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MBTA to pilot hands‑free CharlieCard and fare gate for riders with disabilities
Summary
MBTA’s fare transformation team announced lab tests and a planned field pilot of an RFID hands‑free CharlieCard and upgraded gates for riders who cannot tap a card; the program will begin at one location before expanding to nine more for user testing and policy work on eligibility.
The MBTA said Wednesday it will pilot a hands‑free CharlieCard and upgraded fare gates designed to let riders with disabilities pass through gates without needing to tap a card.
The project: Sara Walsh‑Mulligan, from the MBTA’s Fare Transformation Team, described lab demonstrations and user testing for an RFID‑based hands‑free solution that detects a registered card as a rider approaches and opens the gate automatically. "The hands‑free CharlieCard will automatically open the fare gate as the rider approaches," Walsh‑Mulligan said during the presentation.
Why it matters: Riders who use wheelchairs, rollators or who are blind and rely on companions or physical manipulations to tap a card can find gates difficult or unsafe. A hands‑free option aims to reduce those barriers and provide parity for riders with mobility or visual impairments.
What the MBTA will do next - Lab testing: MBTA completed lab user testing and found that ideal card positioning and accessory form factor vary by rider; the agency said it will develop accessory recommendations and a rider guide to support adoption. - Field pilot: MBTA will confirm install sites, install the new readers at one location, then expand to nine additional sites for field testing with recruited riders who will provide feedback. The MBTA will be able to tune reader sensitivity to balance early opening and fare‑evading risks. - Eligibility and rollout: MBTA staff said they will work with policy and the system‑wide accessibility team to define card eligibility rules and an application process before broader deployment.
The MBTA said the hands‑free card will also function as a standard tap‑able CharlieCard and that first field installs will let the agency fine‑tune sensitivity settings and user education before a public launch.
