Orange TAP Card

Today Metro announced that you can now buy and reload TAP cards at COUNTY of LA public libraries!  Notice it says COUNTY.  Any city of LA library are not selling or reloading TAP cards.  But what really interested me was the picture of the two TAP cards, the generic blue TAP card and one that I have never seen before, the "orange palm tree TAP card."

Has anybody seen or bought the orange TAP card?  I called a few libraries that are selling the TAP cards, and all of them only have the blue TAP card.

If you have any information about the "orange palm tree" TAP card, please email me!

Wanted- 2017 Golden Streets TAP Card

While there wasn't any mention of a Golden Streets TAP card, there was a 626 Golden Streets event held on March 5, 2017.   So, I am looking for information about the Golden Streets TAP Card pictured at the bottom left in the picture above.  I am also looking to add this TAP card to my collection!

I was informed that the Golden Streets TAP cards were issued by Bike San Gabriel Valley for the 626 Golden Streets event.  I got in touch with Bike SGV through Twitter, and they said the Golden Streets TAP cards were given to the volunteers during 626 Golden Streets! 

I am hoping to trade for this TAP cards.  Is there a TAP card that I have, that you need to complete your collection?  Let's work out a trade!  I have an extra AARP TAP Card and 2017 Olympics Bid for 2024 TAP card.

When trading I want clean, mint condition TAP cards, that means no scratches or fading of the TAP card.  I want the TAP card to have a no stored value and in working condition- meaning I can add fare to the TAP card! The TAP cards I have to trade are in clean mint condition and have nothing in stored value!

Wanted- LADOT TAP Cards

I am looking to trade for the bottom two TAP cards, the cards I call "blue bus grid" and the "brown Downtown" and the middle left TAP card, I call it the "orange Downtown LA" issued by LADOT! 

On LADOT Instagram page, they kept posting pictures of TAP cards that are not longer for sale.  Every time I see that, I will ask them if they are selling the TAP cards pictured.  They respond with a no.  Then I respond with- it would be very easy to post a picture of the TAP cards you are selling instead of using the same picture over and over again.  

I am hoping to trade for any of the three TAP cards.  Is there a TAP card that I have, that you need to complete your collection?  Let's work out a trade!  I have an extra AARP TAP Card and 2017 Olympics Bid for 2024 TAP card.

When trading I want clean, mint condition TAP cards, that means no scratches or fading of the TAP card.  I want the TAP card to have a no stored value and in working condition- meaning I can add fare to the TAP card! The TAP cards I have to trade are in clean mint condition and have nothing in stored value!

LADOT TAP Cards

On social media I found out that LADOT, the agency that operates the DASH Buses in LA, issued their own TAP cards!  I was able to acquire these three TAP cards by going to a the El Sereno Library when LADOT's Outreach team was selling and reloading TAP cards.  Each TAP card costs $1, if you load fare or $2 without loading fare.

I love the bottom card, the Downtown LA green swirl, the best!  Just a bright colorful TAP card.  Luckily, the outreach team found a small number of these TAP cards.  They are currently only selling the top two cards- grey LA and blue Downtown LA.

Wanted- 2016 Expo to Santa Monica TAP Card

The 2016 Expo Line to Santa Monica TAP card was issued on May 20, 2016 for the opening of the Expo Line to Santa Monica! About three weeks later I went to the Pico Station, saw a TAP machine with the sticker for this TAP card, put my money in and got a generic blue TAP card!  WTF!  I wasn't going on a wild goose chase for this TAP card, so I missed out!

I am hoping to trade for this TAP card.  Is there a TAP card that I have, that you need to complete your collection?  Let's work out a trade!  I have an extra AARP TAP Card and 2017 Olympics Bid for 2024 TAP card.

When trading I want clean, mint condition TAP cards, that means no scratches or fading of the TAP card.  I want the TAP card to have a no stored value and in working condition- meaning I can add fare to the TAP card! The TAP cards I have to trade are in clean mint condition and have nothing in stored value!

Wanted- 2015 Metro 25th Anniversary TAP Card

I have never seen this 2015 25 Years of Metro Rail TAP card except online!  I would love to have this TAP card in my collection!  People email me!

This 25 Years of Metro Rail TAP card was released sometime around July 17, 2015.  The Special Olympics World Games TAP cards were being sold at the same time!

I am hoping to trade for this TAP card.  Is there a TAP card that I have, that you need to complete your collection?  Let's work out a trade!  I have an extra AARP TAP Card and 2017 Olympics Bid for 2024 TAP card.

