Charlie's Mailbag - March 15th

trying to catch up on the mail at charlieonthembta@gmail.com

Stephanie writes about Charlie refunds

In November, I bought a Charlie Ticket for use on the Green line so I would not have to use tokens. Unfortunately, no one had told me that tickets were not accepted on the green line. By advise of a T agent, I sent a charlie ticket in for a refund in November so that I could buy tokens. After numerous calls (and rude responses including "too bad, people who sent their tickets in June are still waiting for refunds"), I reached the "proper" person. Someone named Barbara? She said that tickets were non-refundable and that T agents were making things up by telling people that they could get refunds. After that, it was announced that Charlie Cards were soon to be released. I found out that Charlie tickets could be changed into Charlie cards. After numerous tries, I reached her again and requested by Charlie Ticket back so I could turn it into a Charlie Card. She told me to call her back on January 31 if I still had not received my charlie ticket. I also tried the MBTA "write to the top". After an apology letter for not returning my email for several months, I get a response saying that my email has been forwarded. Since then, I have not heard anything from the "write to the top" and I have not been able to reach Barbara. She never returns phone calls and she never picks up. Sometimes her answering machine is completely full. It is now March 14 and still nothing. I was wondering if anyone might be able to give me the contact information of someone who might be able to help me get my refund or my charlie ticket back. It seems that other people on the website are more successful than I am at getting refunds. I am owed $16.25.

Since this fiasco started the T has opened a new Customer Service Department so you might want to contact them and see if they can figure out what is going on. I know the T watches the blog so maybe that will help as well. Let us know what happens

Paul writes

tried to search for these answers on your site, as an FYI.

I was wondering if anyone has posted in regards to the new CHARLIE gates not opening very well or quickly when people come up to them.

and...

has anyone ever commented on the escalator etiquette (stand on the right, unless you are passing) and how the MBTA subways cars could actually fit more people on them, if passengers removed their bags and backpacks from their backs/shoulders?

cheers

The slow faregates have been mentioned several times. There doesn't seem to be a uniform standard on how they open.

Your other points are common sense which sadly is lost on many riders.

Mike wants to pass on a link

Saw your recent posts about SF, Chicago, and Boston… and thought I would send this link along.

http://www.publicroutes.com

Think of it as mapquest for public transit.

Thanks Mike. I am sure many will find it useful.

and David has some concerns about the blog

Charlie,

I like your Charlie on the MBTA blog, but lately the entire tone has just become nothing but complaints. When I first started reading it I was compelled by the fact that it wasn't just the classic Boston/MBTA blog where people write in and relentlessly complain about their commutes, etc. If people are so fired up about issues that they think should be fixed on the T they should write the T and if that doesn't work, their elected representatives, the governor, etc. Get results oriented, or quit complaining.

I liked your piece on the trolley cars you saw in San Fran, and some of the other pieces you have done on the history of the T, how the T runs, etc. Those tend to get responses from people who want to discuss transit, rather than just complain. I know a blog is just somewhere people can post their opinions, but maybe there is something that can be done to set the tone. Alternatively, if the blog is designed to solicit opinions for public action, perhaps you could incorporate an element to actually facilitate that happening, such as on-line petitions, that could actually be conveyed to a public official. Again, I like your blog and appreciate the hard work you put into it. I just hope it does not deteriorate into a message board of complaints that no one follows up on.

Thanks David for the note.

Obviously people tend to write more when something goes wrong but we have encouraged people to tell GOOD T stories as well.

I hope as we evolve that some of your ideas will start to happen. One reason I have been reporting on other cities is to show the MBTA is not alone with problems but perhaps they can learn from how other cities cope with moving people around.

Charlie's First 30 Days - official MBTA report

Here is a link to the T's report to the MBTA Board of Directors on how the new Charlie system performed in January.

CHARLIE'S FIRST 30 DAYS

When this report first came out we discussed it and linked to the news coverage at the time. At first we thought the 86% figure seemed high but there was some confusion in the initial Globe story and later in the day the Metro had a better read on it.

If nothing else the report is making it clear people are using the card ( especially bus riders ) to get the lower fares and transfers.

GLOBE:With software glitch, it was 'Sorry, Charlie'

The T admits there was a major problem with the faregates at CHARLES-MGH

Hundreds of passengers who passed through the Red Line's Charles/MGH station had their monthly passes rejected over the past two days due to a software glitch at the station's new fare collection gates, T officials said yesterday.

Officials said the problem was fixed before rush hour last night.

Charlie's Mailbag - February 27th

checking the mailbag at charlieonthembta@gmail.com

Kelly gets another "free ride" on the Framingham-Worcester line

Greetings Charlie,

This morning was the second time this week (and it’s only Tuesday!) that my ticket was not checked and fares were not collected on the 707AM train out of Worcester bound for South Station. Now, I am always happy to get a free ride, but isn’t the MBTA in major debt? Doesn’t every $7 fare help? Just food for thought…

I take it you don't have a monthly pass.

I only take Commuter Rail occasionally and I know the train leaving Providence at 8:10 PM they NEVER check for tickets which is surprising since the ticket window in Providence is closed for that train. What is odd is that the conductors do sell tickets for passengers getting on in South Attleboro, Attleboro etc (The T has to use the coffee shop there to sell tickets as Amtrak will not sell MBCR tickets.) I am actually surprised a fare vending machine hasn't shown up in Providence yet. I have also asked comductors when they will accept CharlieCards on the train and they shrug.

David is having problems with his LinkPass

I’ve been having problems with my LinkPass since entering at Charles/MGH on Sunday. The customer service person I spoke with this morning told me that the gates at Charles/MGH caused the problem and that for the next two days, I have to have an agent let me through. I’ve been told the problem should be fixed March 1st . I wonder how many people using a corporate purchased LinkPass are having the same problem?

It sounds like the fare gates are rewriting info on the chip. ( I assume you have a CharlieCard? ) I'll see if I can find out anything more.

