MetroCard Swipes Have 80 Percent Success Rate!

Swipe this! (Amotische's Flickr)

In an exclusive report, the Daily News reveals that four out of five MetroCard swipes slide through without incident, opening the turnstile to subterranean paradise with the greatest of ease. But of course the MTA's achievements don't sell papers, so the tabloid spins the data to emphasize the system's shortcomings, running with the headline "Swipe and gripe! MTA admits 1 in 5 tries with MetroCard bound to fail at turnstiles." But given the MTA's track record of, ahem, challenges, we think a 20 percent failure rate is pretty impressive!

The MetroCard difficulties were cited in an MTA report on the pilot program for a "contactless" smart card that could put swiping out to pasture. MTA spokesman Aaron Donovan tells us, "One of the benefits of the RFID-based smart card that we are working to implement is that it will eliminate the use of magnetic strip technology and the problem of mis-swipes." This comes as a tremendous relief, because as you know there are nine wrong ways to swipe your MetroCard!

Last year, the MTA introduced the contactless option at subway locations on the Lexington Avenue train line (4,5,6) from 138th Street in the Bronx through Borough Hall in Brooklyn, on eight MTA bus routes (M14, M23, M79, M86, M101, M102, M103 and BXM7), 11 PATH stations (excluding only the Christopher and 9th Street stations), and three NJ TRANSIT bus routes (6, 80, 87). In its recent report to vendors about expanding the pilot, the MTA said the technology would allow different fares for rush-hour and off-peak travel. But the MTA's Charles Monheim insists the MTA is not considering such a move.

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By John Del Signore in News on May 25, 2011 10:48 AM

Comments [rss]

whitecastlerock

The MTA can't do anything right-fuck them...

sommelier

About 20% of the time when I get off the subway and try to transfer onto the B63 bus another fare is deducted. Anyone else?

Gothampc

It's definitely the machine. I think the MTA chose the swipe machines specifically because they knew that they would be hard to operate and could steal fares. The scanners are not cleaned enough in the morning. Try the West 4th station around 7:00 am while the maintenance people are still drinking their coffee. It's almost like you can't get any turnstile to read your card.

Look at London. They now have the Oyster card that you just press against a yellow pad. Oyster card can hold both an unlimited fare and a pay as you go fare. Imagine if NYC got their act together enough to produce a card that could hold fares for NYC subway and the Path train. Whoa Nelly, we might be considered a world class city.

Paul_MD

What if your ATM had a 20% failure rate?

Brian Sherman

Trust me...it's not the swipe...it's the machine.

da_phonz

I have noticed that every pay as you go card will make you re-swip on the swip that brings you lower than one fare. Take notice, it will start to drive you nuts.

Stacy_Anne

Yes. At the stations I use regularly, I've learned (the hard way, of course) which machines to stay away from. For some unfathomable reason, usually the second one from the right sucks.

Brian Sherman

I tried to get off the monthly pass for monetary reasons and go "pay as you go". But after losing fare after fare I was forced back to the monthly. At least if it screws up you can go to the booth (providing someone is there) and they can review the swipes and let you though. With pay as you go you are screwed. I wrote a letter to the head of the MTA and Mayor Bloomberg a few years back about the MTA's dirty little money making secret. Never got a response.

RabbiLaFunque

It's mostly morons and recent transplants who can't master basic skills; standing behind Meaghan from Buttinkaloosa, Wisconsota while she tries to swipe while texting makes me homicidal.

Eric Gordon

In all fairness, you do have to have some skill at swiping. It's not like swiping a credit card. You have to keep the card absolutely flat and have just the right speed. I can understand when tourists don't get it right. What irks me is when NYers don't get it right on the third try.

Smith Corona

whoa, hold on there, buddy. I've been here as long as the sun has been shinning. Once in awhile I get a crap card - like this month. "Please swipe again" is the theme of May.

RabbiLaFunque

Just wake up the token booth clerk and ask them to replace it--they will.
This handy tip brought to you by "Ask the Rabbi"

Smith Corona

I've tried. They tell you to "send it in".

FU Boy

this happens to me too, if there's no attendant I just jump the turnstyle.

Dan

I have the most problems at the Downtown 1 66th St. Station, 4 out of 5 swipes fail. I mainly think because they need to be cleaned more often. I wonder if it will get better once the schools are out of session.

I liked when the PATH switched over to contactless.

fixilator

The question is, how often do the turnstiles fail at letting you pass but succeed at deducting one fare from your card? HATE IT when this happens!

Guest

i had that happen once. the turnstile said, "please swipe at this turnstile," and i went to another turnstile and swiped it, and it said, "just used." so i figured that when it says "please swipe at this turnstile" it really means it already took your money and was unable to process at letting me pass, so i must swipe at the same turnstile, or else.

...hope that makes sense. i'm being sneaky here at work. he he he