Ron Newman ([info]ron_newman) wrote in [info]b0st0n,
@ 2007-01-11 22:34:00
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People are throwing away CharlieTickets with value
After reading this post, I decided to pick up each discarded CharlieTicket that I found tonight in Central and Davis stations whose printed initial value was $5 or more.

People are leaving behind more than just nickels and dimes. Four of the six tickets I tried still had value:
$0.70
$1.00
$1.75
$1.75

So the next time you see discarded $5 tickets and a Charlie vending machine with no line, try putting the tickets into the machine. You may be surprised what you get.

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[info]littlestarletta
2007-01-12 03:39 am UTC (link)
wow what a waste.

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[info]l_o_v_e
2007-01-12 03:40 am UTC (link)
Did you try to use them? What happened?

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[info]ron_newman
2007-01-12 03:43 am UTC (link)
If you put a CharlieTicket into a vending machine, the screen tells you how much value they have left. I have no need for them myself, since I have a monthly pass, but I took them home anyway in case a friend wants to use them. No sense in letting them go to waste.

I doubt that I'll make a habit of doing this, but the blog post I linked to made me curious.

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[info]l_o_v_e
2007-01-12 03:50 am UTC (link)
So you can still use them? What do you do, pay the difference?

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[info]ron_newman
2007-01-12 03:51 am UTC (link)
You can add value to a CharlieTicket at any vending machine. Sure, you'll pay the ticket surcharge when you use it, but that's still less than the value of these tickets.

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[info]proctologiste
2007-01-12 03:41 am UTC (link)
Don't forget to collect them, and then once a month go to Downtown Crossing and get them all transferred unto your CharlieCard.

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[info]jpallan
2007-01-12 04:42 am UTC (link)
Score. I'd totally do that -- we keep an extra CharlieCard around for friends.

I thought monthly pass holders didn't get to have cash value anyway. Did that finally get fixed?

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[info]ron_newman
2007-01-12 04:42 am UTC (link)
You should be able to put both stored value and two monthly passes (this month's and next month's) on a CharlieCard.

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[info]cowbark
2007-01-13 03:45 pm UTC (link)
Too funny - my boyfriend thought I was crazy when I came home with two spare Charlie Cards for "guests"! I have a pass, but I figured that when friends come to town we might as well have Charlie Cards for them to use instead of making them pay full price.

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[info]sexyblueduck
2007-01-12 05:56 am UTC (link)
way to own boston, you win

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[info]kimmercake
2007-01-12 02:02 pm UTC (link)
2nd

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[info]alcinoe
2007-01-12 01:18 pm UTC (link)
I tried to use mine on the bus, but they wouldn't take it (of course I was going to pay the rest in cash). Putting more value on it really doesn't solve the problem because more than likely you will end up with change AGAIN, which over a short amount of time will invalidate the savings because of the surcharge.

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[info]ron_newman
2007-01-12 01:26 pm UTC (link)
I thought you could pay a bus fare partially with a ticket and partially with cash. Maybe you have to put the cash in first. I haven't tried it.

But I don't see why you'd end up with change again. If you have a $1 ticket sitting around, add 50 cents to it the next time you pass a Charlie vending machine. Now you have a $1.50 ticket which you can use up on your next bus ride.

Once you've used up all your CharlieTickets in this way, don't buy any more of them; get a CharlieCard and put value on that instead.

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[info]anotherthink
2007-01-12 03:20 pm UTC (link)
if you put a ticket in the bus with not enough on it, you put in the rest in cash (I did this the other day). so if you have a $0.50 ticket and $1 you can ride the bus.

my question is, if you have three $0.50 tickets, can you ride the bus?

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[info]ron_newman
2007-01-12 03:27 pm UTC (link)
I don't think you can do that, but I've never had the opportunity to try it.

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[info]alcinoe
2007-01-12 03:38 pm UTC (link)
I wasn't aware that you could put more on a ticket anyway. Granted, I don't lounge around by the machines because there is usually someone behind me, but when I did go up there, I never saw and option for adding value to a ticket.

Anyway, with the change thing, last I checked you can't put change on it, so if the ticket has .70 left, you have to buy another 1.00 which will leave you with .20 cents on it, then you need to put 2.00 on it in order for it to be useful for anything.

I tried to use a ticket to partially pay and it wouldn't go through. I didn't put the change in first, but the bus driver had no idea whether it would work or not. They really need to train these people better.

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[info]ron_newman
2007-01-12 03:48 pm UTC (link)
Why would you need to add $1 to it, instead of just adding 80 cents?

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[info]alcinoe
2007-01-12 03:50 pm UTC (link)
last I checked you can't put change on it,

That is why.

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[info]ron_newman
2007-01-12 04:13 pm UTC (link)
what does the machine do when you ask it to add less than $1?

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[info]alcinoe
2007-01-12 04:18 pm UTC (link)
If you read my posts I am telling you that I am not very familiar with the machines because I don't get a few minutes alone with them to see what they offer. If you CAN add change to them, I don't mind being corrected, but this thread is sorta going on a lot longer than need be.

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[info]djdig
2007-01-12 06:23 pm UTC (link)
You can add change and there is always the option of charging it to a credit card.

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[info]alcinoe
2007-01-12 06:26 pm UTC (link)
Thank you! I knew about the credit card, but not about adding odd amounts of change to it. Now to figure out how to actually recharge a ticket! Granted, I am going to be using my card, so it is probably moot.

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[info]irinarasp
2007-01-12 05:18 pm UTC (link)
The machine takes change. You can put in any amount. Not sure if it takes pennies, though.

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[info]ron_newman
2007-01-12 05:24 pm UTC (link)
Nope, no pennies. It says the amount you add must be a multiple of 5 cents.

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