Bram passes on a link of what Virgin Vacations ranks as the best 11 subway systems in the world.
I'm shocked that Boston didn't make the list :)

We're (meaning Boston) definitely not on this listTop 11 Underground transit systems in the world (as ranked by "Virgin Vacations")

http://www.virgin-vacations.com/site_vv/11-top-underground-transit-systems-in-the-world.asp

finally Steve writes about "Student Charlie Card" problems

Ever since my father left for another state, I've had to rely on public transportation to get to and from my school. I am a student who uses carpooling to my local commuter rail station, then bus to my school. The afternoons are the reverse, with the exception that I must find a way from the station or nearby restaurant to my house -- another few miles away.


I originally planned for my use of the bus systems with the acquisition of a Student Charlie Card from my school. I thought it would be a great idea, but the confusion it has caused among MBTA workers has made it a nightmare.

I originally tried to put money on my Student CharlieCard on that Monday, having the usual $20 big bills I get for lunch money and transportation for the rest of the week. I found out that you can't add $20 onto a Student CharlieCard at once for some reason, and had to add the value to a CharlieTicket instead. This turned into future problems when I found out my bus operator has to press the "Student" button, and I have to provide identification every time I use the bus.

I've used my ticket for a while now, and its been OK, but I took the opportunity when I was in North Station to add value to my Student CharlieCard. My plaguing question for every MBTA worker has been whether or not the Student CharlieCard requires student ID to be used, and whether the operator needs to press the reduced fare button, or will the card automatically give the reduced fare.

The bus driver for my route that day told me that I need to do identification, even if I use the Student CharlieCard, in order to get the student rate. People on the phone line told conflicting information, and expressed confusion. Workers at North Station also expressed confusion.

I decided to try it myself, and found out that the Student CharlieCard automatically gives the reduced rate at the appropriate times, and does not require a student ID. This led me to another problem with the system.

I now have two cards for the MBTA system, a CharlieTicket, which is hard to use because of bus drivers who don't press the student fare button for you, and a really convenient Student CharlieCard. I want to move my value from the ticket to the card, but I was told on the phone that I need to do this in Downtown Crossing, far out of the way from my neighborhood near Salem and Beverly.

Another related problem is that I cannot find any nearby automated machines to add value to my Student CharlieCard without using the systems on busses. I read an article about some busses who have the white "Add Value" button disabled for interest of smaller wait times. If my bus was disabled, and it was my only way to add value, I would be out of luck.

Overall, I really like the CharlieCard system, but there are certain flaws that could have been taken care of better. There needs to be more convenient ways for people to manage their card values, including merging tickets to the card. It's great how all of these services are available in metro-Boston, but for people stuck in the North Shore and outlying areas, we really have the short end of the stick on this new system. Besides the waiting in the freezing cold for a taxi for 20 minutes because of the poor design of Salem Station, and CharlieCard troubles and mass-confusions, the system is somewhat OK for the average commuter. Besides, what's cooler than waving your wallet next to a machine and watching doors magically open in front of you?

Does the student CharlieCard have your photo on it similar to the Senior/Disabled smart card?

I am also hearing that indeed some buses HAVE disabled the adding value to a CharlieCard because too many boxes have been simply eating the fare and the T doesn't want to go to the bother of fixing the machines. If anyone has more info on the fareboxes please share it with us.

T Tales - a rider leaves a rant

I will be traveling until Thursday noontime and I may not be able to update the blog until then as my wireless card is not working as it should. However please continue to e-mail us.

Also the recent comments summary is currently not working showing the last comments as of February 6th. This is a system wide issue with blogspot and google is aware of the problem and it should be fixed shortly.


from the mailbag at charlieonthembta@gmail.com Andreas is fed up

Hey,
So i put five dollers in the farebox, and it takes all my money without
giving me a charlieticket. I get some complaint form which i need to mail
in to get my money which will probably never come.

I'm riding the D Line a few days ago and I hit the stop request button and
it skips my stop!

At another time, I cross the tracks in front of a boarding train, in plain
sight and the train moves on as soon as I'm off the tracks and about to get
on, making me wait another 10 minutes in the cold.

The train waits 10 minutes at Fenway with no announcements, and after 5
minutes the conductor of the train(car #2) gets out of the train and onto
the platform, people file on for free and then the train makes some loud
noises and gets on its way.

From a person who now bikes instead of riding the T.

We are hearing about ( and have seen first hand ) problems with the fareboxes adding value to CharlieCards. I can tell you that the T has been good in issuing refunds quickly to customers this has happened.

There seems to be a problem with people hitting the stop request on a second car of a Breda trolley and the driver in the first car not knowing about it. A Green Line motorman confirmed to me this is an issue and just said "it is yet another bug in these Bredas".

more on CharlieCards, Fare Vending Machines and the Framingham-Worcester line

other items of note from Mac Daniel's weekly commuter column in the Globe

Registration plan
"When CharlieCards first came out, [this column] reported that we would be able to register our card with the T so if we lost the card, it could be canceled," wrote Joan of Jamaica Plain. "I didn't find a place to do that on the MBTA website and e - mailed the T, got a standard reply e - mail and haven't heard from them since. Do you have any news on this?"

We do. As part of the second phase of the CharlieCard rollout this spring (T folks were vague on the exact month), registration of CharlieCards will begin, along with the ability to store value on a CharlieCard via the Internet.

In addition, T officials said this week that based on customer complaints, they also plan to clarify the language on the screens of fare vending machines this spring.

We took the T to task a while back about the screen term "Stored Value," prodding them to add the words "Bus/Subway" to make it clear to customers what button they need to press to buy a bus or subway ticket.

It is good to see the T now plans to improve the start menu on the FVM's which has been talked about often here. We also noted a couple of days ago they now have fare charts on the machines. So it appears the T is listening to us at least a little.

As far as the registration of CharlieCards I personally don't expect to see that available until the Commuter Rail is converted but this is simply a guess from me.

Daniel also had news for the Framingham-Worcester passengers

The CSX zone
There's good news for commuter rail riders on the bad news Framingham-Worcester line.

Currently, from Back Bay to Worcester, Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad trains are under the control of dispatchers in Selkirk, N.Y., because freight giant CSX controls the rails not only for its trains, but also for the commuter trains.

Train crews are required to maintain radio contact with CSX dispatchers, not commuter rail dispatchers. This means that between Back Bay and Worcester, the trains are off the local grid.

