Akit Says: Skip Autoload on Clipper

There's a lot of heat coming towards Clipper these days, and that anger is coming from their Facebook page where many are arguing about the annoyances of the autoload program.

One person argues that it's another layer of annoying bureaucracy he has to mess with when making changes to his Clipper card account and reducing the amount being loaded for the next month due to a planned vacation. Another argues that his credit card has been rejected. And many others have been angry with the up to five day delay to switch their credit card accounts or their account has been blocked and will take days to get it fixed.

Going devil's advocate, there's no way to get around that five day delay. If someone wants to activate autoload when their pass expires or their e-cash balance gets low, that takes up to five days; when someone wants to alter or end autoload, that can also take up to five days. Even if someone's card gets blocked because of some funky autoload problem, that takes up to five days. That's a technical limit of Clipper because not all mobile Clipper readers (e.g. buses and Muni metro vehicles) may not get their update for a few days until they return to a yard that can connect to the Clipper server. Read more about the "five day rule."


But there's a very easy solution that can get you away from this entire wreck... just don't sign-up for autoload.

I've never been a fan of autoload, and with concern that my credit card could accidentally be rejected and my e-cash and pass (funded from pure cash or a different source) being suspended for days on end until the problem can be resolved, that's something I just don't want to touch. When you get into a problem with autoload, you have to mess with Clipper customer service, and that's just another layer of bureaucracy you need to fight with.

Here's what I do, and it works very smoothly without any hiccups throughout the time I've been using Clipper:

1. Since I use commuter benefits, I only request for one of two options: Paper vouchers or a reusable debit card with the credit value reloaded to it every month.
2. When using a paper voucher, I just go to an in-person retailer that accepts the vouchers and get it converted into e-cash or to a transit pass. When using a debit card, I go to a self-service machine and swipe the debit card to buy the e-cash or transit pass. Either way I pay for the e-cash or pass, it is available for use INSTANTLY or valid for the first day of travel for the new month.
   
3. If I ever need to add additional e-cash value, I just go to a vendor or self service machine and just pay cash or use my personal credit card. It's still available instantly for usage.

By following the steps I mentioned above, you'll never have to encounter the mess with the automatic loading process or working with customer service when your account goes awry.

About Commuter Benefits and What Your Choices Are:
If you use commuter benefits and instruct the company to automatically load it to your Clipper card, it's not worth the $2 monthly surcharge and the hassle of communicating with both your benefits company and Clipper when your e-cash or pass(es) does not get loaded on-time or goes missing.

If you went with automatic loading (via commuter benefits), you have to plan further in advance prior to the benefit company's deadline (around 15-20 days before the commuter benefits company sends the data to Clipper). If you decide to switch at the last minute (after the deadline), it would be up to Clipper if they will allow you to cancel the pass and get the e-cash value instead.

At least with a paper voucher or debit card, you are in full control of how you want to spend your commuter benefits and you get about 16 months to decide how to spend the amount (Commuter Check vouchers expires 16 months from date of issue); for example: If I go on a 10 day vacation, instead of using the voucher to get a pass, I'd instead ask for e-cash.


There are some challenges with not using autoload...

1. If you use BART's high value tickets on Clipper, autoload is a mandatory option. The only way to go around is to go back to old school high value tickets. BART has a mail-in form you can use and you can pay with commuter vouchers, personal check, or combination of both.
2. Since you don't have the ability to automatically reload e-cash upon reaching the balance threshold or a new pass on a monthly basis, you need to keep careful track of your e-cash balance or keep reminders to buy your new pass at an in-person vendor or self-service machine.

Just a last piece from me, Akit:
There's probably many of you who hasn't experienced any problems with autoload, and I congratulate you for being able to work within the system. One thing I've learned is that 99% of people will always be okay, but there's always that 1% who will yell, kick, and scream that their problems are bigger than the 1% out there, and when they do kick and scream, it's gets peoples' attention and it's worse than they are meant to believe.

