Tuesday, January 31, 2012

THE TRANSFER PRINTERS

Cash register

I had a very interesting conversation with an operator that saw a demonstration of those 'transfer printers'.
He said it reminded him of the McDonald's computer screen.
You know, when you buy a burger!
He then described how it worked, and that's when I got worried!
Do they actually expect us to work a 'cash register' and print a receipt every time someone pays a fare?
Because if they do, IT AIN'T GONNA WORK!

9 comments:

  1. The manager's have no concept of time, time management, or time efficiency; however, they do understand "If you don't spend it this year, you won't get it next year"!

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  2. But you guys are supposed to be robots, remember? Robots can multitask.
    TriMet sees this:
    Bus drivers=robots
    Robots can multitask
    If bus drivers are robots, then they can multitask.

    And, oh, reality? Well that is TriMet's reality. I never said it was the correct one

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  3. Multitasking=distraction=lack of safety

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  4. TriMet doesn't practice safety as they preach. We know that

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  5. I'm curious why they are not putting this money, time, and effort into developing the smartcard system roll out sooner. They are down right wasting money here, it could be well spent elsewhere. So it might take a little longer to get it up and running, beats the current 2015 "trial Period" currently proposed.

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  6. I'm curious why they are not putting this money, time, and effort into developing the smartcard system roll out sooner.

    Many of us are wondering the same thing.

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  7. I have to wonder if that's really the on-board system...that looks more like a system set up to be used at a ticket office (like TriMet's one and only office in the bunker underneath Pioneer Courthouse Square).

    The display is too big, too cluttered, and has too many options to be of use for a transit vehicle application.

    The money would be much better spent on an electronic fare system that would all but eliminate paper transfers and basically reduce the Operator's involvement...passenger swipes card, either accepts or denies the card...or rider can insert cash for a one-time cash fare. The Operator would basically just enforce the alarm if a card is rejected (and even that could be eliminated, having the invalid cards trigger an alert to fare inspectors/supervisors rather than to the Operator.) Heck, the system could even be tied to a camera so if it's a one-time offender that fare inspectors might not even bother...or the system could be set up to allow a certain amount of "negative fares" (which would be resolved when the rider fills up their card next) before tripping an invalid card alarm.

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  8. That's not a bus printer Erik, that's a cash register...

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