An update to my post from 12/20 concerning the new fareboxes on the buses. Reader Ron has posted a link from the T that shows you can reload (add value) to a CharlieCard on a bus.
This is the FIRST I have heard about the magic "white button" on the bus farebox. I have asked several drivers if you could add value to the card on the bus and they all said no. But this is a perfect example of how blogging can help us by sharing info. The T has done a horrible job promoting this feature.
This will really help speed up boarding times... NOT
Using on-board fareboxes to add stored-value can hold up boarding lines and cause transit delays. Consider loading value at full-service in-station fare vending machines or retail sales terminals prior to boarding.
Touch the white button at the top of the farebox to begin adding value to your CharlieCard.
Tap your CharlieCard to the black card target and follow the directions.
Insert money—fareboxes accept cash, coins and even old T-tokens—and press the white button again to 'accept' the transaction.
Tap your CharlieCard again, a second time, to register the value you just added and you're done.
5 comments:
Bitch and moan... bitch and moan... Would you rather still prefer the old way? Nothing in this world is perfect, but at this is 100 times better than what we had in the past. I'm amazed at the amount of usable content on the new site and the visuals to help understand the new system are extremely useful. Take a look through the new site and quit your bitching for Christ's sakes man.
This afternoon I tested the ability to add value to a CharlieCard on a bus. I hit the white button and totally freaked out the driver on the #66.
It actually worked much to the amazement of the driver who had no idea the farebox could do that.
I would imagine the MBTA is a bit conflicted about advertising this feature. It's best if riders load up their CharlieCards at retail locations instead of on the buses themselves. Of course, knowing that this is an option is good. Perhaps riders will be considerate about it and walk up to the farebox to add value once they are on the bus and are between stops, not when they are actually boarding.
Does this transaction also deduct a bus fare from your card? If so, is it the surcharged cash fare, or the CharlieCard fare?
This feature, while convenient, makes the cash surcharge even more ridiculous. It means the surcharge doesn't speed boarding by discouraging cash -- it's merely a surcharge for not being able to get a card ahead of time.
(And I still have no idea why there's a surcharge for CharlieTickets. If they're concerned about the cost of the ticket stock, they should offer a discount for adding larger amounts of money at once, and reprogram the ticket machines to actually refill cards instead of giving you a new one.)
You have the load your smart card first, finish the transaction and then tap the farebox to deduct the fare for your ride.
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