Ask The Appeal: Can My TransLink Card Get Demagnetized?

I was one of the early beta testers, what, 4 years ago (?), and I've been through 4 cards now, which I guess isn't so bad considering how much they went through -- AC Transit every morning for about a year, then AC Transit every few days, then AC Transit and/or BART every day since. They're generally pretty great. But what I don't like is how much slower they read at the BART turnstiles than a BART ticket, and I've definitely noticed in the past 3 or 4 months the "see agent" screen coming up far more than usual.

Sure, they can't be demagnetized but they function very much like a smartcard from the 80s.

It doesn't seem to be just me (from seeing other people have problems) but my card rarely works the first time if it works at all.

I typically hold my card up to the reader and it beeps an evil beep. The MUNI driver will accuse me of having no money on the card. I insist that I do. MUNI driver insists that I don't. I assure MUNI driver I do have funds on the card. Eventually the driver grows weary of the conversation and tells me to "just sit down."

Word to that, Eric. I've "lost signal" and had to hit the add fare to do a balance check many, many times. I love the look drivers give me like I'm trying to pull The Italian Job.

Maybe I'm glad I only use it on Muni once a month or so...

I've never had problems with it on Muni (aside from when the readers are turned off) but about one in five or ten times it won't work on BART on the first try. The machine makes the angry beep and then the card works fine in the next turnstyle over.