MARTA App Learning

MARTA App Learning

Updated: September 8th 2024

What have we learned the hard way?

Tap-to-Pay:

1. Doesn’t work as you’d expect.  Instead a tap-to-pay card gets associated with an additional (unlocked) fare product just like a Breezecard does.  You can’t actually pay directly with tap-to-pay like you can on the London Tube for example.
2. Almost any NFC does work to exit the system (flat rate payments are taken on entry).  
3. Apple Cash Card works, but you have to have money on it (it doesn’t spend the money).

Breezecards:

1. Can't transfer card trips to phone app.
2. When using the Breezecard, the card expires after 3 years, not the fare product.
3. You can transfer from expired cards to unexpired cards, but you have to balance protect old and new cards first.   Old card has to be less than 30 days expired.  Registered to same person.
4. Plenty of reasons to not balance protect Breezecards until needed though. Record the number somewhere for later.
5. The tap required to make Breezecard balance transfers/purchases official, takes some time after the balance transfer/purchase happens.  Maybe 24 hours or more.
6. Can be used to pay for the StreetCar ($1), but there is no transfer functionality.

Breeze Mobile 2 App:

1. If you aren't registered, then the fare products in the app can be lost if the phone is lost or destroyed.
2. Fare products on the app expire now (3 years), no longer transferable.  
3. You need network connectivity to launch the app.  You do not need connectivity to scan in.
4. You can share app fare products with Breezecards (and tap-to-pay cards), if so, you must scan your card on the lower NFC.  So far the app locks an additional (unlocked) fare product.  Won’t work if there is only a single (or single unlocked) fare product.
5. Tap-to-pay works exactly the same as added Breezecards.  You can associate a tap-to-pay card only if you have more than one unlocked fare product in the app.  
6. Cards associated with products on phone, must use lower NFC pad on turnstile.  Upper one doesn’t work for cards tied to app.  Only for standard old school Breezecards.
7. To add a Breezecard to the app (for carpooling or other), you have to register the app.
8. Breezecard (and tap-to-pay) appears to pick the 2nd oldest (unlocked) fare product and then lock it to the Breeezecard or Tap-to-pay card..
9. Removing Breezecard (or tap-to-pay card) with trips locked will remove the trips with it.  DON’T do that.
10. The app will pick the oldest fare product if you don’t activate anything before scanning.  This matters only if you have multiple fare products.
11. Amex tap-to-pay cards won’t work with the Breeze Mobile 2 App.  Unclear why.  Visa cards work fine.
12. Most NFC style Apple wallet pc cards will allow for exit via turnstile.  This includes tap to pay cards, digital IDs (Georgia Digital Driver’s License), transit apps from other places (SUICA), concert tickets, and even Apple Cash cards.  Apple Cash cards work on the watch always.  But on the phone don’t work without value.
13. As of July 25th 2024, you can activate a purchased ticket if you have an Apple Pay ID added to the app.  But you can’t see a QR code to actually use it.  Quickly remove the Apple Pay IDs to use the activated trip.  Why work this way?
14. Can be used to pay for the StreetCar ($1), but there is no transfer functionality.  I believe you just activate the fare product and move on.
15. When linking your Breeze Card to your Breeze Mobile 2.0 account, currently, riders cannot receive transfers to any of the Regional Partners.
16. When linking your tap-to-pay card to your Breeze Mobile 2.0 account, currently, riders cannot receive transfers to any of the Regional Partners.
17. Tap-to-pay cards don’t work as you’d expect, instead they just associate with a fare product like a Breezecard does.  
18. I believe multiple IDs (and matching fare products) will allow for carpooling via the app.  But why does adding tap-to-pay disable the QR code?

