Streetsblog Los Angeles

 Metro did not crack down on “TAP scofflaws”, they had a fare checking session (done by humans) as they should be doing on a frequent basis.

Whether the passenger had a TAP card does not matter so long as it is possible to ride using a variety of fare media printed on paper.

If you read the posting, you realize that the humans (LASD employees) did the warning, citing and arresting.

I know of no turnstile or faregate on the market which can perform such a task.  Indeed the checking was done upon exiting the station(s), something a locked LA Metro turnstile will NOT be set up to do, at least as LA Metro has presented .

James, 

Are there any unstaffed supermarkets that you know of?

Do you have any insider information on what LA Metro is planning to do about staffing stations?  Roving staff between stations?  

“Sorry you cannot get past the turnstile with your valid ticket, a station agent is enroute.  Your wait time is approximately 15 minutes. LA Metro cannot be responsible for missed connections” (?)

How is one-county LA Metro planning on forcing five/six-county Metrolink to switch to TAP or end free transfers? (Remember Metrolink’s Ventura County already has an RFID fare card)

(I am sure Cubic would like to grab Metrolink’s Ticket Vending Machine contract away from, IIRC, Scheidt & Bachmann without a bidding process)

P.S. Distance-based fares will require the expensive installation addition of expensive “Add-fare” machines (easily close to an additional $46 million) to every station with turnstiles.  “TAP”-in and “TAP”-out will do the same thing for a fraction of this, and every rail and Orange line station was already set up for this before the turnstile follies.

1)  No,  I have not seen unstaffed supermarkets.  Hence, it should NOT be an either/ or.  There should be people AND gates at stations.

2)  I don’t have insider information, just common sense. And experience with Tokyo’s and San Francisco’s subways, where they have both gates and staffed stations.  and TAP-style cards which cross several central Japanese prefectures.  or link all around the Bay Area from San Francisco to San Jose, in Clipper’s case.

3)  perhaps it is bureaucratically impossible, but it is certainly not technically impossible for TAP cards to cross county lines (see above examples).  and OCTA, at the very least, IS interested in allowing various operators to be compatible. 

“forcing” them to switch?  sounds like the Monty Python sketch about “forcing” people to sit in comfy chairs. if money is an issue, Find The Money.