Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
If you're talking about the day pass, you can use that all day with unlimited travel. As a senior citizen, don't you pay $2.50 for the day pass?
Yes that's right and you do use it that way. But you can also use the $5.00 pass within the two and a half hour limit as I just found out contrary to what the bus driver told me. Here's the rules from the website.
Quote:
Sometimes you dip, sometimes you swipe
Monthly Pass -- On all uses, swipe.
7-Day Pass -- On the first use, dip the 7-Day Pass into the “trim” slot to activate it and print the expiration date and time. After the first use, swipe.
All-Day Pass --
If you purchased it on-board, it has already been activated. Use the swipe reader each time you use it.
If you purchased it off-board (at a vending machine or the RTA Customer Service Center), dip the pass into the “trim” slot to activate it and to print the expiration date and time. After the first use, swipe.
5-trip, 2-trip, and 1-trip farecards
Dip the farecard into the “trim” slot on the first ride of each trip. If you transfer within the allowed time, use the swipe reader for your transfer ride(s).
If your farecard already has a valid expiration date and time, swipe.
OOPS -- If you accidentally use the “trim” slot, your card will be processed normally. If you accidentally use the swipe slot, the farebox will say “INVALID CARD” and display the message: “INSERT INTO TRIM.”
The bolded is what I use. When you get to the last time stamp the card says "not valid except for use for transfer." Or something like that. So you can still use it to transfer to another line within the 2 1/2 hour time frame.
Yes that's right and you do use it that way. But you can also use the $5.00 pass within the two and a half hour limit as I just found out contrary to what the bus driver told me. Here's the rules from the website.
The bolded is what I use. When you get to the last time stamp the card says "not valid except for use for transfer." Or something like that. So you can still use it to transfer to another line within the 2 1/2 hour time frame.
I see. You're talking about the 5-trip farecard, which costs $5 for seniors.
I see. You're talking about the 5-trip farecard, which costs $5 for seniors.
Yeah, and I just recently found out you could use it this way because a while back a bus driver told me differently. Today another driver verified what I found on the website. Moral of the story, don't trust a bus driver to tell you how to use bus tickets.
I always wondered why on the last trip on my ticket, number 5, it said "void except for transfer" if you couldn't use it as a transfer as the first bus driver told me.
Now I know why as they say on the website Sometimes you "dip" and sometimes you "swipe."
They should say sometimes you punch (to start the time) and sometimes you verify (to check the time). That would make more sense to me.
Yeah, and I just recently found out you could use it this way because a while back a bus driver told me differently. Today another driver verified what I found on the website. Moral of the story, don't trust a bus driver to tell you how to use bus tickets.
I always wondered why on the last trip on my ticket, number 5, it said "void except for transfer" if you couldn't use it as a transfer as the first bus driver told me.
Now I know why as they say on the website Sometimes you "dip" and sometimes you "swipe."
They should say sometimes you punch (to start the time) and sometimes you verify (to check the time). That would make more sense to me.
Live and learn.
I've never used the 5-trip fare card. It sounds complicated, but a good deal for someone only doing two one-way trips in a day. It would be great if RTA had "how-to" videos on their website. If they have them, I've never seen them.
Obviously, if someone could combine a day of several RTA trips, such as a tourist exploring Cleveland from University Circle to Shaker Square, the day pass remains the best deal.
Does anyone ever ask you for your photo ID? Do you have to have both an RTA senior ID or Medicare card in addition to a driver's license or other official ID, thus two IDs???
<<All Senior/Disabled cash fares, farecards and passes require passenger to show valid RTA Senior or Disabled ID (both of which include a photo), or a Medicare card, as well as a driver's license or other official photo ID.>>
The 7-day pass, which I assume is good for seven consecutive days, looks cheaper than the 5-trip fare card if a person uses RTA for more than 5 trips in a week. And the monthly pass looks like the cheapest deal if a person uses RTA for more than 19 both-way trips in a month.
I've never used the 5-trip fare card. It sounds complicated, but a good deal for someone only doing two one-way trips in a day. It would be great if RTA had "how-to" videos on their website. If they have them, I've never seen them.
Obviously, if someone could combine a day of several RTA trips, such as a tourist exploring Cleveland from University Circle to Shaker Square, the day pass remains the best deal.
Does anyone ever ask you for your photo ID? Do you have to have both an RTA senior ID or Medicare card in addition to a driver's license or other official ID, thus two IDs???
<<All Senior/Disabled cash fares, farecards and passes require passenger to show valid RTA Senior or Disabled ID (both of which include a photo), or a Medicare card, as well as a driver's license or other official photo ID.>>
The 7-day pass, which I assume is good for seven consecutive days, looks cheaper than the 5-trip fare card if a person uses RTA for more than 5 trips in a week. And the monthly pass looks like the cheapest deal if a person uses RTA for more than 19 both-way trips in a month.
Have you ever used the 7-day or monthly passes?
It's good to converse with an RTA pro!
I use the $5.00 pass for seniors/disabled all the time. You do have to show ID so I automatically have it ready to show the driver and they do look for it. I have an RTA ID card I got when I first moved here. The real info isn't the short summary they have under "fares" on the website. You have to go to the top and mouse-over where it says "Riding RTA". There is a drop down box with a lot of categories. The one about fares is called "How To Pay." That's where you get the real information.
There is a tourist pass that can be used all day but anyone can buy one. I am going to remember that when my friend from Portland comes to visit in the Fall.