Open questions:

1. Why will additional IDs (Breezecards, tap-to-pay) not work if there is only one fare product in the app?  Why isn’t this better communicated?
2. How do you unlock a fare product once it’s locked to a Breeze ID?  Removing the Breeze ID removes the fare product, so that’s not the answer.  This presumably affects tap-to-pay fare products as well.  You can call customer service, but this isn’t a speedy process.
3. Does the “Dependent” checkbox when adding a Breeze ID allow for carpooling?  Unknown.
4. Can we “explode” a fare product such that it will work with a Breezecard (or tap-to-pay card)?  That is, turn a 20 fare pack into 20 single fare packs for easier sharing.  I effectively achieved this when trying to unlock a 20-trip fare product from a Breezecard.  They removed the fare product and gave me multiple fare products adding up to the same number of trips.
5. Why does adding a tap-to-pay ID disable the QR code scanner.  Especially if there’s only a single unlocked fare product (tap-to-pay won’t work anyway). 
6. Why can’t I associate my Georgia Digital Driver’s license as an ID?
7. Why doesn’t MARTA app allow for creation of an NFC tap-to-pay card that can be used like tap-to-pay credit cards and Breezecards are today?
8. Can the first placeholder fare product be a 1 dollar streetcar trip?  If so that’s both cheaper and that is the one kind of fare product that’s “usable” without needing to scan anything.
9. What happens to a locked fare product if the card goes away?  Fraud causes the card number to change for example?  I suspect you have to call in to customer service to get it unlocked.

Next Tests:

1. Confirm that Apple Watch works just as well as tap-to-pay on phone (it presumably does).  I’ll use Apple Cash Card just to double-up on the test.
2. Confirm that Breezecard still works as described above.  It almost certainly does.
3. Put a 1 dollar street-car trip in as the first fare product.  See if it will count as first spot so that all other products can be locked to breeze IDs.

Breeze Mobile 2 FAQ.  

https://www.itsmarta.com/breeze-mobile-faqs.aspx

XpressGA FAQ.  

https://xpressga.com/breeze-mobile-faq/

The Travel Bible

Lists play quite a roll in some of my favorite fiction. Jethro's rules in NCIS, The Ferengi Rules of Acquisition, Steve Buscemi's list of people in Billy Madison.

I did a 5 year stretch traveling week-in and week-out (for work).  I don't travel as much for work now but do have chance to take advantage of non-revenue travel on Delta Airlines.  As such I've started to make a note when I learn something (often the hard way).

These are those rules.

Please feel free to argue or suggest your own in the comments.