Dispatchers for Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad, the company that runs commuter trains for the MBTA, have had no idea where the trains were.

That changed Jan. 25, when the commuter rail dispatchers finally got a CSX computer display of train positions on the line.

"For the very first time ever -- ever! -- we can see where our trains go," said Steve Jones, deputy director of railroad operations for the MBTA, whose job is to oversee commuter rail service.

Jones said the new display isn't a cure-all for the line, which is the most delayed commuter line, but it will help.

"This is significant only in that we can see the train and its location," Jones said. "We can't do anything about it, we may not know why it's late but we can tell how it's operating."

Now it appears we know the answer on why the T never updated passengers on the Framingham-Worcester line about late trains as they admit they didn't know where they were. The harsh reality of that line is if the T misses a slot that is assigned CSX will put a freight train on the tracks and couldn't care less about the MBTA's passengers. Strange things happen on the tracks west of Framingham and the T is powerless to do anything about it once they miss their slot. Of course WHY the T's misses their assigned slot is another matter entirely.

Finally!!!! fare vending machines have fare charts

The T has finally put up fare charts on the FVM's (fare vending machines) so customers can now figure out how much to add to their CharlieCards or when buying a CharlieTicket.

Why it wasn't done on January 1st when the new fare structure was introduced I don't have an answer but better late than never.

UPDATE: 11:50 AM Metro may have the figures correct

UPDATE 11:50 AM

Christina Wallace in the Friday METRO may have a more accurate read on the numbers released by the T yesterday.

Since the beginning of January, 1.2 million CharlieCards have been distributed and approximately 86 percent of boardings during that month have been with the card or a monthly pass as opposed to the Charlie Ticket. That means, out of 22 million boardings in January, 19 million were made with CharlieCards or passes. “To get this result in 30 days is pretty remarkable,” said MBTA General Manager Daniel Grabauskas, during yesterday’s board meeting.

Ok that is a big difference in what the Globe reported as it does account for the CharlieTicket monthly passes. Wallace however came up with a much higher number of CharlieCards being in circulation saying the number is 1,200,000 over the Globe's number of 575,000. This would indicate that over 50% of the cards that have been handed out since December 4th are not being used.

However I still find the 86% boarding number cited by the T as being high simply from the number of passengers using the vending machines on a daily basis.

UPDATE 10:30 AM
The T has taken the Mac Daniel story off their website.


UPDATE 9:45 AM Friday

The print edition of the Globe has a more in depth article on the first month of the Charlie system and there is a significant change in wording from what first appeared on boston.com on Thursday and is still on the T website. Mac Daniel now writes

Based on the statistics released yesterday, by the end of January, 86 percent of T riders were using CharlieCards and 14 percent used CharlieTickets or paid cash and had to pay the surcharge. Grabauskas hopes to lower the percentage of people who rely on the paper tickets in the next several months.

The 86% figure still seems to be too high given the fact that many monthly passes in January were still CharlieTickets and all Commuter Rail and Express Buses passes still are tickets.

The article in the print edition also focuses on the T's claim that fare evasion is being stopped by the new system

The T, which previously projected that the new system would boost revenues 3 percent, now expects a jump of 9 percent -- or about $21 million -- in fare collections by the end of this fiscal year, June 30.

That increase is over and above the 25 percent fare increase that took place Jan. 1, MBTA General Manager Daniel A. Grabauskas said. "The numbers that we have seem to indicate strongly that fare evasion was greater throughout the system than we thought," he said.

The effort to curb fare evasion is being helped by additional security cameras , new, higher fare gates, and more T "ambassadors," who assist passengers in learning the new pay method but also are alert to people trying to jump the gates

I showed this article a few minutes ago to workers at Harvard Square and their reaction was laughter.

I think the system is collecting more revenue but fare evasion wasn't the problem. One of the main reasons the T wanted "Automatic Fare Collection" was the documented fact that T employees were robbing the system blind at the T's counting room in Charlestown. Also with the new fareboxes on the bus and trolleys dollar bills can actually be recorded which was not possible with the old fareboxes.

As far as fare evasion is concerned I have seen more people pass through faregates without paying in the last month than I have ever seen before. It is much easier just to follow somebody through a gate. A CSA isn't going to do anything unless the Transit Police happens to be there.


Original post from Thursday night 2/8/07 11:45 PM
The T is using a story by Mac Daniel on boston.com as an official press release

This story, written by Mac Daniel, appeared in the Boston Globe on February 8, 2007.

Numbers for the first month of CharlieCard usage show that despite fare increases the T's new automated system is being quickly adapted by riders, with 575,000 of the plastic cards in circulation after the program's first 30 days.

By comparison, the Chicago Transit Authority's ChicagoCard had 372,000 in circulation as of December, nearly four years after its introduction for bus and subway service.

The use of the CharlieCards has also seemed to change the way people pay to ride on Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority subways, buses, and trolleys. For the first time in the authority's history, the new fare card has made credit and debit card transactions account for more than 40 percent of the T's revenue.

"We have exceeded our expectations for the first 30 days," MBTA General Manager Daniel A. Grabauskas said today in a telephone interview.

In January, 86 percent of T riders used CharlieCards and paid the lowest amount under the new fare structure. About 14 percent of riders paid a new surcharge by using CharlieTickets or paying cash, a number Grabauskas said he want to lower in the next several months.

In addition, 87 percent of all bus passengers used the low-fare CharlieCards, while 13 percent of riders paid a surcharge. On Green Line surface stops, 96 percent paid with CharlieCards and 4 percent paid a surcharge.

OK what the article DOESN'T tell you about Chicago.

Chicago Cards cost $ 5.00 and are only good for Pay-Per-Use fares or a 30-Day Pass.

While the Chicago Card does offer a .25 cent discount on the 'L a regular farecard ( similar to the CharlieTicket) has the same value on a bus and transfers are issued. Chicago bus riders have not warmed to the Chicago Card since a trip and transfer is still $2.00 when boarding on a bus ( it is $ 2.25 when boarding at a rail station )

Chicago Card info

Reading the Chicago blogs the problem is the Chicago Cards have an alarming failure and it takes about a week to process a replacement unless you travel to the CTA office in the Loop.



