2019 TAP Across LA TAP Card Pt. 2

On Friday July 26, 2019 The Source had a story about the release of the second set of TAP Across LA TAP Card.  Back in June, the first two TAP Across LA TAP Cards came out!  I'll call these two TAP Cards the aquatics version- the blue and the spotted.

After seeing the story I went to APU/Citrus station and got the spotted TAP card with no issues.  I then went to downtown Azusa to park my car to take the Gold Line into LA.  While this station isn't listed in the site, they had a sticker for the spotted TAP card.  Then I saw Irwindale had also had the spotted TAP Card.  I got off at Duarte station, and saw the blue TAP card, and got it with no problems.

I like the spotted TAP card much better.

Glad to add to my collection.

2019 LADOT TAP Cards Blue Grid & Golden Ticket!

LADOT released these two TAP Cards- the Blue Grid and The Golden Ticket (these are my names for them.  I do not know if they have an official name.) back in 2015 or 2016.  They sold out quickly.

At Ciclavia on June 30, 2019, LADOT had a table and I asked if they had any TAP Cards for sale.  They show me all the TAP Cards they have, and I see both the blue grid and golden ticket.  So I buy them.  I turn them over, and notice they have a white back.  On the back of the originals there was black stripe on the top.

I don't know when exactly LADOT re-released these two TAP Cards, but I'm glad they did!  I like both designs!!

Now they just need to do a re-release of the LA skyline with the orange background!

2019 July 4th TAP Card

I took the Gold Line to Union Station and when we passed the Monrovia Station, I noticed they had a picture of a TAP Card I've never seen before.  This is the second time I've seen a new TAP Card while taking the Gold Line; I saw the Happy 25th Birthday Metro TAP Card, also at the Monrovia Station!

So, I got off the train and looked at the machines.  The sticker on the machine was for the July 4th TAP Card!  This maybe the first time Metro has issued a TAP Card for July 4th!

Nothing on The Source, yet, about this TAP Card. 

Update June 13, 2019-  The Source finally has information about this July 4th TAP Card!

It's a very nice design with the American Flag and some fireworks.

Nice to add this to my collection.  But, when are the 2019 Ride With Pride TAP Cards coming out?

2019 Ride With Pride TAP Card

Metro has come out with their Ride With Pride TAP Card since 2017. The release of the 2017 Ride With Pride TAP Cards was a disaster!  The cards were not at the stations at the times stated.  The 2018 Ride With Pride TAP Cards release was much better.

For 2019- Metro released them at the West Hollywood Pride Parade.  You had a buy something from their popup store, and you got a free Ride With Pride TAP Card.  So, I went to West Hollywood, found the Metro popup store, bought something and got the TAP Card.  But, the lady who was there, was just clueless.  I asked just to make sure they still had the TAP Cards.  She kept saying they will be sold at the machines later this month.  I then I told her I want to make sure you had the TAP card right now.  She finally got a damn clue, and figured it out, and said they had the TAP card.  I was only going to buy something if they had the TAP Cards. 

Update June 26, 2019

The Source release information, on June 21st, about the Ride With Pride TAP Cards being released at stations starting Monday June 24 to Wednesday June 26.  On Monday June 24th, I went to Long Beach using the bus shuttle from 7th & Metro to downtown Long Beach.  The northern portion of the Blue Line is closed for renovations.  The express bus I took was awesome!! While we waited a bit outside 7th & Metro, once we got rolling it got to Long Beach quickly.   On they way back I noticed at the Pacific Station they had the Ride With Pride TAP Cards.  I got off the train and bought the TAP cards without any issues.  The biggest issue is taking the train and bus from Long Beach back to 7th & Metro.  It took about two hours, using the local shuttle that stopped at a ton of stations from the Compton Station to 7th & Metro.  Which means you have to pay additional fare if you want to transfer, if it is more than two hours!

I really like this TAP Card.  A very clean design!

2019 TAP Across LA TAP Card

June 3, 2019 I met a friend at a bar near the North Hollywood Red Line Station.  We were talking and her friend comes to our table.  She took the Red Line to this bar, and she said I just got this new TAP Card!  She had the top black TAP Card.  I asked her how did she get it.  She told me, she was going to add money onto her TAP Card, she has a regular blue TAP Card, and she noticed the sticker on the machine.  She liked the design and got one.

So, I excused myself and went to the North Hollywood Red Line Station and saw that they had two different designs! The sticker says TAP Across LA- thus the name of these TAP Cards.  I put my money in and got these TAP Cards with no problem.

There is nothing online about these TAP Cards!  A pretty cool design!

Update June 7, 2019

Metro finally put out information about this TAP Across LA TAP Card, on The Source.

