Last T Station Converted To New Fare Equipment

The following article, written by Andrew Ryan, was published in the Boston Globe on Saturday, December 23, 2006.

It was the Friday before Christmas and all through the subway system not a token was needed, not even for Santa Claus.

A fellow in a bright red suit ceremoniously tapped a CharlieCard at a fare gate on the Red Line in Dorchester , celebrating the unveiling of the automated fare collection system at Fields Corner, the last of the T's 68 stations to get the new equipment.

The milestone marked the end of an 18-month project that included installation of $85 million worth of new technology that will end the use of tokens. With a few taps of a plastic CharlieCard, passengers can now enter any bus, subway, or streetcar in the T system.

The news was so good for commuters, said Daniel A. Grabauskas, the MBTA's general manager, that even Santa Claus couldn't resist taking a ride.

"He made a special visit before heading back to the North Pole to get ready to start delivering presents," Grabauskas said. "For the record, Santa said we were very good this year."