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Mac Daniel explains the CharlieCard to us
By adamg on Tue, 12/05/2006 - 1:15pm
The Globe's transportation reporter provides a handy video on how to use the new card - and shows why he desperately needs somebody at boston.com to change that dorky photo of him on his blog.
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Comments
he got charged twice
If you watch it carefully, he loads $10 onto his CharlieCard, then taps it to the gate which says he has $7.50 remaining. Which means he got charged twice.
I wrote to him to point this out, and he said it's because they did multiple takes of the video.
Charlie Card Distribution
I was at Coolidge Corner this morning during the morning rush hour. I went because the T's literature said that employees would be there handing out free CharlieCards. Of course, no employees were to be found.
I suppose the T is taking full advantage of its "dates and time may be changed without notice" disclaimer.
If they want me to use one, they ought to make them available. The second day in, and they're not showing up already.
It was a helpful video though!
i exited via the main
i exited via the main station at harvard for the same purpose (i've been pining for something like this ever since seeing the slick 'oyster' system in london)
so i get there and see three prominently located T employees at the bottom of the escalators near the citizens atm. As i get closer I see they are standing around talking and doing nothing else. I scanned the station, and see no other employees, just commuters-- and shoved up against the end of the charlie machines are several boxes of the cards, one laying open; unlike the too-rare 'honor system' trick or treat bowl of childhood, it was being completely ignored, and *maybe* 20 or 30 were missing from the box.
The distributors do at least exist...
On Friday there was a bigass green van completely covered with pictures of Charlie and Charlie cards and T logos parked outside North Station. It frightened me.
http://1smootshort.blogspot.com
There was a T employee
There was a T employee handing out CharlieCards along with pamphlets on how to use them this morning at the Harvard Ave stop. I got one from him and said "Thanks!", to which he replied "You're welcome!". They got it right in at least one place!
They got it right in Malden,
They got it right in Malden, too. A couple friendly T employees were handing them out Monday morning. I took one and then realized that by the time I'd be using it, I'll be living in Zone 8. :-P
you're moving to Fitchburg?
Fitchburg isn't the only place in zone 8
Other zone 8 stations are Rockport, Newburyport, North Leominster, Shirley, Ayer, Worcester, Grafton, Providence, Middleboro/Lakeville, Plymouth, and Kingston/Route 3.
Yes, I'm a dork.
http://1smootshort.blogspot.com
dorktastic
That picture is pretty dorky. It reminds me of Steve from "Sex and the City."
Charlie Card
I'd like to know how (or if) the new card it will work on the Green Line and the Silver Line stations that do not have access control and where people pay their fare on the car.
yes
Yes, you're supposed to tap it against the farebox.
So, for those of us who save
So, for those of us who save our monthly passes for a car insurance discount - how will we be able to prove to our insurance companies that we have been buying monthly passes? Mine comes directly through HR, and they will be loading the passes for us. There won't even be a receipt!
The T is going to make
The T is going to make yearly receipts available for all the passes you buy which you can send to your insurance company.
GREEN
WHY in the name of everything that is good does the little light turn YELLOW when the card is tapped against the CharlieCard machine?
It should be GREEN like on the gate.
Ticket or no
First he explains carefully that it isn't a Charlie Ticket, and then later he calls it a Charlie Ticket. Oops.
Mac Daniels should take over the T
Very useful video, but why is a Boston Globe reporter doing the MBTA's job? The T should have an instructional video up on their website instead.
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The T Riders Union (TRU), a core committee of ACE, organizes public transit riders to build a unified voice and movement for better public transportation in Greater Boston.