2018 Elsie & Soyeon Purple Line TAP Card

Elsie & Soyeon are the names given to the tunnel boring machines for the Purple Line extension.  Metro did a dog and pony show to show taxpayers, they aren't wasting the money from Measure M.  Metro's propaganda machine The Source, has the all the information about the dog and pony show.  A 3rd grader came up with this great design!!  But, the write up was very vague about how the TAP cards were going to be distributed.  " Metro will issue commemorative TAP cards featuring Lauren’s winning artwork at 7^th Street/Metro Center, Wilshire/Vermont and Wilshire/Western Purple Line Stations beginning April 26."  Why can't they just say these TAP cards will be sold at the TAP machines?

One thing I know whenever Metro issues any TAP cards at 7th & Metro, you'll go on a wild goose chase trying to find them.  There are so many entrances and exits at that station.  So, I went to Wilshire/Vermont to try and buy these TAP cards.  Sure enough of the two TAP machines, one of them had the sticker.  A lady was in line ahead of me and she was trying to buy a new TAP card.  She got the Elsie & Soyeon TAP Card.  So, I went ahead and but got mine with no trouble.

Afterwards, as I took the train back to Union Station, I stopped at 7th & Metro to try and find the TAP machine that sold these TAP cards.  After some searching, the TAP machine at the Fig entrance/exit had these TAP cards!!

Anyways, this design is one of my favorite!  Bright, colorful, and captures the progress of the Purple Line extension!  Even if that bastard Zev Yaroslavsky is trying to take all the accolades for the extension.  History lesson people, Zevy and his moron buddy Waxman, has cost taxpayers BILLIONS when they stopped, what is now the purple line, construction back in the 1990's! The Purple Line was suppose to extend much further than Wilshire/Western, but that didn't happen after Dumb and Dumber, Zevy and Waxy, got a law passed where Metro could not build underground! 

2018 Go Human TAP Card

CicLAvia hosts car free street events.  The streets are open to bikes and pedestrians.  For the first time CicLAvia came to the Pomona Valley.  The western edge of the route started in San Dimas and headed east, ending in Claremont.  There were four hubs, San Dimas, La Verne, Pomona, and Claremont.

This was my first time attending CicLAvia, and my goal was to get a CicLAvia TAP card.  But, they did not have any more CicLAvia TAP cards!  But, at the San Dimas hub, AARP had a table and gave out free AARP TAP cards, both designs, which came with a one way fare. But, then I found out an organization; GO Human, was going to give out their own TAP Cards. Now the object was to find out which hub they were at!!

They were at the Claremont hub, and if you asked for the TAP card, they gave you one!!  I'm going to check and see if a fare has been loaded onto the card.  I really like this TAP Card.  The design and colors are awesome! 

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!

2018 LADOT Let's Fig It Out

I called LADOT to complain about a DASH bus driver who said people weren't able to use a Metro TAP card on the DASH bus.  Hey, idiot bus driver, as long as the Metro TAP card has stored value on the card, anybody can use the Metro TAP card.  The DASH bus will deduct 35 cents from the stored value.

Anyways, just as I was about to hang out, I asked what TAP cards are they selling.  The operator told me they have a new yellow TAP card.  It's the Let's Fig it Out TAP card to celebrate Figueroa and the tremendous amount of development on Figueroa, that really started when Staples Center was built.

I went to the LADOT store at the LA Mall and purchased this new TAP card with no problems!! TAP Cards sold at the LADOT store are $1 if you add value or $2 without value.  Since for some stupid reason, you can only add in $5 increments, I just paid the $2. 

I like this TAP card. It's not dark and boring like the two Metro TAP cards released in 2018; Happy 25th Birthday Metro and the 25th Anniversary of the Red Line.

