Thursday, January 04, 2007

What the T told their bus and trolley operators about the changes

Below is the memo that was given to all drivers on the Green Line and the bus routes.

I think it is important to note that the operators were not told in this memo that passengers can reload a CharlieCard at the farebox. After reading this you will know what the drivers have been told to do.


Rev 8 12/27/06
Special Order #06-180
• During off peak times, Motorpersons are required to make the following announcements when customers board using the side or rear door


"Attention please, customers who have just boarded the streetcar through the side or rear door must come to the front to pay their fare or to show proof that they have a valid CharlieTicket. Thank You."

While the safety of our customers, employees, and the public is paramount, operating personnel must not lose sight of the importance of running dependable and efficient service, if you are delayed due to fare issues, call the OCC Dispatcher and inform them so that they will be able to take action to address the situation.

All employees shall use good judgment in settling fare disputes. Keep in mind the dignity of the customer and the right of the Authority to collect a fare for its services,If you have any questions regarding this directive, please contact your Supervisor's Office, the OCC Dispatcher, the Heavy Rail Training School or the Light Rail Training School . Thank you.


Massachusetts Bay
Transportation Authority

OPERATIONS TRAINING BULLETIN 06-03

2007 Fare Structure Highlights
All Operators - Local Routes - Fare set 1
• Fare structure-
• $1.25 if customer uses stored value on CharlieCard
• $1.50 if customer uses stored value on a CharlieTicket or pays with cash onboard
• $40.00 for a local bus monthly pass on either a CharlieCard or a CharlieTicket
• Transfer features
o The operator cannot issue a transfer. Paper transfers have been discontinued.
o Bus to bus transfers are electronically built into a CharlieCard or CharlieTicket
o Bus to subway transfers are electronically built into the CharlieCard only, with an additional $0.45 deducted at the subway fare gate. (Monthly bus pass excluded)
o No cost subway to bus transfers are electronically built into the CharlieCard only.

o No transfer can be issued with a cash fare.
o Accurate transfer transactions depend upon accurate sign code and fareset information. It is extremely important to use the proper sign code and fare set and to change the sign code before each inbound and outbound trip and at other locations as required.
• Monthly pass features
o The new LinkPass replaces the old Subway, Combo & Combo+ passes. .

o Visitor passes are now 1-Day or 7-Day LinkPasses.
o "2 for 1" Sunday riding privilege has been discontinued.
• All free fare zones have been eliminated. Customers pay entering the vehicle at Dudley Square, Egleston Square, Mattapan High-speed Line and outbound Green Line surface stops.
• A token has a $1.25 cash value towards the $1.50 cash local fare. Tokens can be used to add value.
• Change tickets will be issued if Full fare is more than $0.49 or Reduced fare is more than $0.09
• Child fare has been eliminated:
o Children 11 and under ride free with a paving adult o Student fare policy when applicable:
Three types of student passes Mon - Fri (8pm), Man - Fri (10:30pm), Mon - Sat (8pm)
Full adult fare at all other times
All zoned local fare zones have been eliminated. Routes 34E, 52, 62, 76, 134,136, 137, 230, 240, 350, and 435 are now single zone local routes.
• Routes 01,39 and CT routes (701, 708 & 74T) are now regular local routes and will no longer use a special fareset.
All Operators - General Express Bus Information
• Inner Express Bus (Fare set 3) & Outer Express Bus (Fare set 4)
NEW PROCEDURE: On all express bus routes, customers must pay when exiting the bus inbound and must pay when boarding the bus outbound.
• Customers will no longer be able to add cash to a lower value pass to pay an express bus fare, but Inner Express and Outer Express Bus Passes will allow unlimited travel on local buses and rapid transit
• 10-ride express bus tickets will still be honored, but new 10-ride tickets will no longer be sold.
• Customers will not be able to purchase a monthly Express Bus pass on a CharlieCard until later in 2007. Until then, customers will need to purchase passes on a CharlieTicket
• If a customer wishes to use a monthly pass for travel on express buses and commuter rail, the customer must purchase a commuter rail monthly pass for the appropriate zone. Commuter Rail monthly passes provide unlimited access to local buses, rapid transit, express buses, and inner harbor ferry services.


