Software Glitch Causes Clipper Double Charge

4.7.11
Photo by Lydia Chow

Update: Clipper vigilante Akit points to a post on his site from June of this year describing more or less the exact situation that Danielle (below) found herself in. Danielle’s story came to us in late October, proof that Clipper’s response to this glitch has been lethargic at best.

Original post: Rider Danielle noticed a double charge on her Clipper card history when she transferred from Muni to BART and then back on Muni within the 90-minute time period.

It’s possible everyone’s been aware of this for ages, but I feel like a sucker for just noticing now: using Clipper on BART voids a Muni transfer.

I don’t use Muni quite often enough in a month to warrant buying a transit pass, so all that’s on my card is cash value. If I take a muni bus to BART, get off after a few stops and then transfer back on Muni, I’m charged for the second bus ride, even if I board within the 90 minutes of buying the original muni transfer.

We contacted SFMTA and found out that there is indeed a software glitch that caused the double charge. “Currently the Clipper system prioritizes the Muni to BART (within San Francisco) transfer discount ($.25) over the Muni 90-minute transfer,” SFMTA’s Kristen Holland told us. In other words, if you take Muni to BART within San Francisco like Danielle did, and get back on Muni within 90 minutes, you would lose your 90-minute transfer.

Holland said that the SFMTA is working with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (which operates Clipper) to resolve the software issue. Meanwhile, you can get a refund for the double charge.

“The Clipper Customer Service Bureau has the authorization to provide refunds when this happens. We expect Clipper to have a fix for this problem early next year,” Holland said.

Check the Clipper Customer Service information for how to get a reimbursement.

If and When You Like-Like a Muni Driver


Image: Flickr user jchinn84.

We’ve spotlighted our share of hug-worthy drivers here on Muni Diaries. Tammy, one of our favorites, threw a party for her passengers once. One F-Market/Wharves operator went beyond the call of duty, while another Muni driver handed out Lemon Heads one day! But what if you, you know…like them-like them?

@marisalevinson on Twitter poses a perfectly valid and hypothetical query:

 What do you do if you have a crush on a muni driver…Hypothetical situation…

Rider “Mike” left a missed connection for Muni driver Jackie. But how would you (or did you) go about it? Send us your solutions and shouts out to your uniformed objects of affection.

Pay or Get off the Bus!

pay_or_get_off
Photo by Allan Chen

Tales of Muni heroism, they occur. Witness this story from Muni rider Ellen …

Speaking of Muni…on the 47, heading back from Aquatic Park on Sunday:

Two teens get on the back entrance and don’t pay.
Driver: “You two gotta come up here and pay.”
Teens: “Who, us?”
Driver: “Yes, you, get up here!” (driver grabs purse and stands up to face the bus passengers)
Teens: (walk up to front) “We don’t have no money.” (teens sit down in front seats)

Driver: “Folks, this is why Muni is so broke and keeps cutting service, because these people think they can ride for free!”
Nearby Passenger (to teens): “Either pay, or get the fuck off of the bus!”
Teen Girl: “Did you just tell me to get the fuck off of the bus?”
Passenger (50-ish New Yorker type): “I did.”
Teen Girl: “You can’t talk to me like that. You can’t tell me what to do.”
Driver (puts on brake): “This bus is out of service, everyone!” (everyone groans and mutters)
(Teens get off of the bus, finally!)

After which, the bus started, and everyone heartily thanked the driver and the passenger. Muni is mighty!

Mighty indeed. Got a Muni story? You know the drill.

Clipper Card Email Address Leak

Rider Nathan D. received an email this morning from Clipper Card customer service that revealed the email address of more than 1,700 other customers. This was an error from a Clipper employee this morning, and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission told the San Francisco Chronicle that they are making sure such mistakes don’t happen again. More from Nathan:

This morning I got an email from Clipper telling me that my credit card was about to expire. There’s nothing particularly unusual about this aside from the fact that this same email was sent to 1756 other Clipper customersby simply populating the CC field of the message header, effectively broadcasting a massive list of private addresses to a whole lot of people who have no business knowing them.

Nathan forwarded us the email, which we’ve attached above. The body of the email from Clipper Card customer service simply said:

Dear Clipper Cardholder,

We first would like to thank you for your support of the Clipper (formerly TransLink) program. According to our records, the credit card information we currently have on file for the Autoload on your Clipper Card is due to expire in December. To avoid any disruption of services, simply update your credit card / banking details online at www.clippercard.com by following these steps…

Well, good thing Nathan’s credit card number wasn’t in the email or anything. This certainly doesn’t help matters, knowing that some riders are already wary of potential privacy issues with Clipper cards. The MTC spokesperson said he is drafting an apology, reports the San Francisco Chronicle.

Did you receive the same email this morning? And how do you protect your email addresses on the internet?

Halloween Or Just Another Day on Muni?

Is this Halloween or just another night on Muni? From rider Joey:

Halloween bus ride on Saturday night on the #2 Clement headed downtown. Unfortunately, I was trapped in a seat and unable to get in the shot. That girl in the foreground in the Ewok/Eskimo costume was from Minnesota and told us she had never ridden a bus before.

How much do we love a whole weekend of taking your costumes out for a ride? Be sure to send us your best Halloween photos on Muni!

Halloween 2011: Mario Sans Luigi


Photo by davitydave, via@JimmyWhitesoxs

Was this the longest Halloween ever, or what? Not that we’re complaining. Bay Areans were afforded the opportunity don a different costume each day since Friday, if they really wanted to.

Here are some costumes we found on public transit today.


Photo by @jayfry3


Photo by @PlatinumTalon

Others were simply talking about what they saw this morning:

“Living in San Francisco means forgetting it’s Halloween, even when someone on your Muni train is dressed as Chewbacca.” via @VerbalCupcake

“creepy grown man wearing Boy Scout uniform on muni = scariest costume I have seen all weekend BY FAR” via @draut

Snow White just got on #muni. Should I offer her my seat? She is a princess after all.” via @DAVID_GALEA

If you see more interesting characters, especially if you’re not quite sure whether it’s a costume, send your photos our way. Show and tell!

1 486 487 488 489 490 801