CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago Transit Authority records show riders have lost a little more than $16 million by failing to register their transit cards.
Chicago transit customers receive a $5 refund for registering their Ventra cards within 90 days of purchase.
The Chicago Tribune reports that CTA passengers have spent more than $24 million on the transit cards since the program’s launch in 2013 through July 2017. Only a little more than $8 million has been refunded to customers.
The funds not returned to customers goes to Cubic Transportation Systems, the private San Diego-based company that runs Ventra.
CTA spokeswoman Tammy Chase says the money is put toward making new cards.
The CTA pays Cubic about $3.5 million a month to operate and maintain Chicago’s transit payment system.
