Comments on: Compass Cards And The San Diego Trolley

By: Gary Tamoria

Gary Tamoria — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 13:15:14 +0000

My daughter was 19 yrs old and had her compass card reloaded at Vons in Imperial Beach California and in doing so, she needed to show the cashier her valid State ID which she did and the cashier took and reloaded her MTS Compass card. While on the Trolley she was approached by trolley security and asked to see her pass and ID, the compass card that Vons reloaded was a youth card and my daughter received a citation and was fined $97.00 by the court. Would it make it right for a liquor store owner to sell alcohol to a minor knowing the buyer was under age after checking his or her ID? Who is really responsible for the fine, the seller or the consumer? I think it's all a scheme!

By: Rob

Rob — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 10:54:43 +0000

I very much agree about the invasion of privacy issue. SDMTS touts one of the compass card benefits as being able to "register" your card, so if it lost or stolen, you'll get a new card. The only problem is that your name, address AND phone number are required and kept on file in order to register. That does indeed mean that SDMTS can track specific people that use registered cards. Try asking a trolley security guard for that info, or a bus driver. They would tell you to go to Hell. .-= Rob´s last blog ..Wild Animal Park’s Butterfly Jungle =-.

By: Nightstorm

Nightstorm — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 09:02:10 +0000

Not only all that, but it's an invasion of privacy. I'm telling them where I'm going everytime I get on a bus or trolley. But what can be done? I want them gone.

By: Rob

Rob — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:07:29 +0000

Hi ERv, and thank you for the comment. It was very insightful, typical and enlightening all at the same time!

I transfer every morning at 12th & Imperial from the southbound Orange Line to the southbound Blue Line. The only problem is that there are no Compass Card validators on the platform between to two trolleys! Can you believe that? The blue line trolley is usually sitting there waiting when my orange line pulls into the station, so time is of the essence, but since there are no validators between the trains, I have to deboard on the OPPOSITE side of the orange trolley, tap my Compass Card and then walk AROUND the orange trolley and to board the blue line.

This is a perfect example of just how stupid SDMTS and the Compass Cards are, and why I believe they are a slick scam to generate revenue. Every morning, three packed trolley cars with commuters that need to tap their Compass Cards must do so on the opposite side of the platform that they need to go, share three validators and then run around to the other side of the platform to catch the trolley. This bottleneck means that not everyone can tap before the blue line leaves, and others don't even try.

I think that SDMTS neglected to place validators between the trains so that people would not or COULD not tap, and thusly be issued a fine.

.-= Rob´s last blog ..Compass Cards Reloaded =-.

By: ERv Wilson

ERv Wilson — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:21:51 +0000

I haven't got a citation yet, but I was given a verbal warning on Tuesday 2/1/2010 for failing to tap my compass card when I transferred from the Orange Line to the Green Line at the Grossmont station. I had looked at both ends of the station (why aren't the tap boxes near the ticket machine? There's power there and it's in the middle and easily seen and found?) and didn't see any boxes. It was dark, and I don't see as well as I used to. I got on the train not really expecting a problem. But I was wrong. The officer couldn't tell me what the fine would be, and anyway, he didn't issue a citation. He said that he and all the other officers agree that the Compass Card is a public relations disaster. He has to deal with frustrated riders all day every day, and he's glad he's retiring soon.

It has taken MTS over ten years to implement the Compass Card; It has cost over $40 million dollars and is a public relations disaster; MTS is cutting back service starting on Feb 28–up to 40% reduction on some bus lines, because of a $20million shortfall in available funds–if only they had that $40million back from the Compass Card project. Wow!

Fortunately, you can still buy paper passes for another month or so. I'm going to buy them (you can't buy them online any more–you have to go to Vons or the Transit Store) as long as they are available, and then I'm going back to driving. Even with my bad eyesight. It's better than a $250 citation. And yes, my eye doctor says my eyesight is OK to drive.