The Chainlink

The CTA was accused of putting the profits of its corporate partners ahead of the needs of poor people during a hearing Monday night on a new fare-payment system set to debut this summer. Jon Hilkevitch reports about it here.

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That $188 cost is only if you use the debit card features.  

Jeremy said:

I think the bad news is a little deeper into the article when it's mentioned that the projected yearly cost of using the ventra card is a whopping $188 a year.  WTF?   This sounds like a TERRIBLE deal!

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-ventra-debit-deal-0...

Why is it referred to above as an "account reloading by credit card" fee?

S said:

That $188 cost is only if you use the debit card features.  

Jeremy said:

I think the bad news is a little deeper into the article when it's mentioned that the projected yearly cost of using the ventra card is a whopping $188 a year.  WTF?   This sounds like a TERRIBLE deal!

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-ventra-debit-deal-0...

The big danger is that it is the nose under the tent.   In 2002 the U.S. Congress passed a law imposing numerous registration requirements on food producers in order to protect the food supply from the threat of bioterrorism.  At the time that it passed, many many people argued that it was overly burdensome and the first step to a far more intrusive system of over regulation.   The FDA, at the time, insisted that it was for the limited purpose of protecting the food supply from a terrorist attack (which has never happened, any attack would not come in a way that this would provide any protection, and was thus solving a problem which did not exist).  The law had many abusrd provisions, and, for example, technically requires a father who stores 20 cases of girl scout cookies in his office for her to take and sell downtown to register....  

Move forward to 2010.  The FDA has now modified its controls and taken the bioterrorism rules and widened and broadened them into an incredible witches brew of regulation.   These rules took effect earlier this year.   Just watch all sorts of imported food delicacies disappear from the shelves as foreign companies react.   It has already, for example, been used to strip the shelves of "british Twinings Tea" and any product of Fortnum and Mason....

Anyone who things that the Ventra Card isn't going to end up with massive fees even when used as a transit card is dreaming.  Think the Parking Meter/Parking lot scam was bad?   This one's going to be worse and I am guessing it is littered with poison pills.

S said:

That $188 cost is only if you use the debit card features.  

Jeremy said:

I think the bad news is a little deeper into the article when it's mentioned that the projected yearly cost of using the ventra card is a whopping $188 a year.  WTF?   This sounds like a TERRIBLE deal!

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-ventra-debit-deal-0...

Looking into non debit card fees, there will be a $1.50 fee for commuter benefits,  in many cases this will negate any tax benefits received. 

S said:

That $188 cost is only if you use the debit card features.  

Jeremy said:

I think the bad news is a little deeper into the article when it's mentioned that the projected yearly cost of using the ventra card is a whopping $188 a year.  WTF?   This sounds like a TERRIBLE deal!

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-ventra-debit-deal-0...

Because "Our Greedy Gotcha Fee" sounded too avaricious even for Ventra.

h' 1.0 said:

Why is it referred to above as an "account reloading by credit card" fee?

Slightly off topic, but this may be useful to regular CTA riders (like me).

http://www.groupon.com/deals/chicago-transit-authority-cta-4?pt=aUV...

It's 3-day passes for $9 each rather than the usual $20.  Limit of 4, so I can now ride around on the CTA for 12 days this summer for $3/day.  Nice.

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