is there a reason it is called VENTra ????

OK - it's Friday (TGIF btw) and I am going to unload a M_A_J_O_R VENTra...I got my card in the mail; followed the instuctions to activate it (very poor btw) and received a message that 'my card is already activated' (wtf). OK - I'll play along. I do not know the access code (never set it up - do-h); cannot log in to retrieve it (two strikes for you), so I call the "toll free" number (what a joke); and to speak with someone about it I am told

(with a very cheery female voice (oh spare me honey) "your wait time will be approximately 26 minutes". yeah right. like I have NOTHING better to do than sit on hold

and listen to this nauseating music (good thing I collect barf bags from southwest airlines (now THERE is a company with awesome customer service btw - can you say capitalism with a KAPITAL SEE?????). VENTRA darling - you get a BIG FAT F- in my grade book. I am flushing this lovely little card down the toilet. Oh wait - i will use my handy dandy "pick puncher" and make some nice guitar picks out of you; it was nice knowing you. and why do I hate the CTA ??? let me count the ways. When I get even a B+ from my customers I have to meet with them to see what ever I can do to change that grade to an A+.

 

OK - I feel SO much better now...TGIF

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Permalink Reply by JeffB on October 14, 2013 at 3:38am

I bought mine at CVS.  Something to note: if you buy it there, you have to add value to it, or it will not work.  I paid my $5 and told the cashier that I would add value at the station.  I received no mention that it wouldn't work though.  I only found out when I tried to add value at the station and the customer rep told me to take it back.  I went back to CVS, added $5 and then I was able to use the station machines.

Speaking of those, has any one else noticed the menu display problem on the screen?  The menu choices have arrows pointing to the buttons, but the perspective changes so that if you're standing right up next to the machine, the arrows seem to be pointing to the wrong buttons.  You have to take a step or two back to see the proper alignment of arrow to button.  They couldn't use touch screens?  Or angle the screens up like at ATMs?  Idiotic.

Permalink Reply by Davo on October 14, 2013 at 3:42am

So Im good using an RF CC as long as I don't need a transfer?

If your trip involves a transfer, you'll be charged full price for both segments when using a credit card instead of being billed the $0.25 transfer fee for second segment. Also there is currently no way to load monthly or day passes on credit card, or tie a credit card to a pre tax commuter benefit problem. Basically Ventra has made everything that the Chicago Card/Chiacgo Card Plus made easy hard again.



Davo said:

Why is anyone getting this stupid card when supossidly you can use any credit card with the RF simble on it. Has anyone done this yet? I havent because i rarely take transit. I am kind of pissed about the dollar increase for just a single ride though.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on October 14, 2013 at 4:48am

The same is true if you're buying it from a machine in a station. You have to add value in addition to the $5 purchase price for the card.

When you register the card online (which does NOT require you to use the debit feature, just for tracking your balance and insurance in case your card is lost or stolen), that $5 is credited to the fare balance on your account.

JeffB (7+ miles) said:

I bought mine at CVS.  Something to note: if you buy it there, you have to add value to it, or it will not work.  I paid my $5 and told the cashier that I would add value at the station.  I received no mention that it wouldn't work though.  I only found out when I tried to add value at the station and the customer rep told me to take it back.  I went back to CVS, added $5 and then I was able to use the station machines.

Permalink Reply by Wolf-Pup on October 14, 2013 at 10:19am

I still don't have a card. I've been been waiting 25 minutes for customer service to pick up. I hate this. 

Permalink Reply by Duppie on October 15, 2013 at 4:26am

My Ventra Card is working, but the balance from my old CCP has not transferred after 5 days

So, it’s time to call 1-877-NOW-VENT. Here are the results

  1. Yesterday morning: 31 minutes wait time
  2. Yesterday afternoon: 36 minutes wait time
  3. This morning: got a busy signal

Clearly, Ventra is solving the call center issues.

Permalink Reply by WillG on October 15, 2013 at 7:43am

Duppie, same issues here. I have yet to get a Ventra human being to acknowledge there is a problem transferring the CC+ funds to Ventra. Please report back if you figure something out. The single time I've made it through on the phone they first try to tell me I'm mistaken and then say that it it takes a few days. I'm currently sitting a week from when I activated the Ventra (and "transferred" funds from my CC+ card).

