Introducing Julia!
January 21, 2014
Introducing Julia!
January 21, 2014
Knock knock.
Who’s there?
It’s Julia.
Julia Who?
Julia the new Buzzer contributor!
Why hello there! Nice to e-meet you. My name is Julia Ren and I am a new member to the TransLink communications team. Since the Compass Card and fare gates project is my bread and butter, I will do my best to keep you posted on the latest scoop of this very exciting system. Stay tuned…
Three things about me:
- I am a certified Yoga instructor and I get a little giddy when I see my students carrying re-usable bags and drinking coconut water.
- I have the cutest puppy in the whole wide world (totally objective), and he sleeps with a baby seal.
- I always say hi to people in the elevator and I get REALLY offended if someone ignores me and maybe cry a little in the bathroom.
Anyway, I hope to hear from you. Comment away and I will do my best to answer all your Compass related questions.
Julia, One question i have is in regards to the autoload feature of the compass card, does it autoload on a set date each month?
@Raymond Fantastic question! An AutoLoad would be charged to your account after it is ‘triggered’ when you tap in.
If you set-up a AutoLoad for Stored Value, your card would be topped-up to the amount you selected each time it dropped below $5 and you’d be charged later that day.
If you’ve set-up a Monthly Pass to AutoLoad, your credit card gets charged on the 25th of the month (for the next month’s pass), when you tap that day, or when you tap the first time in that next month when the pass is activated.
Welcome to the Buzzer Blog Julia!
@ Derek Cheung, thanks for the note! I am having a lot of fun working with the Compass team. :)
Welcome, Julia!
Say i go to london drugs to buy a compass card, how would i do that on the compass vending machine, also i understand that there would be phones in the stations for people to use, how come right now i dont see them
The other question i have is i understand that thee will be fare inspections done with handheld chip readers, so how would that work because i go to richmond sometimes.
Can i load a monthly pass and load stored value both onto my card.
@ Eugene Wong, Thank you!! :)
@ Raymond, Thanks for the questions.
You’ll be able to purchase Compass Cards at all SeaBus, West Coast Express and SkyTrain station Compass Vending Machines (CVM) as well as online, by phone or from Compass Retailers (such as London Drugs) and the new Compass Customer Service Centre (located at Stadium-Chinatown Station at the corner of Beatty and Dunsmuir, near the entrance to the station). Note Concession cards will not be sold at Compass Vending Machines.
Fare checks and enforcement will be done using handheld card reader devices. These devices read what product is on a Compass Card and whether it’s been validated, allowing our Transit Police and Transit Security to conduct fare checks across the system – including buses. This will help reduce fare evasion and improve the effectiveness of fare enforcement.
Since TransLink services cover the City of Richmond, all rules and regulations apply when you travel to Richmond. Just make sure you tap in when boarding a bus/ SkyTrain, and tap out when you reach your destination in Richmond. The system will automatically calculate the appropriate fare to charge on your Compass Card.
Yes! You’ll be able to load your Compass Card with a Monthly Pass, Stored Value or a DayPass. You can also load it with a combination of Stored Value and a pass product (like a Monthly Pass). Compass Cards can be loaded online, by phone, at a Compass Vending Machine, the West Coast Express Office, or at the new Compass Customer Service Centre.
Have you checked out AskCompass.ca? It is a great resource for you to learn more about the Compass system.
Hi there, i understand that phones will be installed in stations to connect passengers to the compass control centre, when is that going to happen and how to use them and how do they work.
@Raymond, those are great questions! Thank you for your continued interest and support of the Compass project. However my knowledge is limited at this point as I am still new to the project. My suggestion for you is to post your questions on askcompass.ca and the Customer Information Representatives will be more than happy to assist you. Thank you!
Sometimes my question is really long then it wont let me post it to askcompass.ca
a live baby seal?
@ Andrew, of course it’s “alive”, can’t you tell from the photo? :)
Hi there, it says compass cards will be available to the general public in spring/summer 2014, how do i know when they are available.
Raymond, I don’t mean to sound rude when I say this, but…you’ll know when they tell you. Just wait for an announcement. Don’t bother them with this.
Imagine going to buy fare, and then finding out that you can’t buy the “old kind”. That’s when you’ll know.