2019 Memorial Day TAP Card

I was at the Irwindale Gold Line station and saw this Memorial Day TAP Card at one of the machines.  I haven't seen any information about this TAP Card on Metro's propaganda machine-The Source, but I took the Gold Line on Wednesday to get the Obama TAP Cards at Union Station.  One the way back, there wasn't a sticker at any Gold Line station, where I could see the machines that sell the TAP Cards.

On Monday, May 13, 2019, The Source has information about the 2019 Memorial Day TAP Card!

Even though I was reasonably sure I would get this TAP Card, I waited until somebody came and bought a TAP Card.  It was his first time taking Metro, and those machines aren't the most user friendly.  So, I helped him buy a card and load fare.  He got this Memorial Day TAP Card.  Then, I put in my money and got this TAP Card.

Memorial Day 2019 is just a few days before the 75th Anniversary of the DDay!  Without American and Allied troops storming the beaches of Normandy, this maybe a very different world!

2019 Obama Blvd. TAP Card

On May 8, 2019 Metro's propaganda machine- The Source- said the Barack Obama Blvd. TAP Cards are being sold at Metro customer service centers.  So, I was able to go to Union Station and get this TAP Card!  To my shock, I got very good customer service!  The man helping me was very nice.  I asked him if there are any scratches on the TAP card and he checked to make sure there weren't any!  Unlike that lady, who needs to be fired, she has no customer service skills at all.  She was so rude when I bought the 2018 Central Avenue Jazz Festival TAP Card!

This TAP Card commemorates Rodeo Road being renamed Obama Blvd.  This area is now known as Presidents' Row, as there are also streets named Washington, and Adams!!

This TAP Card has a very nice design!

2019 Eat Shop Play Local TAP Card

Three TAP Cards within a week!!  Yes, this Eat Shop Play Local TAP Card was the third TAP Card I added to my collection within a week!  I got the Charles White TAP Card, then the Eat Shop Play Crenshaw, and now the Eat Shop Play Local!!

This TAP Card was given out at the really cool Photoville event in Century City!  Photoville had storage containers with photos both on the inside and outside of the container.  It's a free event, and there are some cool pictures!

The Eat Shop Play Local TAP Cards are given out at businesses that are effected by the construction of new Metro train lines.  In 2019, the have TAP cards with the neighborhood on the TAP card.  There is a Koreatown Eat Shop Play TAP Card that is out, but I haven't added that to my collection yet.

Yes, this is different than the 2017 Eat Shop Play Local TAP Card, the 2019 Eat Shop Play Local TAP Cards have the two palms trees on the and the Eat Shop Play is horizontally placed on the card.

This is a nice addition to my TAP Card collection!

2019 Eat Shop Play Crenshaw TAP Card

Eat Shop Play is a program that supports businesses that are effected by the construction of new Metro train lines.  Early I got the Eat Shop Play DTLA TAP Card.

Metro hosted a community meeting for the Crenshaw Line in Inglewood.  They talked about the progress of the Crenshaw Line.  During the meeting they gave away this Eat Shop Play TAP Card.

Two TAP Cards to my collection within four days!!

2019 Charles White LACMA TAP Card

On April 15, 2019 LACMA tweeted they were partnering with Metro on a new TAP Card, the Charles White TAP Card.  Charles White is a well known artist, and one of his students, Richard Wyatt, has done many art projects with Metro. At Union Station, there is his mural- City of Dream/River City.

If you went to LACMA on April 20, 2019, with paid general admission you got a free Charles White TAP Card!  They said they expected the TAP Cards to go quickly. 

I took the Purple Line to Wilshire and Vermont, then took the 720 Rapid bus.  The jerk bus driver told me, the 720 doesn't go to LACMA, and told to me exit at Crenshaw.  I know LACMA is near the intersection of Fairfax and Wilshire.  I also know that the 720 Rapid stays on Wilshire, even past Fairfax.

Despite the jerk bus driver, I got the LACMA about ten minutes after they opened.  I went to the box office, paid my admission, and got the TAP Card.

This is an neat design.  But, to be honest, I thought Charles White was the former USC and LA Rams running back. 

2019 LA Marathon TAP Card

The 2019 Los Angeles Marathon TAP Card was issued only to runners for the LA Marathon. They were not suppose to be sold by Metro.  But, typical Metro, apparently some of these TAP Cards were sold at Metro customer service centers.

I was able to trade a LAFC TAP card for this LA Marathon TAP Card.  I saw a guy wearing a LAFC cap, and he had his LA Marathon bag.  I asked him if he would trade one of the LA Marathon TAP Cards for an LAFC TAP Card.  He agreed!  The LA Marathon website says 24,000 runners will run the 2019 LA Marathon.  Each runner got two tap cards.

