Victoria,

First off please do not read any of my snark in this comment as directed at you, it is all towards METRO. I’m a bit dedicated to annoying them :)

So the people with the Tap Cards had to wait in a line (in the one way in and out blue line and green line Rosa Parks Station) to have their Tap Cards read by Sheriffs?

This isn’t a question to you Victoria, I’m glad you are taking about and writing about public transit, but how does this make it easier? Reading cards between transfer points is time consuming and bad customer service and I bet they won’t ever do that at 7th and Metro or right before a Lakers game at the Pico Station stop or even the transfer point from Noho to the Orange Line, could you imagine trying to get home or get to work to have to stand in a line while the Sheriff is reading people’s cards?

There are always Sheriffs on the Blue Line, so if they are going to start checking (which I’m sure they will) how is them reading the cards going to make it easier for people than a traditional pass that you just wave in their face.

Oh and by the way they are slowly transitioning the day passes and all passes to the TAP.

Browne

Dag! I was wondering when they were going to start that. Because I ride the bus 1/3 of the time while using metro, I haven’t been able to take advantage of the TAP fare obfuscation thing. On the other hand, while using the train, I never “Tap” like I’m supposed to. The whole card-reading and turnstile installation is a step backwards for efficiency.

The Rosa Parks Station transfer to the Green Line, is the one station where I always see fare inspectors, and riders getting fined for evasion.

I understand your passion. This is something that affects many of us directly and it is deeply frustrating in some ways.

I didn’t notice a back up in passengers with the scanners. But I’m not sure how many people are using them just yet. Logically, though, I believe you are right and with a flood of people coming off one line to connect to another, five officers can only do so many cards at a time. It’s not a problem I am likely to encounter much as I primarily use the Red Line and the policing there is nothing like it is on the Blue Line. I prefer it when they come on board and do the checking there. No one is held up.

Thanks for the information you have been sharing. I like having new perspectives or additional input.