Plus the monthly and weekly passes are still offered by CTA Transit Card for the same price so there is no compelling reason to switch to the card.

This statement from Grabauskas can not be true

In January, 86 percent of T riders used CharlieCards and paid the lowest amount under the new fare structure. About 14 percent of riders paid a new surcharge by using CharlieTickets or paying cash, a number Grabauskas said he want to lower in the next several months. In addition, 87 percent of all bus passengers used the low-fare CharlieCards, while 13 percent of riders paid a surcharge. On Green Line surface stops, 96 percent paid with CharlieCards and 4 percent paid a surcharge.

It can't be true for the simple reason that many January passes were issued on CharlieTicket stock as the retail locations had not been converted. I think anybody who has ridden a bus or the subway in the past month would find these figures out of whack at least for January.

Of course the T is being cute with this. Instead of issuing a press release on their own they simply republish the Globe article by Mac Daniel.

Mac you have been had. Any commuter will tell you these figures are not correct.

Charlie's Mailbag - Feb 5th Somerville bus woes, Charlie issues

from the mailbag at charlieonthembta@blogspot.com

Rob in Somerville writes about what should be an easy bus trip

Dear Charlie,

I thought you might be interested in my rant about the unbelievable poor quality of weekend bus service, which many shoppers and workers attempt to rely upon.

It was Saturday night, and I was having a hard time mashing potatoes with a meat tenderizer. So I decided to go to the shiny Kmart in Assembly Square and get a real masher.

Now, I work from home and choose not to to own a car. That shouldn't be a problem, because the MBTA's No. 90 bus literally runs door to door, from my home to the shops at Assembly Square. The beleaguered agency's $466,000 new website announce that on this Saturday evening, the 90 bus would pick me up outside my home at about 7:35pm and then retrieve me from Kmart at about 9:05.

Nope. Even though the 90 runs across Somerville (the most densely populated city in New England, with almost 80,000 residents on four square miles), to the Sullivan Square transit hub, to the shops at Assembly Square, to the Wellington transit hub, it only runs once an hour on Saturdays. It doesn't run at all on Sunday. And even when it's supposed to run, it doesn't run. So whether you're one of the hundreds who work in the big boxes or a normal person who works on weekdays and shops on weekends, you can't get there from here. Sorry, buy a car.

When I saw the schedule last night, I thought I was experiencing a rare case of luck. I went outside at 7:30. The bus came by, at 7:43, going the wrong direction. I waited another twelve minutes for the bus to go to Davis Square, turn around, and come back. It was about 20 minutes late, but I could live with that. Sure, it was 30 degrees out, but like a first-class citizen of America, I was basking in the glow from a Dunkin Donuts and reading American Psycho.

can read the rest at Rob's blog

Rob I couldn't agree more. Nights and weekends bus service is just too spotty in many areas

Gabe has another CharlieCard issue

Hey, I'm Gabe, I live in Lexington, and I use the T pretty regularly. I don't know if other people have been having this problem with Charliecards, but here's the story.

I was in Andrew station on Saturday, going home after volunteering at the red cross food pantry on mass ave., i tapped my charliecard, but instead of opening up, the faregate honked loudly and flashed a SEE AGENT message at me. Assuming that, as in past experience, that simply meant "sorry, you didn't tap right" i simply tapped again and went through. however, looking at the screen on the gate, i realized that it had already charged the card the first time. now thanks to the genius' at the T, i need to somehow make it all the way to downtown crossing to get my 1.70 back. that sort of transaction ought to be able to be handled by any CSA and any fare vending machine in the system. grrr....

Again I couldn't agree more. The CSA's should be able to fix minor problems on the spot without sending people downtown.

Linda wonders if the T is starting a Fast Lane type of boarding

Here's something new to me. I'm a daily Commuter Rail rider with a monthly
pass on CharlieTicket, and don't ride the subway that often.

Entering the Redline at Porter Square this morning the gate slot wouldn't
accept my CharlieTicket. Then i noticed (this is pre-coffee, of course)
that several of the gates read "SmartCard Only." So now they're apparently
restricting some of the gates to "fast lane"? Sounds like a good idea
except--sour grapes--we commuter railers don't have that option (yet?).

Is this the beginning of "fast lane" CharlieCard-Only fare gates, or just
an anomaly?

Linda of Lynn

I haven't heard that they are officially doing this but it is something done in other cities ( example Chicago ) But Porter wouldn't be the station I would pick for the roll out if they are. As you mentioned the Commuter Rail folks still have CharlieTickets and the biggest crunch time at Porter happens when the inbound Commuter Rail stops there. Taking out gates for CharlieTickets is not going to help with the crunch.

I have heard from a conductor on the Commuter Rail that it maybe a another few months before CharlieCards roll out on the rail service as the T needs to find away to keep the hand held validators the conductors use from running out of battery power. As anyone with a laptop knows, outlets on the Commuter Rail are few and far between. I have heard that the validators on the Green Line need to be recharged after about 3 hours.

Charlie's Mailbag February 3rd - More Green Line follies

From the mailbag at charlieonthembta@gmail.com we hear from Deb in Brookline

Charlie
Last night I boarded an inbound D line train at Reservoir and it took nearly 30 minutes just to get to Copley because of boarding lines.

For starters they only seem to run one car trains on Friday nights which is foolish given the number of students that go into the city. The train arrived at Reservoir and it took nearly 4 minutes to get everybody on even though most had prepaid fare cards. When we got to Brookline Hills it took another 4 minutes but the worst was yet to come.

At Fenway Station it took nearly seven minutes to get everybody on the train. Part of the problem was many of the students boarding there paid cash with the driver. Can't the T refuse to board these clowns since there are vending machines at each station on the D line?

I also thought last night that you have these T workers at each station standing around and doing nothing inside their little heated sheds. Why can't these people check fares before the train arrives and speed up boarding by opening all the doors?

The T promised fasting boarding with this Charlie system and it seems to be much worse at least on the D line!!!

Deb from Brookline

Hi Deb You made 2 very good observations.

I would agree there is no reason for a passenger to pay cash on a D Line trolley since every station has vending machines. At least on that line they could impose a no cash on train policy and that would help a little bit with the boarding lines.

