And yet, it doesn't need to be.

I'm in love with the SUICA/PASMO system in Japan. We got the SUICA card in a combo deal with the Narita Express (NEX) upon landing at NRT and it came preloaded with - don't remember - 2,000 YEN?? It worked everywhere, including many vending machines. Everytime you used it the display showed your remaining value - on the subway in Tokyo, for example, it showed the stored value when you entered a station and then the remaining value when you exited at your destination. To reload you just went up to a machine and added value. There were even machines before you exited in case you needed to top up before going through the exit gate. Use is spreading countrywide, and the same card worked on the subway and private rail lines in Kyoto, not yet buses in Kyoto but they say that's coming soon. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could have a single stored value card that worked for the CTA, the RTA and in other major cities around the country. Oh, sort of like EZPass for the tollways, THEY managed to figure it out!