Travel Bible

1. All of your credit cards should be setup so that you can use a PIN at an ATM and get a cash advance.   There is usually a small fee for cash advance.
2. Worst seat mates are noisy.  Bad breath/smelly a close second.
3. Checking anything, ever, sucks.  Ideal travel is something you can get under the seat.  The less you carry, the fewer the problems.
4. Put your bags in the overhead slightly ahead and across the aisle from your seat.  Makes things easier on exit and you can see them.
5. Don't take the first overhead bins in coach.  Folks sitting there have no under seat space.
6. Take your coat off long before you get to the plane.  No reason to spend that time at your row.
7. Best coach seats are first row in coach.
8. Best first class seats are the last row in first class.  No one behind you to kick the seat and mess with the table.
9. Use the AC vent when present to shield yourself from odor.
10. The mobile app for your airline is worth it.  Even for a single flight.  Mileage signup is too.
11. Print your boarding pass ahead of time or get a mobile pass.  Or both.  The 3 minutes it saves is sometimes the key to making a flight.
12. I think it's ADA rules but the first row in coach is usually open at the 24 hour mark before the flight. 
13. Going non-stop is worth spending more.
14. If you check bags take photos of them. Heck, take photos either way.
15. Odd looking bags (or weird colors) are way easier to spot on a bag carousel (or lost in the bowels of an airport)
16. C'mon now with the smelly snacks.  Really?
17. You shouldn't have anything separate from your bag at security that doesn't have to be.  Belt, phone, wallet all in the bag.  Coat too if you can.
18. Exit row seats tend to be colder than other seats.
19. Slip off shoes are best for easy ingress through security
20. Toiletries in an external pocket.
21. It's not the metal detector, it's the conveyor belt that’s the bottleneck when going through TSA.
22. When in Asia, put the appropriate characters on your itinerary to aid in communicating with locals.
23. Cold butter on top of hot food for inflight meal.  Sometimes it's near frozen.
24. No water bottles when leaving PVG (Shanghai) 
25. When outside the US, get a GPS app for your phone that doesn't require data.  Download the appropriate areas.  I've typically used "Here We Go".  "Google Maps" and "Apple Maps" can do this too.  "Maps.Me" and "Sygic GPS Navigation" also allow for offline maps.
26. Use your mobile devices e-reader app for relevant travel books.  Fodor's, Lonely Planet.
27. If planning to use ride sharing, review (google) airport policy for pickups.  Every airport does it differently.
28. When in Asia, carry your own toilet paper.  It’s typically not provided in public restrooms.
29. Poo-pourri actually works.
30. Ear issues: drink more water, go to the lavatory shortly before landing, ear-planes work, decongestants, anti-inflammatories.  A blocked ear can severely impact a trip.
31. They make single use insect repellent wipes.
32. They make travel size laundry detergent.
33. They make single use sunscreen wipes.
34. They make dry shampoo in very small sizes, always good to have a backup.
35. When in a new lodging, bathroom check.  TP, soap and shampoo.  I don’t typically travel with soap and shampoo.
36. Hotels almost always have basic toiletries, AirBnBs often don't provide shampoo.
37. Put the deodorant in a separate ziplock bag dumbass.  It will melt in a hot car.
38. Roma makes amazing travel sandwiches, non-crumbly roll, tough cheese and cured meats (less risk of spoilage).
39. Take a few small ziplock bags.  Ideal to keep wallets/phones/passports dry.
40. Front of the plane typically cooler, quieter and better smelling than the back of the plane.
41. Car insurance is expensive.  More expensive internationally.  Understand what your car insurance/credit cards include inside and outside of the US.
42. Hotel airport shuttles are a dodgy business.  Pretty common for them to work differently than described online.  Call and politely confirm how they work.  Get a description of the vehicle.
43. Sometimes the weight limits for check (and carry-on) bags differ from country to country.  This can lead to a mad scramble in a foreign airport on your way home.  Never hurts to check ahead of time.
44. We all know what "Non-stop" means, "Direct" means the same flight number (regardless of number of stops)
45. I've taken various colors of paracord and replaced the zipper pulls.  This lets me identify pockets by color and also means my bag is unique looking.
46. I usually have a few safety pins hanging from zippers on my bag as they come in handy.
47. I reinforce light bag handles with paracord.  This serves at least two purposes.  It strengthens the handles as well as making the bag look unique.
48. If you get to the rental car counter and the price is different, they probably changed something and didn’t bother to tell you.  Navigating this in another language can be difficult.  Print outs can help.
49. Put your passport in a ziplock bag, idiot.
50. Put a good sized paperclip on your passport.  There's almost always something to keep with your passport when traveling.  Remove the paperclip when handing your passport to an official.
51. Keep an ink pen handy when traveling international, customs forms typically provided on the plane.
52. A dark passport holder/folder seems sensible for hiding wear, tear and dirt.  But it's hard to spot on the floor of a dark plane.  Mine is now bright red.
53. Jet lag is the real deal.  Much worse when flying east than west.  Reason being, getting up X hours later is far easier than getting up X hours early.
54. Typically the best bet for getting local cash is to hit an ATM when you land at the airport.  Not currency exchange.
55. If you are renting a car and returning to the same location, go ahead and drop a pin when you are picking the car up.
56. The collapsible water bottles aren't as durable but still last years and pack down.  Suggest one that has measurements for use in a pinch.
57. If you can choose, choose an undamaged car.  You can’t get blamed for pre-existing damage if there isn’t pre-existing damage.

58. Compression Packing Cubes allow for flexibility on planes. Cubes come out easy such that bags can squeeze in overheads and under seats.

59. Airbnbs are worth more than hotels because kitchens, laundries and refrigerators make trips cheaper.  Carry fewer items.  Eat in more.

60. It's useful when renting a car, to take a picture of the after-hours return instructions.  More of a concern at smaller airports.

61. There are several types of multi-tools that are carry-on possible.  Wallet style multi-tools are very slim and most do not have a knife.  

62. Airtags are great tool for your bag if you're an iPhone user. 

63. The first flight of the day flies with more empty seats and is less likely to be delayed by weather or previous flights.

