New policies implemented by the MBTA this year complicate students’ accessibility to  Student Charlie Cards and change Student LinkPass costs for the new school year.
According to Riley house office administrative assistant Leah Castellano, students are now required to record the card serial number, the card sequence number, and the student name on a sign-out sheet before receiving a Student Charlie Card from their house office.
“This is so if you lose the card, we can hopefully get you a replacement card with the money that you had on your card, said Castellano, “Last year if you lost it, there was no tracking it.”
“I don’t see the point,” said junior Finn Flaherty, who lost his Student Charlie Card earlier this month. “I had to go in and ask for another one, and wait for it to come.”
Junior Maddie Boucher, a frequent MBTA rider, signed out her Student Charlie Card from the Newton Education Center instead of her house office at North.
According to Boucher, last year’s MBTA system allowed her to pay $200 for an annual Student LinkPass, which provided unlimited MBTA rides through the academic year. This year, the system only offers $30 monthly LinkPasses for unlimited rides.
After calculating costs, Boucher’s family decided against paying for a LinkPass this year. Boucher will pay the standard reduced student cost of 85 cents for each ride, using the Student Charlie Card that she signed out of the Newton Education Center.
“I mean, it’s more money, so it’s just more frustrating,” said Boucher.
Castellano said students don’t appear to be deterred by Charlie Card changes.
“I think,” said Castellano, “it’s just slowing up the process of getting the cards, because you have to write down all these numbers.”