<p>I should add that professionals get a "discount" of sorts through a program called TransitChek. Basically, your employer can make PRE-TAX deductions from your payroll and use it to buy you monthly or cash-account metrocards. So whatever your marginal tax rate is, you save that %. quite handy. i'm surprised Columbia doesn't have that set up at least for work-study students, if not for anyone who wants to put money in themselves.</p>
<p>C2002, responding to your arguements:</p>
<p>1)insignificant
2)insignificant/petty
3)valid, but non issue
4) invalid analysis
5) paranoid schizophrenic</p>
<p>3 is really the only point you have, since most people keep their metro cards in their wallets, it's equivalent to not losing a twenty in your wallet, making #3 a non issue.</p>
<p>4 is invalid because you compare refilling a card, which if done with a $20, needs to be refilled every 11 trips, vs. buying a new card every time. On average there is a clear argument for refilling the card and not buying a new one every time. there are also the economies of scale from bulk buying. In fact these are biggest (and only) arguments for refilling a card, it saves you time (and a little money), this time is especially important when you arrive at the same moment as the train. It's also convenient when you're with a bunch of friends who are swiping in, so as to not hold them up.</p>
<p>The only argument for buying a card every time is security, which matters only if a) you can't keep track of your belongings or b) you get mugged all the time.</p>
<p>
[quote]
You keep ignoring my point that if you keep reusing the same metrocard that once has an expiration date "so far in the future," you'll eventually have a metrocard that has an expiration date that's not too far in the future.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>i've been using metrocards since they came into existence and i've never had a problem....in my view you should at the very least hold on to the same metrocard for 6-9 months (basically the whole school year) and then get a new one</p>
<p>
[quote]
not to reuse your metrocard
[/quote]
</p>
<p>are you seriously advocating getting a $4 metrocard each time and throwing it away?</p>
<p>
[quote]
1) reducing the risk of the expiration date problem
[/quote]
</p>
<p>i addressed that above...you can hold on to your metrocard for at least six months with "risk" free</p>
<p>
[quote]
2) a card that has been swiped a bunch of times is more likely to fail than a card that hasn't been swiped much
[/quote]
</p>
<p>this is absolutely BS. I have only ended up with a dysfunctional metrocard once in the past 8 years or so and it was because i may or may not have bent it. Sending it in is a pretty pain-free process btw. The chance of your card malfunctioning because of swiping it at a turnstile a bunch of times is basically zero. For example....I purchase my monthly metrocard and i use it at least four times a day on weekdays to get to work/school....half of these uses are on the bus which, as you know is mechanically more demanding on the metrocard....adding in 4 more uses per week for when i get creative with my commute or take a detour on my way home and an average of 3 additional uses per weekend (typically on the bus....thats what happens when u live on the east side)....i use my monthly metrocard at least 70 times a month (by far a low estimate) and in a year and a half of buying them i've never had a single malfunction.</p>
<p>and if you are planning on using the times a turnstile keeps telling you to swipe your card and doesn't work as an example...that malfunction is almost always due to the turnstile and not your card....the rollers on the turnstile get clogged with dirt very easily.</p>
<p>
[quote]
3) it's safer to keep less money on any one card
[/quote]
</p>
<p>i already made this point myself and advocated that you should refill your card only $10 at a time to take advantage of the discount and to not carry too much cash on your metrocard</p>
<p>
[quote]
4) it takes slightly less time to get a new card than to have the machine refill your old card
[/quote]
</p>
<p>you have to go through one less screen to refill your card ....if you want to be THAT picky....so no, you're wrong</p>
<p>
[quote]
5) there may be a risk the machine ruins your old card when you stick it in the machine to have it refilled
[/quote]
</p>
<p>no, there isn't. it's mechanically the same as dipping your card in the bus and as i told you above doing THAT a few dozen times wouldn't even ruin your card. I've even had my card get stuck in the bus a bunch of times and the driver had to retrieve it by opening up the side and rolling it out and still the metrocard works flawlessly </p>
<p>I think reducing the amount of trash you produce is important....little things like this add up when you think about how many people commute every day....if everyone was as ridiculously selfish and illogical as you then it would turn into a big problem</p>
<p>
[quote]
i'm surprised Columbia doesn't have that set up at least for work-study students, if not for anyone who wants to put money in themselves.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Columbia doesn't even have this for full time employees</p>
<p>
[quote]
