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→Concise chronology of events: final updates
<digg>http://digg.com/offbeat_news/Caltrain_kicks_off_paying_passenger_and_refuses_to_accept_responsibility</digg>
==Background==
As far back as 2001,<ref>http://www.bicycling.511.org/news/press_releases/archive/rel188.htm</ref> the Translink pilot program was launched. This program entails a single smartcard (much like the [[w:Oyster card|Oyster card]] in London) that you can use to pay fare at all of the different public transit agencies in the SF Bay Area. The pilot took place at select [[w:BART|BART]], [[w:MUNI|MUNI]], [[w:Caltrain|Caltrain]], [[w:Golden Gate Transit|Golden Gate Transit]], [[w:AC Transit|AC Transit]], and [[w:Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority|VTA]] routes/stations. The pilot ended officially ended in 2006; BART and MUNI turned off their card readers sometime in the middle of the year, whereas Caltrain and VTA turned off (or were supposed to, in the case of Caltrain) their readers in October of 2006.<ref>http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?s=12cbca9518521bf2fda99e9b4e8d6d0a&p=6549254&postcount=17</ref> It was also around this time<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bay_Area_Rapid_Transit&diff=87021478&oldid=85754301</ref> that AC Transit and Golden Gate Transit fully launched Translink on all their routes and vehicles, meaning that anyone with a Translink card could now pay for fare on their routes with the card. Caltrain sent out a letter to all card members in November 2006 informing them that the card readers were no longer functional and that it was no longer possible to pay for Caltrain fares using Translink. People who have joined Translink since aren't told anything with regard to the matter.
*give her some form of ID and have her write a citation for not paying my fare
*get off the train, buy a ticket on the platform, and get on the next train
Neither of these options seemed particularly fair or appealing. Getting a citation for a violation which I didn't commit seemed rather ludicrous. Getting off the train wasn't really an option either since Caltrain service on the weekends is hourly, and I was supposed to meet people in Berkeley at 7.
She gave me some time to "think about" what I wanted to do. I'm not really sure what exactly she was thinking when she said this, but there wasn't much to think about. I had paid my fare. Since Translink is designed by the great folks at [http://www.erggroup.com/ ERG], <ref>http://www.erggroup.com/projects/sanfrancisco_1.htm</ref> there wasn't a number that I could call that would tell me (for example) the last transaction on my account (what's worse, the balance provided over the phone isn't up-to-date either, but the closing balance for the previous day), and since I didn't have a camera, there wasn't a picture that I could show her demonstrating that the readers were clearly functional (and deducted money off my account!). She threatened to call the cops, and I told her to go right ahead, also asking her to call someone at the Palo Alto station and have them take a look at the card readers. Obviously, she didn't give a flying fuck about what I wanted and just wanted to show who was the boss, so she simply called the cops and considered her job done.
By this time, we had reached [[w:Belmont (Caltrain station)|Belmont]] station. Passengers got on and off. There was a passenger in our car that apparently didn't have a ticket and went for the citation. In the meantime, the train was held up while we were waiting for the cops to arrive. According to the Belmont PD, they received the call at 4.56. While we were waiting, I struck up conversation with the woman in the seat behind me and explained to her what the Translink program was. Someone from the middle of the car told me to be considerate of other passengers and just get off; I told them to complain to Caltrain customer service. While I'm all about being altruistic and considerate, my time is worth something too, damnit. Why the hell do I have to wait an hour because Caltrain can't get their fare collection system together?
Sarah then proceeded to go on the PA system and announce that the train was being held up due to a "fare evader." This was pretty low, since not only did I pay my fare, but also because she had no basis to shift the blame on me. In retrospect, given Caltrain's response to this, I'm not surprised in the behavior, but it was a bit of a shock to me at the time. Then, a hispanic man told me that it was in my best interest to get off the train before the cops came because when they did, I'd get a citation anyway. This actually freaked me out a little, since I had no idea what the cops were going to do and realized that they would do things first and ask questions later.
I stepped off the train, the doors in my car closed, and the train pulled out of the station. Some guy from the front half of my car jumped to the door and flipped me the bird. I turned my back to the train; someone else knocked on the window, but I didn't bother looking to see what they had to show me. I began dialing [http://transit.511.org 511] on my cell to get in touch with Caltrain customer service at 4.59 when two cops came up the stairs onto the station platform. I noticed that they were both wearing K-9 uniforms; I couldn't be happier to know that I was getting a a K-9 unit dispatched to harass me. I explained to them what had happened; they contacted the train to make sure that the matter had been resolved to Caltrain's satisfaction, told me that they would not take any sides in the matter and were simply Caltrain's enforcement agents, and left.
I called 511 at 5.02 and filed a complaint. The woman on the phone apologized and suggested that I take a [[w:samTrans|samTrans]] bus to Millbrae so that I could arrive there about 10 minutes earlier than the next train. Being pissed off at Caltrain in general and not feeling like waiting for nearly an hour, I went down to the street level and got on the bus. While waiting for it, I noticed another police car pull up with an actual dog in the back seat. Wow, they were really serious about this, eh?
I arrived at Millbrae 50 minutes later than if I had been allowed to stay on the train, missing 3 BART trains. I finally left Millbrae on the 6.11 train, though I did find it interesting that the Caltrain that was supposed to arrive at 6.08 never actually did, making taking the bus the right choice.
