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Charlie Card
Rating Details »
Category: Public Transportation [Edit]
Neighborhood: Back BayMBTA
10 Park Plaza, Suite 3910
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 222-3200
- Nearest Transit:
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Arlington (Green)
Boylston (Green, Silver)
Ne Medical Center (Orange, Silver)
47 reviews for Charlie Card
I must admit I was intimidated by the Charlie Card at first but now find it convenient to use. Whether or not it's more convenient than tokens is still up for debate.
But I do know one thing. We never saw tokens littering the ground at all the commuter rail stops. Blankets of Charlie Cards literally covering the ground.
But I guess that's more of a stupid people thing than a stupid MBTA thing.
Minus 1 star for not being able to buy a year long Charlie Card pass. Now that would rock!
But no worries. I still like you very much, Charlie. You let me purchase month to month online, and I don't even have to take you out of my wallet for you to scan! You a wondrous little piece of plastic!
Yay for Charlie!
Unlimited passes are crazy inexpensive when you consider regular fare.
Get out your calculators, kids!
Let's say you take one round-trip a day on the T (and most Bostonians probably do at least this).
With regular fare, this costs $2/each way, so $4/trip, times 30 days in a month. So it's $120/mo and you're restricted to ONLY those trips.
Orrrrrrr you could spend $59 on an unlimited pass. (OOOOOOO! AHHHHHHH!)
But, oh no, you're only gonna be around for two weeks one month and you don't want to spend all of that money. Surely a weekly pass has a jacked-up price to punish you for not buying a whole month.
UH-UH! $15/wk, baby!!!
Siiiigh. So nice. (nuzzles Charlie Card)
If I could, I would give the MBTA and Charlie Cards a zero. I've been charged for 3 transfers completed within 45 min in the past two weeks and I paid for a monthly pass online that I never got.
The story is below, but first I'd like to dispute Shelly A.'s logic on prices for the pass:
- Most people with monthly passes have a Charlie Card, which means the cost of the T is $1.70 each way (bus is $1.25), not $2.
- You have to ride the subway 35 times (or the bus 48 times) before the pass starts being a better deal.
- Most people who buy passes are using them to commute during the work week and there are between 20 and 23 work days per month without vacation or holidays.
- Someone who works weekdays next month (Nov) and gets the three holidays would only work 18 days, so should not buy the pass if they are going to take any additional vacation or use alternative transportation one day.
- The pass isn't a great deal and doesn't always save you money.
Here's my experience in the last month: A few days before the beginning of the month, I bought a monthly pass and subsequently tapped a fare machine, as instructed, at a T-station. Despite repeating the tapping about a dozen times over two weeks, the pass was never added.
In the meantime, in addition to not being able to use the pass that I had already paid for, I had to pay fares every time I rode the bus and T. To make matters worse, I was charged for bus to bus transfers completed well within the allotted time.
I spent 3+ hrs on the phone with various MBTA and Charlie Card people trying to get the pass added to my card. They said they would call me, they never did or they would call at a completely different time than that which we agreed to. They said they would look further into the matter, they never did. Or they just lied to me.
Plus they kept telling me that I would just have to suck it up and pay each time I rode the bus/T or buy another pass. Buy another pass?!? 'Cause it worked so well before?!? And I would have to pay again before being refunded for the last one!?!?
I finally got my money back a week and a half later, not because they were doing anything in the 3+ hrs I spent on the phone with them, but because I sent the credit card company after them. After all, a business shouldn't charge you for services/items they never give you. The MBTA should only charge you once the money or pass is uploaded to your card. They are able to see online if a pass is on your card, so it is perfectly reasonable to expect them to wait to people until the added value or passes are actually received.
And I'm not the only one having problems with this, see Trish's review:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Oh, and the charge for the transfers, they "refunded" me in the most inconvenient way: with additional charlie cards. What use is another card to me?!? I specifically said I didn't want another card. They could a) put the funds back on my current registered card, b) send me a check, c) refund the charge to the credit card they have on file for me, d) any other way besides sending me a useless card. They were supposed to document that sending me another Charlie card wouldn't be helpful but almost any other way would be quite acceptable. But that was either not documented or ignored by the accounting department.
My fiancee's name is also Charlie. Fortunately for me, he looks nothing like the little mafia dude on the cards.
I've never experienced a single tech issue using my card since I first picked one up a couple years back. It's super convenient: simply whip that puppy out, smack such against the sensor and you're on your way. Refilling via cash or credit/debit is a cinch either in person or online and the 30-cent discount over the paper pass really adds up during my stays. Love it!
