Of course the discount would only apply only as long as BART doesn't realize people were doing it, at which point they would likely just increase all fares to a flat rate (like Muni) of "a little more than $7" :-P
Fare Hacking on BART
31–40 of 54 posts
Re: Fare Hacking on BART
#32Although I don't know if there is a time limit, it is possible to exit the same station as you enter for no fee with the standard BART card. e.g. in case you realize you've forgotten something in your car after you pass the turnstiles. Therefore it should be possible to save 100% of fares for people leaving/arriving at opposite stations, respectively.
System-wide savings would then be proportional to directionality on a station by station basis - optimizing by zeroing out trips by longest first.
Dunno if this works with the clipper cards though, so everyone might need a magnetic card writer and blanks...
Re: Fare Hacking on BART
#33Does this mean BART doesn't check your tickets while riding?
Correct, BART is not a proof of payment system. You must scan your clipper card or transit pass to enter the gated BART platform.
It's been a few years since I've used it, and that was only a couple of times between going between a couple of stations, but that's not how I remember it. Some stations had ticket scanners at the entrance to the platform but some didn't.
I remember the Palo Alto station very clearly because I got on once thinking I had grabbed my ticket from the vending machine when I had actually grabbed the previous person's receipt because I was in a hurry. I got on the train and once I realized I was worried about the fare inspectors coming on and catching me, so that station definitely does not require a ticket to get on the platform. Maybe that's just classism with respect to Palo Alto?
Edit: never mind, it was Caltrain not BART.
Re: Fare Hacking on BART
#34Earlier quoted context omitted.
Correct, BART is not a proof of payment system. You must scan your clipper card or transit pass to enter the gated BART platform.
It's been a few years since I've used it, and that was only a couple of times between going between a couple of stations, but that's not how I remember it. Some stations had ticket scanners at the entrance to the platform but some didn't. I remember the Palo Alto station very clearly because I got on once thinking I had grabbed my ticket from the vending machine when I had actually grabbed the previous person's recei…
That's Caltrain, not BART.
Caltrain is POP.
Re: Fare Hacking on BART
#35Earlier quoted context omitted.
Correct, BART is not a proof of payment system. You must scan your clipper card or transit pass to enter the gated BART platform.
It's been a few years since I've used it, and that was only a couple of times between going between a couple of stations, but that's not how I remember it. Some stations had ticket scanners at the entrance to the platform but some didn't. I remember the Palo Alto station very clearly because I got on once thinking I had grabbed my ticket from the vending machine when I had actually grabbed the previous person's recei…
[deleted]
Re: Fare Hacking on BART
#36Earlier quoted context omitted.
Correct, BART is not a proof of payment system. You must scan your clipper card or transit pass to enter the gated BART platform.
It's been a few years since I've used it, and that was only a couple of times between going between a couple of stations, but that's not how I remember it. Some stations had ticket scanners at the entrance to the platform but some didn't. I remember the Palo Alto station very clearly because I got on once thinking I had grabbed my ticket from the vending machine when I had actually grabbed the previous person's recei…
I believe you are thinking of Caltrain, which is a proof-of-payment system. BART does not go to Palo Alto.
Re: Fare Hacking on BART
#37Earlier quoted context omitted.
Correct, BART is not a proof of payment system. You must scan your clipper card or transit pass to enter the gated BART platform.
It's been a few years since I've used it, and that was only a couple of times between going between a couple of stations, but that's not how I remember it. Some stations had ticket scanners at the entrance to the platform but some didn't. I remember the Palo Alto station very clearly because I got on once thinking I had grabbed my ticket from the vending machine when I had actually grabbed the previous person's recei…
You may be thinking of Caltrain, rather than BART.
Re: Fare Hacking on BART
#38When you are some kid in their parents basement and figure out ways to scam money from public transit you are rebelling as a natural part of childhood. When you are a well skilled and very well payed employee of a high profile tech company you are essentially having fun at the expense of the public servants who work(for a lot less money) to provide essential services to the public. Maybe those reading this can take t…
> you are essentially having fun at the expense of the public servants The author never actually went out and fraudulently saved money by implementing his idea, so I fail to see how his actions are "at the expense of the public servants". To quote him, > One final note before I dive in: this algorithm is essentially large scale ticket swapping, which is obviously illegal and unethical. I don’t believe that it would b…
I think he shouldn't have made the source available. Now it's really only the (apparent?) uncloneability of the Clipper cards that stops someone.
Re: Fare Hacking on BART
#39When you are some kid in their parents basement and figure out ways to scam money from public transit you are rebelling as a natural part of childhood. When you are a well skilled and very well payed employee of a high profile tech company you are essentially having fun at the expense of the public servants who work(for a lot less money) to provide essential services to the public. Maybe those reading this can take t…
As the author said, Clipper Cards aren't cloneable, so this is impractical because it would require physically swapping BART tickets. It's just a theoretical mental exercise, not some kind of anti-government rebellion. And given the number of people I see each day simply jumping over the fare gates (very common in stations where there's no station agent booth next to all of the gates, and not uncommon even in stations where the agent is right there) this hack is hardly the biggest threat to BART revenue.
Re: Fare Hacking on BART
#40Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's been a few years since I've used it, and that was only a couple of times between going between a couple of stations, but that's not how I remember it. Some stations had ticket scanners at the entrance to the platform but some didn't. I remember the Palo Alto station very clearly because I got on once thinking I had grabbed my ticket from the vending machine when I had actually grabbed the previous person's recei…
I believe you are thinking of Caltrain, which is a proof-of-payment system. BART does not go to Palo Alto.
That makes sense, and explains some other memories I have about transferring trains. I did not realize they were separate systems.