleared before I tried to use my card.
Anyway.
I used it this morning, and it worked fine. The bus driver was quite excited, actually. Apparently I was the first rider he'd had who used the new system.
On the way home, the bus driver had the ORCA box set for the free ride area. When I tapped my card to the box, it said "free ride area, no fare deducted". So I guess the bus drivers aren't used to the new system, either.
But hey, I got a free ride!
Here's the kicker: When I looked at my account tonight, it showed the money I added, minus the $1.75 I used this morning. It also said that my money is still pending.
Huh?
Labels: bus
# posted by mamurd @ 10:53 PM 
Comments:
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Wait 24 hours after you first used it? But why? Isn't this a computer thing that should work in seconds? Oh, yeah, there is a government bureaucrat in the loop, who probably won't be at work until Monday.
Usually it's cheaper for me (because of my weird bus usage) to pay cash than buy a monthly pass. Paying cash, however, is a ginormous pain. I often have to choose between the convenience of having a pass and saving a few bucks.
With the ORCA, I can use a pass, but save myself the money.
Plus, I can add money to it (or buy a pass to put on it, if that's going to be cheaper) from home, rather than making a special trip to Bartell's to buy a pass (or to the bank to buy change).
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With the ORCA, I can use a pass, but save myself the money.
Plus, I can add money to it (or buy a pass to put on it, if that's going to be cheaper) from home, rather than making a special trip to Bartell's to buy a pass (or to the bank to buy change).
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