MARTA Improvement?

By Chris

In Atlanta today, which means riding the MARTA trains. About a month ago, I saw signs that things were changing in the train system. Something about converting from tokens to fare cards. As of today, the transition is a mess. Went to one of the new fair card machines, and was told to go stand in line at their Ride Store. O.k. At the ride store, they sold me . . . . TOKENS.

Ride store conversation:
Me: Huh? I thought the point of seeing you was to buy these new cards.

Marta Lady: Nope. I can sell you tokens.

Me. O.k. Give me ten. I can use these to get on the train?

ML: No. You have to take the tokens I sell you, put them in the machines over there, which will give you fare cards, that will get you on the train.

Me. Uhh. O.k. (was the Dramamine really strong this morning, or did this interaction really not make sense???)

Ten tokens in hand, I take ten steps to the "self service" machine, all of which have a live Marta employee standing nearby. That's right. More Marta helpers at the self service machines then at the live person ticket window. I put a token in, and the machine gives me a card, good for one entry. I get ready to exchange all of my tokens for the new cards, when helpful marta staff dude asks:

"What stations will you be using those at?"

Me: "Sometimes Lenox, sometimes the airport. maybe even others."

Marta Dude: "Well Lenox only takes the tokens, but this station only takes the cards, so you need to keep some of each. You can always trade a token for a card at one of these machines, but you can't trade a card for a token when you need one."

Me: "Thanks, I think?"

What a dilemna. Card? Token? It's only 7 a.m. and I've been up since three something. This is way to complicated for public transportation. I decide to just buy one card, and keep the rest of my tokens. Seems the low tech tokens are more flexible than the new fangled cards. Turns out the card is pretty amazing. It's as thin as a business card and made of paper. Yet, as you approach the entry gate the maching somehow detects the activated card and swings the gate open. No swiping. No bar code reading. You just have to get it near the gate somewhere, and bingo. Amazing. Somewhere in that paper throw-away card is a radio transmitter, apparently. It's so amazing in fact that a log jam formed at the gates as people stopped and looked all over for a place to insert the card. Another Marta dude came to the rescue, yelling "just hold it near gate." So, the new automated system was taking more people to run it then the old token system. I'm sure this is not what they had in mind.

On the train, it was the same ol' smelly Marta driven by brake happy operators determined to make me motion sick, making announcements that go something like: "Next station, homma momma jamma did one left." The poor unexperienced riders just wrinkle their noses up, looking confused, hoping someone will translate for them which station is approaching. Every once in a while, the automated signs are right, but not often. One poor lady today was really confused. Everytime one of the mumbo-jumbo annoncements said something, she got confused, asking me "Is this the Doraville train." "Yes", I would say, each time. Poor thing, did she think the train changed somehow in between every stop without her knowing it? On the return ride, I drew a seat partner interested in knowing if I ever eat at some place called Steak and Shake. Surprisingly, she informed "they have real good steak in there." "What else is good," I ask. "Their shakes are real good too," she answers. "Go figure. Steak and Shake's have good steaks and shakes. Well I think we should start calling this train Smelly and Slow," I replied. She chuckled.

On the return trip, sure enough, my station only took tokens . . . but, ironically none of the slots were working, so I had to hop the gate anyway.