Translink on SF Muni - The Mob Tests the System (and it works!)

As you have read through my previous posting at Akit's Complaint Department, I mentioned that a mob of Translink cardholders were going to test out their green colored RFID fare cards on San Francisco Muni in order to creep the crap out of the bus drivers, station agents, and fare inspectors.

Due to the high winds and cold weather (but no rain!), eight people came out to give Translink one heck of a trial run, or make it better known as a torture test.

Here's all the routes we took:

1. Starting at Ferry Building, took the F-Market to the California Cable Car stop.
2. Transferred to the 21-Hayes.
3. Exited the next stop and boarded the next outbound train at Embarcadero.
4. Exited at Powell Street (hoping to mess with a fare inspector), and transferred to the 5-Fulton.
5. Exited in the Tenderloin and walked to Geary Boulevard to transfer to the 38-Geary.
   
6. Exited the sardine packed 38-Geary at Van Ness to transfer to the 49-Van Ness/Mission.
7. Exited at Market street and boarded the next outbound train at Van Ness station.
8. Exited at Castro station and had a nice lunch at Orphan Andy's.

And the BLT sandwich at Orphan Andy's was delicious!

Unfortunately we were hoping to find a fare inspector, but was not lucky this time. Actually, I rode the metro back to Civic Center to catch BART and a fare inspector was waiting at the escalator. I flashed my card at the guy, and was waived through.

We did not receive any curious questions by onlookers, and the bus drivers didn't mind that several people tagged their card in less than 10 seconds. The only person who I felt was asking themselves: "what the hell?" was the station agent at Van Ness Station.

Want to view the Translink party photos? See below:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/agentakit/sets/72157615775883330/

Here's the video I spent a good hour editing and putting together (it looks great in high quality!) and that video is also posted on the top of this blog entry:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oe7xBMLG7I

I've been told we will expect some local media coverage from SF Appeal soon.

Dang, that was one fun few hours! You see Muni and Translink? The program is fully ready for roll-out now! Not next year, not six months, it's time to get the ball rolling and the photos and video are proof! Now, what will Muni's PR guy, Judson True, say now?