When trading I want clean, mint condition TAP cards, that means no scratches or fading of the TAP card.  I want the TAP card to have a no stored value and in working condition- meaning I can add fare to the TAP card! The TAP cards I have to trade are in clean mint condition and have nothing in stored value!

Wanted- 2016 Veterans Day TAP Card

The 2016 Veterans Day TAP were released on Monday November 9, 2015- Veterans Day. 

I have never seen this 2016 Veterans Day TAP card except online!  I would love to have this TAP card in my collection!

I am hoping to trade for this TAP card.  Is there a TAP card that I have, that you need to complete your collection?  Let's work out a trade!  I have an extra AARP TAP Card and 2017 Olympics Bid for 2024 TAP card.

When trading I want clean, mint condition TAP cards, that means no scratches or fading of the TAP card.  I want the TAP card to have a no stored value and in working condition- meaning I can add fare to the TAP card! The TAP cards I have to trade are in clean mint condition and have nothing in stored value!

2017 Bid of 2024 Olympics TAP Card

I have one extra of this 2024 Olympic TAP card for trade.  If you have the 2017 Golden Streets,  2016 Expo Line to Santa Monica or 2016 Veterans Day or the 2015 25 Years of Metro, TAP cards I will trade with you!


 On July 8, 2017 Metro officially released the Bid for the 2024 Olympics TAP Card.  Metro learned from their disaster release of the Pride TAP card, and did a much better job of informing the public about the release of this TAP card. Metro told the public these TAP cards will officially be released on July 8th.  But, they also told the public the TAP cards were being stocked on Friday July 7th.  So, I took a chance and went to the 7th and Metro station at about 5pm.  Now, 7th and Metro is a huge station with 3 or 4 entrances, each with at least two TAP machines.  I found two TAP machines with the sticker for this TAP card at the Hope Street entrance.  I got the two TAP cards with no problem.

A friend told me she liked this 2024 Olympics TAP card and told me to get one for her.  I went to the Memorial Park Gold Line Station on July 16, 2017 and they had two TAP machines with the sticker.  I was able to get another card with no problem.

I hope in the future Metro handles the release of TAP cards like they did for the 2024 Olympics.  No wild goose chase or false or misleading information. 

Let's Get to Work TAP Card

I need more information about this Let's Get to Work TAP Card.  This TAP card had to be issued sometime after the passage of Measure M in November, 2016.  After further investigation it seems as though the Measure M TAP cards were released sometime in Feb 2017.

In an exchange of tweets with Anna Chen, of The Source, a blog for Metro, so said "hi, I don't have any information. This card was dropped at various stations but we were never asked to promote it."

I don't understand why Metro wouldn't want to promote this TAP card!  I mean, it's not one of the generic TAP cards you see.  It's not a great looking TAP card, but something I've added to my collection.  

I didn't know about this TAP card until June 2, 2107 when the Pride TAP card was suppose to be released!  I saw the sticker on a TAP machine at the Memorial Park Station, but was really looking for the Pride TAP card, so I didn't buy it.  I did eventually buy this TAP card on June 5, 2017, when I went back to the Memorial Park Station to buy the Pride TAP card.  I also found out and bought the AARP "field" TAP card that day!

I have seen the sticker for this TAP card at many stations along the Gold Line.  Whether you will get this TAP card or not, even if the sticker is on the TAP machine, is a matter of luck.  If you ever get a different TAP card than the sticker on the TAP machine, call TAP service center at 1-866-827-8646, and tell them to take off the sticker!! Or send a tweet to Metro! 

2017 Ride With Pride TAP Card

At the start of business on June 2, 2017 the Pride TAP Cards were SUPPOSED to be released to the general public.  Originally, the Pride TAP cards were issued during the Long Beach Pride Festival during the weekend of May 20-21.  The Pride TAP card was such a popular card, that Metro would stock the Pride TAP cards at seven stations starting June 2, 2017.  Metro told everybody was that the Pride TAP cards would be loaded the night before and be on sale the morning of June 2, 2017.  So, on Friday June 2nd, I went to the Memorial Park Station and didn't see the Pride sticker on any of the four TAP machines.  Then I went to Union Station and checked the machines at the Gold Line-none, both entrances to the Red/Purple Line-again none, then went to customer service and they had no idea about the Pride TAP card!  WTF?

The reality was the Pride TAP cards were not loaded overnight, but  were loaded during the course of the day on June 2, 2017.  I understand that by 6pm on June 2nd, all stations had the Pride TAP card. But, that was only after many people went on a wild goose chase trying to buy the Pride TAP card!  So, Metro gave out wrong information-the cards were NOT loaded overnight, but during the course of the day.  Then Metro didn't provide any information that morning!  You can check out Metro's social media and see all the complaints that morning.