As far as having the "ambassadors","CSA's or whatever the T is calling them this week checking fares beforehand it does on the surface make sense but since the T plans to do away with these workers in a couple of months it wouldn't be a long term solution.

I also find it interesting that many of these workers on the D line are retired T employees who have been called back to "help out". One worker at night at Brookline Village used to be the head of the Green Line before he retired a couple of years ago and you can be sure he is not getting $8 an hour in this temporary position.

Still the T has to figure out a better way to board people on the Green Line. The B line outbound has been really crazy as of late as some operators are only opening one door outbound at night after 30 years of all door openings towards BC. I was on a packed car Thursday night and the driver only opened one door at Harvard and Commonwealth where half the car wanted to get off. That is complete insanity.

My suggestion to the T is to at least TRY the system used in Chicago.
BOARD BUSES MORE QUICKLY WITH CTA's new GO LANE boarding process

Nobody can tell me this would not reduce boarding times on the trolleys and some high use bus routes. I have seen it work on the heavily used bus lanes of Michigan Avenue in Chicago and buses don't get bogged down as much as they had in the past. How hard can it be to test the idea on one line to see if it works in Boston?

Charlie's Mailbag February 1st (good driver and fare evaders)

More reader mail at charlieonthembta@gmail.com

BTW we would like some feedback on the preview windows that allow you to look at a link without clicking. Should they stay or should they go? Please let us know.

Last week we heard from Charlie (no relation) who was having problems trying to reload his CharlieCard in Watertown. He writes back to us with a happy ending to his story.

Hi Charlie,

To update you on how my Watertown experience turned out... I intentionally boarded the bus last at Watertown Yard, held out my CharlieCard and a $20 bill, and said to the driver "I need to load value onto my CharlieCard". He then replied "OK just a second" and pushed a few buttons on his farebox keyboard. He then instructed me step by step to follow the instructions on the screen, tapping my card, loading my money, hitting the little white button to confirm it, tapping my card again to load it, and then finally tapping to pay the fare. It took probably 15-20 seconds total, and the driver was very courteous and helpful throughout the process. This was a welcomed experience given the stories of confusion and rudeness I've read about when people have tried to load value on their CharlieCard on buses.

-Charlie

That is great to hear. I truly believe the vast majority of T employees are good and this why the blog started the T employee appreciation thread.

Teresa comments on fare evasion

Charlie--

After being subject to a circuitous ride on a 70 bus to Central Square that thought it was a 47, I was a bit disgruntled when I entered the T station on the inbound side. As I waited for the next train near the main fare gates (with Charlie machines and T attendant), I witnessed one young female delinquent offer entry to her delinquent friend by opening the gate from the track side. She didn't even try to hide her behavior. Then, seconds later, the two delinquents loudly call over to delinquent #3 who was just entering the area. Delinquent #1 proceeds to open the gate for her as well.

A bit shocked that they would do this so brazenly in front of the T rep (rather than at the more inconspicuous entrance at the end of the platform) I had to say something. So I poked my head between the fare machines and asked the T attendant "Don't you even care that people are basically jumping the turnstiles right in front of you."

His reply was, "What can I do, I have to help these people" as he gestured to the masses that have yet to figure out the byzantine machines.

As I shook my head and went back to waiting on the platform, he called out after me "and yes, I do care."

Now if only the T management would care.

-Teresa

The T decided to change the order from turnstiles to gates to combat fare evasion in the system thinking the gates would make it harder. Just the opposite has happened. Honestly in all the years I have been riding the T I can't recall very many cases where I would see somebody jump a turnstile. You were much more likely to see someone plead poverty to the token clerk and usually they would get waved through something not likely to happen now with Charlie. What fare evasion I did see regularly was on buses where people would just waltz by the driver without paying. The driver might yell at them but most of the time it was just ignored and Charlie won't solve that problem on a bus. Since it is impossible to have T Police on every bus this will remain a problem.

In New York several stations have been converted to a newer floor-to-ceiling turnstile that is impossible to jump but city officials are concerned that it is a fire hazard as it allows only 20 passengers to exit a minute compared to 40 at a regular turnstile so Boston is not alone with this issue.

Now the Green Line has its own issues with fare evasion as Boston tries to introduce "proof of payment" (POP) to the street level trolleys. I asked users of a San Francisco transit blog how well POP works there and got some interesting feedback. Some examples

from Viscus: If you don't already have a pass, you buy a ticket either from a turnstile in a subway station, one of the vending machines that they have at surface station platforms, or you go to the very front of the train and buy a paper transfer from the train operator.

Randomly, Muni fare inspectors will show up on trains or station platforms to check everyone for proof of payment. If you don't have it, you're subject to something like a $250 citation.

Now that sounds exactly what the T is trying to do at least on the D Line. One major difference between MUNI and the T on the trolley lines is the second cars in San Francisco are not manned so when boarding the second car you must have some form of proof of payment. Fare evasion is a hot topic with riders in San Francisco

from factfarmer3000: I guess its safe to say its not handled that much

lots of people who want their POP go to the front after they board to get it.

there are lots of fare jumpers, unfortunately. However, I think it is only the Muni Metro that has police men come on board and check that people have their POP. Although, I think that fare jumpers are usually on the regular buses, especially those long crowded ones like the 14- Mission.

I'm just a commuter though, so you might want to wait for a professional response form someone else.

and indeed a MUNI employee did post

Currently there are only Fare Inspectors checking in the subway/light rail and the cable cars. Alas, the greater majority of fare evasion is done on the buses.

Muni has hired 47 new inspectors but they are slated to work in the same venues. I am constantly being told my managers that I speak to that fare inspection on buses are not in the near future.

Officially, when there is a fare evader, we are supposed to call Central Dispatch and wait for instructions. The vast majority of the time, operators don't call because it is a waste of time to pick up the phone and nothing happens to the same people; AND then it will make you even more late in your bus schedule. People have been evading the fares for generations. Grandmothers tell little grandson how the MUNI UNIVERSE works and the knowledge is handed down thorough the generations. Even kids of MUNI bus drivers do it. Why? Because they know nothing will happen from asking their parents.