Also fortunately for me, the Charlie on the card is made of plastic eliminating the fear of violent repercussions for all the smacking.
What?
People are reviewing their CHARLIE CARDS ON HERE!?
OK Yelp has officially jumped the shark.
Let me tell you about these nail clippers I got a CVS - that's MUCH more interesting!!!!
Come ON! Reviewing a public transit pass?
I use a charlie card. Yay. I should give them fewer stars for the fact that you CAN steal somebody's code. Nothing is 100% safe with this wireless technology. Not your home network, your email - nothing. They have had their share of fiascos implementing this system. And when people STILL are able to get into the subway without paying - that's a big FAIL right there.
Charlie and I were great friends during my one week long trip in Boston. $15 for a seven day unlimited subway and bus pass??!!! Great deal! Even if are on a 3-4 day trip, you should still get this card, so you don't have to deal with the hassle of refilling the card when you are short on fare. You get your money's worth after 6 uses anyways.
However, because I can be lame, I misplaced my Charlie Card twice. I still thought it was a great value despite paying $45 total. The transportation system in Boston was great and had no problem getting around town.
If you are visiting, get your Charlie Card and don't drive! Walking and taking the subway is a great way to check out the city of Boston.
$15 gets you 7 days of unlimited travel on the T. Hello, Washington DC Metro! Did you hear that? $15 on the DC Metro barely gets you a round trip from New Carrolton to Metro Center.
Bravo MBTA!
I love Charlie. And he loves me.
I know this because he lets me onto any train or bus I want with just a tap of my card. And it's easy to refill the card at most T stations (but definitely not at most of the street level ones). They are hard to find, but I know Tedeschi's stocks them, along with a few other places.
It is one of the things that I will miss about Boston when I leave. Not that anything is wrong with the MetroCard, but come on. It's not Charlie.
The MBTA has what is referred to as a 'reverse Midas touch.' Everything this poorly run agency touches turns to shit.
First of all - this thing has been out since the end of 2006, but you can't find one to save your life. Occasionally during tourist season there will be a stack above a fare box, but for something that the MBTA is constantly pushing, they need to be made more available to those who need them.
The MBTA promises that online account management, registration, and auto-reload features are 'coming soon.' They have been saying this since the cards came out, and almost 2 1/2 years later, they're nowhere in sight. The whole idea of having a plastic card is so that if you lose it or don't have immediate access to a fare box, you can manage your account online.
I ride the Inner Express bus to and from work every day. The MBTA is in the planning stage of integrating Charlies into the Inner Express monthly pass program. How much planning can this really require? The systems are all equipped to read Charlie cards - people use the stored value on it every day, so why can't I have my monthly pass on it?
Sure, the MBTA is the only game in town - they have a monopoly on public transportation, and as long as people continue to depend on them to get where they need to go, things will not change. The MBTA is in debt up to its eyeballs and the solution is to raise fares and decrease service. I'm happy to pay a little extra for better service - it's just too bad that will never happen.
My typical scenario:
MBTA ANNOUNCEMENT: "The next Orange Line train to Forrest Hills is now approaching"
MY FRIENDS: "We have such great timing!"
ME: "Just a sec, I have to put more money on my Charlie Card"
MY FRIENDS: "Are you kidding?! We're gonna miss the train."
CHARLIE CARD: "Not on my watch, Rachel S."
CHARLIE CARD, while still sitting in my wallet, manages to tap, swipe my credit card, and tap again... on its own!
ME: "Thanks, Charlie Card!"
CHARLIE CARD: "You're welcome!"
MBTA ANNOUCEMENT: "The next Orange Line train to Forrest Hills is now arriving"
ME and MY FRIENDS: "We did it! We made it on our train!"
EVERYONE ON TRAIN: "The Charlie Card is pretty good!"
The system's still flawed -- the billing aspect of it isn't as efficient as the MetroCard in NYC for example -- but use couldn't be easier. Systems like this are in place in most major cities around the world and I'm glad Boston has one now too.
Quite simply, if you can't figure out how to swipe this card in front of the reader, you fail at life. It's so freaking easy I can scarcely believe the MBTA got something like this so right for once.
See http://tr.im/1z79 for details.
Spoiler: public transportation + cool technology = win
You tap the card, you ride the train.
If you can't master this, I'll tap yo face and you can ride the PAIN TRAIN!
Srzly though, probably the ONE thing the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority hasn't f*cked up. But knowing them, I'll be disappointed shortly.
