Burn your TransLink card

nospam@example.com (David Pollak) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 22:06:56 -0800

I am outraged at the SF Muni and their adoption of the TransLink card. Soon, there are certain bus lines that will only accept the TransLink card during rush hour... you won't be able to ride the bus except with one of these evil devices.

So, what's my outrage?

I spent most of today trying to obtain a TrankLink card for my kids. I read on the TransLink site that the youth cards had to be obtained in person rather than at the normal retail outlets. So, I took my kids downtown figuring I could buy a card at a Muni station, but no dice. Most of the folks in the Muni stations had no clue. Finally, somebody pointed me to Golden Gate Transit in the Ferry Building, so off we went to the Ferry Building.

We find the right booth to buy the pass. Now, my kids are in kindergarten. There's no question that they are youths and are elegible for youth discounts. In fact, most Muni drivers say, "These kids look too young to pay." My response is, "Muni rules say that 5 year olds pay and we follow rules in our family."

So, I ask for 2 youth passes. The woman behind the counter says, "give me their birth certificates and we'll give you the youth passes." I say, "that's a joke, right? Look at them, do they look anywhere near 16 or 18 or whatever the cutoff age is?" She responds, "Our policy is that we only issue youth cards with a birth certificate."

We've had to show the kids' birth certificates for their social security cards and for entrance to school. We did not have to produce birth certificates for library cards, health insurance, so I'm wondering what is going on here. I ask for a supervisor.

I talk to the supervisor and he tells me, "It is our policy that you need a birth certificate to obtain a youth TransLink card." Me: "Why? Do these kids look like they're too old for the card?" Him: "We bond the birth certificate to the card to avoid fraud." Me: "You what?" Him: "We make sure that the discount card is associated with the person." Me: "So, you're telling me that in order to get a discount, you guys are going to track the movements of my kids throughout the TransLink system? How is this supposed to reduce fraud?" Him: "That's our policy, sir." Me: "Your policy is Orwellian and there's no way I'm letting you associate my kids' public transportation usage with their birth certificate. Instead of trying to buy cards for the kids, I'm going to burn mine."

So, we walk away. The supervisor comes running after me. "Sir, your kids look young enough that they don't need to pay a fair anyway." Me: "First, they have to pay on the SF Muni and we follow the rules so we pay. Second, giving me a 'free-be' today don't mitigate your Big Brother policy of tracking my kids where-abouts." Him: "I'm just trying to be helpful." Me: "If you want to be helpful, go back to your boss and explain to him that this is the United States and we move freely in this country."

My kids asked me why I was cranky. I said, "Because the bad people want to know where you go." Kids: "We're not going anywhere bad, so why don't we want people to know where we've gone?" Me: "It is our right as Americans to come and go as we please. It's our right to be private. But more importantly, historically, once the government starts tracking their citizens, especially their children, they will find a way to use the information against you. It's not that we have anything to hide, it's that any time people want to always know, they are up to no good... they are bad people."

So, we walk through the Ferry Building and I see a guy with an EFF hat. Now, this is San Francisco, so it's not unexpected to see some guy sporting an EFF hat. I go up to him and say, "Are you a member of the EFF? I was one of the first donors to the EFF so don't get freaked." He says, "Yes." I say, "The TransLink folks want my kids' birth certificates in order to get a youth TransLink card and they bond the birth certificate to the card so they track the kid's movement throughout their system." His jaw dropped to the ground. We shared a brief moment of liberal outrage and my kids and I went on our way.

When I got home, I checked the TransLink site. There is no mention of requiring a birth certificate to obtain a youth pass. I called the TransLink customer service line and they did verify that a birth certificate is required.

First, TransLink is hiding the fact that a birth certificate is required. It's not on their public web site although it is mentioned in a press release. Why are they hiding this information? Do they think that if they don't publish it on their web site that somehow it'll make it okay?

Second, TransLink is managed by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, but this is not mentioned anywhere on the TransLink web site and is only mentioned once in the TransLink cardholder "license agreement". Why is the MTC hiding?

Third, if the MTC is a governmental body, where was the public hearing and the public comment request relating to requiring a birth certificate and bonding that information to youth passes?

Forth, what great problem are they looking to solve by associating a card with a person? What kind of failures is the current youth (and elderly) pass mechanism (a different colored pass) justify bonding my child's birth certificate to their transit card and track my children's comings and goings?

So, I am outraged. I will burn my TransLink card and until this Orwellian, KGB-esq policy of requiring a birth certificate to get a youth TransLink, I will not in any way participate in the TransLink system. I urge you to do the same.

David Pollak's Blog

Burn your TransLink card