Don't swipe some CharlieTickets

Eric of Newton bought a 10-ride express bus pass for $20 at one of the new CharlieTicket machines at South Station.

``I tried to use it today for the first time and the reader on the 502 bus said it was invalid," he wrote. ``The driver was kind enough to let me on, and when I got to Back Bay station, a T customer service representative told me he's heard of problems with this type of pass from others. When he put it in the machine, it said there was no value left.

``I'm pretty sure this is not affecting only my pass, and I know there have been problems with CharlieTickets. Any suggestions?"

The main suggestion is don't ``swipe" your 10-ride express bus ticket, or a 12-ride commuter rail ticket.

Though both tickets have magnetic strips and look like a CharlieTicket if purchased from a vending machine, the ``mag strip" is useless on both tickets. Instead, on the back of the tickets there should be 10 or 12 squares for bus drivers or conductors to punch, not swipe. It's a mix of new and old technology, and it even had T officials fooled.

``The mag strip is superfluous," said MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo. ``It's just there because that's how all the CharlieTickets look on the front."

The problem may not be around for long. As currently drafted, the proposed fare increase and subsequent changes, which could take effect in January, will no longer offer 10-ride tickets for express buses. ``If you are a regular user of an express bus, it would behoove you to purchase a monthly pass which offers a discount with the CharlieCard," Pesaturo said. The tickets are being eliminated because the T considers them anomalies. No other bus route offers a discount similar to the 10-ride tickets, and the T is getting rid of them to even the playing field, we guess. The 12-ride commuter rail tickets will remain around.

The T is re-instructing its operators about the punch tickets. Riders are advised to stop swiping the cards -- just show them to you driver or conductor.

Woe is us come Tuesday. Or at least that's what state transportation officials want you to think as you turn the key and head into what is expected to be a post-Labor Day traffic nightmare.

In the end, no one truly knows what is going to happen. You should know that state officials are predicting the worst to hopefully lure people to use public transit instead of their cars. But we'll see.

Experts say that leaving earlier or later for work by as little as 30 minutes can help make a difference on the roads. There are also the ferries, running more peak hour trips, and the T, which is adding cars to the Orange and Blue lines and will add runs to the Green and Red if there is overcrowding.

Finally, remember July 2004, with all the hue and cry about traffic congestion around the Democratic National Convention. This columnist ended up wearing Lycra and biking to Medford, where I waited by the last exit before town for a jam that never came.

Tomorrow is Labor Day, and the T wants to help you not work.

All subway trains, trolleys, buses, and commuter rail will run on a Sunday schedule.

The Long Wharf to Charlestown Navy Yard water shuttle will run on a Sunday schedule.

The Quincy commuter boat to Long Wharf and Logan Airport will run on a Sunday schedule.

The Hingham and Hull commuter boats will not run.

The RIDE will run on a Sunday schedule.

Today, commuter boat service from Quincy to Long Wharf and Logan will operate on a Saturday schedule.

Remember that starting this weekend and running until December, the E branch of the Green Line will terminate service at Brigham Circle, with buses shuttling passengers to Heath. It's all to complete much-needed track work on Huntington Avenue as part of a $2.3 million project. The Route 39 bus will add trips to handle the increase in passengers. One benefit is expected to be shorter times between trains from Brigham to Lechmere. . . . To accommodate the DMSE Challenge Triathlon being held this morning in Boston, several downtown and Charlestown streets will close to traffic. The race kicks off at the World Trade Center on the South Boston Waterfront. Seaport Boulevard, Atlantic Avenue, Commercial Street, Causeway Street, North Washington Street, Rutherford Avenue, Austin Street, the Gilmore Bridge, Memorial Drive, and the BU Bridge are along the route. No parking will be allowed on portions of Atlantic Avenue and Seaport Boulevard. Drivers with questions or comments are urged to call the Boston Transportation Department Hotline at 617-635-4-BTD.

The Bourne Bridge over the Cape Cod Canal will start getting a paint job on Wednesday, requiring lane closures.

From Sept. 6 to Oct. 6, lanes will close between 10:30 a.m. and 4:40 p.m. on Mondays; 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; and 8 a.m. to noon on Fridays.

Starting Oct. 10, lanes will close from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., seven days a week.

There will be one lane open in each direction. Depending on the work, a second lane could be open in either direction. No wide loads will be permitted over the bridge during lane closures.

One lane in the Ted Williams Tunnel westbound will close for testing and inspection work 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., Tuesday through Saturday morning.

One lane of the Pike west around Logan Airport will close all hours Wednesday and Thursday.

The Congress Street onramp to I-93 south and the Pike west will close 11:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. Thursday through Saturday morning.

The Sumner Tunnel onramp to Storrow Drive will close 11:59 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday through Friday morning and 1 a.m. to 7 a.m. Saturday. Sumner Tunnel access to Haymarket will remain open.

One lane of the Sumner Tunnel will close 11:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday through Friday morning and 11:30 p.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday.

Exit 20B (Pike west/Albany St.) off I-93 south will close 11:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. Thursday through Saturday morning.

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

The Storrow Drive onramp to I-93 south will close 11:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. Thursday through Saturday morning.

The Essex Street onramp to I-93 south will close 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday morning.

The ramps from the Tobin Bridge and Rutherford Avenue/City Square to I-93 south and Storrow Drive will close 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday morning.

Exit 23 (Purchase St.) off I-93 south will close 11:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. Thursday through Saturday morning.

The Herald Street onramp to I-93 south will close 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Thursday through Saturday morning.

Two lanes of I-93 north through downtown and Charlestown will close 11:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday morning.

The Essex Street onramp to I-93 north will close 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday morning.

Exit 26 (Storrow Drive) off I-93 north will close 11:59 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday through Friday morning and 1 a.m. to 7 a.m. Saturday.

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