2018 Happy 25th Birthday Metro TAP Card

Sunday Feb. 11, 2018

So, I'm taking the Gold Line to Union Station and I noticed at the Monrovia Station, the TAP Machine FINALLY has the Let's Get to Work TAP card sticker off and the Happy 25th Birthday, Metro TAP card stickers are on the TAP machines!!  I read nothing about these new TAP cards on any of Metro's social media.  Later on I find out, officially these TAP Cards will be officially released on Feb 15, 2018.  I will post more information when I get more information.

But, a simple search finds that Metro was formed on Feb. 1, 1993 when the Southern California Rapid Transit District combined with the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission.  Thus the 25th Anniversary TAP card!  

But, I got off the train at Monrovia station and bought this TAP card.  I noticed this TAP card sold at the Memorial Park station, finally the 2024 Olympics TAP card sticker has been taken off!  Other stations on the Gold Line that I saw stickers for this TAP card are-South Pasadena, Highland Park, Southwest Museum, Heritage Square.  I did not see the stickers at Union Station-Red and Gold line TAP machines, or 7th and Metro-Wilshire exit on Sun. Feb 11th.

Two months into 2018 and Metro has released two new TAP cards!! 

Not really a fan of this TAP card, but at least Metro is releasing more TAP cards.  I just hope Metro takes off the stickers to these TAP cards when they run out, instead of waiting a year!!

Well, as of Feb 18, 2018 Metro or it's propaganda machine The Source, had that much information about this TAP card.  Only Metro's Twitter page, they had a tweet about the release of this TAP card.  They are available on all lines throughout the Metro system! I have seen them for sale on the Gold Line, Purple, Red and Expo Lines!

I will give Metro credit for stocking these TAP cards before the official release date!  I do like the fact, that in regards to TAP cards release, Metro has learned from past mistakes.  Now, when the official TAP cards are released, usually on social media, the TAP cards are already stocked!

Red Line 25th Anniversary TAP Cards

As I posted earlier about the Bike Share TAP Card, the new Red Line 25th Anniversary TAP Cards were released on January 29, 2018.

While there was no information about the Red Line 25th Anniversary TAP Cardson The Source, Metro's Propaganda machine.  Metro's Facebook page had a post about the release of these new TAP cards.  But, I got a tip from a Metro Customer service rep. at the Civic Center station of the Red Line, the night of Broadway Nights.

So, I go to Union Station and the Alameda entrance for the Red Line.  All the TAP machines have the sticker of this TAP card.  I put my money in and out comes the TAP card!  Good job by Metro, getting these cards stocked.  That doesn't always happen, as in the case of the 2017 Pride TAP cards!

Anyways, not a big fan of the design.  But, always nice to see new TAP cards being issued.

Bike Share & Red Line 25th Anniversary TAP Cards

Finally!!  I get a TAP card I've been looking for!!

I go to the Night on Broadway on January 27, 2018.  Metro Bike Share has two displays trying to people to sign up for the bike share.  The first one I see is near the Grand Central Market.  I see the TAP cards on the table, but the guy says you have to register online before getting a TAP card.  I said forget that!  So, I continue my tour of the great old theaters along Broadway.  Towards the end of the Night on Broadway route, about 9th and Broadway, there is another Metro Bike Share display.  I ask about the TAP card and the guy says you can have one!  So I took it!  He told me about their promotion and how the bike share works.

I'm assuming these Bike Share TAP cards came out when the Bike Share program came in, which was back in 2016.  I don't know when that was, and frankly I don't care, because I won't use the bike share!

Now, taking the Metro on the way back, Metro has their customer service team and I always ask what design of TAP cards they are selling.  The lady said just the regular blue TAP cards.  But, she said on Monday, January 29, 2018 they will release the 25th Anniversary of the Red Line TAP Cards!  As I write this post, about 9am on January 28th, there is still nothing on The Source- Metro's propaganda machine.  Anyways, I will be on the lookout for the new Red Line 25th Anniversary TAP Cards!!

Update:

January 29, 2018.  See my post about the release of the Red Line 25th Anniversary TAP Cards , which were in fact released on, Monday, January 29, 2018, at stations along the Red Line!