The person on the other end of the phone didn't sound like they knew what they were talking about.

Permalink Reply by BruceBikes on October 15, 2013 at 7:45am

I've read that Ventra will eventually be able to accept NFC-enabled phone payment.  It'll be nice to have one fewer card in my wallet.

h' $550 said:

so what's the point? So that tourists can subsidize the system by overpaying with credit cards?

Couldn't they come up with a sensor that works for both?

Cameron 7.5 mi said:

As good as the CC+ was a best case scenario that few are expected to achieve.


h' $550 said:

Not quite. I have been able to swipe most of the time with my CC+ without even taking it out of my pocket.

It sounds like that won't be possible with Ventra, so at best I'll have something that doesn't do everything my Chicago Card did.

BTW-- why are they making it a point to call it "touchless" if they're speaking of "tapping" it in the same breath?

Cameron 7.5 mi said:

The best part of is whole mess is that after we finally get through all this transition frustration, at best we'll have something that does everything that our Chicago Cards did.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on October 17, 2013 at 4:41am

If you're able to log in using the info from the email and set a PIN for the account, then use that PIN in the activation phone call to the 888 # on the sticker on the Ventra card.  Successful completion of the activation call triggers the balance transfer. Good luck! Hope the rest of the process is easier for you.

h' $550 said:

I had kind of a silly back and forth with CTA per e-mail trying to explain that I'd never received the e-mails, but they finally stated they were forwarding my communication to Ventra, and I got a call this morning at 7:45 or so from a guy in Tennessee who generated reset and username/password e-mails. I guess I'll dig in tonight and figure out if that's what I need to transfer my CC+ balance.

Permalink Reply by WillG on October 17, 2013 at 4:59am

It will trigger the transfer, but for me that meant removing the money from CC+ and then...well, keeping it. Still waiting for the actual transfer part to occur, right now it's more of a "steal" rather than a "transfer."

It's been 9 days now since my "transfer" was activated, it's a little frustrating.

Anne Alt said:

If you're able to log in using the info from the email and set a PIN for the account, then use that PIN in the activation phone call to the 888 # on the sticker on the Ventra card.  Successful completion of the activation call triggers the balance transfer. Good luck! Hope the rest of the process is easier for you.

Permalink Reply by BruceBikes on October 17, 2013 at 5:06am

Different than Bluetooth, NFC stands for Near Field Communication.  It's based on the radio frequency identification (RFID) already used in contactless cards.  It's being added to most new smartphones.

h' $550 said:

How would that work... Bluetooth?

BruceBikes said:

I've read that Ventra will eventually be able to accept NFC-enabled phone payment.  It'll be nice to have one fewer card in my wallet.

Permalink Reply by Thunder Snow on October 17, 2013 at 5:14am

Yep, what Anne said.  I ended up activating the card over the phone twice, after a week of waiting with no money transfer from CC+, and basically nothing happening after the first activation.  The second activation was the charm: call the phone number, input your Ventra card number and 4-digit PIN, then wait for the confirmation.  After that second activation, my account status on the Ventra web site switched from "Closed" to "Active" and shortly thereafter my 28 bucks magically transferred over.  I've used the Ventra card several times since, with no problems.
 
Anne Alt said:

If you're able to log in using the info from the email and set a PIN for the account, then use that PIN in the activation phone call to the 888 # on the sticker on the Ventra card.  Successful completion of the activation call triggers the balance transfer. Good luck! Hope the rest of the process is easier for you.

Permalink Reply by WillG on October 17, 2013 at 5:27am

Cam, it's interesting that you don't have a card yet, but I do, since we work for the same company. Did you have the transit benefits on a CC+ card before?

Cameron 7.5 mi said:

I got a notification from my transit benefit administrator (WageWorks) that they had loaded October benefit onto my Ventra Account on the 11th, but I'm yet to receive or activate a Ventra Card. I wonder where that money went.

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