Rider Rant: Steve

Another rider, Steve, writing in about that pesky Spring Garden MFL station...

I live next to the Spring Garden station, and many times, as recent as last 2:30 pm Friday, I walked up the stairs to see a line of about 8-10 people just standing next to the booth. Apparently, there wasn't even an attendant (and by attendant, I mean "a person who's sole job is to take two $1 bills from people and press a button) in the booth! There was an elderly man, clearly confused as to what he's supposed to do, asking people behind him in line what he's supposed to do. I eventually excused myself up the line, peeked inside the booth, saw there was no one inside, and helped him under the turnstile. Everyone else eventually followed suit, either hopping over or crawling under the turnstile. Was the attendant taking a bathroom break? Where was his cover? Wouldn't a token machine at this station eliminate the need for toll jumpers? Perhaps a card, much like NYC MetroCard, that you can purchase with a (gasp!) debit card or a (double gasp!) credit card, that you swipe at the turnstile, instead of a quaint little 20th century token? I digress. essentially, SEPTA lost $16-$20 in those several minutes. I wonder how much it loses everyday, at everyday station in it's system because of situations like these?

Have you ever been forced to jump/duck the turnstile because there was no booth person there and there was no token machine?

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