Area 123 Cabot Operators -Turnpike Express Bus Routes
• Express buses that travel on the Massachusetts Turnpike
• Fare set 3 - Inner Express routes (170, 501,502,503,504,553, 554, 555, 556, and 558)
• Fare set 4 -Outer Express routes (500 and 505):
• On all express bus routes, customers will pav their fares when exiting the bus in the inbound and when boarding the bus in the outbound
• Inner Express Routes 501,502, 503, and 504 - Fare set 3
• $2.80 if customer uses stored value on a CharlieCard
• $3.50 if a customer uses stored value on a CharlieTicket or pays with cash-on-board
• $89.00 for an Inner Express monthly pass (currently available only on a CharlieTicket). With the monthly Inner Express Bus Pass, you will also have unlimited access to all local bus, rapid transit, inner harbor ferry, and commuter rail Zone 1A services.
• Inner Express Zoned Routes 170,553,554,555,556, and 558 - Fare set 1 & 3 - The fare set must be changed when leaving the last stop of the current zone.

Outbound fare collection procedures - When leaving Downtown Crossing or Back Bay set the fare set to 3 for the Masspike express portion of the route. Change the fare set to 1 at the first local stop alter exiting the Masspike for travel within Newton, Waltham and Burlington. Customers will always pay their fare when boarding the bus in the oufbound direction
Inbound fare collection procedures—When leaving from Newton, Waltham or Burlington, set the fare set to 1 for the local portion of the route. Change the fare set to 3 when leaving the last local stop before entering the Masspike. Customers will always pay their fares when exiting the bus in the inbound direction
To ride the express (fare set 3) portion of the route (if customer travels on the Masspike), customer will pay an Inner Express Bus fare:
.
• $2.80 if a customer uses a CharlieCard
• $3.50 if a customer pays with cash-on-board or uses a CharlieTicket
• $89.00 for an Inner Express Bus Monthly Pass (available only on CharlieTicket)


To make trips within the local (fare set 1) portion of the route (if the trip does not include travel on the Masspike), customer will pay the local bus fare:
• $1.25 if customer uses a CharlieCard
• $1.50 if customer pays with cash-on-board or use a CharlieTicket
• $40.00 for a local bus monthly pass (available on CharlieCard or CharlieTicket)
• Outer Express Routes 500 and SOS-Fare set 4
For all travel on these routes, customer will pay an Outer Express Bus fare:
• $4.00 if customer uses a CharlieCard
• $5.00 if customer pays with cash-on-board or use a CharlieTicket
• $129.00 for an Outer Express Bus Monthly Pass (available only on CharlieTicket)


With the monthly Outer Express Bus Pass, customer will also have unlimited access to all local bus, rapid transit, inner express bus, inner harbor ferry, and commuter rail Zone 1A services.
Rev 8 12/27/06

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is the most useful post I have read yet about the recent fare changes... a lot of details that are not mentioned on mbta.com.

I would rather know all of these details in advance than learn as I try to use the different services.

For example, nowhere have I read that on express buses you now pay when you exit when going inbound. It makes a lot of sense, as before if someone wanted to ride locally before the Masspike portion of the route, they either had to pay full fare or pay the local fare and go on the honor system with the driver that they would actually get off before the express portion of the route.

Anonymous said...

On the outbound Riverside (D) line at evening rush hour, the operators were making the announcement:

"Attention please, customers who have just boarded the streetcar through the side or rear door must come to the front to pay their fare."

All doors were opened, the cars were packed, and people ignored the announcement. Even if one wanted to go to the front of the car to pay, it was impossible. At every above-ground stop there seemed to be MBTA personnel at the enclosures, but no one had hand-held validators. The announcement makes absolutely no sense without a mechanism for enforcement.