Negative 10 cents on SmarTrip: You Could Get Stuck in the Station

Metro's latest decision - this one regarding SmarTrip cards - just makes me scratch my head and wonder: Do they want customers to like them or not?

I am one of those people who had the experience of having a negative balance. Not because I'm a bad person, but because, like most of us, I'm busy. I went back, paid the negative balance off later and went on my way. Metro got its money and I wasn't inconvenienced.

So now, Metro is telling the customer that:

1. We don't believe in good customer service;and
2. If you, like many because of safety reasons, don't carry cash, you will be stuck in our stations because our machines aren't technically advanced enough to handle credit card/debit card processing should you get stuck having a negative balance of say, 10 cents? Which, by the way, is a result of tacking on a new surcharge to support poor management decisions.

Now, I usually try to cut Metro a break when it comes to revenue issues because I am sympathetic to the need for a dedicated source of revenue. However, this "clawing" for revenue by trapping customers in a station over 10 cents, $1 or $4 is unacceptable and I personally will not let it stand. Metro has gone too far this time. I'm even more shocked that the General Manager made this decision, not an elected or appointed body.

Quite frankly, Metro made a stupid decision and they need to reverse it - today.