Kate buys a new Opus card
I noticed not long ago that my Opus card was about to expire, so as I was passing through Berri-UQÀM today, I stopped to get a new one. At the machine I was reminded I had some tickets on the old one, so I went to the service counter to get the contents swapped over.
I figured it should take, what, five minutes or so, to do what must be a routine process for the people behind that glass.
A man and a woman were at the wicket, talking intensely with a previous supplicant. When that person left, my number did not immediately come up. The pair of them chatted for awhile, then eventually summoned my number.
I explained my request, and the man and woman conferred again intently. The man took six dollars from me, took my old Opus and put it on the reader, then swapped it for a new card, then repeated the swapping a few more times. He turned to the woman, who got on the phone and had an apparently complicated conversation, while the man waited.
I wondered if I could’ve somehow picked up a stolen card and was about to be cuffed and dragged away.
Finally she got off the phone, and he took a little pad of forms, on which he carefully copied down the number on the back of my old Opus and the reason for my request, and the date, and had me sign the back and note down my phone number.
“Did I ask you for money?” he inquired.
“Yes, I gave you six dollars,” I told him.
Then he printed out a receipt, and stamped it. I looked at it later: it says “Vente Finale”.
Later when I was buying a few items in a store up St-Denis, the person before me asked the cashier if she knew where some nearby business was, and the cashier took out a phone book to look it up.
I think my time machine is on the fritz.
Tim 21:54 on 2019-03-26 Permalink
Kate, you paid for a new card? Twice I have had expiring cards and both times I had them replaced free of charge no questions asked. Maybe this has changed?
Kate 06:58 on 2019-03-27 Permalink
Tim, a Twitter reader of the blog feed reminded me that there’s a pending case against the STM about the cost for an Opus card, so I should hang onto the receipt.
I don’t hold out much hope. The STM is pretty cavalier about court rulings. Remember, it’s still fining people accused of being delinquent passengers, even though a judge said they couldn’t assume guilt in that way.
It’s only six bucks, but it’s the principle.
John B 23:03 on 2019-03-26 Permalink
@Tim Cards below a certain number can be replaced free because the Opus cards were originally sold as “Permanent.” Once it became clear they were not permanent there was some cutoff date so cards with a higher number than the cutoff cannot be replaced for free. It was a while ago, so I bet you’ll have to pony up $6 for your next card.
I actually combined 3 old cards, (one of which was old enough to be replaced for free), into a new card recently. It wasn’t _so_ bad. There was no phone call involved. I bet the call the person made was just a call, although it’s weird they would choose to make it then.
DeWolf 12:24 on 2019-03-27 Permalink
This whole “expiring card” thing is complete nonsense. I am still using my Hong Kong Octopus card from 2008 with no problems. It was only a couple of years ago that Hong Kong recalled the *original* Octopus cards from 1997. And it’s not like they’re different from the Opus card. They use identical technology and they are made from exactly the same materials.
That combined with the $6 fee for an Opus card makes me think the whole thing is just a shameless cash grab by the STM.
Kate 22:04 on 2019-03-27 Permalink
DeWolf, someone once told me (it may have been in a blog comment) that the Opus card only has so many “slots” in the programming, and once they’re full, the card is no good. However, in practice it has a date when it becomes obsolete, regardless of how many or how few recharges have been applied to it, so you may well be right.