Problems with CTA Chicago Card (buses, move, office)

[chicagobear]

I am now on my third Chicago Card and am having problems again. There's a $25 balance in the account when I look it up online, but the card says $0 when I check at an El station and it won't work for rides. I notice as well that my cards sometimes don't work on the bus scanners and the drivers just wave me through, saying that they often don't work. Seems like lots of lost revenue for the CTA. I guess I'll go over to the CTA downtown and have them reissue another card.

[JBVirtuoso]

Much as I love the Chicago Card Plus, after going through two of them in a year, I decided enough was enough. I don't really care to keep paying that $5 replacement fee. I'm hoping the Ventra system that comes out this year is a lot more reliable.

[gomexico]

Originally Posted by chicagobear

I guess I'll go over to the CTA downtown and have them reissue another card.

Yes, do that.

[ewrx]

Originally Posted by JBVirtuoso

I don't really care to keep paying that $5 replacement fee.

You shouldn't have to pay if the card stops working, only if you lost it or clearly damaged it.

[Chicago60614]

I must be lucky! I had mine in my wallet for 5 years and never had any issues once or even had to remove it. They replaced it a few years ago when it expired and this one is working fine as well.

Must have just gotten really bad luck.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by Chicago60614

I must be lucky! I had mine in my wallet for 5 years and never had any issues once or even had to remove it. They replaced it a few years ago when it expired and this one is working fine as well.

Must have just gotten really bad luck.

I've never had a problem either. I've had two ChicagoCardPluses since they've been around. I lost the first one.

[nikitakolata]

My first 2 Chicago Cards didn't work either. It was a pain in the rear going over to their office to get the replacements, too. The one I have now works reliably though and my husband has never had a problem. I guess it is just the luck of the draw. Even the "good" card I have now works only about 50% of the time on buses; I have to scan it twice just about every time I take the bus.

The CTA is full of revenue holes though. The Western blue line stop has had a broken gate for about 3 years now that anyone can walk through for free. Most riders still scan their cards anyway (probably because they aren't paying attention and don't realize they could just walk in). The CTA has tried to repair the gate more times than I can count and inevitably it is broken again the very next day. Oh well!

[ChiGuy2.5]

I have never had any issues. Though I did think they overcharged me once because I started an unlimited pass on the 16th one month and then got charged for it on the 1st the next month. So basically I paid $86 for only 14 days use.