Charlie Card is awesome for all the reasons Yi-Hwa says but let me add three even better reasons...
1. If you are with friends they let you just pass your card back to them so you can pay for them too - most cities' systems hate on you for trying this.
2. The 'too-slow' gates for the cards make a hilarious 'urrg urgh urgh' sound really loudly when anyone fucks up. It's like the whole MBTA system is laughing and pointing at you. "You twat - you screwed up doing something really simple! hahaha!" I want this noise as my phone ringtone.
3. Charlie in the UK means cocaine. I can only imagine the silly giggles at the irony of cutting-up using the Charlie Card with that guy with a malformed nose on it (too many lines for him?)
I guess this isn't a very useful review.
Why does it appear to be so hard to run a public transportation system? For chrissakes- we have the oldest subway system in the country- we've had more time than anyone else to figure this out- and we suck at it. Big time.
And now, the newest disaster. The Charlie Card. In theory I like the idea of tap and go. It seems pretty quick. When normal people use it, it actually is quick. Unfortunately there seem to be more morons than normal people that ride the T these days.
But, the card itself is not the biggest beef I have. It's the double-chargin-trying-to-rip-me-off aspect that really ticks me off. The story: Today I get on the silverline like I do every morning. After I tap my card I'm notified I only have 15 cents left. I decide to get off at New England Medical center to add some money to the card than just take the subway into work. Cool beans.
So, I tap my card at the little kiosk. I slide my credit card and ask that 10 bucks be put on it. I have to tap my charlie card again to complete the transaction. No go. It won't read my card even after several "tapping" attempts. Alright. It says my transaction has been voided. I try again. This time it takes. Yeah! I have ten bucks! I go to the turnstile/saloon door and tap my card. BZZZZ!! Go see an agent. Screw that- they are about as helpful as a stick up my ass. I try again, and it goes through but it says I only have $8 on my card! WTF! I should have started out with $10.15- minus $1.70 means I have more than $8 left on my card. Now, if I want to squabble over the amount I'm owed I'm pretty sure I have to go the eighth level of hell. I don't think I should have to do that.
And, on top of all that- I just checked my checking account. Yep. They are charging me ten bucks twice. God. I love the MBTA.
I have never been to Boston before but I ended up staying with a friend for a few days.
She had to work so she told me to go and get a Charlie card and told me where to go. I was kind of nervous at first but I have to say this is a great public transit system.
You just tap the card and you get to ride the train! I never got lost and I had a few fun days on the public transit!
Only one good thing about the card- that you get on buses faster and can store value on it.
Everything else- I just want to scream!! Damn. When I went in at Symphony stop today, the card says that I have $2.50 left. So at the next stop when I got off, I decided to add $5, and it updated my card. But then when I used it to get through Arlington, the door buzz twice and wouldn't let me through. I tried a third time, I got through, but it says I have $4 left. WTF!!
And why are they waiting 'til Summer 07 to have an online management account of the Charlie Card when they are "debuting" this stupid card now?? Just frustrating.
Please note, this review is not for the T itself. If I were to write a review of the T system, well that's a whole different story. This is specifically for the Charlie Card itself. It's unfortunate that you can't punch a hole in the thing anywhere at all, since there is no specific magnetic strip like the old paper cards. But still, keeping it in a wallet/pocket isn't a big deal. The thing I like most about the Charlie Card is that it's like the Oyster Card in the UK, or at least the Boston version of it. Not as good, but it'll do.
According to Wiki, it's "named after a fictional character in a folk music song often called Charlie on the MTA, which concerns a man trapped forever on the Boston subway because he can't pay the fare required to exit." How cute to tie a story to it, but seriously it's pretty random that it's called the one name anyway. I mean, couldn't we have a more fun name like the Lobster Card or something?
I fortunately don't have to deal with the loading etc. since I get a discounted monthly-link deal through work, and they handle it, but it's just so convenient. I like tapping the same plastic card for any T line, bus, whatever, it's just so easy. And now, we don't need bored, snappy, grouchy MBTA staff slowly selling tokens from their booths to the long queues of old. Now, there's security guards instead, which is better since the required 'body' or manpower there actually has a safety-related purpose rather than just selling tokens, a job that was paid a shockingly high salary for what it was (as I read in the newspaper one day to my astonishment).
