Dear Ventra/CTA,
YOU SUCK.
Like you really, really suck & I hate you.
Tonight I worked the late shift, so I was alone leaving my building at night, in the dark of course, which is already not a situation I like being in. When I got to the lovely Quincy train stop, I found that my Ventra card had “insufficient funds”, which was funny because I had JUST CHECKED my balance right before I left the office, and I had $20 on there. Usually when this happens the CTA workers are nice and understanding and they let you go through or try to offer to help. Of course on my lucky day, I had to deal with a rude, fat black lady who made it clear from the first look she gave me that she was not going to help me. I don’t bring money or cards to work when I know I’m not buying anything, so I literally had no other way to get home (on the train) except my pass. The rudeass lady was no help and told me to call Ventra. Are you effing kidding me?! Everyone knows you will not get an answer or response if you call them, at least not without being on hold for an hour, so WTF?! She then walked away from me and ignored me all together, got on the phone, and mouthed to me through the glass that she was calling on my account (HOW ARE YOU CALLING ON MY ACCOUNT WHEN YOU DON’T KNOW MY NAME OR NUMBER OR ANYTHING?!)… she walked out and said “When you load money it only takes 2 minutes so wait the 2 minutes.” I said “I have been here ‘waiting’ for almost 5 minutes and the money was loaded over an hour ago so that doesn’t make any sense…” She then repeated herself like the dumb bitch she is, and I could only just tear up more because I didn’t know what I was going to do.
I asked her if I could just hop the turnstyle and she said “you best not”. Really? Because that’s not even a correct sentence you ignorant asshole. (Sorry I’m not sorry I’m being immature with names, I’m fuming and she was a bitch! haha)
I tried signing onto my account on my phone but OF COURSE the Ventra website kept being unavailable. I was so upset, I left that station and walked to another one, all while my mom was trying to add funds to my account. After attempting to add a simple $5 that would NOT go through, I didn’t know what to do. I was about to watch the Orange line go past for the FOURTH time, but instead, I jumped the turn-style, ran onto the train, and the doors closed behind me.
You can’t stop me meow you CTA bitches!
I realize that people have probably had worst experiences and I’m fortunate enough to only have had to be upset/scared/worried for about 30 minutes, but still.
Being alone in the city with no way home is a terrible, terrible feeling.
I learned my lesson that I should always keep some emergency dollars in my bag, in the case where the ghettoass Ventra card doesn’t work.
Thanks for the TERRIBLE SERVICE VENTRA!!
SUCK IT.
Yours truly,
The Girl That Might Make A New Habit Of Jumping Turnstyles
PS: I had a colleague that had to walk 2 miles in the freezingness to work last month because of issues with his pass, and no one letting him on. This company needs to die a slow and miserable death. And Chicago needs to step up their transportation game. How hard can it be? Just get a simple system that works. Everyday people use their credit cards and don’t have any problems… why can’t they just work the same way? Seems so simple. Freakin idiots.
PPS: Did I mention that ANOTHER colleague found out he had been ripped off over $40 from them stealing money from him?
And they have double charged me time and time again, but thankfully I have a wonderful credit card (AmEx) and their service is superior and will give you your money back.
VENTRA IS GANGSTA. You saw it here first.
True story.
Confessions of my Obsessions 