I have most likely been robbed by the MTA of $101. That’s about how much was left on my 30-day unlimited pass before the card became “damaged.”
A Fulton Street MTA rep handed me an envelope with a questionaire type foldout paper thing within. On that paper thing you have to fill information into tiny boxes. There is no room for error. You have to provide most of the numbers for the card used to purchase the failed metrocard. The vending machine ID. The vending machine receipt. The damaged metrocard itself. A whole unch of “INCIDENT” dates and times that could not possibly be pinpoint accurate. This whole sorry mess must be postmarked within 24 hours of the INCIDENT. That timeframe is essentially impossible. There are more ways for this process not to work than there are possibilities it will work.
The Fulton Street rep handed me the envelope stating that I might never actually get the money back, or that it would likely take a very long time.
I’ve been robbed like this before, by the MTA, over defective metrocards. It was a while ago but I seem to remember a card w=that had $40 on it suddenly having $0 on it, and a booth clerk looked at the card and said there was nothing there. Poof.
Easy come easy go, right?
I have to go into the city a few times a year for work. I’ve never gotten a receipt from the metro card machine. I’ve also always have a issue with the cards balance. I personally believe that’s one way the city is getting the money to operate the system. A portion of the metro card balance simply disappears
I did get the receipt and actually might have a decent chance of getting the refund. It goes through my employer’s commuter card benefit though, which means I’ll pay fares myself until this goes through.