At first, I hated all the construction it required, but now I appreciate the tap-n-go stalls. They can be slow to react though, and it's handy that they're enter/exit at the same time, but when there aren't adequate stalls during rush hour in certain stations, it can get really annoying fighting for who's going in/out. I liked the quaint charm of the 'tokens', but I'm so glad I don't have to lug a bag of filthy coins around to get into the horrible old turnstiles anymore - welcome to the 21st century, MBTA.
I miss the tokens a bit, cause they were kinda cute, but I'm glad some parts of the T system are being updated.
Now if only a couple of the lines would catch up in modern-ness...
Byfar the best payment system among the public transportation systems in the United States. It's much easier than NYC, Chicago, or San Francisco's. But the incremental roll-out was awful forcing many commuters to carry both tokens and cards until the system was fully updated. Now two years in the system works very well with only a few minor problems. If only we could say the same thing about the actual transportation system.
It seems the biggest problem with the system are the people who insist on adding money to their cards or paying with cash when entering a bus or train. A simple simple solution is to have the driver simply tell them to wait until everyone else is on-board. They do this in many other places, why not here?
Not having the Charlie Card makes everything so complicated, but having the Charlie Card isn't much better. What i don't understand is why I can't use the paper one on the above ground green lines.... what's the point of getting a freakin card when you have to pay cash?!?!?!?!?!
it's not consistent at all.
Sure--I like that my new Charlie Card reloads itself every month.
What I don't understand? They release these in January--you need to "register" them in case you lose it. But oh wait, when will registration functionality on the MBTA website be available? March 07. I'd better be damned careful til the end of the month.
PS--how does having MBTA employees scanning cards on the outbound Bline platforms save me, the Boston commuter, money? Don't get me wrong--glad people have jobs, but seriously--how is this cost efficient? and those goddamned BU kids continue to sneak on the back anyway...
I like to put my charlie card in my pocket and just bump against the pad and walk through. It makes me feel so cool.. when it works. Usually I end up not reaching or tripping or bruising my hip.. but that's a different story. The point is that the charlie card makes my life so much easier in boston - sure it has a few flaws, but the city's still adjusting to the new system etc. At least it works most of the time! (does my optimism sound desperate or far fetched? i dont mean to sound like that, really i dont).
It's cheaper to ride with a charlie card, it's fairly easy to refill, you save trees, you save time, and you can keep it in your wallet/pocket/purse while you use it (which I think is awesome, but I'm easily entertained). Charlie is kind of freaky looking though.
Charlie is the man! While not a perfect system, having a card than can be quickly and easily reloaded is leaps and bounds better than a token or cash system. If you are running low, the kiosks to add money are super simple. Its also nice to get a discounted rate. When you ride a lot, every little bit of savings helps. After all, thats more money that you can spend at Finale!
The thing that I didn't like about the Charlie Card was that the amounts that you could easily put on the card were not multiples of the $1.70 per ride cost. I didn't want to put $20 on there and have to deal with a small remainder every time. It just made more sense for me to put $17 on for 10 rides so that everything was even. A little on the OCD side, but what can I say, I'm a bit of a freak sometimes. Now it has been brought to my attention that you can in fact avoid this problem by choosing the "other amount" option. I guess I was always in such a hurry that I never bothered to look. (Thanks for the note on that one)
While not a problem with the Charlie Card itself, I hate that people are always squeezing through the gates when you go to swipe your card. Just pay the stupid $2 for your ride or better yet, get a Charlie Card of your own and only pay $1.70 per ride. If you can't afford the $2, borrow, beg, or hoof it, but don't use my fare to cheat the system.
I've been majorly curious about the Charlie Card for a while now since I've been away from Boston the whole time it all started up. Maybe kind of a morbid curiousity, since I feel like I've only heard about how awful and dysfunctional it is, but anyway. Last week, I finally got to try it for myself when I was visiting for break, and actually thought it was pretty neat, using it on the red, green orange and silver lines. Never had a problem with it, in terms of miscalculated totals, adding value, unresponsive tapping, etc.
I still think $1.70 is way too much for a city this small, so me being the cheapo I am would still trade Charlie Card in for the old fares. However, (allow me my minute of lameness) my humble estimate overall: CHARLIE CARD. I'D TAP THAT (sorrrrry)
I took the 111 bus from Haymarket to chelsea (and back) for years for my commute to work. Don't know if you've ever stood at the bus platform at Haymarket Station, but it's like a freaking wind tunnel. So for 6 months out of the year you stand there freezing your. . .um. . .nose off waiting for a bus. Especially in the dead of winter when, for some reason, the bus that is supposed to run every 6 minutes during rush hour takes anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to arrive.
