Metra warns customers not to laminate passes

Metra (IL) will no longer accept passes that customers have laminated because the plastic coating disables anti-counterfeiting features on the paper tickets. The concern surfaced when four counterfeit passes — all of which were laminated — were discovered on the Union Pacific North Line, which operates between Chicago and Kenosha (WI). “We consider these tickets to be an asset,” said UP spokesman Mark Davis. “If someone is caught using a fraudulent ticket, we treat that like stealing — stealing transportation.” Customers typically protect their paper passes with a Metra-supplied plastic sleeve, which lets conductors inspect suspicious tickets, but some customers laminate the tickets for extra protection. Security features include a blue strip across the top of the paper ticket that changes color or disappears when handled by a conductor. Link to full story in Chicago Tribune.

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