I should add that professionals get a "discount" of sorts through a program called TransitChek. Basically, your employer can make PRE-TAX deductions from your payroll and use it to buy you monthly or cash-account metrocards. So whatever your marginal tax rate is, you save that %. quite handy. i'm surprised Columbia doesn't have that set up at least for work-study students, if not for anyone who wants to put money in themselves.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Two problems:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Work-study students don't earn enough money to get them above the standard deduction / personal exemption, so they're not paying any income taxes. (The obvious exception would be if they also have a high-paying summer job.) And if you don't pay income taxes, you don't save money by using pre-tax dollars to buy metrocards.</p></li>
<li><p>Technically, TransitCheck metrocards are for "qualified transportation." Therefore, a work-study student who lives and works on campus and theoretically buys a TransitCheck metrocard (with pre-tax money) to use for leisure would technically owe the IRS money to the extent that he is receiving a qualified transportation fringe benefit to which he is not entitled. Of course, the IRS will never bother to enforce this, nor would they be able to do so effectively.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Another day on the Columbia boards, another pointless argument w/ Columbia2002..</p>
<p>I'll say this about metrocards:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>I've had one stop working (stop swiping properly) before. I took it to the booth and within 15 seconds, the lady had taken the amount on it, dumped it onto a new fresh one, and gave me a crisp new metrocard.</p></li>
<li><p>I've had one expire before. You're not going to believe this, but I took it to the booth, and within 15 seconds, the lady had taken the amount on it, dumped it onto a new fresh one, and gave me a crisp new metrocard.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Seriously, do whatever makes the most financial sense. The logistical maintenance of a goddamn metrocard is pretty minimal.</p>
<p>"1)insignificant
2)insignificant/petty
3)valid, but non issue
4) invalid analysis
5) paranoid schizophrenic"</p>
<p>This cracked me up. And #5 was just what I was thinking. Actually, I was thinking "Monk" </p>
<p>"I think reducing the amount of trash you produce is important....little things like this add up when you think about how many people commute every day....if everyone was as ridiculously selfish and illogical as you then it would turn into a big problem"</p>
<p>Uh...yes. So true.</p>
<p>So to summarize this thread, nobody can offer any reasons why it's better to refill used metrocards than to purchase new metrocards other than that it purportedly helps the environment.</p>
<p>^hmm, you're quite the smart cookie aren't you.</p>
<p>reasons to refill your metrocard:
1. helps the environment
2. saves time, especially when you are in groups (denzera's argument)
3. allows you to take full advantage of the 15% bonus</p>
<p>reasons to throw away your metrocard after each use:
1. paranoia </p>
<p>this thread is over</p>
<p>
[quote]
2. saves time, especially when you are in groups (denzera's argument)
3. allows you to take full advantage of the 15% bonus
[/quote]
</p>
<p>We're talking about whether to refiill your metrocard, and you've somehow created a straw man with this buy a new metrocard after every ride. The entire premise of my posts has been to just buy a card that you'd normally buy ($20 or $30 or $40), and get a new one once it's used up rather than to add value to the used card. So you're just left with "helps the environment."</p>
<p>So, once again, please tell all the reasons besides purportedly helping the environment why it's better to refill a used metrocard rather than to purchase a new metrocard.</p>
<p>in response to the person who said they buy a $40 metrocard which lasts them the whole semester C02 said:</p>
<p>
[quote]
Are you aware that the cards have expiration dates? (Technically you can transfer money from an expired card onto a new card, but it's a big hassle. But also the physical swipe could get worse and not work.)) You should get a new card every time.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>so I took "every time" to mean every time you ride the subway....which is a pretty logical conclusion unless you meant every time you buy a metrocard...then your sentence reads "You should get a new card every time you get a new card" which would just be a silly sentence. So no, the entire premise of your posts have not been: </p>
<p>
[quote]
buy a card that you'd normally buy ($20 or $30 or $40), and get a new one once it's used up
[/quote]
</p>
<p>since this WHOLE argument started after you yelled at someone for buying a $40 metrocard!! </p>
<p>you're wrong....deal with it!</p>
<p>
[quote]
so I took "every time" to mean every time you ride the subway....which is a pretty logical conclusion unless you meant every time you buy a metrocard...then your sentence reads "You should get a new card every time you get a new card" which would just be a silly sentence. So no, the entire premise of your posts have not been:
[/quote]
</p>
<p>No, the logical way to read my sentence is "You should get a new card every time your metrocard runs out rather than refilling it." </p>
<p>
[quote]
since this WHOLE argument started after you yelled at someone for buying a $40 metrocard!!</p>
<p>you're wrong....deal with it!
