Unsuck DC Metro: Metro's Holy Grail!

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Metro's Holy Grail!

They do exist!

Considering its rarity, I think I'm going to keep this in the hope that one day it will be a collector's item.

What has your experience been in getting a refund from Metro?

Other items:
Ad controversy heats up (Politico)

Comments (35)

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+4 Vote up Vote down

wesindc · 654 weeks ago

Wow! Question, how long did it take for you to get the refund?

3 replies · active 654 weeks ago

+6 Vote up Vote down

unsuckdcmetro 92p · 654 weeks ago

2 weeks

+3 Vote up Vote down

wesindc · 654 weeks ago

Well that's efficient. :-)

+6 Vote up Vote down

@miacane86 · 654 weeks ago

Sorry if I missed a previous post/tweet, but what was the perfectly legitimate reason that they actually somehow felt sorry for? Cause they sure don't care 99.9% of the time.

+4 Vote up Vote down

Cletus · 654 weeks ago

Basically, step the f**k off. That has been my experience in getting a refund from Metro.

+18 Vote up Vote down

BrianKal · 654 weeks ago

Love the 1980 type font ... just like WMATA< living in the past

1 reply · active 654 weeks ago

+14 Vote up Vote down

@ChrisHowdy · 654 weeks ago

Given the frequency with which these are awarded, I wouldn't be surprised if they were actually printed in the '80s.

+38 Vote up Vote down

BrianKal · 654 weeks ago

Also, chances of a station manager letting you use it? LOW
Chances of station manager accusing you of making this pass? HIGH

+9 Vote up Vote down

@MetroRage · 654 weeks ago

That's what my girlfriend got after the lost shuttle bus incident along with a nice apology letter. However, they did first try to tell her that scheduled track work doesn't warrant a refund even though she had explained the bus incident but after asking them to reconsider, they issued her a free ride card. I, on the other hand, had to email them many, many, many times over the course of a month and a half about the same incident in order to finally get a $1.85 refund through SmartBenefits. Their first few responses were something to the effect of "We don't have any record of you taking a bus that evening."

+12 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 654 weeks ago

The free ride is also cursed.

But it comes with a free frogurt!

1 reply · active 654 weeks ago

+4 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 654 weeks ago

That's bad.

+11 Vote up Vote down

DC Denizen · 654 weeks ago

If only the free ride would be guaranteed to get you there safely and on time!

+17 Vote up Vote down

Ever n Anon · 654 weeks ago

Hey Unsuck! Saw a note in the Post freebie paper this morning about you. Ring-leader of the Unsuck gang? Do we now get leather unsuck jackets and a fix-metro tattoo? Or are they suggesting we all by bikes and ditch metro? :D

Meanwhile, I had no idea those little Holy Grails even existed! I once needed a refund. Got it 4 weeks later.

5 replies · active 654 weeks ago

+6 Vote up Vote down

certifried 88p · 654 weeks ago

Unsuck leather jackets and red berets!

+6 Vote up Vote down

John · 654 weeks ago

So does this make FixWmata second in command? Or is he the leader of another anti-metro gang?

+10 Vote up Vote down

@FixWMATA · 654 weeks ago

But are we a "dancing and singing on rooftops" gang or a "Tony Soprano" gang?

+14 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 654 weeks ago

When you're Unsuck you're Unsuck all the way
From your first cigarette to your last dying day...

+6 Vote up Vote down

jimlcunningham 80p · 654 weeks ago

Secret handshakes. Meetings with black robes.

+20 Vote up Vote down

Brian Anderssson · 654 weeks ago

Please do not use this pass at Dupont Circle in the rain. We forgot we run a transit system and that it rains in Washington, so we have closed the station.
<3,
Danny & Brian

+8 Vote up Vote down

john · 654 weeks ago

It says to get a transfer on the bus...those don't exist any more!

+5 Vote up Vote down

certifried 88p · 654 weeks ago

I have NO idea why, but I received an email notifying me of "Your one time registration credit of $3.00 has been added to your SmarTrip® card". Maybe they're feeling generous lately since they found all that money and want to share it (before some internal employees steal it, right?!)