I was only able to get the Pride TAP card at the Memorial Park station Monday June 5, 2017, luckily they didn't sell out of the Pride TAP cards!  But, there is a silver lining to the wild goose chase for the Pride TAP card; I was able to get two other TAP cards- AARP "field" and Let's Get to Work TAP cards.

Metro needs to do a much better job informing the public about how and exactly when new TAP cards are going to be released!

2016 Gold Line Extension TAP Card

The 2016 Gold Line Extension TAP Card was released on March 5, 2016, the same day the Gold Line Extension opened!  The picture on the TAP card was taken by a Metro train operator, who was training on the Gold Line!  This maybe one of the best TAP card designs!

Usually when a line opens Metro has an open house with free service on that line.  When the Gold Line opened from Union Station to Pasadena in 2004, I went and it was a complete madhouse!  There were so many people, maybe because the ride was free, but you're packed like sardines on the trains.  Despite this, I went to the APU/Citrus station early on March 5th.  I was able to find parking in that very small parking structure, get two of these TAP cards and was gone within 5 minutes!  I wasn't going to stay for that madhouse that was soon going to start!

2017 AARP Tap Card

I have one extra "field" and two extra "bus" AARP TAP cards for trade.
If you have the 2017 Golden Streets,  2016 Expo Line to Santa Monica or 2016 Veterans Day or the 2015 25 Years of Metro, TAP cards I will trade with you!

I love both of the 2017 AARP Tap cards which were released to the public on March 26, 2017.  Both cards are colorful, beautiful artwork!  The top TAP card I will call the field TAP card and the bottom TAP card I will call the bus TAP card.

Now, do I have a story about how I found out about these TAP cards, and how I got finally got the TAP cards.  On Monday June 5, 2017 I went to the Memorial Park Gold Line station to get the Pride TAP card, after the disaster release of the Pride TAP card on Friday June 2, 2017.  I got the Pride TAP cards no problem.  While at the Memorial Park Station, I noticed one of the machines had a Let's Get to Work sticker.  So I wanted to get that TAP card too.  But, something I've learned is to never trust the sticker on the machine, unless the TAP card has been issued in the past couple days.  So, I waited until somebody else bought a TAP card.  It was the Let's Get to Work TAP card, so then I  buy it with no problems.

A couple minutes later, a guy comes up to reload his TAP card and I noticed it was a TAP card I've never seen before!  The AARP TAP card pictured at the top, the "field" AARP TAP card.  I asked him where did he got it and even took a picture!  He got it at the Atlantic Station.  So I made a note of it.

I go to the Downtown Azusa station and I see somebody buy a TAP card and it's the "field" TAP card, even though there was no sticker on the machine.  So, I buy the TAP card and sure enough it is the "field" TAP card pictured at the top!  So, in one day I get three new TAP cards for my collection; Pride, Let's Get to Work and the "field" AARP TAP card!

But, the story, which I found about a month later, said these five stations would have the AARP Tap cards- Atlantic, Wilshire/Western, North Hollywood, 7th Street/Metro Center and Culver City.  Downtown Azusa was not listed as a station!  So, why was I able to get the "field" AARP TAP card at Downtown Azusa?

Let's skip ahead a month.  On Friday July 8, 2017, I bought the just release LA 2024 Olympics TAP card at the 7th & Metro Station at the Hope Street entrance.  At the station I saw two TAP machines that had the sticker of the AARP TAP card that is pictured on the bottom of that above picture, the "bus" TAP card!  Well, I like the "bus" AARP TAP card better than the "field TAP card so I decide to buy it.  But, one TAP machine gave me the 2015 Special Olympics World Games TAP Card, and the other gave me the generic blue TAP card.  WTF!!!  I did call Metro customer service to tell them take the damn sticker off.  I haven't been back to 7th & Metro, so I'm not sure if they stickers are still on the TAP machines!

Update- July 24, 2017.  I went to the 7th & Metro station and they have taken down the sticker on both TAP machines for the AARP TAP cards.  The 2024 Olympic TAP cards were still being sold at both TAP machines at the Hope St. entrance.

When I get home I do a search and find out that there are indeed two AARP TAP cards and what stations they were issued at, but since I'm three months late in trying to find them I figure I'm out of luck.  So I tried the Wilshire/Western Station and all the TAP machines do not have the sticker!  Then I went to the Atlantic Station of the Gold Line.  The sticker is the "bus" TAP card, so I put my money in and I get the "field" TAP card!  WTF!  I figure out that they stocked the TAP machine with both TAP cards and alternate between selling each TAP card, maybe 10 cards then they switch to the other.

