Oh, also. I remember a conversation we had not too long ago about the various RTAs like Lowell, Worcester, et. al. taking CharlieCards, and how you mentioned that AFC 2.0 was coming?
I got up and asked a question at the meeting about that. Turns out the MBTA aren't going to wait for any of the RTAs. "There might be a lag" was the quote (from imperfect memory).
So, translating into actual English, I see that the MBTA are going to switch to new CharlieCards and the other RTAs will be using the old ones for some unspecified transition period.
Which means that the poor sod who takes the LRTA or the WRTA to MBTA Commuter Rail and then takes that somewhere will need to juggle two cards, and make sure they use the right card for the right ride.
If the MBTA strong-armed the RTAs into taking the old CharlieCards, well. Let's just say if I were running one of the RTAs and had bought all the hardware and software to make my system compatible with the old system, I'd be pissed.
(I recently used my CharlieCard on the WRTA to ride a bus to Worcester Airport and back, and then loaded more money onto my card at a machine at the WRTA Transit Hub. It's great! But now the MBTA seems pretty relaxed about breaking this.)
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Date: 2018-12-14 06:40 pm (UTC)I got up and asked a question at the meeting about that. Turns out the MBTA aren't going to wait for any of the RTAs. "There might be a lag" was the quote (from imperfect memory).
So, translating into actual English, I see that the MBTA are going to switch to new CharlieCards and the other RTAs will be using the old ones for some unspecified transition period.
Which means that the poor sod who takes the LRTA or the WRTA to MBTA Commuter Rail and then takes that somewhere will need to juggle two cards, and make sure they use the right card for the right ride.
If the MBTA strong-armed the RTAs into taking the old CharlieCards, well. Let's just say if I were running one of the RTAs and had bought all the hardware and software to make my system compatible with the old system, I'd be pissed.
(I recently used my CharlieCard on the WRTA to ride a bus to Worcester Airport and back, and then loaded more money onto my card at a machine at the WRTA Transit Hub. It's great! But now the MBTA seems pretty relaxed about breaking this.)