4 replies · active 654 weeks ago

+1 Vote up Vote down

guest · 654 weeks ago

did you buy a new card recently? weren't they going to cut the price on new cards?

+2 Vote up Vote down

Jason · 654 weeks ago

That sounds like the rebate for SmarTrips that was going to take effect recently.

+2 Vote up Vote down

Jin · 654 weeks ago

Did anyone actually get the rebate? It's too bad it wasn't for all SmarTrip card holders, and only those who purchased new ones (or did I misunderstand that whole thing?).

+1 Vote up Vote down

T. · 654 weeks ago

Yeah, it was just for those who purchased new ones recently. I bought a new one in the first couple days of September and was credited on the 12th.

+7 Vote up Vote down

SarlesSucks · 654 weeks ago

I received 2 passes after persistently complaining over 3 meltdowns in one week (delays of at least one hour). I submitted the same complaint everyday until they responded to me (about 2 weeks). After a few emails with a customer service rep, they sent me 2 passes (about 2-3 weeks later). Using them was hilarious as the station managers had never seen them before and were shocked to learn that they even existed (not knocking teh station managers here, they were genuinely surprised that they existed and that I received them for complaining).

+18 Vote up Vote down

@VeggieTart · 654 weeks ago

At least it's the right spelling of "complimentary". But Grammar Snob must deduct points for the redundancy in "Complimentary Free".

1 reply · active 654 weeks ago

+2 Vote up Vote down

@ChrisHowdy · 654 weeks ago

Baby steps. They spelled "Metropolitan" right, too!

+9 Vote up Vote down

Bullsumner · 654 weeks ago

Some time back, I got on my usual morning #2 bus to EFC at about 5:20 a.m., and after a few blocks realized I had forgotten something I needed for work at home. I asked the driver for a transfer, got off and walked back to my place. I then got on the next available 2 bus, showed my transfer and promptly was accused of manufacturing my own transfer to avoid paying the fare. I tried to explain, but the surly driver cut me off and said either pay up or get off. I was already late for work, so I had no choice but to pony up yet another bus fare. Not a huge amount lost, but wow, huge attitude on this driver. I filed a complaint online, but of course never heard squat back from Metro.

1 reply · active 654 weeks ago

+4 Vote up Vote down

Jason · 654 weeks ago

Aren't bus-to-bus transfers free with your SmarTrip? Or does it not work if you try to get back on the same line?

+4 Vote up Vote down

OrangeRider · 654 weeks ago

Just got a Metro rail refund for the 9/25 horrible AM commute on the Orange line. Took me multiple eMails to every metro email address I could find.

+4 Vote up Vote down

@WMATARage · 654 weeks ago

Also, notice that number in the top right corner: ticket no. 008758.

That's right, folks, in 35 years of operations and with BILLIONS of rides taken (roughly that many offloads/failures, I think), Metro has issued fewer than nine thousand refunds, freebies, giveaways, and adjustments.

+3 Vote up Vote down

@davinpet · 654 weeks ago

VRE offers FRC (Free Ride Certificates) if a train is 30 minutes late or more. VRE is one of a handful of transit agencies in the country that guarantees its trains are on time. They are the size of a metro paper fare ticket and will expire on 6/30/14. They are good for one ride and must be validated. Last night, VRE conductors handed them out to riders on Train #307 which was 45 minutes late due to a suspicious package at L'Enfant Plaza closing the station. http://www.vre.org/programs/freeride.htm

+1 Vote up Vote down

@rix0rz · 654 weeks ago

So in 36 years they have issued 8758 free rides?

+1 Vote up Vote down

Ryan · 654 weeks ago

I received one 2 years ago. The fare gates at CUA were broken so the station manager told everyone to just go through and tell the station manager when we got off what happened. I got off at Crystal City and explained the situation to the station manager. Rather than just let me walk through like a normal person, the station manager accused me of lying and jumping the gate. The proceeded to take my fare card and go through the turn styles 2 1/2 times which charged me almost twice what the normal fare would've been. When I explained this to him, he said I'd have to go to metro center to get it sorted out. I sent a complaint and actually received a response a few weeks later apologizing for the station managers douchery and then received the free fare trip in the mail.