A couple "wonderful SEPTA stories" from a reader...
One time I bought SEPTA tickets with a debit card, the SEPTA employee swiped my card twice. I didn't think that would be a problem and didn't think about it. Then, later in the day, I tried to get cash out with the same card. The ATM machine told me there was a problem, that the transaction could not be completed, and to contact my bank.
When I did, the bank employee told me the card was "locked." After investigating the problem we figured out together that the incompetent SEPTA person had swiped my card twice which registered the sale twice within seconds of each other. The bank's software automatically locked down my card because usually when this happens it is a mistake or a sign that your identity has been stolen.
Thanks SEPTA!
Also, I used to have a job in which tardiness would result in money deducted from your check. After relying on SEPTA's R5 Paoli line for 5 years, my paychecks suffered on a regular basis. I started leaving an hour ahead of schedule to buffer the constant lateness or complete failure of service, which extended my total work day from 10 hours to 11, without any extra compensation.
EVEN THEN, my paycheck had money taken out for tardiness because giving SEPTA 2 full hours to get me from Berwyn to the city (which is supposed to take 37 to 43 minutes depending on the train) wasn't enough. On the R5 Paoli line, there is NO SUCH THING as a week without significant train lateness or complete service failue of some sort (not to mention crazy union sabotage antics like the recent fire - YEAH SURE, that was an accident on the first full day of the strike).
You guys risk human life to get your measly $1200 signing bonus?!!! That's less than 800 bucks after taxes.
Dear SEPTA - You are dead to me.
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