2017 I Love Latino LA TAP Card

I bought the 2014, 2015, and 2016 I Love Latino LA TAP cards last year for $20 for all three.  They had the 2017 I Love Latino LA TAP card, but they were charging $20 for just that one card.  So, I declined.  Fast forward about a year.  I decided to see if I Love Latino LA were going to produce a 2018 TAP card.  I called their office and asked if they still had the 2017 TAP card.  They said yes, and it was now $10!!  So, I went over and bought the TAP card.

It's an interesting design.  I'm not a big fan of the design, but I'm always glad to add another TAP card to my collection!!

2017 Culver City 100

The 2017 Culver City 100 TAP card was issued by the city of Culver City to celebrate it's centennial!  They actually came out in December of 2016.  I found out about this tap card while looking at social media.  I was worried that these cards were sold out.  But, luckily, I was able to buy this tap card!

The design is kind of boring.  But, I added another tap card to my collection.

2017 Eat Shop Play Tap Card

The 2017 Eat Shop Play Tap Card is a social media program by Metro, that supports businesses that are effected by Metro construction!  I've seen promotions for a free 7 day pass, if you by $25 worth of stuff from a store. 

I just happened to be a business and somebody in front of me got the TAP card.  I asked about it, and bought something and I got the TAP card.

A boring design but another TAP card added to my collection!

2017 LADOT-Griffith Park Observatory TAP Card

TRADE- I have an extra Griffith Park Observatory TAP Card to trade. 

On Tuesday, September 19th, LADOT posted information about their new TAP card, the Griffith Park Observatory TAP Card, on their Instagram page!  They said that the Griffith Park Observatory TAP cards go on sale that day!  LADOT has a mobile team that sets up at libraries and farmer's markets so people can buy or reload TAP cards.  One time I was at a farmer's market and noticed the mobile team step.  I wanted to reload my TAP card, but they were having trouble with their generator, so they asked me to come back in a few minutes until their machine was warmed up.  I came back and they told me their generator died!  I saw an extension cord at an empty table and asked if they could take the machine to that table.  We went to the table and I was able to reload my TAP card.  But, damn come on!  Make sure your equipment is working when you go to these mobile sites!!

So LADOT was going to be at a library in Boyle Heights on Sept. 19th, the day the Griffith Park TAP cards came out!  I went to the library and saw their mobile team.  They said they didn't have the Griffith Park TAP cards!  Hell, both workers didn't know about the Griffith Park Observatory TAP cards until I told them about it!! WTF??  Get a damn clue LADOT!  I mean when you say the new TAP cards go on sale today, get them out at the mobile set ups!  LADOT is as lame as Metro when issuing new TAP cards!

I called the next day to complain and the lame excuse I got was that there was a problem getting the TAP cards to the mobile team!  WTF?

During the call I wanted to make sure that the Griffith Park Observatory TAP Cards were in stock at their transit store at the LA Mall.  They operator reassured me they were.  But, I told her, LADOT also said they TAP cards would be at their mobile locations yesterday and they weren't.  So, I go to the LADOT transit store and sure enough the beautiful Griffith Park Observatory TAP Cards are available!

I really like the design, and the Griffith Park Observatory is such an iconic view of Los Angeles! 

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!

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. 

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!

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!!