From San Jose Mercury News
BART to offer tickets with protection against magnets
By Denis Cuff
BART is switching to a tougher ticket to give riders more protection against the inconvenience of having tickets demagnetized by cell phones, computers, purse clasps and other items with magnets.
The BART board approved a $3.7 million contract today to buy a five-year supply of plastic tickets with stronger magnetized strips that store fare values.
Sales of the new tickets will begin later this year and eventually will replace the old plastic tickets, said BART spokesman Lynton Johnson.
The new tickets will resemble the old ones.
BART officials expect to cut down on the 250 daily complaints a day about ticket values being erased. Even the new tickets can be damaged if consumers place them close enough to a device with a strong magnet, officials added. |
