Good deeds on the go rewarded

T riders stepped aside and let passengers get on trains before boarding. Others gave up their seats. And some even looked out for fellow riders in trouble.

A teenage boy climbing aboard a bus at Ashmont Station backed up so several senior citizens could get on first. A few passengers lifted others' baby strollers up stairs or onto trains. A crowd parted to make way for a blind woman with a seeing-eye dog.

They were all acts of commuting courtesy, taken for granted in many cities as part of daily life. But in famously brusque Boston yesterday, such random acts of kindness were rewarded with a chit for a cup of coffee or doughnuts.

Just holding a door open brought a $2 Dunkin' Donuts gift card -- much to the surprise of Daniel Collins , 32, of Weymouth, who rides the Red Line to work.

``To be quite honest," he said, ``I would rather they put the money towards increasing efficiencies on the T. But it was a nice award."

More than 400 gift cards, donated by the chain, were handed out yesterday during the morning commute on bus, subway, and commuter rail lines . State Transportation Secretary John Cogliano said the Courtesy Counts campaign would continue periodically for the foreseeable future.

Many riders generally liked the idea, though some said they felt odd being compensated for doing something so commonplace.

Jessica Sasser , 24, who let departing passengers off a train before boarding, said she planned to give the gift card to someone else. ``Honestly? I don't drink coffee," said Sasser, an accountant who moved to Somerville last weekend from Connecticut.

Others griped, saying they'd rather get faster or more reliable service than a cup of joe.

``I don't know how long this will last," said Christopher Tiongson , 25, of Dorchester, a longtime T rider who received a gift card for holding the door for someone at Park Street Station's entrance on Boston Common. ``I can see this being a nice little campaign, but it's only a distraction from the lack of consistent, quality service."

Still, Tiongson allowed that the reward ``was a nice little surprise on a Tuesday morning."

Jim Monahan , the T's deputy division chief of bus operations, was dispensing the good will yesterday at Park Street, Ruggles, and Haymarket stations, and got off to a slow start. By 7:15 , more than two hours after he began searching for the courteous, Monahan had given out just two of his 20 gift cards.

About an hour later, however, he had just nine left. About 30 minutes later, he was down to five. By 9 , he was out. Four hours, and 20 acts of kindness.

``People accepted them with a smile," he said afterward. ``They were a little surprised, but then they accepted them with a smile."

It wasn't all courtesies. Monahan put himself between a female passenger and a homeless man who was shouting obscenities on an Orange Line train. Monahan quietly told the man to stop. As he talked, a young man turned to face the door and was about to write on the train's doors when his girl-friend swatted his arm and pointed to Monahan's safety vest. The pen went away.

The height of courtesy during Monahan's hours riding trains, standing on platforms, and touring stations occurred when customers stood aside as a woman with a service dog boarded a Green Line train, he said.

T employees also are being urged to be friendlier ambassadors for the system, an important part of the customer service effort by Daniel A. Grabauskas , general manager of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.

``Truth is, the words `thank you' mean a lot to our customers," reads one of several internal posters promoting the campaign.

``So use them generously, and be positive in your actions and outlook."

Globe correspondent Stephanie M. Peters contributed to this report. Mac Daniel can be reached at mdaniel@globe.com