Imagine if one day Caltrain decided to stop accepting cash and didn't turn off their TVMs - what would happen? This situation is exactly the same. To correct my balance, '''you''' need to contact Translink directly and tell them exactly what happened. Why would they believe me when I will tell them that I got kicked off the train? All they know is that my fare was deducted from my account. The way I was treated that day was completely unacceptable; the fact that I have to do '''anything''' at all to rectify the situation is absolutely despicable, never mind the countless number of people who were delayed as the train was being held up for the police to arrive. I would like to also mention that the fare inspector on my train took the liberty of informing the passengers that the train was being held up due to a "fare evader," resulting in people flipping me the bird after I got off the train. Let me remind you of one crucial fact: I actually paid my fare.
People who beta test new technology are usually given some sort of reward. In the case of Caltrain, I was punished and am now being told that the matter isn't even your fault and that it's up to ME '''me''' to resolve the situation. I was expecting better than this. FYI, I will not be riding on Caltrain any longer until you get your fare collection policies in order and take responsibility for your actions.|||Paul Borokhov}}{{/Caltrain}} ==Translink's response==Not surprisingly, Translink wasn't exactly forthcoming in taking blame either. Their response:{{quote|Dear PAVEL BOROCHOV, Thank you for using TransLink and for your e-mail. We really appreciate your feedback and notification but please be reminded that, until end of 2007, TransLink is not active on the Caltrain network. Notifications were sent out to Caltrain riders few months ago to inform them of the change and Caltrain personnel has been informing their riders that, starting on late 2006, the system could not be used anymore. Please be informed also that your complain is now logged in our system and therefore visible for Caltrain and MTC management so that appropriate steps can be taken to reduce the inconveniences for the patrons who ride our system. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the TransLink Customer Service Center at 1-877-878-8883 (TDD/TTY 711 or 1-800-735-2929). Sincerely, TransLink Customer Service Center|||Translink Customer Service}}Oh yeah, congrats to them for being unable to spell my name correctly even though they had it ''written in an email'' in front of them. lol. I really appreciate their offer to, say, adjust the balance on my account though. Shows that they really care about their customers.{{/Translink}} ==Concise chronology of events==To put everything into context, especially the Caltrain/Translink responses, here's a timeline of events.;Late 2001:Translink pilot program launched to select commuters. BART, MUNI, VTA, Caltrain, AC Transit, and Golden Gate Transit participate and install card readers at some of their stations/vehicles.;Middle 2006:BART and MUNI turn off their readers in anticipation of the pilot's conclusion;October-November 2006:VTA turns off their readers. Caltrain is supposed to turn off theirs, but leaves some on. AC Transit and Golden Gate Transit launch Translink to the public at large.;November 6, 2006:I order a Translink card through the Translink website;January 2007:I use my card for the first time, without problems, on an AC Transit bus;February 21, 2007:I use my card to "buy" a ticket from the Palo Alto train station to Millbrae. A fare inspector onboard looks at my card and walks on, leading me to believe that this is an acceptable way of paying for my fare.;May 19, 2007, around 4.15 pm:As previously, I tag my card at the Palo Alto station on my way to Millbrae.;–, around 4.45 pm:Fare inspector Sarah asks for tickets. I present my Translink card and am informed that this is not an acceptable method of payment.;–, 4.56 pm:As a result of confrontation and my refusal to get off the train, Belmont PD receives a call from Sarah to have me taken off the train.;–, 4.59 pm:Unwilling to pay a citation and unsure of what will happen when the police arrives, I get off the train and begin calling 511. Police arrive within seconds of me deboarding.;–, 5.02 pm:After the police leaves, I call 511 to file a complaint. A few minutes later, I take a bus instead of waiting for the next train.;May 23, 2007, 5.29 pm:Caltrain's first response to my complaint, from Leigh Ann Hildebrand, in which she says that it is Translink, and not Caltrain, who is at fault. I respond immediately.;May 24, 2007, 1.48 am:As per Caltrain's suggestion, I write an email to Translink detailing my ordeal.;–, 5.32 am:Translink responds (providing no name) with a reminder that officially, Translink can't be used on the Caltrain system until later this year. I respond at 9.18 am.;–, 10.34 am:A Translink "supervisor" (still nameless) informs me that the matter is being escalated and reminds me that paying for Caltrain is not an option in the Translink system. I respond, letting them know that they are still missing the point.;May 26, 2007 2.02 pm:A different Caltrain customer service rep, Astrid Lindell, responds, informing me that the fact that some equipment has intermittently been turned back on "has not presented a problem." A week after the incident, not one offer for a refund has yet been made.;May 30, 10.23 am:Astrid responds yet again, desiring to find out what devilish soul told me that I could use my card on Caltrain as well as why exactly I deserved a refund.;–, 9.40 pm:I respond, stating the obvious, and attach some pictures I took recently at the station showing the Translink readers in action.;June 7, 9.35 am:Astrid responds over a week later, saying that it is not clear to her why I used my card "given that the cards are being sold for use only on the specified agencies." I'm not really sure where she got that they were being sold for use only on the specified agencies, but then again, I should have known better.;–, 10.05 am:I respond, with a bit of a bitter closing statement.;–, 12.19 am:Astrid decides to end the conversation by stating curtly, "We have no further comments on this matter.";to be continued...?
==Notes==
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