MBTA fare collection meeting.
Dec. 13th, 2018 03:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
randomnessI went to the MBTA's public outreach meeting on the new fare collection system Tuesday. There were many details, some of which are being discussed on my earlier post.
One important detail is that cash will no longer be accepted on board any vehicles, either for fare payment or topping up the balance on a CharlieCard. The proposal includes a rollout of more ticket vending machines and more third-party vendors.
They offered a website for suggestions on where new machines should go. That site is: http://gisdev.massdot.state.ma.us/planning/proposedafclocations/
(The URL they gave at the meeting was actually www.mbta.com/AFC2-locations, but it redirects to the above.)
So if you want to tell the T you want a machine near you, this is a chance to say so.
Edit to add: Here is the text from the suggestion website.
"As part of the MBTA’s new Charlie fare collection system rolling out in 2020, we will be installing fare vending machines (kiosks) at some bus stops and partnering with businesses to vastly increase the locations where people can add money to their MBTA transit account. In addition to these locations you can add money online and then tap your new Charlie Card, smartphone or credit card to board. Riders won’t be able to add cash onboard buses and trains in the new system, so we want to make sure that everyone has the opportunity to reload their account in convenient locations.
This feedback tool allows you to give input directly to the MBTA on where you think it’s most important to have the fare vending machines or retail locations. Zoom into the map to see the locations of our current fare vending machines (yellow flags). The new system will include all of these locations, in addition to hundreds of new locations. Please select “Propose New Fare Vending Location” to add a pin for the locations you propose. You can also agree with locations already proposed by selecting them from the list and clicking “I Agree”. For more information about the project please visit our website https://www.mbta.com/afc2"
One important detail is that cash will no longer be accepted on board any vehicles, either for fare payment or topping up the balance on a CharlieCard. The proposal includes a rollout of more ticket vending machines and more third-party vendors.
They offered a website for suggestions on where new machines should go. That site is: http://gisdev.massdot.state.ma.us/planning/proposedafclocations/
(The URL they gave at the meeting was actually www.mbta.com/AFC2-locations, but it redirects to the above.)
So if you want to tell the T you want a machine near you, this is a chance to say so.
Edit to add: Here is the text from the suggestion website.
"As part of the MBTA’s new Charlie fare collection system rolling out in 2020, we will be installing fare vending machines (kiosks) at some bus stops and partnering with businesses to vastly increase the locations where people can add money to their MBTA transit account. In addition to these locations you can add money online and then tap your new Charlie Card, smartphone or credit card to board. Riders won’t be able to add cash onboard buses and trains in the new system, so we want to make sure that everyone has the opportunity to reload their account in convenient locations.
This feedback tool allows you to give input directly to the MBTA on where you think it’s most important to have the fare vending machines or retail locations. Zoom into the map to see the locations of our current fare vending machines (yellow flags). The new system will include all of these locations, in addition to hundreds of new locations. Please select “Propose New Fare Vending Location” to add a pin for the locations you propose. You can also agree with locations already proposed by selecting them from the list and clicking “I Agree”. For more information about the project please visit our website https://www.mbta.com/afc2"
(no subject)
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.)
(no subject)
Date: 2018-12-14 06:49 pm (UTC)If it's all going to be CharlieCards now, does that mean we might get rail<->subway transfers?
(no subject)
Date: 2018-12-14 07:03 pm (UTC)That's awesome!
AFC 2.0 is going to do that on the MBTA, but the new cards will cost you $5.
does that mean we might get rail<->subway transfers?
Maaaybe?
They did a lot of hand-waving about new fare structures, but they say they want to roll out the new hardware first. They do say that the new hardware will facilitate more flexible fare schemes.