To me, the paper transfer is one of the many reasons why MUNI is losing so much money. There is so much room for abuse of the system. I would say that only 30% of the time, people would show clearly what the date is and what is the expiration date

which prompted more posts

Well, about half of the time that I've been around when the fare inspectors showed up, one or two people got busted for fare evasion. As others have said, most of the fare evasion probably happens on the bus lines, where people jump on through the back door, only show half of an expired transfer, etc.

A lot of people in San Francisco have a really sick sense of entitlement when it comes to mass transit.

Fare evasion on the T will continue to be an issue until the fare inspectors start writing tickets or the MBTA Police arrest people. Then the word will spread on the streets that it isn't worth it.

That is how cities operate.

This is how your February pass SHOULD read

If you have already purchased your February pass the card info display at the vending machine SHOULD look like this.

Notice that my pass is showing a start date of January 1 and now expires on February 28th.

Check your card before leaving the FVM and get a receipt.

Hopefully this is an isolated case

Just got a note from Jim in Cambridge who reports his January LinkPass vanished when he bought his February one.

According to the MBTA (and the Globe on January 28), “T officials are encouraging folks to put their February passes on their CharlieCard now to avoid lines. You can do this for any month, beginning on the 15th of the preceding month. There's no need to wait until this Wednesday, the 31st.” It’s true that you can add the February pass . . . but what they forgot to mention is that doing so erases the January pass from your CharlieCard. This evening, on my way home from work, I stopped at Park Street to add a February pass to my card (which had a January pass already on it, and which I had been using without problems for the whole month of January). After adding the February pass, I went to enter the gate . . . and got a “Not enough value” message. I tried another gate – same story. I went back to the vending machine, which confirmed I had a pass good through 2/28/2007 . . . but failed to inform me that, evidently, the pass now would not be good until 2/1/2007. As a result, I had “add value” to the pass so I could get home (and for my two trips tomorrow). Steve from Boston (see Globe Starts & Stops dated January 28, 2007) was apparently correct in stating that “it is not possible to have both January and February on the card's chip at once," and it is the MBTA and the Globe who are handing out the “Bad Information.”

I will refrain from speculating how much money the T will be making off of this error, or the lines which will be at all the T Fare Vending Machines on the morning of the first of each month once this error becomes more widely known. I would have sent a copy of this e-mail to the MBTA, but I can’t find an appropriate e-mail address on their website.

- Jim in Cambridge

P.S. The funny thing was, up until this point, I was personally quite happy with the CharlieCard system. Well, I guess you live and learn.

This is the first report of this I have heard so I am thinking this is an isolated case. The CharlieCard is designed with three stored value slots, 2 which are used for monthly passes and the third is for any stored value.

The question to throw out there is has anybody else experienced this?

On a related note universalhub.com posted a blog entry from Moxie who had her own horror show on Tuesday when she tried to buy her February pass with her WageWorks card.

T revises Green Line boarding policy again

The mailbag at charlieonthembta@gmail.com indicated some confusion on Show-n-Go on the Green Line in recent days. First we hear from Sue in Newton

They don't seem to have made up their minds whether we still have "Show and Go" at Newton Centre or not. Usually they open the back doors but then the driver howls at you to come up to the front to pay your fare -- whether you have a Charlie card, a Charlie ticket, a "validator" or anything else. Then, of course, you lose your seat ...

This will be fun when they interrupt D Line service during Red Sox season.

What's the official policy, if any?

Hmmmm The T had signs at all the D Line stations that "said" what the policy was supposed to be but they don't seem to be following it.

Then this afternoon we got a long letter from Katie in Brighton who after a bad commuter morning last week decided to complain to the T and got a response back from them. It appears that the rules have changed once again.

I wanted to share a recent CharlieCard experience and pass on some information I received from the MBTA.

Last week, I witnessed a T driver shout at a passenger on the B line boarding at Long Ave. The passenger had a monthly pass on a CharlieTicket—the kind that still has the month clearly identified on the ticket. The passenger felt that this should allow him to enter at any door and "Show and Go", as did I. This is in agreement with both the signage on the B Line and with the internal driver-instruction memo posted on your blog a few weeks ago. The driver, however, disagreed, forcing the passenger to insert the CharlieTicket as well as responding to his comments that his pass "says JANUARY on it" and that "this is taking longer and people are cold" with by shouting "We don't do 'Show and Go' anymore. If you're cold, you should wear more clothes."

Since the new fare system was introduced, I've noticed that the drivers are terribly inconsistent about whether they open all doors (as someone who gets off above-ground on the B line both in- and outbound, this is a particular concern for me as I'm less willing to move all the way to the back when only the front door will be opened at my stop), however, this combined with the incredibly rude behavior and a bad morning was enough to inspire me to register a complaint with the T. (I've copied the letter and full response below.)

The most surprising thing about the response (other than that I received one at all) was that it states "Therefore, operators are opening all doors in stations and at stops where a fare monitor is present with a hand held validator. The Fare Monitor is able to verify payment on their hand held validators.

At station stops and locations where no fare monitor and or fare validator is present, Green Line operators are instructed to open front doors only and board passengers through the front door ensuring proper fare collection" (emphasis mine). This is in direct contradiction to everything else I've read and might answer some of the questions I've seen people raise about this policy. I think the T could really decrease problems with the system is there was a bit more transparency on these boarding and payment policies. And, in any case, the drivers should be trained to be as polite as possible to the customers.

Thanks!
-Katie



Subject:Complaint

Mode: Subway

Line: Green Line

Incident Date: 1/23/2007

Incident Time: 8:20 AM

Topic: Employee Complaint

Sub Topic: Rude/Abrasive

Route: Green Line

Vehicle: 3138

Additional Comments: This morning on a Green B train, I overheard the driver shout at a passenger. The passenger was carrying his T pass on a

CharlieTicket-- the kind that still has the month written on it in large letters. He attempted to board the train without inserting his pass into the fare box-- just holding it up in the "show & go" fashion. When the driver told him to go back, I believe he made a comment about the cold weather and slow boarding. She shouted that "We don''t do Show & Go anymore. If you''re cold, you should wear more clothes."

