Tourist Rips SF Transit Vending Machinery
It’s true that some parts of our transit system are responsible for the worst experience tourists regularly have in San Francisco (MUNI train vending machines), but really - the whole thing is confusing, top to bottom:
After spending a few days in San Francisco for a family wedding (congrats Brian and Sheri!), I was surprised to realize how much I appreciate the wonderful simplicity of New York City’s transit system.
…
San Francisco’s system is great, and I managed to get everywhere I needed to go — the new science museum, the zoo, etc. But something as simple as trying to buy a ticket left me feeling like I was part of some great social experiment, trying to determine just how far people can be pushed before reaching their breaking point and descending into madness.
…
How else could I explain the ridiculous difficulty of making change, or finagling with my credit card to buy a train ticket?
Here is a city ahead of its time in some ways, with zero-emissions buses powered by overhead electrical wires — the same wires that power the light-rail trains that roll effortlessly between underground subway tunnels and the streets of the city, where they stop at traffic lights and stop signs just like a bus. And digital message signs announced when the next bus or train would be arriving. Nice.
The bus fareboxes take dollar bills there! That was a welcome perk, but the vending machines for the MUNI trains were a disaster. The turnstiles only take exact change, which can only be gotten after a complicated combination of getting gold dollar coins from one machine, and quarters from another, to come up with the $1.50 fare.
And don’t get me started on the BART train. We spent about 10 minutes juggling our luggage at the airport to figure out how to buy tickets at those vending machines to get on the train to our hotel. If you put cash in, you can only get $4.95 in change, so if you only have a $20 and your ticket is $5.35 like ours was, you can kiss your change goodbye. Then, try using a credit card instead, and end up pushing 800 buttons to add or subtract a dollar, or add or subtract 5 cents, to come up with the right fare. Argh!
In the year 2008, we send people scampering for quarters. There is not nearly enough pressure being applied to people in charge of those MUNI vending machines.
I know there is talk of a ‘universal payment card’ - Translink, but will this card solve the problem for tourists?
I never understood why cities made it so difficult for tourists to get places and spend money.
Leave comment (1)[p.s. The Forums are open for participation.]
October 15th, 2008 at 9:45 am
I agree, and have been saying for a while now they really should look at places like San Diego, who put machines up everywhere, you can pay with a debit card, you can get anything you need (ticket, multiday pass etc) at any time, and it’s easy.
it would be easier to do here since our fares are not based on distance.