Under the old system, they would open the back doors to anyone who had passes and the other 25 people waiting to pile on would just shove their dollar into the slot on the coin collector at the front. Easy and efficient. A 5 minute loading time.
Now all 50 people have to load in at the front, and only half of them have the Charlie Card, so you wait for people to put their dollars in. . .and wait. . .and wait. . .Or, better yet, the people who are paying with coins. On the old collectors, you threw all of your coins into the basket and it would count them and you were off. Now you have to feed all 17 dimes in one. . .at. . .a. . .time.
It gets very frustrating when all want to do is get in to the warm bus to try to recirculate some of the blood to your extremities.
Great system for the people using the tap cards and only taking the subways from the underground stations. Not so great for the buses or the above ground green line T's which suffer the same fate.
Note: This is a review on the MBTA's adopted mascot of "Charlie" as well as the associated plastic/paper card/system.
I hate song "Charlie and the MBTA", by the Kingston Trio. In fact, I hope they suffer in a personalized hell of gates that consist of that annoying MBTA sound going "ANNGH ANNG ANNGH", instead of their "so-bland-its-offensive" pop folk music.
I have first hand information that the MBTA wanted to have a "Dancing Charlie" on the website from the people who built it. As if he can't be annoying enough.
I hate the fact that Boston has to make everything magical, mystical, and have some cute little story behind it.
"Oh no, it's not a transit pass, it's the CHARLIE CARD, because see, these guys wrote a song about a guy who was stuck on..." and then suddenly you get punched in the face.
I hate the fact that I have to stare at "Charlie" dressed up in a Red Sox Jacket at Park Street.
Charlie is the antithesis of a mascot. He's a graphic design turd who needs to be flushed, thought up by people who use the presets in power point, and heard that you may be able to download music on the internet.
Die Charlie, Die.
Oh yeah, the card? It's dumb, but what else are they going to do?
This thing is great. Mostly.
I love that I just have this card that never leaves my wallet, which magically recharges itself every month. No more having to worry that I just tossed out the new month's T pass instead of the old month's.
The only thing that I dislike about it, is that it has led to even worse mooching. I'm constantly seeing people lurking around behind me when I'm getting ready to go through, ready to blast and cheat the system. When I sense this ready to happen, I'll just stop in the middle and not let them through ... but apparently I'm the bad guy. Still, I'm taking a star off for that.
I'd deduct another star for the MBTA not cracking down like they claimed they would on these fare evaders (because really, fare evaders are stealing money from us the paying customers) - but that's not really the fault of Mr Charlie.
edit: Oh yeah, I forgot about its effect on busses. Loading up busses is even *slower* now because all of the stupid morons that can't figure out how to work the system. I figure this is the sort of thing that will get better with time, although it'd be nice if the MBTA put kiosks near larger bus stops.
I agree with mike B. - charlie card is a great idea. its nice that boston is catching up the the rest of the world in that sense. I just buy a link pass so I like that I can use it on the trains and the buses & I dont have to take it out of my wallet - just tap & go. that part is cool.
still, the T itself SUCKS. I hate it so much, after 6 months I had to go buy a car. there are so many reasons why the T is the worst system of public transit EVER, but everyone already knows.
When the refillable card came out, I was so excited to get one. T riding discounts and convenience! GREAT! Then I tried to acquire the card. Every T stop was out of them and the employees were annoyed when you asked for one. (Evidently, I was not the first rider to ask) This lasted for 2 months!
In the "Charlie Card Gods" defense, maybe they have since solved their little supply issue. I wouldn't know. I gave up trying. I would still love one, but until I get it, one star!
Yep, Somsa, I'm going to agree with you on all the plus points, but I'm taking away one star because my parents are having a hard time with it, and I think that the learning curve is a little bit steep for the slightly older set.
That said, my four year old has no trouble with it at all, so maybe they just should take her along whenever they use the T, which isn't very often, and she LOVES to ride the "T Train"!
Easy, fast and convenient, plus I receive you through my job at a very discounted rate. My only suggestion--if the monthly passes were a different color from the others, it would make boarding above ground street cars thru the back doors much easier! This way I could just wave you in the air for the conductor to see, instead of having to push my way to the front of a crowded train to pay my fare.
I don't think anyone can argue that those tokens were a pain in the ass. I think the Charlie Card is a much more efficient and effective system. No system however, is without its flaws.
