Rescue Muni

Do you think Muni wastes taxpayer money? They have nothing on the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, which at a time of severe budget cuts has spent half a million of your hard-earned dollars, not to add service, not to improve the 511.org website, not even to put up more ads encouraging riders to take mass transit, but to rebrand the Translink card. Someone they paid good money to thought it would make sense to replace all of the logos and advertisements for the (finally mostly functional) card with new ones with a new name – Clipper.

Is it too late to cut this item from the regional budget and spend it on – here’s an idea – better service instead?

Update: Hey SF Appeal, you got us on this one. Apparently they reported this in the last decade - and the total’s $1 million. Still, it’s a big waste.

Update 2: SFist has a long commentary on all things Translink today.

The SFMTA’s project to upgrade Metro fare gates has received an $11 million boost from the Fed’s stimulus package. The $29 million project to replace fare gates with cashless Translink-only gates will be moved up 1 and a half years for completion in the fall of 2010.

Passengers will still be able to buy single rides by using fare machines similar to what BART uses and accept cash, debit, or credit to pay for a fare. Fast Passes will be accepted until they are phased out in favor of electronic monthly passes on Translink.

Good news on the Oyster, Octopus, SmarTrip, Suica style smartcard front: Testing of Translink on BART has been successful, and the cards will be supported “within a month.” Not coincidentally, the Translink working group recently fired the contractor responsible for many of the recent delays.

If you don’t have a Translink card, sign up now!

(Thanks to Muni Diaries for the tip.)

Today’s Chronicle has more details on the long-delayed, but now almost fully operational, Translink system for Muni and regional fare payment. Muni is looking for more riders to test the system and provide feedback. You can sign up now at the Translink website.

Note that you can’t use it on cable cars or BART, so if you use your fast pass to ride either of these, you’ll need to wait. But if you normally pay cash or just use your fast pass on Muni buses and light rail, it’s well worth joining the trial as boarding is a lot faster with the Translink card.

Do you have an old but still functional TransLink card from the testing back in 2001? Or are you a current user of the card on Golden Gate or AC? You’re in luck, Muni is looking for testers again. Sign up and post your feedback!

Note that if you have a working card, Translink mostly works NOW. Just use your card on any reader that says “Testing In Progress.” However, some do not work and not all operators are familiar with the system, so always keep $1.50 on hand in case you need to pay cash. You’ll need to add cash to the card at the Add Value Machines located in the downtown BART/Muni stations, or online.

(Found on Akit’s blog. Also, covered in the Chronicle.)