TransLink chooses its Compass card beta testers
TransLink has started sending out emails to all those who signed up to beta test its controversial Compass Card.
Unsurprisingly, I got a big fat rejection letter. (I wonder why?)
However, lots of eager transit boosters are looking forward to the chance to test the system before it's rolled out to the general populous.
@TransLink Excited! Got the email! Looking forward to tapping away. Thank-you! #CompassBetaTest
— vick (@vick1vancouver) August 26, 2013
Awesome!!! Got picked for the #CompassBetaTest !!
— Goggles (@chatkiller) August 26, 2013
As far as I can tell, just about every transit rider I follow in Metro YVR got in to the #CompassBetaTest. Congrats all!
— Zachary Ziegler (@ziggzagzac) August 26, 2013
Let’s get #CompassBetaTest rolling! Can’t wait to start testing in the coming weeks.
— Alex Gaio (@alex_gaio) August 26, 2013
Some of those chosen as testers still seem a little uncertain about how it will go.
I'm apparently a test rat for @TransLink's #CompassBetaTest. I expect this to be a nightmare.
— Garret (@g_vancity) August 26, 2013
Got in the #CompassBetaTest let's see how it compares to other card systems I've used. I'm prepared to be critical, these never launch well.
— Bryan Ottho (@BOttho) August 26, 2013
And I am apparently not the only transit rider suffering disappointment today.
No Compass Card beta testing for this gwai lo. :( #CompassBetaTest
— Richard Eriksson (@sillygwailo) August 26, 2013
Straight.com acting editor Travis Lupick also applied for TransLink’s Compass beta test program under the newspaper’s name—no luck with that application either.
Were you among the 5,000 testers chosen? Are you looking forward to the experience?
Comments
13 Comments
KL
Aug 26, 2013 at 4:50pm
did any Upass users get it? All my friends who signed up no matter the time got accepted other than the students!
DT
Aug 26, 2013 at 5:26pm
UBC electrical eng. student here, i got in along with everyone else in my dept. who applied.
Bucky
Aug 26, 2013 at 6:00pm
I'm actually very disappointed at not being chosen. I was told that there was a shortage of people using mobility devices to test out the card, and as a wheelchair user with experience with smart card systems in a few countries (and with "inside knowledge" of wheelchair accessibility issues), I was expecting to be chosen. It makes me really wonder what the criteria was.
Alina
Aug 26, 2013 at 6:48pm
Very excited to test the new system. Lets see if all these tax dollars were actually put to good use.
Bill Taylor
Aug 26, 2013 at 6:48pm
I'm in! 3zoner riding here I come!
Stephen Rees
Aug 26, 2013 at 7:12pm
I declined even though I was invited. I do not use transit enough as I no longer commute. Retirement has its privileges.
The big test has yet to come. Will the gates actually open for a valid Compass card and what will the system do when it doesn't? Since the gates cannot be activated during the trial period - as no-one else has the cards - then we will not know until D Day. That's when the excrement hits the air-conditioning.
Responding to KL
Aug 26, 2013 at 9:44pm
I'm a U-Pass user and I got accepted
enviromodernist
Aug 27, 2013 at 7:46am
As a student with a u-pass, I got accepted and I'm excited to contribute! Translink has done an excellent job with the branding, design and public education of Compass, so I'm confident the logistics will come together too.
KL
Aug 27, 2013 at 3:36pm
i must be one of the unlucky ones. the new press release says they increased it from 5k to 10k beta testers out of 15k applicants! might as well just allow everyone to test when 2/3 of people who apply get picked!
Kiki
Sep 3, 2013 at 1:53pm
My card just showed up today. I'm just an average commuter, I travel two zones everyday, so I figured they were looking for people like me. I've used many different transit systems, inside and outside of Canada, and find Vancouver's service itself to be pretty bad, but I'll never get over how cheap service is on their trains, especially to and from the airport. I'm moving away soon, but I'm curious to see how the system will change upon my return in a few years...