While I think it's inappropriate for her to shout under any circumstance (and really not what I want to hear during my already unpleasant early-morning commute), I believe that the passenger was in the right. Per all the signage adorning the B line that explains the "faster, easier boarding" policies (which I was unable to fund on the website to quote directly), the drivers are to open ALL doors at ALL stops on the Green Line, whether there's a validator at the stop or not. It also says that passengers with monthly passes (I assume this refers to the exact kind of pass the passenger was carrying and not to, for example, my Link Pass which is on a CharlieCard and thus indistinguishable from stored value) can board at any door as they could previously. It then says that other passengers can board ALL doors and come to the front to pay their fare.

If I am reading the signs incorrectly, please let me know. However, from all indications, drivers on the Green Line should now be opening ALL doors at ALL stops. As someone who gets off above-ground on the B line, this is a welcome change and overall I've found the change to the CharlieCard to be a good change. Though this is not the first time the drivers have refused to open all the doors-- perhaps they are not being adequately trained in the new procedure-- this is the first that I have heard a driver treat a (legitimately) confused passenger with such disrespect.

Thank you for your time.

Name: Katie

City: Brighton

From: Feedback [mailto:mbta-fb@mbta.com]
Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2007 12:54 PM
To: Katie
Subject: Re: Fwd: MBTA Customer Comment Form: #070123521


We apologize for the confusion with our new fare collection procedures

on the Green Line. We appreciate your taking the time to write and

request further clarification.



In order to make the transition to the new fare collection procedures

as easy as possible, we are installing new signage and training all

personnel and customers in the new methodology. All passengers are

required to pay a fare when traveling in both directions on the Green

Line. Therefore, operators are opening all doors in stations and at

stops where a fare monitor is present with a hand held validator. The

Fare Monitor is able to verify payment on their hand held validators.

At station stops and locations where no fare monitor and or fare

validator is present, Green Line operators are instructed to open front

doors only and board passengers through the front door ensuring proper

fare collection. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have

caused you and appreciate your patience while we implement these new

measures

So now it appears that Show-n-Go will only be used where they have fare inspectors.

While many cities employ an honor system with POP (proof of payment) and a rider is subject to inspection it appears for now the T isn't doing that. If anybody at the T wants to challenge what the above information says the case number is included in the T's response. The only thing I have done is to delete Katie's last name.

If this indeed the policy I would hope the T installs some signs saying this.

"That's the design of the hardware" says the T

Globe had a little story on Sunday about the limits on coins and bills you can put into the new FVM's. (fare vending machines)

The maximum number of coins a self-service station will take at one time is 19 , according to the T.

Now, you can store up to $100 in value on your CharlieCard .

But, as with the 19 in coinage, you can't feed the automated dispenser more than 14 pieces of paper money at once -- in $1s, $5s, $10s, or $20s, says the T.

Those particular limits were not chosen capriciously, or because they are Charlie's favorite numbers.

They are all that each machine's bin can temporarily hold before a transaction is completed and the money goes into a vault, says the T.

"That's the design of the hardware," says Lydia Rivera , a spokeswoman for the MBTA.

Globe Magazine calls CharlieCard Best of the New-2007"

The Boston Sunday Globe Magazine cited the T's CharlieCard as one of 94 people, places, and things that in the last 12 months have changed Greater Boston for the better.

Fare Fix
The unveiling of the CHARLIECARD - a fare card that replaced subway tokens - dragged America's oldest subway system into the 21st century. Now you can buy a new card or add value to an old one in train stations; eventually the cards will be registered online, allowing users to cancel a lost card and replace it. Try that with a token.

Mac Daniel has more Charlie Stories

Mac looks at some more Charlie related issues, express bus changes and explains that you can add a February pass to a CharlieCard in January.

One reader thinks he knows why there are problems at the faregates

Stop 'tapping'

William of Wilmington chimed in last week about how best to use a CharlieCard, and we think he might be on to something.

For most of this month, folks have complained about the new T fare gates not accepting their CharlieCards. The T has come back, saying the system reported few problems, and we were left with a conundrum.

Then William wrote. Maybe the problem's not with the technology, though there have been problems, but with the instructions.

The key word the T uses with its CharlieCards is "tap," which means "to strike lightly." But Williams says this doesn't work, and it never has with proximity cards.

"Never mind the marketing people," wrote William. "Can we get past the idea that CharlieCards are magic wands? It's a proximity card and reader system.

"I've been using proximity cards for 20 years -- they used to be about three times as thick as a credit card, didn't bend, and the readers were slower because computers didn't run as fast back then," added William, who appears to love his caps lock key.

"THE BEST WAY TO USE A PROXIMITY CARD IS TO HOLD IT IN PLACE OVER THE READER UNTIL THE GATE OPENS.

"If people weren't 'tapping' their cards, they wouldn't have to do it three times before the gate opened. They wouldn't be confused as to why the fare machine isn't telling them the card has been updated with new funds.

"Don't wave, don't tap, HOLD THE CARD IN PLACE ON THE READER TARGET UNTIL THE TRANSACTION IS COMPLETE."

Monthly pass information for February (correction)

Updating a previous post that had some misleading info and we appreciate the corrected information.

1. The Government Center pass sales office has been closed since the beginning of December.

2. The only passes sold (or loaded onto) on CharlieCards at Downtown Crossing, Harvard, Back Bay, North Station and South Station are Local Bus and LinkPasses. Same goes for the vending machines.

3. Both Express Bus passes, all Commuter Rail zone passes, and Commuter Boat passes will still be issued on CharlieTickets, whether you get them at a store, a pass office or a vending machine.

4. Customers who ride Zone 1A, their LinkPass MUST be issued on a CharlieTicket. There is no change in this from last month. This is an important point since most customers who buy passes at these pass offices are commuter rail riders.

5. The only customers who need to use the ticket windows listed above are those who get "transit checks" or "commuter checks" from their employer. Everyone else can get ANY pass (monthly or 1 or 7 day) from ANY vending machine throughout the system. There is no need to stand in line at these ticket offices if you are paying with cash or debit/credit card.