64. They make dry bags designed for laptops.  They aren't even that expensive.  Life saver.

65. A lot of modern museums have audio tours that you can download and listen to on your phone.  You need headphones to do so though.

Boss Groomsman Tips                                              

Some years ago I was involved in 5 weddings in 10 weekends.  This list of rules came out of that experience.  

Most of these are easy.

* It's easier to be the boss when you're local, or at least driving.

Tougher to be the go-to guy if you don't have a car or know your way around.

General Tips:

1. Be early, everything with a wedding takes longer than expected.  Always.

2. Let the couple know that you're there to help, getting married is super stressful.  There's always something they've forgotten to do.  Maybe you can handle it.  Forgotten flowers for mothers, check for the church, there's always something

3. Do you own a nice umbrella?  Or several?  Bring them, at least in the car, to all events.  Golf umbrella probably best.

4. Travel with a basic medicine cabinet.  Advil, Pepto Bismol.

5. A package of bottled water might make you a hero (a legend if cold).

6. Wrinkle releaser spray

Ahead of the wedding:

1. Get contact info for all the groomsmen, and all the rented tuxedos.  Call 'em TeamTuxedo in a group text or something.

2. Volunteer to get folks at the airport.  Particularly TeamTuxedo.

3. When you get setup with your tuxedo, make sure you now how it all goes together.  This preps you to look smooth and be helpful later when others are struggling.  

4. Volunteer to help return tuxedos post wedding.  There's always drama with this. Always.  People flying in, somebody's cousin is a lazy dumbass, whatever.

5. Travel with cash, small bills, singles.  Bartenders, valets need tips.  Look like you've been there.  Some weddings do things with cash, I've seen it thrown at the couple while dancing.  I've seen it pinned to the bride's veil.  You never know what tradition you might get surprised by.

Rehearsal Dinner Night:

1. Don't be on-time to the rehearsal.  Be early, assist in picking up other members of TeamTuxedo and get them there.  When the wedding planner is looking around, you want them to see the full groomsmen crew ready to rock.

2. Have a flask, fill it with something easy going.  Think Basil Hayden, not Wild Turkey.  If you're local, maybe have a traveler for refills.

3. Carry a change of clothes (or several) to be prepped for whatever happens after rehearsal dinner.  Pub, hot tub, chilling in a room, club?

4. If you live near rehearsal dinner location, offer to host informal gathering after.

Wedding Day:

1. Most weddings do photos while the groomsmen are dressing and such these days.  Be early, if they aren't going to provide food and drink, pick something up.  Donuts, sandwiches, something.  Maybe not alcohol.

2. Have your phone charger with you, maybe even have a cord for other types of phones.  If you have one of those battery things, bring it.

3. I don't know why the ushering is so hard.  Be friendly, make small talk.  If someone is by themselves (particularly women) introduce them to someone friendly that you know and have already seated.

4. Carry a comb with you (a clean one, not that nasty one).  

5. Consider carrying some extra pins in case someone has trouble with a boutonniere.  

6. Black electrical tape might solve a small tuxedo problem such that it isn't obvious in the pictures.

7. Have a needle and black thread (maybe a couple black buttons) and know how to sew on a button.  This shit can make you a GD HERO.

8. Consider getting a hotel room if you can afford it.  Especially if you don't live nearby.  Time is always short on wedding days.

9. During the reception, for some reason they always plan dinner for the bride and groom.  They never plan drinks.  Bride and groom are always busy talking to someone and they never get to have a drink.  Get drinks for them.  Check-in every 20 minutes or so.  

10. Consider having a small appropriate towel (or two) if there's to be a lot of dancing, bride and groom will be sweating.  

11. Tip the bartenders, if you can, even if it's an open bar.  You want the bartender to remember you.  (you'll be getting drinks for bride and groom too)

12. *THIS ONE IS A BITCH* at the end of the night, collect the rented tuxedos.  It's a complete pain in the ass, but if possible go through them before you go to bed.  Some dumbass will have left his bowtie in the bathroom or his vest on a chair.  You have their numbers from the group text earlier.  Track that shit down.  

13. Carry with you a change of clothes for whatever might come after reception.  Pub, hot tub, chilling in a room, clubbing?

