NY1
Transit Officials Pinpoint Source Of MetroCard Machine Glitch
July 31, 2008
Transit officials said Thursday that they have pinpointed the source of the problem that caused thousands of subway riders to be overcharged on their debit and credit cards earlier this week.
MetroCard vending machines throughout the system malfunctioned on Monday and Tuesday, resulting in thousands of riders having their debit or credit cards charged for cards they did not receive.
Transit officials finally had some answers Thursday, saying the problem had been traced to the failure of an encrypter in their data center. The encrypter, one of two used in the system, is responsible for processing electronic data before it's sent for authorization. The failure meant that the MetroCard machine would time out and show customers an error message, even though their cards had been charged.
The problem persisted through three consecutive rush hours, however, because the encrypter appeared to be working.
"I'm not happy with the fact that it took three rush hours to discover that and fix it," said NYC Transit President Howard Roberts. "Everybody will get a refund."
Roberts said the problem has been resolved and stressed that every penny will be credited back to riders' accounts within seven to 10 business days. He added that the machines are due for replacement.
For some, the explanation and the refund are too little too late. NY1 has heard from more than one rider who said the false charges from the MTA resulted in bounced checks and overdraft charges from the bank.