CharlieCard / Ticket discussion

[Rbts Stn]

Charlie Cards expire? Yes! Charlie Cards expire! Probably had had mine about 10 years.

Found this out yesterday heading into Boston to meet with an attorney -- usually I just take the train to and from Fenway, so this worked out well for me as I was quite ahead of schedule and was terminating at Park Street. Friendly conductor on the C Line told me to go to "the Charlie Store" at Downtown Crossing to get a new card, so I figured a quick run down the corridor connecting Park and DC and I'd be done!

Well. It's quite a schlep to get to the Charlie store (down that hall, down the stairs, up again on the other side of the tracks, out through fare control and waaaaay down the hall) to a brightly lit Charlie Card Store where I was greeted by a friendly employee asking me what I needed. Told her, she printed me out a ticket and pointed to some (full) chairs to sit in. And then they started calling the numbers, which start with letters "A" through "F" and seem to go in no particular order (letterwise, the numbers at least were sequential).

THIS IS NO STORE, IT'S THE REGISTRY OF MOTOR VEHICLES DISGUISED AS A STORE!!!

20 minutes later my 45 second transaction was completed "Oh, this is a first generation card, it's almost a collector's item" the friendly service person told me as she transferred the $10 and change I had left on the card (last used about a month ago). And yes, many folks who arrived after me were taken before I was. There's got to be a better way.

[MBTA3247]

I wonder how your card managed to not expire with all the other 1st gen cards a few years ago.

[Rbts Stn]

Good question. I use it quite a bit in the summer, did use it 3-4 weeks ago on a green line train with no issues.

[BostonUrbEx]

I wonder how your card managed to not expire with all the other 1st gen cards a few years ago.

Didn't the MBTA artificially extend their life? IIRC, after a flood of complaints/issues, the MBTA set up the fare vending machines to update the expiration dates to give people an opportunity to get new cards. I don't remember the specifics to it.

[diburning]

I believe the plan was to have a rolling expiration period if the cards were regularly used. However, they must have discontinued it because the only first gen cards that I see these days are Senior IDs. Even then, Senior IDs were replaced when second gen cards were released (although that did not invalidate the first gen Senior IDs which can still be used until the expiration on the card). Senior IDs have expiration dates very far into the future (at the risk of sounding too cynical, most of the cards will outlive their users) so I see then every now and then, but they're the only ones that I ever see that are still valid.

The first gen cards have yellow serial numbers. I believe there is a small number of first gen cards with black serial numbers as well, but if it's orange, it's definitely from the first generation.

I've seen a few card failures in my time. It seems that the weak point is where the antenna attaches to the RFID chip. The cause of this is probably from too much flexing (from an overstuffed wallet, tight pocket, etc) In fact, I have one in my wallet right now that only works when it's perfectly straight. If I pull it out of my pocket, it won't work.

[danib62]

My day 1 CharlieCard is still going strong!

[diburning]

The first gen cards have yellow serial numbers. I believe there is a small number of first gen cards with black serial numbers as well, but if it's orange, it's definitely from the first generation.

After making that post, I have been keeping an eye out for first gen regular cards (not senior/TAP or otherwise) and checking the expirations when riders come for a refill. It appears that they all (all of the ones I've seen at least. I have seen about a dozen in the past week) now have an expiration of Sept 15, 2016. I'm unsure if that's a rolling expiration.

[diburning]

I have a question about expired commuter rail tickets. If a commuter rail ticket is expired, am I correct to assume that the ticket is no longer valid and all value is lost?

[deathtopumpkins]

I have a question about expired commuter rail tickets. If a commuter rail ticket is expired, am I correct to assume that the ticket is no longer valid and all value is lost?

Yes. Once expired, it's expired. You can't transfer the value of it like you can the balance on an expired CharlieCard or Ticket.

[Arlington]

I just read in another forum that Charlie Card is due to be replaced by 2020--or at least by then to allow tap-to-validate at all Green Line doors, allowing a POP / all door boarding setup. Can anyone here elaborate?

[rethcir]

I just read in another forum that Charlie Card is due to be replaced by 2020--or at least by then to allow tap-to-validate at all Green Line doors, allowing a POP / all door boarding setup. Can anyone here elaborate?

Yeah, right..

[Disney Guy]

Can't existing Charlie Cards be used in a proof of payment system?

[The EGE]

Yes. However, it is not an open payment system, so all hardware would have to be bought from a vendor that the T is not on good terms with. Current Charlietickets don't have the flexible RFID chip (that tech is much newer than the system) so they couldn't be used to tap. It'll be much easier to install the all-doors headware with a completely new fare hardware installation, than to try to hack it into an existing kludgy system.

[jamesinclair]

Can't existing Charlie Cards be used in a proof of payment system?

Yes, and it was even done for like 2 days.

Now millions of dollars in PoP equipment sits unused, rotting away

[diburning]

"Oh, this is a first generation card, it's almost a collector's item" the friendly service person told me...

So, my new location of employment recently flooded, so I emptied the cabinets and found this....



All expired. They're sitting in my office now