So, I went back another day and I tried my luck, but again I got the "field" TAP card at both machines.  Luckily, it was a busy day and there were about 8 people buying TAP cards.  So I waited until after 2 or 3 people got the "field" TAP card, I saw somebody get the "bus" TAP card that I wanted.  So I put my money in and finally got the "bus" TAP card.  I'm not sure how much longer the Atlantic Station will have their TAP cards.

If you ever get a different TAP card than the sticker on the TAP machine, call TAP service center at 1-866-827-8646, and tell them to take off the sticker!! Or send a tweet to Metro!  

While I was late getting these two AARP TAP cards, Metro needed to put a sticker for both the "field" and "bus" AARP TAP cards! Not just one sticker for both cards! Either way I'm happy that I finally got both of these AARP TAP cards!! 

2016 City of Santa Monica TAP Card

In late April of 2016, the city of Santa Monica issued three TAP cards to celebrate the opening of the Expo Line to Santa Monica.  Again, I was only interested in two of the TAP cards!

I found out about these TAP cards by complete accident, in late July, 2016.!  The city of Santa Monica and their transit service, Big Blue Bus, offered a great deal- they would match any amount you put onto a TAP card up to $20 per transaction.  I was just going to Santa Monica to take advantage of this great offer and to ride the Expo Line to Santa Monica for the first time!!  But, after doing a search I found out about those TAP cards.  So, when I went to Santa Monica by the Expo Line, I was looking forward to getting these TAP cards.

But, I went to both city hall and the Big Blue Bus retail store only to find out that the TAP cards were sold.  Using emails and social media, Big Blue Bus said they had found a limited number of the TAP cards.  I went to their retail store and the lady working there, said she didn't get anymore TAP cards.  The lady at the store told me to call customer service and when I did, they actually called her and she found an envelope with the TAP Cards.  These TAP cards cost $2 each.  I was so happy to get these two TAP cards, after finding out about them so late! 

2014 Union Station 75th Anniversary Tap Card

On May 2, 2014 Metro issued three TAP cards for the 75th Anniversary of Union Station. I only liked two of the TAP cards, so I bought the two I liked.  I had no problem getting either of these TAP cards.  I believe I got these two TAP cards at Union Station or somewhere along the Gold Line. 

I like both the color picture of the outside of Union Station and the black and white picture of the waiting area inside Union Station.  But, I didn't like the "tile" TAP card.

Update March 1, 2018

The tile TAP card grew on me, and I figured I would look for it.  A friend had bought a few of the tile TAP cards and gave me one.  She is looking for the black and white Union Station TAP card.  So, if anybody has an extra one, I will trade for it!

2015 Special Olympics World Games Tap Card

I have an extra 2015 Special Olympics World Games TAP card to trade!  If you have the 2017 Golden Streets,  2016 Expo Line to Santa Monica or 2016 Veterans Day or the 2015 25 Years of Metro, TAP cards I will trade with you!


The 2015 Special Olympics World Games TAP card was issued in July 2015.  As stated in this story about the release of this TAP card, all stations listed should have the TAP cards stocked by July 20, 2015.  The link in the story that lists the stations isn't working, so I don't remember which stations had this TAP card.

As far as I can remember, I got this TAP card with very little hassle when it was release.  Pretty sure I got this TAP card at either the Sierra Madre station, which at that time was the end of the Gold Line, or Union Station! 

But, a very interesting thing happened two year later!  Yes, TWO YEARS later!!  While trying to buy the AARP TAP card at the 7th & Metro station, the Hope Street entrance, the machine gave me another 2015 Special Olympics World Games TAP Card!  2 years later this card was being issued!!  I was a bit upset because I really like the AARP Tap cards, but then I figured I had trade material with this Special Olympics TAP card!

Introduction-TAP Cards of Metro Los Angeles

I love collecting Metro Los Angeles TAP cards.  TAP cards are the new way for people to pay for taking public transportation in Los Angeles!  Yes, LA does have public transit!  While it could be much improved and expanded, it does get people to places they otherwise would have to drive to.

This blog will attempt to provide information about all the TAP cards issued for use on public transit in Los Angeles.  Some of the TAP cards were issued by Metro, others by cities that are either served by Metro or connect to Metro buses and trains.

The other purpose of this blog is to find people who will trade TAP cards that I need!  I am also looking to complete my collection of TAP cards.  I need this Expo Line to Santa Monica TAP Card, issued in 2016.

When trading I want clean, mint condition TAP cards, that means no scratches or fading of the TAP card.  I want the TAP card to have a no stored value and in working condition- meaning I can add fare to the TAP card! The TAP cards I have to trade are in clean mint condition and have no stored value!