MBTA glitch has riders feeling robbed

The MBTA's Charlie is ripping you off, sort of.

Mike of Winthrop explains about a glitch he found in the T's new automated fare collection system:

``Since I took a ride on the Silver Line (90 cents) I had an extra 35 cents on my CharlieTicket. No problem! I simply went to the machine and was relieved to see that there is an `add value' function which would let me add 90 cents so that I could take the T for $1.25," he wrote.

You know what's coming next.

``Every time I tried to add 90 cents, the machine rejected my card with the notice `Card Value does not have minimum of $1.25,' which means that `add value' does not work on any left over change below $1.25.

``Please have the MBTA write me a check for the money owed -- since it is lost to me -- 35 cents down the drain. I never would have used my card on the Silver Line!"

We thought this sounded fishy so we did our own little expensive experiment. Down to JFK/UMass we walked, up to a CharlieTicket vending machine, where we used the ``other amount" button to purchase a ticket for $1.60 to cover bus and subway fare.

We walked through the turnstile, turned around, walked back out the turnstile, stuck our ticket back into the vending machine and checked the amount on it, which was 35 cents.

And lo and behold, when we tried to add 90 cents in value to boost it back to $1.25, Mike was right. The machine would accept nothing lower than $1.25.

And there it sits in our wallet, 35 unusable cents.

(By the way, since there were no change machines around, we're also walking around with a hernia-inducing heap of dollar coins in our pocket.)

We talked to MBTA General Manager Daniel Grabauskas late Friday, who pledged that if the problem is a software glitch, it will be fixed.

``If it's an additional software programming change, and that's what our customers want, then that's what they'll get."

Toni of Belmont this week informed us of a strange quirk on the commuter rail ride from North Station to South Acton, a phenomenon known to the jaded riders as the ``leaning train."

``At Belmont, the trains tilt at such a precipitous angle that the conductors can barely open the doors," she wrote. ``Among the passengers, who have a fairly black sense of humor about the trains in general (`Don't touch the window, it might fall off'), there's a feeling that if it leans any further it will capsize (`Hey, reckon if we all go to that side of the train we can tip it over?'). Anyway, may be grist for your mill."

MBTA spokeswoman Lydia Rivera said there's a purpose behind that lean, which occurs during a curve in the track. In fact, there is between 5.5 inches and 6 inches of elevation between the two tracks, 5.5 to 6 inches of what train people call ``super elevation." The curve is necessary to keep passengers comfortable when the train goes around it at high speed. We're assuming here that the train isn't moving too fast nowadays if the lean is so noticed.

But Rivera said there is no safety threat, with the tracks inspected twice a week.

We heard from numerous folks over the last week complaining about the closure of the car pool or high-occupancy vehicle lane from South Station to Interstate 93 south. It was closed July 10 after the tunnel collapse and had been closed since because of safety concerns. The ramps connect with the HOV lane leading into the Turnpike connector tunnel, which is currently being inspected/engineered/we're not sure, and officials were concerned an errant driver from South Station would take a very wrong turn.

But the blocking of the lane has caused problems, especially for bus companies and passengers, whose rides must again head slowly into traffic on Kneeland Street and Atlantic Avenue and wend their way to the interstate.

One bus driver who asked not to have his name used said passengers were upset because of the route busses now had to take from South Station, a slow crawl along Kneeland to Albany Street. He also said customers wondered whether there's a problem with the ramp.

``I understand that they need to block access to the 90 tunnel from those lanes, but couldn't they just block at the entrances to 90 and leave the lane open for buses to get to and from South Station?" asked Charles of East Sandwich.

Lo and behold, no sooner did we call the Big Dig on Friday than the South Station HOV lane to I-93 south reopened. We had nothing to do with it. They were going to reopen it anyway after boosting the signage. The HOV lane connects Kneeland Street and the South Station Connector to I-93 south. Have fun.

Two lanes of I-93 north, from the tunnel entrance to the Atlantic Avenue onramp, will continue to close 11:30 p.m. to 5 a.m.

One lane and occasionally a second lane of Atlantic Avenue at Seaport Boulevard closed at 11 p.m. Friday and will reopen 5 a.m. tomorrow.

The tunnel under Leverett Circle that takes vehicles from I-93's Storrow Drive exits to Storrow Drive will close 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. tomorrow through Saturday . Access to Nashua Street and Leverett Circle will remain open.

Two lanes of I-93 south approaching and through downtown will close 11:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. tomorrow through Saturday .

The Albany Street onramp to the Pike west will close 11 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Saturday.

One lane of Albany Street between Kneeland and Herald streets will close 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.

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