14. Pack in your car or bag, steamer or iron or both for dealing with wrinkles in ties and shirts.

15. Roll with a nice lint roller.

16. A small tube of super glue can save the day.  Shoe repairs, broken ties and so on.

17. Women wearing fancy dresses and heels need help getting out of cars and dealing with stairs.  Be there.

Export-Only American Whiskies

I always like to find unique bourbons (and other american whiskeys) when I'm outside of the US.  There are always a few varieties that for a number of reasons aren't sold at home.  A few of the export-onlys are very very good.  Most probably aren't.

Things change quickly.

This list will be out of date as soon as I post it.

Let me know about updates in the comments and I'll try to maintain.

"Export Only" American Whiskeys

1. Blanton's Gold (gold label)

2. Blanton's Straight From the Barrel 

3. Blanton's Special Reserve (green label)

4. Blanton's Japan (black label)

5. Blanton's Silver Edition

6. Blanton's Paris by Day (Le Maison Du Whiskey Paris exclusive) 

7. Blanton's Paris by Night (Le Maison Du Whiskey Paris exclusive)

8. Four Roses Super Premium Platinum 86° (Japan)

9. Four Roses Black Label 80° (Japan)

10. Jack Daniel's Silver Select

11. Jack Daniel's No 27 (Asia and South Pacific, Australia)

12. Very Olde St Nick (Japan?)

13. John Lee Bourbon

Baseball Road Trips

When I left college I decided I'd get around to see all of the big league ballparks with a buddy.  We did what we could afford those first few years.  Kids and marriage changed priorities (for everyone else) and I only managed 11 by my 40th birthday.  Even though I was shopping the idea around to both family and friends. 

I picked up the pace and have now visited all 30 of the MLB Parks.  It only took 19 seasons.

I learned a little along the way and thought I might try and share some of that.

__________________________________________________________________________

Keys:

1. Seats out of the sun (out of the rain too if possible)
2. Parking passes are strongly recommended, ParkingPanda or SpotHero or Parkwhiz or whatever
3. Time of the game matters, you can drive some hours after if a long trip
4. Remember the domes might not be closed
5. LaQuinta Inn often has laundry (letting you travel light)
6. take sunscreen, good sunscreen

___________________________________________________________________________

Non-park destinations

1. Hall of Fame in Cooperstown NY
2. Negro Leagues Museum KC, MO
3. Former location of Ebbet’s field, Brooklyn NY
4. Field of Dreams field, Dyersville IA
5. Louisville Slugger Museum, Louisville KY
6. Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum, Greenville SC
7. Bobblehead Museum, Miami FL
8. Babe Ruth grave, Hawthorne NY
9. Jackie Robinson Ballpark (museum) in Daytona, FL
10. Rickwood Field, Birmingham, AL (oldest ballpark in US)
11. Williamsport, Little League World Series - Little League museum
12. Ty Cobb Museum, Royston, GA
13. Yogi Berra Museum, Little Falls, NJ 
14. http://www.beliefnet.com/entertainment/2010/04/baseball-history-in-america.aspx
15. Lefty O’douls, Union Square SF
16. Forbes Field Wall in Pittsburgh, PA
17. Jackie Robinson Sites, Pasadena, CA
18. Former location (and centerfield tree) Ponce De Leon Park (Atlanta Crackers) 
19. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/site-of-sportsmans-park
20. Roberto Clemente museum Pittsburgh 
21. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-last-remnants-of-the-polo-grounds 
22. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hilltop_Park#Hilltop_Park_site_now
23. Childhood home of babe ruth in Baltimore
24. Elysian Fields site of first modern ball game New Jersey?
25. Forbes Field wall Pittsburgh

Although the stadium is gone, the site of the greatest World Series home run is recognized on the University of Pittsburgh campus, where the Pirates once played at Forbes Field. It was in the bottom of the ninth inning of the seventh game of the 1960 series when Bill Mazeroski homered over the left field wall, defeating the New York Yankees. The wall's preserved, and every year on Oct. 13, the anniversary of the game, a crowd gathers to listen to the game broadcast. pitt.edu

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/destinations/10greatplaces/2015/06/12/baseball-attractions/71002092/

Baseball Tourism in the Atlanta area

I thought I might try and put a post together about baseball tourism and history sites within driving distance of Atlanta.

