All eyes are on the MBTA as they work toward instituting a “Tap to Ride” system, beginning August 1.
Literally.
Recently, the public has spotted Green Line and Commuter Rail trains staring them down as they pull into the station, daring them to slip past their conductors and avoid payment.
Other lines have different methods of intimidating customers, such as the Orange Line catching on fire or the Red Line being a shuttle bus reminiscent of school buses.
But with “Tap to Ride,” all of this will change. The MBTA will no longer have to scrounge desperately for funds, having their workers standing guard over trains after a Red Sox game.
Unsuspecting passengers (a.k.a tourists who say they are from Boston, but are actually from Western Massachusetts) will be paying for our future rides as they hold their backpacks and luggage directly next to scanners. These “accidental” multiple scans are truly Boston’s newest economic boost.
Despite what the public may say, Boston is not behind on the times. They have been diligently watching and taking notes from their competitor train lines, like Washington D.C. or New York’s, who have had this system in place for years. That way, when this new system goes up, it doesn’t go down in flames.
Whether this “Tap to Ride” begins August 1 of this year or in a decade (which is more likely), it is a step forward for the ever-evolving MBTA (at least according to train closures for “construction”).
Until then, the MBTA is watching!
