The MBTA has soft-launched its application process for its new low-income fare program, which will offer half-priced fares to income-eligible households starting later this year.
The new reduced-fare CharlieCard will offer half-priced rides on most MBTA services – including all The RIDE paratransit services – for riders who are enrolled in one of the following public assistance programs:
- Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled & Children (EAEDC)
- MASSGrant
- MassHealth CarePlus
- MassHealth Family Assistance
- MassHealth Limited
- MassHealth Standard
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Transitional Assistance for Families and Dependent Children (TAFDC)
Applicants also need to be Massachusetts residents, have a government-issued ID, and be between the ages of 18 and 64 (riders under 18 and over 64 may be eligible for the existing Youth Pass or the Senior CharlieCard, which offer similar discounts).
To apply, applicants need to do two things:
- Sign up for a MyCharlie online account or, if you already have one, log in to your existing account. The MyCharlie website lets riders register and manage their CharlieCards.
- Once logged in to the MyCharlie website, choose the "Reduced Fares" option in the top menu bar, then click on the "Income-eligible" option. You can choose to verify automatically with a Massachusetts ID card, or manually upload photos of your ID along with some form of proof of enrollment in one of the state assistance programs listed above.
Once approved, applicants can expect to receive a new reduced-fare CharlieCard in the mail within a week or so.
