Complaint Review: D.C. Metro SmarTrip - Rockville Maryland

On the morning of Wednesday, May 21, 2008. I was running late to work and was jogging up the escalator to make the train when an older larger man stepped on the back of my sandals. This caused me to trip and fall on my way up the escalator. I scraped my knee and cut my elbow as well as broke a small corner piece of my SmarTrip Card. When I arrived at the exit station, my card would not be accepted. I inquired with the Metro Attendant about my situation and she immediately place my SmarTrip card in an orange receipt envelope and handed me my confirmation receipt, as well as an all day travel pass. I went on to work, called the SmarTrip phone # provided on the website to report the damaged card. I was informed that it would arrive at my home address within 3-5 business days, even with the Memorial Monday (NO MAIL DELIVERY) I should have received my new card (THAT I HAD AGREED TO PAY ANOTHER ADDITIONAL $5.00 FOR) in the mail by 5/29/08.

On Friday May 30, 2008 I called SmarTrip offices again and explained my situation again and inquired about the whereabouts of my card. I explained to them that every pay period (as everyone who uses SmarTrip does), I reload my card with enough funds to get to and from work for that period of 2 weeks. I do not have any additional money for the commute. The SmarTrip Customer Service Representative, Todd, that was helping me said that he sees the card was mailed out on the 21st of May, and that I should have received it by now. I then explained that I had not received and I followed up with asked to speak to a manager or supervisor and he let me know that no one was available at this time. By now the young man I am sure was annoyed by me and my questions about how SmarTrip can do this to peoples livelihood he told me "KEEP LOOKING IN THE MAIL, I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT WILL ARRIVE".

After my horrible phone conversation with the SmarTrip Customer Service, I began writing an e-mail and sent it to everyone at Metro who had an available e-mail address listed on the website. Today when I arrived at work there was an e-mail in my in-box from Metro.

It states...

-Dear Miss Amy:

I see that we had shipped your replacement card to ZIGZAG COURT , GAITHERSBURG MD. Which was the address we had on file for you when you spoke to Todd at our offices. This card was shipped on 5/21, the same day you had called us. The card would have been in a white envelope with only the return address of PO BOX 4310 RESTON VA 20195-1416. I have just looked up the card that we had sent you and see that it has yet to be used. Please call the SmarTrip Customer Service Office at 888-SMARTRIP and ask for a Supervisor , so that we may verify your address and send you another card.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you.

CASE DETAILS:

Current Date: 2008-06-03

-So in regards to this e-mail that I received, I called at the number listed (888-SMARTRIP) and asked to speak with a supervisor, as I was instructed to do in the e-mail. The customer service representative asked for my name and then before passing me along to a supervisor as I had requested, she told me that no one was available to speak with me. I explained the e-mail I received and again asked to speak with a supervisor, this is when the lady told me "OH MISS BUTLER WE ONLY HAVE TO VERIFY YOU ADDRESS, AND RE-SEND ANOTHER CARD TO YOU HOME" at this point I was upset, frustrated, and pissed that my 'commute to work money' is GONE! I demanded to speak with a supervisor now, and did not allow the customer service rep. to continue talking. After about 3 minutes. of fussing with the lady, she amazingly passed me to an available supervisor. I spoke with Sharonda and she as well, that she only wanted to verify my home address and re-send a card to my home. I again then began to become irate and question the integrity of this Multi-Million dollar corporation. After about 10 minutes of speaking with Ms. Sharonda she let me know that my card would be send via UPS Over Night Express to my place of employment. So now I wait for a new card containing my commute money for the last 2 weeks, minus five dollars for the issuance of the new card.

For anyone out there who has a SmarTrip, be sure to register it and record all names of who you spoke with if you are trying to receive any type of refund.

Amy

Gaithersburg, Maryland

U.S.A.