Chicago Transit Authority CTA Part 2

567 W Lake Street
Chicago, IL 60661
(312) 664-7200

O.M.G. I d@mn near lost my mind and had a psychotic episode at CTA headquarters!! Today's episode of "Raising The Bar of Incompetence/Lowering The Depths Of Helpfulness" played out as follows:

My CTA card was stolen. I called customer 'service' to find out what to do. I found out that I should go online and "replace" the card and opt to pick a new one up the next day. *I* should do this. Fine. I went online. Placed a 'replace' order, noted the $5 fee for doing so, scowled & went to bed. I woke up this morning, got ready for work, caught the bus, paid $2.25, got off the bus, caught a train, paid $2.25, transferred train and entered the gleaming city that is CTA headquarters. Seriously, it's Ozian in its municipal opulence. By all the gltiz of the place, I could tell the CTA is hurting for funds.

I went up the stairs, waited in line and, finally, approached the window for my new card. "Hold." Wait. What? "You need to see the customer service gentleman around the corner. I can't help you." Wait. What? Disgruntled, but hopeful, I complied and made my way to the reception area. I told the man behind the desk of my plight. "Uhma, I cain't help you." Wait. What? "You went online and did yo' own card. I cain't override that." Wait. What? "You will get your new card in three or four days. You shulda never done that. You shulda came in here and did it for free. Why didn't you do that? Now you have to pay your way with cash or get a new cwhard." WAIT. WHAAATTT????!!!!

For purposes of any law enforcement reading this, words may or may not have been said. Threats may or may not have been made. A phone may or may not have been whupped upside someone's head. It's all unclear. And, isn't that all in the past (if something happened, that is)? Rather than explain to me why following customer service instructions lead me to this dark fate in the first place and it should be someone's job to fix the f up...Rather than rationalize to me why it takes 3 or 4 days for me to pick something up I could have already had in my hands 30 minutes ago and that is processed four blocks from where we stand...Rather than figuring out that giving the customer the ability to place a *hold* on his card in order to freeze the card until the customer can speak to a competent service agent & rectify the situation...Rather than all of this (and more), I was out $30, an hour of my time and a broken nail (from the phone upside the head whuppin'). All I had was a further reason to loathe the CTA.

I...I...despise the CTA so...so...much....I have..."Mrs. White" levels of hate flame on...both..sides of my...my..face. Everyday is a struggle of late buses, interrupted train service & terrible customer 'service.' The CTA, from its head management to the legion of rail 'workers' who lounge about 5 at a time ogling women and doing little other than reaping the benefits of collective bargaining, is an exercise in failure. And we get to pay MORE for it. More?! Aaa. Aaaaa! AAAAA!!!!!1111!!:(!!!!1 I say thee, nay! Nay!!