Not much of a gift

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To the Editor:

The SSA has issued gift cards for more than seven years, and each card has printed on the back, “Redeemable at any Steamship Authority location.” This statement is far from the truth, and now constitutes a breach of contract. The cards are not accepted at the parking lots. To be clear, one lane at the Palmer Ave. lot is capable of processing gift card payments, but that machine has not worked since the fall of last year, according to the attendant.

Sun lot does not have the processing equipment, as the attendants have removed it because it didn’t work. The attendant at Sun lot said that the other satellite parking lots do not accept gift cards either.
I wrote a similar letter to the editor seven years ago, when the cards were only accepted at the ticket office during a flawed rollout. I was contacted by the SSA, and the necessary steps were taken over the course of a year to get the cards accepted at all Steamship Authority locations. The gift card program has again become an ignored part of their business plan, eclipsed by new ships and terminals. Someone more litigious than I might see an opportunity, but I have no desire to drive up costs for the rest of us. I simply want to be able to use the gift card.

I would again be happy to provide my comments and suggestions directly to the SSA; my contact information is in my profile. I would recommend that customers do not purchase gift cards until the cards are redeemable at any Steamship Authority location, as stated on the back of the cards.

Ross MacPherson
Plympton and Vineyard Haven