Farecard Follies

This isn’t really a very interesting post; I just wanted to record my experience.
I am in the habit of using CTA/Pace 30-day farecards. Started a new one on December 15. Come last Friday morning, Jan 2, I tried to enter a rail station and the turnstile told me something like “code 44, see attendant.” So the CA came over, no problem, let me in. Same thing happened that afternoon, at a different station. Then I tried to get on a bus. “Invalid,” said the cardreader. Driver decided he wasn’t interested in arguing with me.
Come January 5, same problem, same result on the bus, and same code “44″ on the rail. This time the CA pointed out that my farecard says “CTA” but doesn’t say “Pace,” and said there is some kind of problem with these cards. Afternoon, still “44″ on the rail and “invalid” on the bus. Ditto Tuesday morning Jan 6. But Tuesday PM before I put the card into the rail station turnstile I said to the CA, “This is gonna be a code 44.” Since then, I no longer get code “44,” it works fine on the rail. But it is still “invalid” on the bus, drivers always let me on so far.
I plan to use this card until it expires next week; we shall see how things progress.

PRT might be an effective option

Ed Anderson, of PRT International, is participating in some sort of Obama thing to choose “ideas” which may have something to do with federal policies after Jan 20. Can’t say I understand it, and can’t figure out how to vote for it, but maybe someone here can and certainly PRT is a better idea than 99% of the stuff which seems to be on the site. The link is here. If anyone figures out how to vote for it, maybe you could post that information as a comment here, and I’ll do so too.