Metra – “The Way to Really Fly” – entered the 21st Century this week, allowing its roughly 312,000 daily commuters to buy daily and monthly passes on its Web site. Commuters can also sign up to receive e-mail alerts when their trains are running late.
Metra commuters can now purchase daily and monthly passes online via the transit agency's new Web site.
The Chicago Tribune reported that the transit agency’s efforts come via a redesign of Metra’s Web site — the first since 1995. Let’s see… 1995… There was something called the “Information Superhighway,” America Online was all the rage (love those chatrooms) and AltaVista still had a shot at winning the search engine wars.
In the Trib’s article, Metra officials said one key feature will enable commuters to personalize their accounts to get information on their train lines and schedules. And all because Statehouse legislators approved a measure requiring Metra to commuters to purchase tickets with credit cards.
Now it appears the floodgates of tomorrow have opened fully. The Trib reports that “later this year Metra will start sending text-message service alerts to riders who have web-enabled phones.”
And in February 2010, Metra is scheduled to begin accepting credit cards at its staffed stations and at the busiest Metra Electric stations.
Now where do I find me one of those web-enabled phones. I want to get text messages.