I have used the monthly pass but I couldn't use it enough to justify the fact that it would normally cost $1.00 a trip so because the pass costs $38.00 that would mean I would have to make 38 trips to break even. I almost made it. Boy did I try. I never bought a 7 day pass but would if I knew I was going to make enough trips to justify it. I always compare it to that dollar trip deal and now that I know I can use the $5.00 ticket as a transfer, I will probably always be using that. The thing is though, my trips are usually just back and forth so I don't need a transfer. One thing I think I will find out if those are considered transfers. Most places they aren't but you never know. Usually transfers are just from one line to another.
I used to buy a monthly pass in Portland when I worked. It was a good deal because I used it five days a week and often on weekends. I don't remember the full price but the senior fare was $26.00. So I used to buy that one even after I retired and didn't use it every day.
I definitely agree about the videos. The PSA's they show on TV are so stupid. They have that dumb guy who doesn't know how to sit down on a bus. They should show how the fare boxes work or explain the fare system. It's complicated. I've ridden public transportation in many cities and Cleveland's is the oddest when it comes to the fare system.
I don't know about being a pro but thank you. As they say "necessity is the mother of invention." To paraphrase, it's also the mother of "I better know where I'm going." When you've never driven, you have to learn these things.
As I mentioned in a previous thread, I would have probably retired to Lakewood if I could afford the taxes. However, if you have a low to moderate income, the tax burden is a lot less and the services offered by the city are excellent.
As for the bus service, it is generally pretty good and has improved a lot since I was last there. As long as you do not need to leave the county, you can generally find bus service to most locations.
As I mentioned in a previous thread, I would have probably retired to Lakewood if I could afford the taxes. However, if you have a low to moderate income, the tax burden is a lot less and the services offered by the city are excellent.
As for the bus service, it is generally pretty good and has improved a lot since I was last there. As long as you do not need to leave the county, you can generally find bus service to most locations.
Thank you this is very helpful. Although I live near two bus lines in CH, their frequency is very discouraging. When I traveled in Lakewood, I took the number 26 on Detroit Ave and it was very frequent and went to a lot of places I would like to go. I realize that's the downtown area so that's why but the senior housing is on Detroit so it would be really convenient.
People in CH have told me the bus service has actually gotten worse over the past few years; less frequent and less reliable. That's sad to hear.
I don't really even make enough in retirement benefits to worry about taxes. So that wouldn't be a problem. From what I can see, the services in Lakewood are better than CH although CH has some very good ones. I really like CH but Lakewood is just appearing to be a better choice right now.
I have yet to look at the apartments in either area so I am still weighing options.
Thank you this is very helpful. Although I live near two bus lines in CH, their frequency is very discouraging. When I traveled in Lakewood, I took the number 26 on Detroit Ave and it was very frequent and went to a lot of places I would like to go. I realize that's the downtown area so that's why but the senior housing is on Detroit so it would be really convenient.
People in CH have told me the bus service has actually gotten worse over the past few years; less frequent and less reliable. That's sad to hear.
I don't really even make enough in retirement benefits to worry about taxes. So that wouldn't be a problem. From what I can see, the services in Lakewood are better than CH although CH has some very good ones. I really like CH but Lakewood is just appearing to be a better choice right now.
I have yet to look at the apartments in either area so I am still weighing options.
I cannot comment on the level of bus service in Cleveland these days. When I lived there in 1995-2000, I found it to be unsatisfactory as weekend service was really spotty and that there was no coordination between the transit system in Cuyahoga Co. where I lived and Lorain Co. where I worked. If one of my cars broke down, there was NO chance to use public transportation and I was heading over to the Enterprise office to rent a car.
And then there was the walk between Bedford and Lakewood when my car broke down. (g)
The bus service in Lakewood is pretty good if you plan to head downtown. It can also be pretty good if you rely upon it to get to shopping areas on the west side of town.
The transit system has a good website with a great trip planner. If you can plan your trips so that they are M-F during the day, you will generally be pretty happy with the bus service. If you have to travel late at night or on weekends, it is not always the best.
I cannot comment on the level of bus service in Cleveland these days. When I lived there in 1995-2000, I found it to be unsatisfactory as weekend service was really spotty and that there was no coordination between the transit system in Cuyahoga Co. where I lived and Lorain Co. where I worked. If one of my cars broke down, there was NO chance to use public transportation and I was heading over to the Enterprise office to rent a car.
And then there was the walk between Bedford and Lakewood when my car broke down. (g)
The bus service in Lakewood is pretty good if you plan to head downtown. It can also be pretty good if you rely upon it to get to shopping areas on the west side of town.
The transit system has a good website with a great trip planner. If you can plan your trips so that they are M-F during the day, you will generally be pretty happy with the bus service. If you have to travel late at night or on weekends, it is not always the best.
I have done research of the transit system in Lakewood. I also downloaded the schedule for the bus that runs down Detroit AVE. As mentioned, if you stick to that street, the bus runs pretty frequently, every 15 minutes week days and 30 minutes weekends. The apartments and everything else I am looking at are on that street so that shouldn't be a problem. Also, it's a pretty quick ride to the Rapid.
I agree though, where you lived it was a different story.
Actually, I lived off Clifton Ave. but worked 25 miles west in Elyria. The bus was great in Lakewood as I headed downtown frequently. However, once you got to the county line, that was different.
I almost moved back to Lakewood. I had the opportunity in 2010 to repurchase my old house at half the price that I sold it in 2000. I made an offer but it was NOT accepted.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
