The new $120 million Smart Card system will be installed by July 2004 for subways and buses first and then expanded to include ferries and commuter rail.
"The new system, he says, will offer riders 'smart cards' with microchips that passengers will be able to simply wave in front of scanners to gain entry to stations and buses. The cards, which riders will hold onto and reload via vending machines, the Internet, and by telephone, instead of throwing out, will have the capability of piggy-backing other uses, too. The MBTA is already in discussions with area banks, large employers, and universities to create cards that would double as ATM cards, workplace access cards, or student identification."
Thanks to Joshuah Mello
FULL STORY: MBTA set to update token fare system
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