Metra Monday Delay Day

Arrived at Union Station Monday after work and there were no trains, just one 3 car train that was just standing there running it's engines, making it impossible to hear any announcements. There was a conductor close by but he was telling people he didn't know anything about when a train will be arriving.

Suddenly trains started arriving into the station, but not ours. The conductor was saying something but it was too loud to hear. I walked to where he was going figuring maybe he knew something. Got on a train that wouldn't take me all the way to my station but I was hoping maybe they let this train head all the way to the end, since our train was canceled.

Never heard why there was a delay or why our train never came, but I was now stuck at a station still far away from mine. Called home to find my son waiting for me to drive him to his b-ball game because mom was already there doing the concession stand. Told him that he would need to call a friend and hitch a ride to the game. Finally got another train and headed home 45 minutes late.

Everything pretty much worked out okay, but it made me think that Metra needs to put something into place on the platform in Union station so we can read what is going on, since you can't ever hear anything when trains are in the station. how about scrolling signs kind of like they have at many of the station stops.

If heaven forbid, there is a real disaster going to happen at Union Station no one will ever get a message out to the commuters for instructions of what to do, instead we will all be standing there clueless, wondering.

On-Board Ticket Purchase Penalty

When the on-board ticket purchase penalty first came into existence, I thought it was okay to charge people but 2 bucks seems a bit much... well guess what!... it's going up to 3 bucks, that just seems like way to much. for some people this penalty will be more then the ticket price .... that is so wrong, that's customer service gone bad.
Customer service is something that the Metra Monopoly just doesn't care about.

How about all those people waiting in a line at Union Station in the evening when there are only 2 windows open and a few minutes before their train leaves conductors cut in front of everyone leaving no windows open for the customers to purchase tickets before getting on the train. Then the conductors have the nerve to charge those customers 2 extra bucks.

On one occasion I witnessed a conductor cutting in front of line to do his paper work or whatever they do at the ticket window and this time there was only one window open. A guy in line who was up next asked if he could just get his ticket first because he had been waiting in line patiently and if he didn't get it then he would miss his train or pay the extra 2 bucks. Obviously it wasn't the train that this conductor was working and this conductor didn't care and said he has to do his stuff first.
Hell broke loose and this guy and then someone else in the line started rightfully arguing with the conductor because the conductor was going to make this guy miss his train..... the tone and attitude and words used by this conductor were simply un-called for. I won't repeat it because it was that bad. I knew this conductor was working my train so I kept my mouth shut. I bought my ticket and just made it to my train on time.

So how about, if you are going to raise the price to 5 bucks open up a window just for the conductors at Union so they don't have to cut into the paying customers line or just do away with this stupid penalty and bring back some much needed customer service to Metra, other then getting us from point a to point b.

How about ticket machines in the station and on the train for those running late.
You say you want to sell more monthly and ten ride tickets..... well start placing machine around the city and at unmanned stations or on the train to make it easier for the consumer to buy those tickets.

Get with the times Metra.... just because you finally have a website where you can buy tickets online doesn't make you guys with it..... you guys are still in VHS times.