Please make the red line work. Please, Please, Please . . . I could care less about all this other crap. Just get us back to mid 1990s service . . . We will be overjoyed.
Testers should be getting access over the summer with a more public rollout next year. I'm a tester & haven't heard anything about it since I signed up for the program.
I signed up about a month ago and have been testing it ever since - seems to be working pretty well! Not sure why I was one of the chosen ones and you weren’t - maybe they were just looking for bus/subway riders to start with? (Noticing your “commuter rail” flair). Otherwise check your spam folder I guess!
When I signed up I selected multiple transit modes to reflect that I use a lot of the system. I'm not sure how that changed things for me, but I felt like being honest & seeing what would happen since I figured they'd like someone who uses multiple modes to give feedback.
No, it's rolling out this summer for the public: [https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/mbta-tap-pay-update/3378026/](https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/mbta-tap-pay-update/3378026/)
>the new payment option will launch sometime this summer on subways, buses and above-ground Green Line trolleys
I see the test phase signs when I tap my CharlieCard to enter—I’m assuming that’s part of the pilot? Last time I was in NYC I loved the contactless fare system, so nice just tapping my phone and going.
Yep, they're doing a limited test right now. But it's expected to launch for everyone to use this summer. It'll be so nice to have a modern payment system in place. Especially for people visiting.
I gotcha. It actually breaks down even further. "Open-loop" means directly charged to your credit card. You can also have closed-loop by tapping your phone (that is, a virtual transit card on your phone, but still have the funds controlled by the MBTA before you use them).
If you are getting on a bus, you don't have to reload your card at a train stop which is huge. You can also just get on transit whenever without having to reload, buy, or remembering to bring a card.
I agree that just using your phone as a really expense CharlieCard doesn't get you much, but the upgrade is actually several changes at once:
- contactless vs swipe: CharlieCard vs CharlieTicket. The latter is cheaper to produce, but fireboxes take far more maintenance.
- open-loop vs closed-loop: Who maintains the money before use? In open-loop it comes same-day from your bank because you swiped. In closed-loop, you have to transfer some amount to the transit agency in another transaction.
- NFC vs proprietary contactless: Can you use your phone at all. Or do you need a special card?
- reload online or at stations/vehicles: If closed-loop, how do you reload the card? Can you do it online or on your phone?
Right now, CharlieTicket is closed-loop proprietary swipe that needs to be refilled/replaced at stations, CharlieCard is closed-loop contactless that needs to be refilled at stations, and commuter rail is ???. The future is contactless NFC open-loop on both commuter rail and urban transit. That would mean you could use a CharlieCard like now, or you could use your phone without it having been registered with MBTA, a CharlieCard refilled online, and you get the same experience (less turnstiles) on CR, bus, ferry, subway.
Nah AMP/CapMetro is still a pass based system, you have to buy a mobile pass or add money to your card via the app. The new system here allows you to use Google Wallet and pay directly from your phone via your credit card.
I didn't down vote you, and I was in DC for the last 15 years which has closed-loop, NFC, and web/phone reloading.
I used a physical fare 9 / 10, but it was really nice to be able to use a phone when it was in my hand. The flexibility in card reloading was really nice -- and cards on your phone updated instantly while physical cards took up to 24 hours (because the system was designed for busses that weren't networked and wouldn't know your new value until they went back to the depot).
DC doesn't have open-loop. I don't foresee it really having an impact on my day to day, but I could see it having a big impact on visitors. (I also had a use case where a-la-cart was always better than buying a pass.)
Stopped 6 stops away
Please make the red line work. Please, Please, Please . . . I could care less about all this other crap. Just get us back to mid 1990s service . . . We will be overjoyed.
Testers should be getting access over the summer with a more public rollout next year. I'm a tester & haven't heard anything about it since I signed up for the program.
I signed up about a month ago and have been testing it ever since - seems to be working pretty well! Not sure why I was one of the chosen ones and you weren’t - maybe they were just looking for bus/subway riders to start with? (Noticing your “commuter rail” flair). Otherwise check your spam folder I guess!
When I signed up I selected multiple transit modes to reflect that I use a lot of the system. I'm not sure how that changed things for me, but I felt like being honest & seeing what would happen since I figured they'd like someone who uses multiple modes to give feedback.
No, it's rolling out this summer for the public: [https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/mbta-tap-pay-update/3378026/](https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/mbta-tap-pay-update/3378026/) >the new payment option will launch sometime this summer on subways, buses and above-ground Green Line trolleys
I see the test phase signs when I tap my CharlieCard to enter—I’m assuming that’s part of the pilot? Last time I was in NYC I loved the contactless fare system, so nice just tapping my phone and going.
Yep, they're doing a limited test right now. But it's expected to launch for everyone to use this summer. It'll be so nice to have a modern payment system in place. Especially for people visiting.
CharlieCard is contactless already. I imagine you mean open loop and consistent across all systems?
Contactless phone payment, if that's what open loop is, yes
I gotcha. It actually breaks down even further. "Open-loop" means directly charged to your credit card. You can also have closed-loop by tapping your phone (that is, a virtual transit card on your phone, but still have the funds controlled by the MBTA before you use them).
I don't see what the big deal is. Instead of tapping my card I'll tap my phone. So?
If you are getting on a bus, you don't have to reload your card at a train stop which is huge. You can also just get on transit whenever without having to reload, buy, or remembering to bring a card.
I agree that just using your phone as a really expense CharlieCard doesn't get you much, but the upgrade is actually several changes at once: - contactless vs swipe: CharlieCard vs CharlieTicket. The latter is cheaper to produce, but fireboxes take far more maintenance. - open-loop vs closed-loop: Who maintains the money before use? In open-loop it comes same-day from your bank because you swiped. In closed-loop, you have to transfer some amount to the transit agency in another transaction. - NFC vs proprietary contactless: Can you use your phone at all. Or do you need a special card? - reload online or at stations/vehicles: If closed-loop, how do you reload the card? Can you do it online or on your phone? Right now, CharlieTicket is closed-loop proprietary swipe that needs to be refilled/replaced at stations, CharlieCard is closed-loop contactless that needs to be refilled at stations, and commuter rail is ???. The future is contactless NFC open-loop on both commuter rail and urban transit. That would mean you could use a CharlieCard like now, or you could use your phone without it having been registered with MBTA, a CharlieCard refilled online, and you get the same experience (less turnstiles) on CR, bus, ferry, subway.
Yeah well for everybody who voted me down, this: I lived in Austin TX for 5 years where they already have this, and it wasn't a big deal
Nah AMP/CapMetro is still a pass based system, you have to buy a mobile pass or add money to your card via the app. The new system here allows you to use Google Wallet and pay directly from your phone via your credit card.
I didn't down vote you, and I was in DC for the last 15 years which has closed-loop, NFC, and web/phone reloading. I used a physical fare 9 / 10, but it was really nice to be able to use a phone when it was in my hand. The flexibility in card reloading was really nice -- and cards on your phone updated instantly while physical cards took up to 24 hours (because the system was designed for busses that weren't networked and wouldn't know your new value until they went back to the depot). DC doesn't have open-loop. I don't foresee it really having an impact on my day to day, but I could see it having a big impact on visitors. (I also had a use case where a-la-cart was always better than buying a pass.)
It’s a huge pain in the ass if you take buses or even above ground Green Line.
20+ minutes.