I'll come back and clean this up over time.  Leave me a comment with additions/corrections.

Drivable (from Atlanta) minor leagues (add extra time for rush hour)

1. Gwinnett Stripers (triple A) (travel time 30) https://www.milb.com/gwinnett/schedule
2. Rome Braves (A ball) (travel time 1:25) https://www.milb.com/rome/schedule 
3. Macon Bacon (coastal plain league) (travel time 1:37) https://www.maconbaconbaseball.com/schedule/home-game-schedule/
4. Chattanooga Lookouts (double A) (travel time 1:50) https://www.milb.com/chattanooga/schedule
5. Greenville Drive (A ball) (travel time 2 hours) https://www.milb.com/greenville/schedule
6. Augusta GreenJackets (A ball) (travel time 2:10) https://www.milb.com/augusta/schedule/2019-05
7. Birmingham Barons (triple A) (travel time 2:20) https://www.milb.com/birmingham/schedule/2019-05
8. Montgomery Biscuits (triple A)  (travel time 2:20) https://www.milb.com/montgomery/schedule 
9. Charlotte Knights (triple A) (travel time 3:30) https://www.milb.com/charlotte-knights/schedule/2019-05
10. Savannah Sand Gnats (A ball) (travel time 3:50) 
11. Charleston Riverdogs (A ball) (travel time 4:30) https://www.milb.com/charleston/schedule

Drivable baseball attractions from Atlanta

1. Ponce de Leon park magnolia tree
2. Fulton county base paths and partial out field wall
3. Ty Cobb museum
4. Shoeless Joe jackson museum/Shoeless Joe Jackson park (and statue)
5. The Rickwood, oldest operating baseball park in america

MARTA QR Usability

Back in January of 2013 I was running late for the airport.  I was trying to determine if my MARTA card already had the needed credits to make the trip.  I had to browse through a multi-step process and then enter a 16 digit number that was printed in a very small font on my breezecard.  This is pretty cumbersome for something that should be a 1-step process.  Once on the train I sent MARTA an online comment.

Hi Guys, love the ability to look up my card value online.  Why not throw a QR code on the back of the card so I can do it super easy with my phone.

That was during the stretch where QR codes were everywhere.  Plenty of places that were silly and made no sense at all.  Mine was an example where QR codes made sense, added capability, and improved customer experience.

I should have mentioned how annoyed I was at having to navigate such a silly process.   Not long after I posted my comment, MARTA responded.

Dear Mr. Hogg,

 Thank you for your suggestion.  I am forwarding this information to the Technology Department for their review and consideration.  MARTA appreciates your input and the privilege to serve you.

 Happy New Year,

That was a pleasant surprise.  I figured that was the end of it though.  Almost a month later I was copied on another email.  It was a forwarding of my comments to a gentleman named "Roderick".

Greetings Roderick,

FYI

Cheers,

A few months later I was playing around reverse engineering the MARTA site and revisited the email.  It was then that I realized "Roderick" wasn't actually copied.  I went ahead and replied.

Hi Guys,

Roderick may not have made it onto the thread as I can't see him.

I took the liberty of creating a few examples with my cards here.

Knowing full well that's not the hard part, it's the printing of the cards that is the issue.

Your system will already provide the needed data with no changes.

I'll paste the example links in below:

https://balance.breezecard.com/breezeWeb/cardnumber_qa.do;jsessionid=1?submitButton.x=21&submitButton.y=9&cardnumber=0160023760368413

https://balance.breezecard.com/breezeWeb/cardnumber_qa.do;jsessionid=1?submitButton.x=21&submitButton.y=9&cardnumber=0160033552086172

There are matching QR codes in the included word doc.

In a similar vein, an SMS gateway would also make things imminently more usable.

For presumably relatively small cost.  Text your 16 digit number to 62782 (MARTA) or whatever.

I just can't leave well enough alone,

Russell

The astute among you are now able to see the balance on my MARTA card.  I'll shortly convert it to one of the new gray cards and the links and QR code may have nothing to show.  Please don't clone my card and steal my 16 rides.

