Davis T station has been Charlie converted

[ron_newman]

As of this morning, the Davis T station has been converted to Charlie gates.

Comments

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

I have to say, I absolutely love and prefer the new system, despite all the whiners. For those with passes it means nothing really. The turnover's been a pain but I don't see how it could have been done much better...and for those like me who use the T somewhat regularly but not enough to justify a pass, it's so much easier to buy a $10 card and keep it in my wallet. Lasts me about two weeks and I never lose it, unlike whenever I tried buying 4 or more tokens..

I will be using my bike more often once they raise the rates though.

[magid.livejournal.com]

For those with passes it means nothing really.
Actually, it's the annoyance of having to stop and wait for the machine to let me through. And the loud noise.

[watchamacallit.livejournal.com]

And the fare boxes jamming up and eating passes.

[ron_newman]

Does that happen often? I haven't seen it yet, and I've been using at least some Charlie stations for months.

[treacle-well.livejournal.com]

I've not seen it. I use a monthly pass. Wonder if it's more of a problem with the paper cards.

[ron_newman]

since I now buy my monthly passes from the machines, they are paper just like the stored-value tickets.

[watchamacallit.livejournal.com]

The paper cards are the ones that get stuck.

[xxv.livejournal.com]

Really? Are they still a fixed amount per month?

I'm waiting for the RFID cards to come about. That'll reduce the jamming problem that seems to disable the machines every week or so.

[ron_newman]

Yep, you put $44 into the machine (well, I use a debit card instead), and you get a piece of cardboard with 'CharlieTicket' and a magstrip on one side, and "NOV 2006 Subway Pass" and a big S and an orange arrow on the other side. I've been buying them this way since June. The next month's pass goes on sale on the 15th of each month.

[watchamacallit.livejournal.com]

I think it happens more often on the new bus fare boxes but, judging by the number of people in line for new passes when I had to get one, YES. The MBTA neglected to open a new office for replacement passes and is having an already busy department take care of it.

[komos.livejournal.com]

You'll also see the cost of the spiffy new gate system reflected in fare hikes!

[matthew miller (from livejournal.com)]

Yeah, geez, the buzzer going off all the time while waiting for the train isn't gonna be pleasant.

On the other issue, though, the stop-and-wait initially at least seems more pleasant then when you scan your pass and then step into the turnstyle only to realize that the card didn't register. Ow!

[cook-ting.livejournal.com]

My nether regions are definitely happy the metal arms of the turnstyle are gone.

[spatch]

I agree. There've been several times when, rushing to catch the train, I'd unsuccessfully swipe my card at the turnstile and then rack myself against the unmovable arm as I tried to run through.

AWESOME>

[matthew miller (from livejournal.com)]

The main thing I'm happy about is the automatic handicapped exit. Before, with a stroller, I had to wait until someone in the booth deigned to notice me and hit the release. More than once, I'd make eye contact and indicate that I needed out, and the booth person would WAVE DISMISSIVELY. Argh.

(Aside: getting around the T with a little kid is annoying enough, but basically is a voluntary condition. It makes me really sympathetic to those who have no choice. Man is the T awful at accessibility issues.)

[ron_newman]

what's not so good are gates labelled with wheelchair symbols, that lead only to stairways. Not a problem at Davis, but I've seen them at Kendall, Central, and Park Street. Maybe they've fixed this by now.

[capsicumanuum.livejournal.com]

Ugh. I can see why they'd want the extra wide gates even at exits that don't have elevators (travellers with large bags, families with strollers), but some advance warning for out-of-towners would be nice.

[lissie930.livejournal.com]

I totally agree with you on this one!

The thing I've seen is a huge increase in litter as people deposit their cards on the ground on the other side of the gates. That's a bummer.

[schpahky.livejournal.com]

Looks like South Station just finally began putting out makeshift recycling bins for used cards...I hope they do this at all the stations.

[capsicumanuum.livejournal.com]

The right way to do it is for the machines to just keep cards that have no more money on them. That's how the train system in Japan works (sort of), so there's no worry about litter everywhere.

(I say sort of because you need your ticket to get out of the station at your destination, since fares are all distance based rather than flat rate like they are here. But still, when you leave your destination station, if you card was a single use, or if you were out of money on your card, the gate would just keep it).

[xxv.livejournal.com]

My guess is that keeping the card was an option from the machine's manufacturers, but it probably cost more.

Just like keeping the card return system consistant across all the new machines...

[twe.livejournal.com]

The Metro is DC is like this too.

[leenah.livejournal.com]

riding the bus is a PAIN.

i have a pass. it takes forever for everyone to go thru the new fare box. the drivers complain that they are now constantly running late by at least 15 mins due to waiting for everyone to go thru the new system of paying.

[ceo]

Yeah, it really seems like they designed it to be a giant pain in the neck for people not using the CharlieCards. Which means that right now it's a giant pain in the neck for everyone.

clearly nobody looked at usability on the bus machines

[elements.livejournal.com]

It's a giant pain even with the cards. It takes a lot longer, even when you're doing it exactly right, to insert your card, and have it spit back out at you. It also takes the machine a bit of time to reset - the other day it wouldn't take my card for about 10 seconds after the guy in front of me's change had gone through. That means each individual person takes up 10-20 seconds to get on the bus, instead of the possible minimum of just a few when you swiped as you walked. If there are 15 people to get on a bus, that can easily be 2 or 3 minutes.

I've now seen many bus drivers just wave people with passes on, bypassing the idiotic machines altogether.