GVB Amsterdam - first conflict

De cand sistemul OV-chipkaart a fost implementat pe toate mijloacele publice de transport din Olanda, tot felul de greseli de implementare ale sistemului imi fac viata dificila.

Aici este scrisoarea pe care am adresat-o GVB-ului, cerand o explicatie pentru implementarea deficitara a noului sistem si solicitand returnarea banilor insusiti fraudulos de masinile lor inteligente. Sunt curios daca voi primi macar un raspuns.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I would like to submit to your attention my concerns and complaints about the implementation of the OV-chipkaart system.

This system has not been thoroughly tested and therefore there are now people being affected by the system faults. First of all, when I load my card with a monthly abonnament and with extra money for certain situations (e.g. when I am outside the number of zones covered by the monthly pass), it happens that if the credit runs below zero, I cannot use my valid monthly pass. This is really frustrating and has put me in troubles a few times. Why this basic function has not been implemented by your ‘smart’ system?

Secondly, a very high percent of the machines used for reloading the credit are not issuing any receipt. If, for example, my transport costs are reimbursed by employer, I need to provide a receipt for this and the ‘intelligent’ machines installed in supermarkets or buses/trams, do not issue any receipt because of a very simple reason: they do not have paper; moreover, the “intelligent” software is not even warning that the machine has ran out of paper. This is another reason making my live difficult, because I need to go to Central Station or Zuid to ask for a bloody receipt.

And, there is more: I’m using my chipkaart on Conexxion buses, on a daily basis, and I do carefully check-in and out. Randomly, when I do check out, I am being charged, as the monthly pass does not count anymore. I mention that I am in the zones where the card is valid. This is the reason I’m asking back the money that GVB machines fraudulently got from me (yes, this is a fraud that GVB and Conexxion commit against me).

Good luck in charging even more money from people through this smart system called OV-chipkaart, for a service that is not even as efficient, clean and optimized as you pretend. And, it’s one of the most expensive public transport systems in the world, for what, I’m wondering?

Regards...

PS: it's the end of December 2009 and I haven't got back either money or feedback. Shame...