This is a cool design with the route of the LA Marathon. 

2019 Eat Shop Play DTLA

Back in 2017 Metro issued Eat Shop Play TAP Cards in areas that were effected by construction of the Regional Connector, Purple Line Extension, and the Crenshaw Line.  You would go to a business that has partnered with Metro, buy something and you would get the Eat Shop Play TAP Card.

In 2019, Metro issued the Eat Shop Play DTLA TAP Card. At first, it looks the same with the Eat Shop Play, but they added DTLA at the end. with two palm trees.  This version will have neighborhoods effected by the construction of new rail lines.

A nice TAP Card to add to my collection.

2019 Metro Valentine's Day Hearts TAP Cards

January 23, 2019- After the disaster with The Movement TAP Cards, on social media a few people got the Valentine's Day "Hearts" TAP Cards.  One person said Union Station had them, and another person said they were at the Jefferson/La Cienega station along the Expo Line and along the Orange Line.  I went to Downtown Azusa first, but the TAP cards weren't being sold there.  Still no stickers on the machines.  Then I went to Sierra Madre Station and still no stickers.  Maybe the Gold Line is getting shut out on these Valentine's Day Hearts TAP Cards!

I saw the stickers for each of the TAP Cards at Union Station, and I put in my money in, and the cards came out.  Still nothing on Metro's social media or propaganda machine, The Source, about the Valentines's Day Hearts or The Movement TAP Cards!

All three are pretty cool.  The Green background says Crazy 4 TAP.  The Orange background says XOXO TAP.  The red background says I Love TAP.

Update January 25, 2019.  Finally The Source, Metro's propaganda machine, has posted a story about the Valentine's Day TAP Cards!  The story says these Valentine's Day TAP Cards are not available at downtown Azusa-which is interesting because one of the TAP Cards- the blue Crazy 4 TAP, had a sticker at the Downtown Azusa station.  But, they are being sold at the Sierra Madre Station, but they weren't there on January 23, the day I went.  

Update January 29, 2019.  I went to the Downtown Azusa station and two TAP machines had the stickers for the Valentine's Day TAP Cards!! Downtown Azusa is NOT listed as one of the station where these TAP Cards are being sold!  Why can't Metro get things right? 

2019 The Movement TAP Cards

Sunday, January 20, 2019.  Not a good way to start 2019!  Metro had The Hearts stick on the tap machines, but instead I got three different Join The Movement TAP Cards.  There has been no mention of these TAP cards, all six, on any of Metro's social media or websites.

Sierra Madre Villa Station.  I noticed the I Love Tap sticker and put money in. I got the Red The Movement TAP Cards.

I went to the Monrovia Station Saw the XOXO TAP sticker, put in my money and got the green Ride The Movement TAP card.  Then I wanted to buy another green Ride The Movement TAP card, put in my money but the TAP card did NOT come out!  I called the worthless agent, he said "I can only let the service techs know." Moron!

So, then I went to downtown Azusa station.  I saw the Crazy 4 TAP sticker, on the side going to APU/Citrus, put in my money and got the blue and orange Join The Movement TAP Card!!  Then I noticed another TAP machine, going to East LA, had the hearts sticker, put my money in and got TWO green Ride The Movement TAP Cards.  So, that made up for not getting the TAP card from Monrovia.

But, it does not make up for the wrong TAP card pictured on the machines!!  How can they make such a bad mistake!!  Terrible!

Update  Tuesday January 22, 2019

Still nothing on Metro's social media or their propaganda machine The Source.

On Monday January 21, 2019, I called TAP and told them about the issues with the TAP machines and wrong stickers.  Since I two of the Green The Movement TAP cards, with fare, at Downtown Azusa, I didn't ask for a refund, after not getting the Green The Movement TAP card at the Monrovia station.  The TAP service rep was very nice and helpful.

I went back to the Downtown Azusa station and both TAP machines do not have the stickers!  I guess Metro finally got a clue!  A bunch of morons working for Metro.

As for the "Hearts" TAP Card, they are a Valentine's Day TAP Card and are suppose to be released in early Feb! 

Update March 1, 2019:

Metro finally has information on The Movement TAP Cards.

2019 Next Gen Bus Study TAP Card

Metro has been going out into communities to get more feedback by the public, so they can redesign the bus system.  When you enter, there is a table and you can spin the wheel for prizes.  One of the prize is this TAP card.  I was lucky enough to win this TAP card.

I don't think they will be selling these TAP cards.  A pretty cool design.  Hopefully, Metro will release a wide variety of TAP Cards with cool designs in 2019!!