Guarantee regrets

[davidn]

This went up on the site of the local public transport authority a couple of days ago.

From its inception, the MBTA′s Customer Bill of Rights has always stated that any customer whose trip is delayed by more than 30 minutes is eligible for a complimentary fare. The MBTA, which is pleased to be one of the few transit systems that make such a pledge, will continue to honor this commitment to its customers. The MBTA, however, can no longer afford to provide a complimentary round-trip fare in instances in which no more than a one-way trip was delayed. By adhering to the On-Time Guarantee program′s original intent, the MBTA is able to maintain this important customer service initiative while remaining focused on providing safe and reliable public transportation.

Translated out of the sugar coating of the marketing speak, this means that they've halved the refund they give you if your journey was delayed by half an hour - it would appear that I've used up their entire budget. Sorry, everyone.

It's surely a sign that there's a problem if you have to revoke your confidence that your service works well enough not to have to refund people for using it. I would have thought that a more satisfactory solution would have been to make the network run a bit better, in keeping with the whole "On-Time Guarantee" bit.

Comments

[crassadon.livejournal.com]

"We're one of the few transit systems to offer such a pledge, which we no longer have."

In Toronto [aside from the College line, which went across town through the most traffic-heavy areas, and so was frequently delayed], and here in Köln, when transit says it will arrive a certain time, it damn well arrives at that time! I feel bad for your misfortune of being stuck in some black hole of transit.

[davidn]

Never doubt the efficiency of the Germans!

Fortunately, with the house move I've now moved on to a different route in to work... and so far it seems to be working much better.

[rakarr.livejournal.com]

Don't worry. By the sound of it it'll be delayed on the way back too.

[e-to-the-ipi.livejournal.com]

If a single trip journey is only half the price of a round trip, why would you get a return?

[davidn]

The concept of returns doesn't exist - this is another way in which America doesn't work like our British systems! By "round-trip fare", they meant that they gave you two tickets instead of one.

[e-to-the-ipi.livejournal.com]

Wow.

This is one of the few occasions where it's very very correct to praise how well the British public transport system works.