Damn'it..... You Board Last When Paying in Cash (purchase, to live in)

[Aqua Teen Carl]

Nominating this thread along with the "stop the train horn" threads for the City-Data Entitlement Hall of Fame.

[Tinare]

Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl

Nominating this thread along with the "stop the train horn" threads for the City-Data Entitlement Hall of Fame.

Seconded!

[gortonator]

Originally Posted by Blackbeauty212

You don't even understand how the system works, and yet you sit with your passive "World doesn't revolve around you" high-horse. Get a clue the world doesn't revolve around any one. Not even slow ass cash payers who slow the system down and cause it to be inefficient.

The Connect Card is NOT a credit card, its a pre-pay Transit Card where fares and passes are stored. They don't cost anything... They accept and hold cash value that never expires, so the person holding the card never has to worry about having exact fare.

Fully understand the concept at hand before you come on here with that sorry half-ass attempt at trying to lecture someone on ills of living in society with other people.

Take that ....BB just gets better and better. I'm nearly crying with laughter - it's Basil Fawlty-esq

[tclifton]

Originally Posted by Blackbeauty212

You don't even understand how the system works, and yet you sit with your passive "World doesn't revolve around you" high-horse. Get a clue the world doesn't revolve around any one. Not even slow ass cash payers who slow the system down and cause it to be inefficient.

The Connect Card is NOT a credit card, its a pre-pay Transit Card where fares and passes are stored. They don't cost anything... They accept and hold cash value that never expires, so the person holding the card never has to worry about having exact fare.

Yes, but it is still not cash. Does it occur to you that there are some people who might not have a lot of money, and therefore don't want to tie up any on a pre-paid card? Or for whatever reason chose to use cash, which is still legal tender the last time I looked?

Originally Posted by Blackbeauty212

Fully understand the concept at hand before you come on here with that sorry half-ass attempt at trying to lecture someone on ills of living in society with other people.

I'm just trying to point out to you that waiting, etc. is one of the costs of doing business with regards to public transportation. You either factor that into your equation when you're deciding how early to leave, or you decide that it's not acceptable and find other alternatives (bike, car, lyft, etc.)

Or I suppose you could try to force the rest of the world to do things the way that you want them to do things, and then everything will be smooth (at least for you, which is all that matters). If that's what you choose, I wish you luck with that.

[Blackbeauty212]

Originally Posted by sealie

If we all agree that this is a travesty and Pittsburgh is populated by stupid complacent Yinzers who cling to antiquated technology, what problem does that solve exactly?

It doesn't solve a thing, it exasperates the problem, because instead of Pittsburgh keeping up with modern day world, and advancing. Its shows a slowness here that can be seen as too damn slow. I mean Pittsburgh does have a stigma, mostly permeated though natives that transplanted out to larger cities, that the Burgh is always 25-30 year behind other cities, everything happens here last.

I mean its overly generalized statements, but there is truth to it. Native Yinzers are very complacent with the old way. The replies from life long suburban natives on this thread confirms there is truth to the stigma. Thankfully through more progressive "Non-afraid of change" leadership at the heads of both the city and county Pittsburgh will hopefully fully eradicate itself of the "Hate Change", complacent mentalities.

Think about it, if Pittsburgh was still governed by the "Old Boys Network" of No Change, Complacent government, would Uber or Lyft stand a chance here or anywhere in the State of PA for that matter. Or that Bike culture would be flourishing and made priority in City Planning? We need that same change at PAT, and how we think about Public Transit structurally, and that includes the Fare System.

[Blackbeauty212]

Originally Posted by tclifton

Yes, but it is still not cash. Does it occur to you that there are some people who might not have a lot of money, and therefore don't want to tie up any on a pre-paid card? Or for whatever reason chose to use cash, which is still legal tender the last time I looked?
.

Look I use transit often. I prefer it to a car, it could just be the NYC over the years in me. So I pay attention who boards the bus around... Let me tell you this, more poor, ghetto and trashy looking people have adapted to using the technology of the CC, than the elitist snobs in the Burbs who wouldn't dare to be caught on the Bus, unless their car was in the shop. Or they use the service so infrequently they've branded themselves "Out-of-Towner" that they couldn't be bothered with getting a free un-expiring card which again would save them from needing exact change for the bus when they actually do need and allow the bus to maintain schedule. No Clinging to outdated payment methods is much easier and less confusing for them, even it mean they pay more when PAT implements a cash surcharge.

Cash is legal everywhere in the us, but you know some transit agency are wise not to accept cash on-board why...BECAUSE IT SLOWS THE SYSTEM DOWN, Causes Buses to run late, because people don't have their cash READY! and hold up the line from other people (who actually get why Connect Cards have their place) Like my P1 was 15 mins late because of 5 Slow Ass Cash PAYERS!

[sealie]

I suspect that PAT's problem is they rolled up the off-bus payment idea in with the "bigger better BRT" vision, which is stalling due to the downtown-Oakland project sputtering. But if they have the money they could start implementing off-board fare collection on the existing busways now. Somebody at gettherepgh.org might be able to answer questions on their projected timeline. I just accept that the city moves at the speed of sludge and has only just started playing catchup. But offboard fare collection is part of the plan. Then everybody will be happy and groove in peace and harmony.

[Evergrey]

I'm not going to load cash on to some Connect Card when I use the bus relatively infrequently. That's cash I could be using right now for any number of purposes. I do not find utility in purchasing tickets or loading on to a card for a potential future bus ride. People are just going to have to deal with it when I make them late for their important meetings as I'm fumbling in my pockets for dimes and nickels.

[gg]

Originally Posted by mjost7

Perhaps. Or the car could be stopped behind a bus loading passengers in an inefficient manner, still delaying this person.

Or you could gleefully ride a bike past all the mess.

[Blackbeauty212]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

I'm not going to load cash on to some Connect Card when I use the bus relatively infrequently. That's cash I could be using right now for any number of purposes. I do not find utility in purchasing tickets or loading on to a card for a potential future bus ride. People are just going to have to deal with it when I make them late for their important meetings as I'm fumbling in my pockets for dimes and nickels.

And I'll be glad when you actually have to pay more for you stubbornness to change. That day is coming when CC can be refilled online and by smartphone, then public will have no excuse about not being convenient to using CCs.

Supposedly PAT is actually considering surcharging people like Evergrey and Hopes an additional .75 over people with CC's at all times not just rush-hour. So hopefully this will keep you in your Car, and off the bus slowing it down because you refuse to adapt to change.

PAT sure can use the extra Cash.