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Nope, I'm not. So do you agree with me now that you're clear on what I've been saying all along?</p>
<p>
[quote]
this is a bad idea. I lost a $20 metrocard once and it really sucked. I see some ppl walking around with $80+ on their metrocard and it's just dumb...no need to carry that much money on a flimsy piece of plastic that you don't have much control over if you lose.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>True, but to me, the tiny bit of convenience of not having to refill the metro card every 2 weeks is worth the added risk. It's also a giant pain in the ass when you're in a group and everybody misses the train because you had to refill a metrocard.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Are you aware that the cards have expiration dates? (Technically you can transfer money from an expired card onto a new card, but it's a big hassle. But also the physical swipe could get worse and not work.)) You should get a new card every time.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I'll be sure to get a new one when it expires in 2010.</p>
<p>YOU PEOPLE ARE MISSING THE POINT! Lord if you are a commuter for the school, colleges should provide metrocards for those students. Now, how the heck am I going to live up to my dreams if every year it gets expensive. They should fund low-income students, or in general, those who commute. If you live on campus, not a big deal OR they should receive a discount. If you commute, then a metrocard should be given. Simple...</p>
<p>yeya61, some 96% or 98% or 99% of Columbia undergraduates live on campus. I would assume that metro card subsidies are not on the Columbia undergraduate deans' radar...</p>
<p>lordy, you should consider writing your local congressman/woman. cu is ivy league- it aint cheap to go there. im assuming you got a need-based scholarship- if so then be grateful and quit *<strong><em>ing about a 86$ effing metrocard. if you live in bumble</em></strong> queens an hour away, then is 2$ a huge price to pay to get into the city?? youre not booking a USHelicoptor flight...</p>
<p>
[quote]
YOU PEOPLE ARE MISSING THE POINT!
[/quote]
</p>
<p>noooooo, the point was that someone asked whether there r student discounts and we answered the question. then as we usually do C02 took us on some tangent about using your metrocard too much. </p>
<p>
[quote]
Lord if you are a commuter for the school, colleges should provide metrocards for those students. Now, how the heck am I going to live up to my dreams if every year it gets expensive. They should fund low-income students, or in general, those who commute. If you live on campus, not a big deal OR they should receive a discount. If you commute, then a metrocard should be given. Simple...
[/quote]
</p>
<p>it seems from this rant that you are a naive HS student so let me break it down for you...</p>
<p>in your financial aid package they take into account all of your expected expenses...for students who live on campus that would be room and board, which freshman year is ~$10,000 when you count your housing and meal plan. For commuters, that room and board cost is removed but your transportation costs are taken into account ~$1,000. So if you really are "low income" and have an expected family contribution of ~$0 then a wealthy school like columbia would actually be subsidizing 100% of your commuting cost because that expense would be included in your cost of attendance calculation and thus in your financial aid package. However if you aren't "low income" then you are actually saving yourself ~$9000 by commuting and ask yourself - why should columbia subsidize the local who has the option of saving thousands of dollars in living expenses and not any of the students from out of the city who have no choice but to spend thousands more a year on on-campus housing?</p>
<p>are there any discount programs</p>
<p>i thought, and don’t quote me on this because i’m not 100% sure, that MTA was getting rid of metrocards soon?</p>