new fare machines, fewer fare employees

anyone read about the new fare machines?
think they'll do as well as the last batch that NEVER work?
is mulhern a total moron?

I'm looking forward to the Charlie Card. The system we're getting is similar to other systems in Europe.

http://www.scheidt-bachmann.de/system/p ... od3a-e.htm

I don't use the T to commute, and therefore I don't have a monthly pass. I hate standing in line to buy tokens. With the Charlie Card, i'll be able to put $20 on my card and just use it as i please.

I guess I could buy extra tokens now, but I don't always carry tokens in my wallet. On the other hand, I would just always keep my charlie card in my wallet.

knowing the T, they'll probably put a time limit on the money on your card, and once you pass that date, the money is gone.

That's how it works in New York.

That's how it works in New York.

Unlike WMATA Washington DC and San Francisco BART, their farecards never expire, although I've used new ones when riding the WMATA.

I hope that if they do expire that the T figures out a way to stop the expired cards from collecting on the ground. Been to NYC lately? The subways are littered with old card.

I know, I've seen cards all over the platforms and even the track pit areas, they just litter them there and NOT use the proper receptacles. Down in WMATA, there's NONE of that around, instead, a farecard that's low or out of money can be swapped at the farecard dispenser at every station.

Robert Paniagua wrote:I know, I've seen cards all over the platforms and even the track pit areas, they just litter them there and NOT use the proper receptacles. Down in WMATA, there's NONE of that around, instead, a farecard that's low or out of money can be swapped at the farecard dispenser at every station.

Plus, I think the WMATA turnstiles (sorry, faregates) eat your farecard if it only has the exact amount you need to exit (i.e., if you need 2.10, and only have 2.10, you don't get it back upon exit). I can't remember exactly, since the last few times I've been using one of the smart cards, since you have to have it to pay for parking there...

Plus, I think the WMATA turnstiles (sorry, faregates) eat your farecard if it only has the exact amount you need to exit (i.e., if you need 2.10, and only have 2.10, you don't get it back upon exit).

Yeap, that's abslutely right also, if you have the same exact fare necessary to get out, the faregate machine does not return it to you, that's a neat idea too, saves on all the trash of cards too. I've had that happen to me too. But if it even has 5 cents on it, you will still get the card back.

I'm just back from Singapore, where they have solved the "litter" problem. Single-fare rides are doled out by fare machines on plastic smart-cards. You pay a S$1 (about US$0.70) deposit for the card. After use, you reinsert the card into the machine for a S$1 refund. There are NO fare cards littering the system!

I thought NYC Transit could do a great deal for the environment by having a $0.01 value to used MetroCards. Let people collect them (there are many roming the NYC subways who have nothing else to do and trade them in, 100 for a buck. NYC Transit gets to resuse the cards, and the homeless get to make some money.

It would be nice to follow the Singapore system, but I doubt the T would consider it. However, the WMATA card eating system is something I could conceivably see the T doing. I agree with vanshnookenraggen though, the litter in NYC subways is awful. It seems like the tracks there are more tiny plastic card than steel.

My low-cost solution is that the T should just increase the number of barrels on platforms; most people would use them, except for the occasionaly jerk who likes throwing them into the tunnel. From what I've observed, people are willing to dispose of trash properly if given close trash cans.

helium wrote:knowing the T, they'll probably put a time limit on the money on your card, and once you pass that date, the money is gone.

Pete wrote:That's how it works in New York.

Actually, though the MetroCard expires after a certain date (I think a little more than a year from when you buy it) you can still insert an expired card into the machine and have your balance transferred to a new card. So the money never expires, just the plastic.

If the new CharlieCards are as sophisticated as they're toting them to be (i.e. RFID-style cards that you "hover" over the sensor to pay fare), I wouldn't be surprised if they charged a deposit on the card. That's probably the most economical way to do it, from the T's point of view.

When are the CharlieCards coming to the Red/Orange Lines?

Derek Bernier wrote:When are the CharlieCards coming to the Red/Orange Lines?

a year to 18 months.

Am I mistaken or are the outer stations(past Orient Heights) going to get them installed first, then the inner stations(minus Airport) getting them after the outer stations? Seems like Maverick has to wait last to get the machinces since the station has the smallest entrance/exit of all lines and there was no prep-work done or being done last time I was there...