There's some fun here.  Pretty sure those submitButton.x and submitButton.y arguments are there to stop people from doing what I was doing.  To be fair, that would probably stop most of the bots.  The breezecard.com folks might have any number of good reasons for making it difficult to build a single url that would show my card's value.  We can speculate in the comments if anyone ever reads this. Note that the "Breeze Balance" links on breezecard.com don't currently work as I'm typing this.  The balance URL used in the QR code does though.

Try it yourself:

The email address that I replied to bounced and I never heard anymore.

Fast forward 4 years and MARTA is in the process of updating their card system which has me thinking about this all again.  Times have changed, social media in general and Twitter in particular have allowed consumers to raise their voices with brands.  That's why I'm writing this blog post, I'm going to try to communicate with MARTA using the channels now available.  Maybe MARTA will consider innovating, maybe I'll learn something, maybe nothing will happen at all (if I were a betting man).

I think the MARTA brand would benefit from being seen as technology and customer focused.  I think adding these features to the breezecard and smart phone app would reduce usage of kiosks which would mean longer kiosk life and shorter lines for MARTA customers at peak times.  Full disclosure, I work in the customer experience space.  I'd love to see what customers do after checking their balance.  How that relates to their overall likelihood to make use of MARTA.  What features get the most usage and so on.

So how would MARTA/breezecard go about implementing all this?

First step isn't technically difficult.  The balance check URL above is still working, even if the multi-step process I initially circumvented isn't.

1. Add QR code with appropriate URL to the back of the breezecard.  If it's the same URL as above lets add a qr=1 argument.  That way whomever is working on the web analytics or customer experience side at breezecard can tell how many people are using the QR code.

2. Once viability is established, rework the itsmarta.com or breezecard.com site such that card balance URL is as short as possible.  The shorter the URL, the simpler the QR code and the less likely a misread might happen.

3. It's a straight forward matter to add a QR code reader to the "Marta On the Go" app.  This reader can strip out the breezecard number and on one simple screen allow the user to see their balance, add credit, add card to an established account.  Location data would be available so a targeted location relevant advertisement could be seen.  "50 cents off a taco at Raging Burrito in Decatur".

4. Modify the balance web page such that the same features are provided without the user even having to make use of the MARTA app.

Assuming the breezecard balance check URL continues to work, you can make your own QR code and print it out for sticking to the back of your card.  Just copy the URL below and add your card's 16 digit number to the end.  Note that I've got our qr=1 argument in there.  Maybe they'll notice.

https://balance.breezecard.com/breezeWeb/cardnumber_qa.do;jsessionid=1?submitButton.x=21&submitButton.y=9&qr=1&cardnumber=

I used http://www.qrstuff.com/ but it shouldn't really matter how you build the QR code.

I'll paste in some useful URLs below.

The MARTA Army is an independent grassroots action group, committed to enhancing the ridership experience on public transit here in Metro Atlanta. The Army engages citizens across the region to reclaim ownership over the MARTA network by making it more accessible and convenient in their own neighborhoods.

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/MARTASERVICE
https://twitter.com/MARTAarmy
https://twitter.com/CEOmarta

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/MARTAtransit/
https://www.facebook.com/martaarmy/

Web:
http://www.martaarmy.org/
http://martahackathon.org/

Update 1:
So far I've tweeted at every MARTA related twitter handle I can find.
@ceomarta, @goldietaylor, @martaservice, @martaarmy, @martatod1
No traction yet.  I'll keep looking.

I did confirm that bcrd.co is available as far as a short URL host.  16 digit (base 10) numbers can be reduced to 10 digit base 36 numbers).  So my card above could be bcrd.co/1kq1wf8d25.  That's a pretty short URL for the QR code.  I'll poke around and see about shortening that further still.

Also I learned that base-36 numbers are hexatridecimal.


Update 2:
MARTA has taken some of this to heart and are now sponsoring hackathons.  Certainly I'm not the only one who thinks this way (and maybe not the only one to suggest QR codes on the back of cards, it ain't rocket-surgery).  A few more links added above.