My point is, if it works fine for you, keep doing what you are doing. This blog piece is to make it as hassle free as I can make it by avoiding the bureaucracy known as Clipper as much as possible. I use automated machines because they don't mess-up and I don't have to interact with possible human error at Walgreens. Plus, if my commuter benefits debit card gets rejected at the machine for some odd reason, at least my Clipper card isn't also going to be suspended; unlike others who uses autoload, gets their debit card rejected, and gets their Clipper card suspended.

It Could Take Up to 5 Days for Clipper Card Value to be Added

One of my most popular blog posts here at the Complaint Department talks about the 72 hour rule for TransLink (previous name of the current Clipper Card system), and that any purchases for the smart card system that is done by phone or online can take up to three days to be available.

Clipper has revised this policy by warning customers that it could take up to five days, and while that does sound disappointing that it's extended by two days, we should not be too concerned about this.

I thought this would be a good time to revise how purchasing Clipper value works... here we go!


Here's how adding value works:
If you purchase e-cash, passes, ridebooks, etc. by handling it in-person (vendor, ticket office, automated self-service ticketing machine), the items are loaded on the card and available for use immediately, or if a date specific pass, valid on the first day of the specific period.

If purchased online or phone, your new Clipper card purchase will NOT be available for use immediately. All the Clipper readers will know about your new value upon receiving their update from the Clipper server, and depends on when they get their update. Stationary readers like at BART gates gets the server update within 24 hours as they are hard wired to the Clipper network. Mobile readers on buses and trains don't get an update until they return to the yard; not all buses and trains return to the yard on a daily basis, that's why there's up to a five day waiting period.

When you tag your card to an updated reader, your new value will be added to your card, while at the same time, handle your transaction to pay your fare or validate your transit pass. If your card has the newly updated balance, but the second card reader you use doesn't have the update, it will honor the most recent information that is stored in your card.


That's a lot of material I just mentioned, here's an easy way to understand how adding Clipper value works:
If you own an Amazon Kindle and purchase an e-book using your Kindle, the book is downloaded to your Kindle and you can read it immediately. (Just like getting Clipper value at an in-person vendor or machine)

If you own a Kindle and decide to purchase the e-book on Amazon.com to be loaded to your Kindle, your Kindle won't know about the new e-book until you turn on the Kindle and activate the wireless feature to sync with the Amazon servers and get your new e-book. (Just like purchasing Clipper value online or by phone)


So you might be thinking this entire five day waiting period just plain sucks. I'd agree, but there are other fine options to beat the five day period:

• Like I explained earlier, purchasing it in-person means you get to use the funds immediately. Vendors have credit card style terminals fitted with a special Clipper read/write device that can update your card immediately. Automated machines can update the card immediately because it validates the cash you fed it, or getting approval from your credit/debit card company to make the purchase.
  
• Clipper's autoload program is the other option as the system will automatically add a new pass or e-cash when you reach a threshold or the pass expired. To activate this feature, you must register your card with Clipper and activate it online.

Be warned: If you have autoload, keep a close eye on your registered credit/debit card. If your autoload purchase gets declined by the credit/debit card company or the card expired, your Clipper card could be blocked from further usage because you have a debt owed to Clipper.

You may notice upon tagging your card that your new cash balance or pass was loaded, but when the reader communicates the new autoload transaction to the Clipper server and the server finds out you have a bad credit/debit card, Clipper's server will send a new message to all Clipper readers upon their next update to block your Clipper card from further usage. When you tag your card to a reader with the update to red flag your card, your card is re-written stating your Clipper card is banned from further usage until you resolve your problems with customer service. Once customer service resolves it and they tell the server to remove the blockage, you could wait up to five days for the server to communicate to the readers that the blockage is to be removed from your card's memory chip. When you tag your card to a reader with the command to remove the blockage, and your card is re-written to say your card is in good standing; but if the next transit vehicle says you still have a blockage (didn't get updated), the card reader will honor the latest update as noted on your Clipper card's memory chip.

To fully explain about how this all works, Clipper recently posted a Flash animation explaining about how to add value. To view it, click here.

(Photo is from Clipper card's website)