OV transit card complaints double as fees mount

The number of complaints about the public transport rechargeable card, OV chipkaart, have more than doubled in the past year, according to figures from OV Loket, the ombudsman of public transport. The reason for the drastic increase in complains is the high price of the card and replacement costs, said the head of OV Loket, Dorathé Hoentjen. "Complaints were mainly about the card price. Such a transit smartcard costs 7.50 euros. The replacement will also cost 7.50 euros," Hoentjen said on BNR about the cards when they expire," she added. "You need to transfer the balance, which also costs 2.50 euros, So if a traveler has a defective card, he will be charged 11 euros for a new one," said Hoentjen. "It is definitely absurd to ask for 11 euros for a new OV chipkaart," VVD parliamentarian Betty de Boer told the radio broadcaster. She said she does not think there should be a starter cost associated with the transit card. Last year was the busiest ever for the OV Loket which received over a thousand more complaints than in 2013. The price of the card is not the only issue people are experiencing. For example the 20 euro deposit that has to be made before traveling on trains led to many complaints, especially when the NS eliminated paper tickets. "Travelers think it's too much of a hassle, less flexible and too expensive to use," said the head of OV Loket.