Along the Green Line, above ground stops make it easy for Boston University students and others to sneak on the T without paying fares.
“I sneak on the T because I’m cheap and I don’t want to pay $2 to get from point A to point B,” said School of Management freshman Blair Sheets. “I can very easily get onto the T without paying and I feel like, why waste my money when I don’t get in trouble and can easily get on?”
This attitude, prevalent among many who use the B-line, has caused the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority to start taking action to attempt to prevent people from using the T for free.
The MBTA is issuing new tickets for the T which officials hope will be more effective than simply fining those caught sneaking onto the train.
When held under a black light, the orange arrow on the ticket will glow, indicating whether the ticket is valid. By using a black flashlight, T conductors will be able to determine whether a passenger is trying to use something other than a ticket.
For many college students, rushing onto the T is part of their daily routine.
However, many say swiping their Charlie Cards is not a top priority.
At certain times of the day, when there are large mobs of people attempting to crowd into T cars, it is not as difficult to enter the T unnoticed and without having to pay.
BU students have different reasons for deciding whether or not to attempt to avoid paying their fare.
“I always pay to get onto the trolley,” said School of Engineering freshman David Skodje. “I have an unlimited Charlie Card for the school year. But if I didn’t have that I probably would sneak on depending on the situation.”
By having monthly passes, students are less likely to sneak onto the T because they do not have to pay per ride.
However, some students feel that it is their responsibility to pay the fare.
“I sort of feel guilty,” said School of Education freshman Jeff Fox. “I have money on my Charlie Card anyway, so I guess I might as well use that. I don’t care if people pay or not, it doesn’t really bother me if they sneak onto the T. Everyone has their own way of doing things.”
“I sneak on when I can or when I don’t have any more money on my Charlie Card,” said CAS freshman Elise Phalen. “It’s not really worth it at night when the T is busy to go up and pay. They make it too easy to sneak on. If they really didn’t want us to sneak on they wouldn’t make it so easy to be able to.”
Terminal stations are the other main location where the MBTA is losing money on people who neglect to pay their fares. MBTA officials have said that they will be more consciously watching for people trying to hop the terminals at stations to get onto the T for free.
Although it is too soon to know whether these new methods will be effective, officials say they hope that these new procedures will at least help the MBTA lose less money.
MBTA officials were unavailable for comment at the time of press.
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