The Metrocard is dispensable in ways that the MTA probably never guessed. In fact, the subways seem to be the transport of choice for suspected sex attacker, Peter Braunstein, who has been dodging the police for the past two weeks. The NY Post says that the NYPD has been able to track Braunstein's whereabouts because he purchased an unlimited Metrocard with his credit card, putting him at West Fourth Street and near Richmond Hill on various days. But the lagtime between receiving the information and getting detectives there takes a while - and Braunstein's unlimited card expired. We supposes the MTA never installed a special alarm if someone's card was swiped through, sort of like a "You're the millionth shopper" acknowledgement.
Other Metrocard news:
- Various city and state health agencies, plus the NYPD, will crack down on the illegal selling of Metrocards by a hot dog vendor outside of Bellevue that the Daily News reported on yesterday.
- Seniors will get 50 cent subway and bus fares during the holiday period; the MTA is already offering $1 fares and reduced unlimited Metrocard fares during the weekends between Thanksgiving and New Year's, plus the week between Christmass and New Years. The MTA is pulling out all the stops for this promotion: Santa Claus and advertising will be used to let New Yorkers and out-of-towners know. Hilariously, MTA spokesman Tom Kelly says, "We feel it's money well spent in order to make sure all of our customers know about the significant thank-you discounts that they're getting," which seems counter to MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow's statement that the discounts were insignificant. All in a day at the MTA!
