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Have they made any changes to the free transfer rules.
The reason I ask is that today I took the M15 down Second Avenue to 60th St (Home Depot) and then exactly 100 minutes later boarded an uptown bound M103 on Third Avenue.
My Metrocard was charged two fares for the round trip.
I thought it strange because often we take the M103 North to 116th and walk to Costco/Aldi's and then the M15 South on Second and always get a free transfer home.
Have they quietly reverted to the old rules where you got a free transfer only to a cross-route? Did they change the 2 hour free window? Or was it just a glitch with the bus' (bus's?) card reader?
Last edited by Kefir King; 01-15-2015 at 02:47 PM..
What's a cross-route and how is it different from how the transfer system has been over the years? It sounds to me like a cross-route transfer means transferring to another bus route, which has always been the case. Ultimately, though, I think it was probably a glitch as I haven't had any problems whatsoever with transfers, even those pushing two hours.
Have they made any changes to the free transfer rules.
The reason I ask is that today I took the M15 down Second Avenue to 60th St (Home Depot) and then exactly 100 minutes later boarded an uptown bound M103 on Third Avenue.
My Metrocard was charged two fares for the round trip.
I thought it strange because often we take the M103 North to 116th and walk to Costco/Aldi's and then the M15 South on Second and always get a free transfer home.
Have they quietly reverted to the old rules where you got a free transfer only to a cross-route? Did they change the 2 hour free window? Or was it just a glitch with the bus' (bus's?) card reader?
The MTA website says you should get a free transfer. They only limit the free transfer to intersecting routes if you are paying with coins.
If you pay your fare with MetroCard, you may transfer free from local bus-to-subway, subway-to-local bus or local bus-to-local bus within two hours of the time you paid your fare. Unlimited Ride MetroCard includes all transfers free of charge. Please note that you cannot use an Unlimited Ride MetroCard on Express buses, unless you purchase a 7-day Express Bus Plus MetroCard.
If you pay your fare with coins (exact change, no pennies please), you may transfer free between buses with intersecting routes. Ask the bus driver for a transfer when you pay your fare. The transfer is a single-use MetroCard with a black strip along the bottom. When you catch your connecting bus, insert the transfer into the bus farebox - black stripe to the right side. Transfers are good for two hours from the time you paid your fare.
Maybe their systems got smarter? What you're doing is really just abusing the limits of the original system. If it were detectable this type of action would probably get the same treatment as selling swipes which within the technical rules embedded in the system is allowed.
I asked the bus driver this evening and he said no changes.
I can conjecture one thing. When going I checked the computer map of the M15's...all within range were 5,000 series bused.
When I went to the bus stop there was a long wait and there should not have been, There was a bus 10 blocks from me. But then a bus came by that said NEXT BUS PLEASE (no number but only the M15 is supposed to stop there so naturally I assumed it was an M15.) However it stopped to let someone off and the driver let about 8 of us on. His bus was strangely numbered 1006, unlike all the 5000 series buses on the Avenue.
I am guessing that he was a re-routed Lexington Avenue Southbound bus and thus his machine was programmed as a 101, 102, or 103. So that when I later got on the 103 going North, I was perceived by the computer to have transferred to the same line in the opposite direction, a no-no on the Lex-Third line and on the Madison-Fifth line.
I cannot imagine anything else.
Quote:
What you're doing is really just abusing the limits of the original
system.
The system gives you 2 hours and 18 minutes. If they had intended that you not go shopping or not take a ride back home on another line, they could easily have made the limit 1 hour or even 1/2 hour. Easily enough time to switch buses or get onto a subway, right?
They give 2 hours and 18 minutes, so 2 hours and 18 minutes it IS. THEY make the rules, we get to abide by them.
Anyone who takes pity on the MTA and wants to give them more money than they call for can send them a check for an extra $1,000 every month.
Last edited by Kefir King; 01-15-2015 at 09:06 PM..
I asked the bus driver this evening and he said no changes.
I can conjecture one thing. When going I checked the computer map of the M15's...all within range were 5,000 series bused.
When I went to the bus stop there was a long wait and there should not have been, There was a bus 10 blocks from me. But then a bus came by that said NEXT BUS PLEASE (no number but only the M15 is supposed to stop there so naturally I assumed it was an M15.) However it stopped to let someone off and the driver let about 8 of us on. His bus was strangely numbered 1006, unlike all the 5000 series buses on the Avenue.
I am guessing that he was a re-routed Lexington Avenue Southbound bus and thus his machine was programmed as a 101, 102, or 103. So that when I later got on the 103 going North, I was perceived by the computer to have transferred to the same line in the opposite direction, a no-no on the Lex-Third line and on the Madison-Fifth line.
I cannot imagine anything else.
The system gives you 2 hours and 18 minutes. If they had intended that you not go shopping or not take a ride back home on another line, they could easily have made the limit 1 hour or even 1/2 hour. Easily enough time to switch buses or get onto a subway, right?
They give 2 hours and 18 minutes, so 2 hours and 18 minutes it IS. THEY make the rules, we get to abide by them.
Anyone who takes pity on the MTA and wants to give them more money than they call for can send them a check for an extra $1,000 every month.
Trust me I don't pity them one bit. The entire MTA is just one giant money pit for the benefit of unions. But you have to agree that the intent of the free transfers were for the benefit of those with long bus -> subway commutes and not for people to take return trips. But if you can take advantage of it good for you.
But you have to agree that the intent of the free transfers were for the benefit of those with long bus -> subway commutes and not for people to take return trips.
I'm not sure of that. If that were really the true intent, then they should limit the transfer to one hour or less. As KK says, that is plenty of time to make the transfer, and then some. Two hours allows you to do a little bit of shopping and then do your transfer. So perhaps the original intent is to allow you to pick up your groceries in between your two bus rides, which is what KK is doing.
Perhaps the small difference is that he is using his free transfer to return home, but that still should make no difference.
I'm not sure of that. If that were really the true intent, then they should limit the transfer to one hour or less. As KK says, that is plenty of time to make the transfer, and then some. Two hours allows you to do a little bit of shopping and then do your transfer. So perhaps the original intent is to allow you to pick up your groceries in between your two bus rides, which is what KK is doing.
Perhaps the small difference is that he is using his free transfer to return home, but that still should make no difference.
How about a person living in Coney Island going to the Bronx and then transferring to the bus. I think they made it two hours to give people leeway in case of delays. I use to question why giving people swipes were illegal if the system allow it. And I see people handing their unlimited metrocards to their friends/spouses after they get on the train/bus and just smh. I just don't believe that the intent was to allow people to do that.
How about a person living in Coney Island going to the Bronx and then transferring to the bus. I think they made it two hours to give people leeway in case of delays.
I would totally do what KK does if I were him though. If they don't want people doing it they can fix it.
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