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Valley Metro Farebox Issue

 
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Cyberider




Joined: 27 Apr 2007
Posts: 501
Location: Tempe, AZ

PostPosted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 2:19 pm    Post subject: Valley Metro Farebox Issue Reply with quote

For the past few weeks, I've been enjoying listening to Valley Metro dispatchers and bus operators on my scanning radio. It's amazing the number of issues they have to deal with and fareboxes are one of the main ones. Today, though, it's worse than usual. None of them are working and they're losing a lot of revenue from the sounds of things. I'm guessing that they all operate from some kind of internet connection since they are all tied together and there's a problem. Can anyone here enlighten me on how modern fareboxes work? Sounds like they'd be better off with a good old Johnson farebox today!

Dave
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Mr. Linsky
BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee



Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Posts: 5071
Location: BRENTWOOD, CA. - WOODMERE, N.Y.

PostPosted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 12:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dave,

Quite frankly, I wish we were back in simpler times;

A friend of mine recently got the latest and most expensive Lexus - he comes out of his house the other morning and finds all the windows and the sun roof wide open!

Lexus is apparently familiar with the problem and needs the car for two or three days to fix some glitch in the computers.

Yesterday, I stop at the local supermarket to pick up a Sunday New York Times - I get to the counter thinking I'll be on my way in a couple of seconds but the bar code on the front page of the paper won't read.

Normally, what they do in such a case is to manually enter the numbers under the bar code but that wouldn't work either (it was like the computer was telling them that there is no such item!).

Then, as the line is getting longer and longer behind me, the clerk has the packer get another copy of the paper and that won't read either.

Finally, after ten minutes of back and forth, the clerk summons the manager and he somehow figures out what to do.

In the days of the old fashioned cash register, I would have been out of there in those seconds that I mentioned above.

It's the same thing with ATM machines at the bank - originally, you could make a deposit or get cash within less than a minute.

Now, the new machines put you through hoops for each transaction and the average time at an ATM has increased to ten times what it used to be (and that's not good because the longer you stand at an ATM machine the greater your chances become of being held up!).

I sure miss the good old days!

Regards,

Mr. 'L'

BTW; Pheonix can have back my Johnson model 'D' presentation box if they're thinking of going manual again!
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Cyberider




Joined: 27 Apr 2007
Posts: 501
Location: Tempe, AZ

PostPosted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 8:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mr. Linsky,

I'm not surprised! We are slaves to computers these days. Here's a problem I hear a number of times every day. "Shut down the bus and disconnect the batteries for five minutes to recycle the system. Then see if it works." Unbelievable!

Yes, it would be nice if we could go back to the simpler good old days and get away from this insanity. Nothing is simple these days. BTW, I refuse to use ATM machines!

Hope all is well with you,
Dave

P.S. Sounds like they're still having farebox issues today!
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HwyHaulier




Joined: 16 Dec 2007
Posts: 932
Location: Harford County, MD

PostPosted: Wed Jan 26, 2011 7:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dave -

Perhaps the query should be posed: How the contemporary fare boxes don't work? Just in the past few weeks,
the Baltimore news carried stories of fareboxes not functioning. Dubious allegations that operators were simply
putting covers on them, and collecting no fares at all. On some analysis, it was clear scapegoating pointless.
The newer fare boxes are simply fitful and erratic. Seems too much like an expensive misadventure, all paid for
by "someone else" (read taxpayer saps)...

.....................Vern.................
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RailBus63
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Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Posts: 1063

PostPosted: Wed Jan 26, 2011 9:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Which fareboxes are being used by Valley Metro?
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ajaynejr



Age: 72
Joined: 18 Nov 2011
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Fri Nov 18, 2011 8:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

deleted m
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