CharlieCard / Ticket discussion

[patb96]

What ever happened to FVMs displaying transfers held on your CharlieCard, and how much time they have left? I've never actually tried it, but recently I've had transfers on my card and they have not shown up on the FVM.

[WonderlandMan]

On the FVM it will say "Transfer Available" or something to that extent. Then it says Yes or No, and I believe the time issued as well

[sabourinj]

On the FVM it will say "Transfer Available" or something to that extent. Then it says Yes or No, and I believe the time issued as well

The last line on the Card Info screen shows "Transfer: Transfer FLEX" and the date that the transfer expires. Unfortunately it does not show the time or what restriction the transfer has (the route it was issued on)

[WonderlandMan]

On the FVM it will say "Transfer Available" or something to that extent. Then it says Yes or No, and I believe the time issued as well

The last line on the Card Info screen shows "Transfer: Transfer FLEX" and the date that the transfer expires. Unfortunately it does not show the time or what restriction the transfer has (the route it was issued on)

That's right, I remember seeing "Transfer FLEX". Not sure what it means

[MTD]

I appreciate the responses last week to my scenario, though I don't think it was really completely answered...

By policy this only will apply to customers who have registered their CharlieCard online. Although I'd imagine given a fraud case they would probably do it anyways if you could provide the serial number off the receipt.

Uh, the thief would have direct possession of that receipt to know, not the victim. (And my bet is that receipt would be promptly disposed of if the bad guy is smart.)

If my scenario of a thief getting a CharlieTicket/Card using a stolen credit card today, will the T and law enforcement really pursue the paper trail? Even though the registering hasn't started on the T AFAIK (and its not like the bad guy will register his CharlieCard! ), but I figure the T and the police have some sort of paper trail already... Starting from where the thief used the credit card to put value on the CharlieTicket/Card, and what the Ticket/Card's serial number and its history of usage is to date on the T's computer database. I presume the T's database keeps a lifetime log (or a certain timeframe) of some sort for every Ticket/Card ever used.

Let's say this: If you were the victim, do you expect the T and the police will catch the suspect eventually, or at least know they are pursuing the paper trail? If you were the thief, should you be nervous about riding the T with the "hot" CharlieCard/Ticket in your hand?

My point is, would there be justice in the end? Based on dm84's reply, there was - though that was in the NYC MTA, not in Boston.

[FatNoah]

I went through the gate @ Harvard last night (2/27, 6:45pm) with a Feb. Link Pass on my CharlieCard but got charged $1.70 from the stored value. I called a T employee's attention to it and she had nothing helpful to add except that I should fill out the complaint form she gave me.

When I exited at Government Center, I checked my Card in a vending machine to verify that the pass was still valid (it was) and also asked the T employee there if he's heard of people getting charged even though they had valid passes. He said that a few people had that happen to them today.

Finally, I noticed the handicapped entrance on the unattended, inbound side of Kendall on the Red Line was stuck open. As you can imagine, people were taking advantage of that.

[octr202]

Finally, I noticed the handicapped entrance on the unattended, inbound side of Kendall on the Red Line was stuck open. As you can imagine, people were taking advantage of that.

That's been a regular condition of late on both sides of the south entrance. Sometimes the broken gate is completely dead, other times its open, but the alarm still goes off if you go through it -- not that anyone responds to the alarm.

[jck]

Finally, I noticed the handicapped entrance on the unattended, inbound side of Kendall on the Red Line was stuck open. As you can imagine, people were taking advantage of that.

That's been a regular condition of late on both sides of the south entrance. Sometimes the broken gate is completely dead, other times its open, but the alarm still goes off if you go through it -- not that anyone responds to the alarm.

If the T can't be bothered to install functional equipment or repair it promptly when broken, I can't blame people for evading the fares. Especially since the T appears unable to shut a broken gate (please don't lecture me about fire escapes; the current situation is ridiculous).

I really fear what the AFC system is going to look like in ten years, given that I see broken gates every single day.

Did the T's contract specify that the company would need to meet certain reliability requirements?

[dm84]

I went through the gate @ Harvard last night (2/27, 6:45pm) with a Feb. Link Pass on my CharlieCard but got charged $1.70 from the stored value. I called a T employee's attention to it and she had nothing helpful to add except that I should fill out the complaint form she gave me.

When I exited at Government Center, I checked my Card in a vending machine to verify that the pass was still valid (it was) and also asked the T employee there if he's heard of people getting charged even though they had valid passes. He said that a few people had that happen to them today.

Finally, I noticed the handicapped entrance on the unattended, inbound side of Kendall on the Red Line was stuck open. As you can imagine, people were taking advantage of that.

Happened to me at Boylston outbound last night. Thankfully I only had 30 cents of stored value left on my card, so I was denied entry. A CSA had to come out of his booth and quickly verified on the FVM that I had both February and March passes on the card, and he let me in with his pass.

[chex]

I went through the gate @ Harvard last night (2/27, 6:45pm) with a Feb. Link Pass on my CharlieCard but got charged $1.70 from the stored value. I called a T employee's attention to it and she had nothing helpful to add except that I should fill out the complaint form she gave me.

When I exited at Government Center, I checked my Card in a vending machine to verify that the pass was still valid (it was) and also asked the T employee there if he's heard of people getting charged even though they had valid passes. He said that a few people had that happen to them today.

Finally, I noticed the handicapped entrance on the unattended, inbound side of Kendall on the Red Line was stuck open. As you can imagine, people were taking advantage of that.

Happened to me at Boylston outbound last night. Thankfully I only had 30 cents of stored value left on my card, so I was denied entry. A CSA had to come out of his booth and quickly verified on the FVM that I had both February and March passes on the card, and he let me in with his pass.

Hi: This has also been happening to me as well in the past week... I've lost $1.70 X 3 from the stored value on my LinkPass, mostly at the North Station gates. I will be transferring all my stored value to a 2nd CharlieCard as soon as I can get to Dtown Xing..

So lovely..

-- Stefan

[jck]

Happened to me at Boylston outbound last night. Thankfully I only had 30 cents of stored value left on my card, so I was denied entry. A CSA had to come out of his booth and quickly verified on the FVM that I had both February and March passes on the card, and he let me in with his pass.

At least the T is consistent. The software is just as reliable as the hardware.

[bbfen]

Happened to me at Boylston outbound last night. Thankfully I only had 30 cents of stored value left on my card, so I was denied entry. A CSA had to come out of his booth and quickly verified on the FVM that I had both February and March passes on the card, and he let me in with his pass.

At least the T is consistent. The software is just as reliable as the hardware.

Is that really fair? I haven't had any problems with my card or the trains in the last two weeks.

Then again, I haven't ridden the T in three weeks ... coincidence?

[jamesinclair]

This is what I was worried about since last year.

I suggest storing your pass on a ticket, or having two cards, one with money, one with a pass.

[FatNoah]

What happens if this occurs on a bus/LRV? Would you have to walk/come up with change?


I think that starting in April (already put the March pass on my Card) I'll keep the stored value card separate from the pass card.

[connartist88h]

I bet these pass validity errors are linked to the clock on the computers. Faregates don't show the date and time, but fareboxes do, so you could point to that as evidence to dispute it.

Since the MBTA keeps a log of your card history, disputing the $1.70 should be easier. This is assuming you don't use your card again for a friend in the same location. After the pass is used, it will deduct stored value at the same station or farebox before the time lock-out expires.