So the MBTA (Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, for the non-Bostonites) has the nifty, semi-new CharlieCard. It’s just like NYC’s Metrocard, except better (because you don’t have to be in NYC to use it). I’ve used it in the past, and it is quite convenient, just tap the card and go. A good start. Today, I decided that I would take public transportation to the Seaport Hotel in Boston tomorrow morning. The MBTA site is pretty crappy. First off, it took me a very long time to determine the most efficient bus route there. Yes, I am pretty psyched that I (eventually) found a bus/silver line combo that gets me there in under an hour. But finding that combo was quite time consuming.
Now to the crux of my gripe: there is no way to add value to, or even check the balance of your Charliecard online. I can buy a Charliecard online, which they will ship to me. The only way to add value is to go to a station that has a machine that does it. That’s fine, since I’ll be at South Station tomorrow. But, I have no idea if the card will get me onto the bus tomorrow. Sure, I could use cash, but that’s SO 20th century.
Update: I’ll take my gripe factor down a coupla notches now. I’m gonna have to say that my bus experience today was quite pleasant. I was able to walk about four houses up the block and get on a bus that took me all the way to South Station. Then I had my first Silver Line experience. The Silver Line is essentially an underground, electric bus. Overall, it’s nothing special, just interesting and different. I wound up just walking back to South Station on the way back, since it was such a nice day.
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