Mac Daniel in the Sunday Globe (1-7-07) looks at the first week of the CharlieCard era
CharlieCard woes and wobbles rained down on us all week from readers after CharlieCards and the new fare increase combined to form a huge storm of frustration.
Cards did not work, monthly passes were not received, and, if they were, they were the wrong kind. As a result, even though the complaints were in the low double digits via starts@globe.com, riders quickly came to the conclusion that the entire automated fare collection system was a big disaster and that this column was the mouthpiece for a transit organization of swindlers and thieves.
Applesauce. Though T officials couldn't explain some of the problems, others appeared to be a part of the steep CharlieCard learning curve.
One thing I am noticing is that by the end of the week about 75% of bus passengers now have the CharlieCard, 15% are using CharlieTickets and the rest are using cash. routes I have used are the 66,69 and 96 The word has spread fast that if you want the $1.25 bus fare and transfers you need the CharlieCard.
But this statement from the T floors me
Ironically enough, Joe Kelley, the head of the automated fare conversion for the T, said the T received fewer complaints last week than any other week he's worked on the project. With service updates generated every two hours, he also said there were no reported service problems at fare boxes.
In any event we have survived week 1 and let us see how the next week goes.
1 comment:
That's a lie. *I* reported a service problem at the fare boxes last Wednesday. Today was the first day the fare boxes were performing properly at Malden Center station. Glad to know our complaints are ignored right out of existance.
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