T-Tales: There must be a place in Watertown to load Charlie

The mailbag at charlieonthembta@gmail.com brings this saga from Charlie (no relation)

Hello Charlie,

I work in Watertown Square, and today took the 57 bus to get there, as I occasionally do. Upon entering the bus and paying my fare, I noticed I did not have enough left on the card for my return trip. I said to myself, “Oh ok. There must be a place in Watertown Square where I can load more value onto my CharlieCard.” Instinctively, I went to the convenience store on Galen St across from Watertown Yard which has been selling monthly passes for years. I asked the gentleman there if I could load value onto my CharlieCard. He replied that he only sells CharlieTicket passes, and does not have a computer for CharlieCards. I then decided to call the Stop and Shop in Watertown to see if they were equipped for it. They were not. I did a search on mbta.com to discover that the convenience store on Galen St is the only place in Watertown which sells T fare media, and only CharlieTicket passes – no CharlieCards whatsoever. So, on my ride home, I will board last in line and hope that the bus driver lets me add value to my CharlieCard through the farebox, as it truly is my only option. It truly astounds me that there are no sales locations in Watertown equipped to handle CharlieCard transactions. This is especially surprising since Watertown Square is where bus routes 52, 57, 59, 71, 502, and 504 terminate, and routes 70 and 70A pass through.

First off why hasn't the T installed a FVM( fare vending machine ) at the Watertown Yard. It would seem to be a logical location for one. But given the costs of these machines perhaps the T feels a machine there would not generate enough sales to justify installing one.

Indeed Watertown only has the one location to buy a pass and it is only at the end and beginning of the month.

Galen St. Mart
City: Watertown
Address: 39 Galen St. (across from Watertown Station)
Hours: M-F, 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Pass Types Sold: Local Bus, LinkPass, Zone 1A, Inner Express and Outer Express.
Payment Methods: Cash and Commuter Checks
Dates Sold: Monthly passes are sold the last four (4) and the first four (4) business days of each month.

Now the T website gushes

We are aggressively pursuing partnerships with retailers to sell our tickets, cards and passes using retail sales terminals. You will be able to obtain a CharlieCard from one of these retailers: Sales Locations. Once you have your CharlieCard, you can go to these retailers to load value or a pass on your CharlieCard.

So where are they? Watertown was one of the original 14 cities in the old MTA and is one of Boston's oldest transit suburbs with excellent bus service. So just how "aggressively" are they pursuing adding locations?

But the lack of retail outlets maybe because of the way the system was designed. I know of one location in Cambridge that was interested in doing this until they saw what was needed to implement it. The manager told me

What the T wanted to install takes as much space as the lottery and Western Union machines. It takes too long to run a transaction and it isn't worth the bother.

I personally tested the process at All Checks Cashed in Allston. The clerk has to take your card, go to a computer terminal, scan the card, and then enter the information on the keyboard. It took 2 minutes for her to load $5 onto the card. Most 7/11's, Store 24's and other locations just can't allow their clerks to be tied up that long. The T has signed up several check cashing stores and supermarket chains in the area but they are limited in number. The picture on the left is what the Scheidt & Bachmann device looks like.

In Chicago the CTA teamed up with their fare collection vendor(Cubic) and came up with a solution that retailers have installed all over the city. The locations marked with a (*) have the device shown on the left.

The process is simple.

Using Touch-n-Go devices,
simply follow these four steps:

Present your Chicago Card to the currency exchange clerk.

Choose the reload amount you would like to purchase and pay with cash. (Cash is the only accepted form of payment at this time.)

A $2 bonus is earned for every $20 of value added to your Chicago Card. This bonus can be earned only when adding value to Chicago Card and Chicago Card Plus accounts, not to Transit Cards.

Take your receipt and Chicago Card.

Start your trip!

The clerk never has to leave the register and the transaction is done as quickly as using an ATM. Riders love them and more importantly so do the merchants.

The Boston system allows credit and debit cards but Chicago made the decision not to use credit/debit cards at their point of sales locations including the stations when they installed their system. None of this helps Charlie this afternoon as he wants to get home ( there might be a song there ) but it may explain why retail locations are few and far between.

BTW I have no connection with Cubic Transportation. I simply have researched to learn about the system that the T rejected but is used by some of the largest transit companies in the world. (London, New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles and Washington to name a few)

T in the media (January 26th)

Mac Daniel in the Globe looks at the blacksmiths of the T's Everett Repair Facility

The Globe's Tom Long has a couple of T related items in the Northwest Edition of Stops and Starts.



T holding off on credit cards

A reader who identified himself only as Nate asked about the future of credit card use on the T."Is there any planning for such use? It seems like for those with credit cards [which frequently include tourists, and many locals], it would streamline the process of using the T by not needing to get an additional card -- just swipe what you already have and hop on," he wrote in an e-mail. "If so, do you know when it will go live? If not, do you have any insight on why a decision was reached to not include such a universal payment system in the T's plans?"

MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo said that is something the T will definitely be exploring down the road, but the immediate focus is on the transition to the Charlie Card system. "For the first time in decades, public transit fares in Greater Boston are being purchased and collected in a different manner," he said. "We feel it is very important for customers to become comfortable with this new type of technology before introducing another method."

Also Pesaturo explains why Charlie doesn't work in Winthrop

Pesaturo said the Winthrop run is not one of the MBTA's 175 bus routes. It's a private carrier bus route operated by Paul Revere Transportation. It is a popular route served by new buses that were introduced last fall."Because the service provides an important connection to the subway system [at Orient Heights], the MBTA provides financial assistance to the private operator," he said. MBTA passes are not accepted for this service. However, the fare on the Winthrop bus was set at 90 cents, which is lower than the $1.25 bus fare on MBTA-operated bus routes, to make the overall cost more equitable for customers making a connection at Orient Heights.

The Patriot Ledger looks at increased ferry ridership from Quincy and Hull

Bill Gouveia in the Easton News looks to increase safety at Commuter Rail stations

Bostonist looks at signs or lack of them along the Green Line.

Peter Pan Bus Lines tries the Fung Wah approach as they are now running buses from Providence to Boston that are cheaper that the $7.75 T Commuter Rail fare trying to attract college students in the area reports The Brown Daily News.

A Medford resident writes the Medford Transcript saying how the Green Line would be a bad idea.