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(16 posts)

Orca card changes over this weekend

Started 2 years ago by Jiggers
Latest reply from squareeyes

Jiggers
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It only works for folks who have full time jobs and ride the bus daily to work to be able to prepay the full amount. There are more negatives than positive with the changes. King County knows what they are after, and that's your wallet.

Posted 2 years ago #
flowerpetal
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Wouldn't you then just purchase the ORCA e-card? That way you load however much you want on the card. And you can still pay with exact change on the bus.

Posted 2 years ago #
JanS
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flowerpetal, that's what I do while the car is non-functional. I just load 10-20 bucks on it when I need to. It works just fine, However...if you don't use it at least once within a 30 day period, it goes dormant. Can be a hassle when you know there's money on there, but can't utilize it until you get hold of customer service.

I have no idea what jiggers is talking about. :)

Posted 2 years ago #
JEM
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I think Jiggers is assuming you must purchase a monthly pass to use an ORCA card. That is not the case. You can load as little as $5 on the card and reload as needed. I didn't know about the 30 day period/dormant issue, but if you ride at least one time a month you could get by with keeping very little on the card.

Posted 2 years ago #
flowerpetal
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And if you keep track of when you last used the card and know that the thirty days is coming up you can call customer service in advance to have them extend the card's time forward. It does take some mental organization, or a "task" on Outlook, or a note on the calendar.

Posted 2 years ago #
k
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is the point of the card to eliminate cash on buses? i'm lost.

Posted 2 years ago #
bluebird
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ORCA is either cash or pass or both. Makes everything moresimple. If you need it occasionally, put 20 bucks on it. If you work full time but have varied hours, by the lowest fare pass and add 20 bucks. If you ride it during peak hours, it automatically deducts the difference from the cash side. It gives you a read out of the funds you have remaining, every time you use it, so you know when you're getting low. You can also manage the entire account on line. If it gets lost or stolen, you can report it on your account and the money is immediately transferred to a new card.

I drive and use the bus so I just fill it with cash. No more scrounging for quarters when I'm late. Plus, it works on all the transportation, not just Metro. Love this new system.

Posted 2 years ago #
bluebird
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The only 30 day period I am aware of, is you have to activate by using it, within the first 30 days of the original purchase.

Posted 2 years ago #
kellym
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concerned about jiggers statement about prepay the full amount i went to the website. i was able to put any amount on my card from $5 to $300. threw $25 on it. and it does say you need to activate it withing 30 days..if you don't you just call and they do it for you. i ride from ws to eastgate..the gig is ST will no longer accept metro transfers after the 1st.

Posted 2 years ago #
Sue
Member Profile

I think the only 30 day dormancy period is if you don't use it within 30 days of loading money onto it.

I have been using Orca for about 2 months and have been happy with it. My firm loads a monthly pass on it, and then I also have a small e-Purse on there ($5) for the rare occasion when I need to take a ride that's more than $2. It worked very well when I took the 560 to the airport - it showed that it deducted my $2 pass plus $.50 from the e-Purse.

My husband, who uses his less frequently, has only an ePurse on his. He has it set up to recharge automatically from his credit card for a set amount (when the balance gets down to $0, or doesn't have enough to cover his ride). It's worked fine for him as well.

My only issue with Orca is that since my pass is through my company, I have to agree that they can look at my travel history anytime they'd like. I doubt that they spend their time doing that, but I don't like that they can. Of course, my only recourse is to turn down the free $50 a month they give me towards the pass.

Posted 2 years ago #
flowerpetal
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You are right Sue and kellym (and I was wrong). The 30 day period is only after you purchase your e-card and/or add more value to it

Posted 2 years ago #
Jiggers
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So, if you pay $1.75 to get on the regular Metro green bus from W.S, and have to get on Sound Transit and pay an additional $2.50 to get to your destination lets say to Redmond, that's a total of $3.75 just one way. Now,since S.T. won't be issueing transfers back or honoring Metro transfers, you'll have to pay $2.50 cents to get back and hopefully, you still have transfer time left to use off of your regular Metro fare or you'll have to pay another $1.75. What is that like $7.50 for the privilidge of using S.T.? Oh yeah...I also think that they all are raising fares next week too right? It is far cheaper to drive again.

Posted 2 years ago #
JanS
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well, they're doing away with paper transfers. If you used a paper transfer to utilize ST before, the Orca card will do it for you, as I understand it. If you had to pay the extra in the past, then..I guess you'd have to again.

Here's the basic skinny :

http://www.orcacard.com/ERG-Seattle/p3_001.do?m=3

Yeah, that 30 day thing. I learned it the hard way...added money right after I got my card, didn't have a need for it for a while (I work at home)...when I went to use it (more than 30 days had passed)...oops! Yes, I had change, but still...live and learn, I suppose :)

Posted 2 years ago #
Jiggers
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Jan.. I believe with the paper transfer to get on S.T. from Metro cost and additional .75. Without it now, you'll have to pay $2.50 regardless. Big difference. But anyways, how many people take both buses everyday to and from work. If I had to, I'd be pissed.

Posted 2 years ago #
miws
Member Profile

Yes, people that do not use ORCA will have to pay full fares, no transfer or credit from the first ride, when transfering between agencies. So, to go to the Airport, you hop on the 55/128 up in Admiral, and transfer to the 560 in the Alaska Junction, you'll be paying the $2.00/$2.25/whatever on the 55/128 and another $2.50 on the 560.

Jiggers, I understand where you're coming from with the not riding everyday. Still being unemployed, I am not either. But, ORCA, with the E-Purse, is a hell of a lot easier than fumbling with tickets/cash/transfers, or any combination thereof, since a Puget Pass would be out of the question with what little riding I currently do.

Please get a card now, while they are still free, so you can at least save the $5.00 fee, which starts Feb 1st(?).

The only downsides I can see, are that quirky 30-day thing, and that apparently there is very little, or no "grace" period, if you go over two hours on a "transfer". I recently had an occasion where I was 2 hours and 8 minutes between card taps on my bus trip. So, we do lose the 2.5-3 hrs transfer time that many drivers would give out.

Mike

Posted 2 years ago #
squareeyes
Member Profile

Thanks to the people who mentioned that 30-day activation policy. I got a card a few weeks ago and am planning to use it next week when my car is in the shop, so this was a good warning to check the date.

Posted 2 years ago #