When will they start using smart cards in the US more?

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Even though I usually only go to Taiwan for roughly 1-2 weeks at most, I have a subway smart card. It's good for the bus too and this time when I went back, I noticed that it's even good for paying for parking lots.

It's quite frustrating as a student in the US to have a bus pass and then see other peopel struggle as they dig their pockets for change. Even the people who have month passes struggle trying to stick their pass into the machine. How much easier would it be when people just brush their wallets by a device and don't slow the bus down?

In Korea they even let you use the smart cards that's designed for subway and busses and taxis at convenience stores. Once my friends didnt have small bills, so we decided to charge our 7-11 purchases on our card. Put it on the device, it beeps, and bam, you're done.

I think the only instances of RFID I see that are being used properly are electronic toll payments. Other than that, I think we have a long way to go....

Edit: I remember seeing on the news that BART (our subway system in the Bay Area) will be testing out smart cards, but here's the problem. It's probably going to be restricted to BART and only BART. Woudln't it be cool if you could use it on SF's Muni or AC Transit or VTA busses? Then combine that with FastTrak toll? BART tickets are convenient in that I usually load $20 on it, but what's the point of carrying multiple cards/RFID devices if they aren't going to be linked together?

 

[doze]

In Taiwan and Korea food is cheap, public transportation is abundant and cheap, mobile phone companies compete and rates are dirt cheap, a 4 star hotel is like a 5 star in the USA, and there is no such thing as bad customer service

But they are also overcrowded and polluted and the poor are very poor, and it smells way different too

edit: still glad to be an American

 

[isekii]

Originally posted by: doze
In Taiwan and Korea food is cheap, public transportation is abundant and cheap, mobile phone companies compete and rates are dirt cheap, a 4 star hotel is like a 5 star in the USA, and there is no such thing as bad customer service

But they are also overcrowded and polluted and the poor are very poor, and it smells way different too

edit: still glad to be an American

Food is not cheap in Taiwan and Korea. It's the total opposite.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Originally posted by: isekii

Originally posted by: doze
In Taiwan and Korea food is cheap, public transportation is abundant and cheap, mobile phone companies compete and rates are dirt cheap, a 4 star hotel is like a 5 star in the USA, and there is no such thing as bad customer service

But they are also overcrowded and polluted and the poor are very poor, and it smells way different too

edit: still glad to be an American

Food is not cheap in Taiwan and Korea. It's the total opposite.

Food is cheap in Taiwan, but not Korea. Maybe if you want to eat the same steak dinner that you get in the US, it will be expensive, but when feeding 5 people costs around $15 USD is expensive, then you gotta be on crack.

 

[sniperruff]

NYC did something similar. they gave free rides on the 6 line to whoever has the citibank credit card with smart chip in it. unfortunately, i don't ride the 6 nor have the standard citicard.

 

[doze]

Originally posted by: isekii

Originally posted by: doze
In Taiwan and Korea food is cheap, public transportation is abundant and cheap, mobile phone companies compete and rates are dirt cheap, a 4 star hotel is like a 5 star in the USA, and there is no such thing as bad customer service

But they are also overcrowded and polluted and the poor are very poor, and it smells way different too

edit: still glad to be an American

Food is not cheap in Taiwan and Korea. It's the total opposite.

If you eat local it is cheap