Like a Sheena Easton Song

This week I'm commuting into work from the 'burbs. Taking the morning train then taking another home again is not so bad.

On Monday, I purchased my freedom card. (That sounds so 19th century, doesn't it?) from PATCO. So far, I give PATCO a B. They would earn a higher grade if they gave a volume discount on their fares and put hand rails in their cars to accommodate standing passengers at rush hour. Instead, they charge you more for using the freedom card--five bucks for a card. Still, the card is easy to use. SEPTA gets a C-. I think I'm being generous there. After wandering around gloomy corridors beneath the Gallery Mall looking for an atm because the little both that sells weekly passes is cash only, I have to wonder if SEPTA is every going to "get there," as their sad slogan promises.

I know I'm asking for the moon here, but the SEPTA/PATCO/NJ Transit axis needs to be much better integrated. Ideally, I could buy one card that would allow me to transfer seamlessly between these systems. I don't know of any megalopolis that handles this well, but nothing can stop me from dreaming.