I decided to take a ride on the D line this afternoon to see how the new changes under the CharlieCard were working out.The new fare sheds along the line are open and in a surprise they are all manned with Customer Service Agents. Each shed has 2 or 3 CharlieTicket vending machines and 1 or 2 "validators".
The trains are opening all doors inbound and outbound and if you get on at the middle or end the driver tells you to come to the front to pay or show proof that you paid. That is where the validator comes into play.
I have a monthly pass and the validator issued a CharlieTicket good for 1 ride and a 90 minute time limit. But it doesn't work in the farebox it is just meant to show that you have paid. But the T for some inane reason has added another level to this. When you show the driver your proof stub they then issue you ANOTHER piece of paper that also shows you paid.
Along with the CSA's at each stop there were also fare inspectors watching the outbound platform. They are outfitted with a card target reader on their wrist that will also let you pay before you get on the train and they also issue the proof of payment voucher.
Today being New Year's Day ridership was low. But tomorrow (Jan 2) the first workday under this could be interesting.
I also checked out the C line outbound and there were fare inspectors all along the route.
5 comments:
So no matter what you do on the D Line you have to make your way to the front of the train if there is no "fare inspector"?
This is going to be a disaster...
I just want to know how much it is going to cost to staff ever D line station with CSA's and the roving band of fare inspectors.
The additional paper for "Proof of Purchase" is just insane.
"how much it is going to cost to staff ever D line station with CSA's and the roving band of fare inspectors."
This was the first day, you know. I doubt it will be as fully staffed as it was today. And I'm sure, if there'd been no one there, you would have been critical of the MBTA for leaving people to figure everything out by themselves.
FYI, on my short trip down the D Line, there was no one at Beaconsfield or Brookline Hills, and I was the only one boarding at both my stops, so I paid at the farebox using my monthly pass and there was no fare checking, etc. And the people at Brookline Village and Dean Road (on the C) seemed to be more about providing information than checking fares; ridership was very low every time I went out.
Moreover, the concept of this type of fare system is that there doesn't always need to be someone checking passes. If you have a stored value card or cash, then you need some proof of purchase receipt. If you have a monthly pass, you don't. If you don't get a proof of purchase receipt and don't have a monthly pass, and you fall victim to an occasional spot check, then you get fined. It does not require that everyone be verified everytime on the train. I do wish the MBTA would make everything more transparent -- like by putting some information on their web site.
What if I end up using my monthly pass on my plastic CharlieCard and board at the front? I would pay up front and the driver would know I paid but does the driver offer me a proof of purchase in the event I get checked? I mean, they could scan the card and see that I have the pass, but I was just wondering how the proof of purchase works if you use your montly pass at the farebox.
What if I end up using my monthly pass on my plastic CharlieCard and board at the front? I would pay up front and the driver would know I paid but does the driver offer me a proof of purchase in the event I get checked? I mean, they could scan the card and see that I have the pass, but I was just wondering how the proof of purchase works if you use your montly pass at the farebox.
The fare inspectors have handheld scanners that can see what's on your CharlieCard.
As for getting a second slip of paper when you board after using a validator my driver today didn't do this. Then again she didn't know what the validator receipt was and had me try and stick it into the farebox before finally reading it and realizing what it was.
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