Traveled into the city today for my entrepreneur class. The New York city subway offers a swipe card, in which you can purchase multiple trips and avoid lines for single fare tokens.
The short story: my $2.25 ride turned into a $6.75 ride
Details: swiping this card requires either practice or dexterity. The problem is, you can't practice, at least not for free. You have to run the card along the top of the turnstile, away from you, parallel to the ground, at a speed not too fast nor slow. If you don't, you are instructed to "swipe again", then, as the saying goes, "three strikes and you're out". They deduct the fare while you stand there, locked out, looking stupid.
Are there instructions on how swipe the card anywhere in sight? No. I guess they assume everyone using it is a city resident and has it down pat. As a BTT (bridge and tunnel type), I am not so forunate.
However, the MTA website advises you to swipe at a "smooth pace". Thanks for the straightforward instructions. Can anybody explain to me what this means?
Now, if you want to know how to design it right, come over to the Jersey side. Using the same metrocard on the PATH train is a delight. There's an auto feeder. You simply put the card at the beginning of the slot and...voila! The card is vaccumed into the feeder, then immediately comes out on top of the turnstile.
Now, MTA, is that so difficult? And please don't tell me you paid a commission or royalties to the genius who designed your electronic reader.
