Years overdue and millions of dollars over budget, the MBTA has finally rolled out contactless payment on its bus network and select trolley lines.
On the first day the system went live, riders at Park Street station appeared confused about how to pay their fares and get through the gates for the Green Line. Some tried to swipe their Charlie Card against the new payment screens but were unsuccessful.
That’s the twist of the nearly $1 billion system: The payment screens don’t accept CharlieCards and daily or monthly passes, but it does take credit and debit cards, smartphones and watches.
Riders can tap their cards or devices against a screen at an entry gate or on the trolley itself.
CharlieCards and daily or monthly passes no longer need to be purchased and reloaded for boarding, with contactless payment bringing the beleaguered transportation network into the 21st century.
Traditional cash and non-tap card options remain available, and CharlieCard scanners haven’t gone anywhere – they’re just to the side of the new payment screens.
“Contactless payment is going to make it so much easier for everyone to use our system and that’s just part of it,” T General Manager Phillip Eng said Thursday morning outside Kenmore Station.
Eng made his remarks after taking the Green Line with Gov. Maura Healey, Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt and other officials from Park Street. Contactless payment is live on buses and Green Line and Mattapan Line trolleys.
The rollout marked a long time coming, with the advancement taking more time and money than officials initially anticipated.
Officials secured a $723.3-million contract with California-based Cubic Transportation Systems in 2017 for the upgrade, aimed at replacing the CharlieCard system.
The initial contract was amended due to technological glitches and other issues, pushing implementation from 2021 to this year with an expected cost of roughly $935.4 million.
“It’s about making it easier,” Healey said. “You don’t have to hunt for change anymore so it’s a really, really good thing.”
The system will expand to the Commuter Rail in the spring of 2026 and include the state’s new low-income rider program. The CharlieCard is also due for an update by 2025 when a mobile app is set to launch.
Officials are urging riders to be “mindful” of the tappable fare readers near the vehicles’ doors as any bumps into the devices could result in charges on their credit or debit cards.
The agency is hiring 16 engagement officers who will interact with riders on how to use the system. After coming on board, they will write tickets for riders who have not paid, with citations ranging from a written warning to $100 for five or more violations within three years.
With the automated payment system, the MBTA has caught up with major transit agencies nationwide including those in New York, Denver, Chicago, Baltimore and San Francisco.
“I thought it was great,” Green Line rider Joe Neari said after using the system for the first time and briefly speaking with Healey and Eng. “It’s good to move it forward as technology keeps things moving.”
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