The regular subway pass at $59 (as of 2008) is a pretty good deal if you use the T system everday. I use the bus and T, so for me it is a deal. Not a great deal, but a deal. I save maybe $10-15. If you are the person adding money to the card as you go along, that can be pretty annoying and a pain in the ass. Standing at those damn machines, can take forever cause inveitably there is one asshat that can't figure out how to use the machine and add money to their card. The machines I think are fairly easy to use. I do hate though how when they give you change it is in $1 gold coins. Nothing like having fifteen $1 coins in your pocket. For tourists, the ticket machine can be confusing (for tourists whom have never seen a subway system) and in the summer you may want to bash someone's head in that can't figure out how to use it.
Now the thing I can't stand are the people who can't for the life of them figure out how to use it.
The bus is the biggest killer. I HATE it when people need to add money to their card cause it takes FOREVER on the bus. They slow down the whole process. And I get a laugh out of people who can't figure how to tap their card or are just generally puzzled. This is the easiest system ever. Why is it so hard?
I have never had a problem with my Charlie Card. It has always worked and worked great. I get it automatically refilled so I never had to add money or ever worry about it. It is pretty easy. No major complaints here.
For tourists: if you plan on using the T a lot, just buy a paper card and put money on it. You too, will see how easy it is.
charlie card gets 5 stars; tap n go is a great idea.
mbta gets... no stars... for an average of 3 stars... no wait... 2 stars
the nightmare 1st post/review makes me wanna check my statements twice; quite scary.
the boston subway system has always been a night mare. always too crowded trains during rush hour and not having service after 1pm sucks.
is being an asshole a prerequisite for being a bus driver?
they should have a line that circles the city and when the fuck isthe green line ever going to get out to inman square?!?!
So I usually take the bus everyday, unless it's nice and then I walk, which it hasn't been lately due to the awful weather. The Charlie Card rules if everyone has one, and if not everyone does, it slows the whole process down and it's painful! PAINFUL! You're stuck behind someone who is bitching about the cards and dropping nickels in the coin slot and they just don't move. It's highly frusterating. If everyone has a card, it's smooth sailing and fast and easy. Getting in to an actual T station is much quicker, and once everyone gets on board, it will be great. If you don't have a card, particularly if you use the bus system at all, get a card......if you don't, I will be the one behind you shaking my head and mentally cursing you.
very annoying machines, i tried to update my card this morning after waiting several minutes in line behind a girl who insisted on buying a $4.00 ticket paying only in dimes and a spanish guy who couldn't figure out the machine in english or spanish, i just wanted to leave $2 on the gate and jump over it
Unlike all these others...i like the charlie card. you just tap it and you're done. and you can store money on it. I don't ride the t much, since i drive out of the city almost every day...but other than that, i haven't had a problem. it reminds me of the oyster cards in london.
The first Issue is math. When I put bucks on it and ride a few times I notice the amount left nearly every time IS LESS THAN IT SHOULD BE BECAUSE THESE FUCKS ARE STEALING MY MONEY.
The same thing the globe reported with fastlane transponders is happening with Charlie and I don't believe it is a computer glitch.
The second thing is PEOPLE ARE STUPID. Many of them really really are. Maybe I am jaded but when I am stuck behind some fat ass housewife or non-English speaking techno-phobe who just can't figure out how to put money on a card I want to scream like Rambo before he opened fire with his semi in that movie of the same name.
It takes longer to put money on it than it should. There is never a T employee there to help and if there is, here comes more caps, THEY ARE THE WORST. I really believe they make being a high school dropout a pre-requisite for working the MBTA. They all sound like they went to the Charlestown school of liguistics, they all seem really short tempered and put out with helping people and in conclusion, they basically suck. And as an aside to you T-employees at Wonderland I know you have my new Timberlands that I left on the train and I want them back.
The charlie card really doesn't make things more convenient, it does steal my money and does point out constantly how stupid commuters are. It does make me grateful that these people are on the train and not out on the roads where they would be causing pile ups and death everywhere. I am suprised no one has come up with a way to scam the system and add money to the card artificially. If you know someone who can let me know. I love beating the system because the system SUCKS. I will rail on the Blue Line next time. I need a nap.
At 59 bucks a month for unlimited rides on T and the buses, I think this is the most effective way of commuting in Boston. Absolutely love the RFID on the card, don't even need to take it out of your wallet, just tap the wallet on the reader and go. Plus with gas prices setting records and expensive parking in the Beantown, this is the most economical way of going about town. No insurance, no fill 'er ups, no parking tickets and no crazy drivers, get where you want on time.
