The CharmCard is Here...Almost

(image credit, www.mtamaryland.com)

Baltimore's smart card has a name, the CharmCard!

Riders can sign up to participate in a 60-day field test of the CharmCard on the Metro Subway between October 1st and November 30th to test the new system. Eventually riders can use this on the Light Rail and the Bus in Baltimore, as well as the WMATA system in DC.

This is a long time coming, but it is finally here! Riders will be able to load cash value onto the card or passes; day, weekly, monthly. Enabling for a smoother and quicker fare paying process.

Having thought about this for a while, there are a few issues that I am wondering how the CharmCard will address.

- How will this work on the Light Rail? There aren't fare gates at the stations, and the Light Rail works as a proof-of-payment system. Will the fare inspectors carry portable card readers? Maybe they could add card readers onto the trains so that CharmCard uses can tap-in and tap-out when they get on and off.

- Will this eventually be able to work on the MARC? If the solution to issue #1 is portable card readers, then maybe it will one day.

- If you can have cash value on the card, and you ride the subway multiple times in a day, will CharmCard keep charging you $1.60 every ride, thus racking up the fares, or will it register you as if you had a Day Pass and just charge you $3.50?

-Follow up to Issue #3. If you have both cash and day passes on your card, will it know the difference? i.e. will it only charge you $1.60 if you do a single trip. If so, I guess that answers the previous issue.

- Will the Ticket Vending Machines ever be debit/credit card friendly? CharmCard can take up to $200, but you don't see me carrying around that much money in Baltimore.

- Will the CharmCard be able to be reloaded or bought on mtamaryland.com in the future? This will save riders even more time, so they can load up before they even leave their house.

We'll see how this works. This is a true positive for Baltimore public transit. I'm guessing after the 60-day field test there will be a review period for sometime, probably with a full release sometime in early 2010.

Comments

  1. UnknownAugust 26, 2009 at 11:30 AM

    You asked some valid questions. The smartip card that's in the tri-state can be used on the metro now, that's what use. I have a disablity card and when i get on the bus I'm charged 55 cents and when i get on another bus I'm charged 65 cents and information has been embeded into the chip to convert into a day pass. The same happens when you get on the subway. If you try hitting the pass more than once on the bus if the driver didn't see you, it will say passback letting the driver know you tapped the farebox. As far as the lightrail and possibly marc train I been wondering about that myself but haven't heard anything about it yet.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousAugust 29, 2009 at 12:29 PM

    I've noticed that many buses in Baltimore have broken or jammed ticket machines.
    When I get on the bus the driver is just waiving everyone on.

    I ride the bus to and from work downtown every day, and on average, maybe 25% of my one-way trips are free, due to these broken machines.
    Due to this fact, I've never bought a monthly card, and will not buy a charmcard; when I do the math, the high probability that I'll get a free ride eliminates the value from a stored value card.

    These broken meters are a problem which probably costs the city many thousands (if not tens of thousands) of dollars monthly.

    Anyone else noticed this?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Peat MarwickAugust 29, 2009 at 10:15 PM

    Yes, anonymous, but it doesn't seem to be inportant as it continues to happen. My dad rides the 36 daily to and fro work and brags how he will NEVER buy a monthly or weekly b/c he rides free nearly half the time.

    ReplyDelete
  4. joshuaMarch 12, 2010 at 12:36 PM

    the London oyster card can be used for single trips and for day passes; it keeps track during the day so you'll never be charged more than a day's pass rate. So if day pass is 3.50, you'd be charged 3.50 rather than 4.80 for three rides.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Matt G.September 19, 2010 at 11:54 PM

    MARC is owned by MTA, but operated and managed by Amtrak; all tickets are AMTRAK tickets, so I think this won't be part of the CharmCard/SmarTrip system.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

When Club One was the House of Welsh

Image
 House of Welsh in 1943. Note the Guilford Elevated streetcar line. At one time, what was 301 Guilford Avenue (at some point over time the address was switched to 300 E. Saratoga St) was called the House of Welsh a long time Baltimore steakhouse and restaurant. Originally opened in 1900 it occupied the corner buildings for 98 years. A 1998 article in The Baltimore Sun details the history of the House of Welsh on the eve of its closure. With the demolition of these three buildings yesterday marks the end of some of the oldest houses that stood near downtown. The houses were build in the 1830s, some of the only other houses of the same period were on St. Paul Street and were demolished to make way for the new Mercy Medical Center tower. Inside these buildings make have taken place some of the more little known, but nonetheless interesting stories in Baltimore's history. In 1904, at the height of the Great Baltimore Fire, a telegraph line was hooked up inside the building...
Read more

Small Improvements to Light Rail That Could Make a Big Impact

Image
S equence lights on Howard Street so trains can move between stations without having to stop at red lights. This would significantly cut down on the travel time between Mt. Royal/UB and Camden Yards. The technology is there, it just needs to be implemented in a more sensible way.  Improve passenger information at each station. This would include updating the maps to reflect the current light rail operation. The maps at most stations outside of downtown are poorly designed and show the light rail configuration when the extensions to Penn Station and BWI first opened in 1997. Way-finding and neighborhood maps showing immediate transit connections and local attractions are a must. Posted schedules should be updated immediately whenever a new version of the timetable is made. Newer Light Rail map at downtown stations. Update signs at all stations. A few years back the downtown stations had new signs that replaced the originals from 1992. In addition the stations feature a sy...
Read more

Where's the New Charm City Circulator?

Image
(photo credit, http://www.yournameyourride.com/ ) It's the summer now, some may even call this the "late summer". It is around this time that Baltimore is supposed to roll out the brand spanking new Charm City Circulator , but where is this free bus service. The one thing I've learned about Baltimore is that press releases, news updates, and service reminders come few and far between in this town. It's mid-August. We got the new name back in June, but no official route map, no official stops, nor schedule. I haven't seen any signs around the downtown area. I live down here now, I haven't seen anything. How do you expect anyone to use this services if it's not being advertised? There were rumors floating back earlier this summer that dedicated bus lanes were going to be painted on Lombard and Pratt Street for not only this service, but the MTA buses that use the same roads, but it doesn't look like that has happened yet. Seems like this thing will ...
Read more