You Could Be An ‘Early Adopter’ for the T’s New Tap-to-Pay Fare Readers – Here’s How
The MBTA is recruiting “early adopters” who can help it soft-launch its new contactless card readers on buses and subways before the system has its official launch on August 1st.
To participate, the T is inviting riders to fill out an online questionnaire, then come to an in-person outreach event to register their credit or debit card or other contactless payment device.
“We’re looking for volunteers to be part of this field test,” according to the preamble to the online questionnaire. “As a field test participant, you’ll be one of the first to get a new Charlie Card, and your feedback will help ensure that the system works for you and your fellow riders.”
MBTA staff have already hosted four events to register early adopters at various subway stations throughout the system, and they’ll host two more next week:
- Tuesday, July 23rd at North Station, 4 pm to 6:30 pm
- Wednesday, July 24th at South Station, 4 pm to 6:30 pm
Any card with a 
symbol should be capable of paying fares with the new system, after registration. The new readers will also work with Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay.
Daniel Cai, a Boston college student, took the online questionnaire earlier this month and enrolled in the early adopter program at an event at Forest Hills station last week.
“On the way back from the enrollment at Forest Hills, I tapped my credit card, and it worked just as a stored-value Charlie Card would,” Cai told StreetsblogMASS.
Cai also said that he’s been able to use the new charlie.mbta.com website to track his account activity and confirm that he didn’t get double-charged when he transferred from a bus to the subway.
“It’s pretty useful, and once the full system gets rolled out, and once it gets rolled out to commuter rail, I think it’ll be even better,” said Cai.
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