Metra bows to the inevitability of plastic

Metra commuters will get some compensation for the end of summer with the ability to pay for tickets using credit cards after Labor Day.

With the General Assembly breathing down its back to move into the modern era, the agency Friday detailed plans for a Web site where passengers can purchase fares by credit as of this September.

The catch is, Metra will face an extra annual cost of $3 million to $5 million a year springing from operating the Web site and from credit card transaction fees, Executive Director Phil Pagano said.

There's also start-up fees of $745,000 for designing a Web site, $80,000 for credit equipment at staffed ticket booths and $1.4 million for automatic vending machines.

The General Assembly recently approved legislation forcing Metra to accept credit starting in February and requiring it to be fully integrated by 2012. On the heels of that, the Metra board in May announced its own strategy to go plastic. The Web site will enable travelers to buy 10-ride or monthly passes.

Up until now, it's been cash only for commuters and that tradition has been under fire for some time.

Metra Director Michael Smith, who represents Will County, said lawmakers were serving up an "unfunded mandate."

"It's a tradition," replied Director Jack Schaffer of McHenry County.

With the exception of the Electric Line serving the South suburbs, most Metra stations have ticket agents who will be able to process credit as of February. At the same time, Metra will install machines that accept credit cards on the Electric Line.

One quirk that needs to be worked out involves integrating transit checks into the new system. Transit checks are a program allowing employees or employers to allocate a tax-exempt portion of salaries for public transit fares. The Regional Transportation Authority collects the money and issues checks that can be used for rides.

About 40 percent of Metra commuters with monthly passes participate in the transit check program. But when Metra's on-line ticket service goes live this fall, it will only take credit, not transit checks.

Both agencies are looking into the issue, Metra spokeswoman Judy Pardonnet said.