2 T notes

[magid]

I got to the inbound platform at the Arlington T stop about an hour ago, and it was more crowded than I'd ever seen it. While I dithered, more people arrived, making it full. Something must be up on the green line (flooding?). I walked to Charles, despite the rain.

I got my July pass in the mail, and there's a change: the arrow showing the direction to slide the pass is now colored. I wonder if it's because they realized it was hard for employees to distinguish current passes from old with just a few letters; color's much easier.

Comments

[treacle-well.livejournal.com]

I wonder if it's to help users see what direction to slide the pass into the new "Charlie" machines. I don't consider myself to be particularly clueless about things like this, but the first time I used my pass at one of the new machines I had to have a T-employee point out to me the correct way to put the card into the machine. The lowkey line-drawn arrow wasn't all that obvious (amid the other markings on the card) and didn't connect, in my mind, with the little illustration shown on the machine.

[magid.livejournal.com]

That could be.

I noticed a couple of the Charlie machines waiting to be installed in Kendall, by the rear of the outbound platform. I wonder how they decided the order of station changeovers.

[fairdice.livejournal.com]

The arrows have been colored all along, in a sort of pastel highlighter orange, on the paper tickets that have replaced tokens.

It would be an obvious improvement if the month-to-month difference were more than just three letters; making them always the same color was definitely a step in the wrong direction. Of course, that arrow is at the opposite edge from the large character indicating what kind of pass you have, so the natural ways to hold the card don't let the conductors both see the zone and month at the same time...

[magid.livejournal.com]

I wonder why they managed color on the tickets but not the monthly passes (until now).

The cards aren't designed to be as helpful in the older machines, either, since the arrow is on the side not facing the person. Once everything has switched over to the horizontal rather than vertical card for swiping, it won't matter, but in the meantime it's a little nuisance. All these little things make me think no one thought enough about the design before they implemented change.

[debsters1101.livejournal.com]

HA!! you're from Boston? I was there for Shabbos! WE just got back! gosh I wish I woulda known it woulda been so cool to meet s1 from LJ! our friends live on comm ave on the corner of washingon street and they daven at kadima and the bostoner. is it possible you know them?

[magid.livejournal.com]

It's possible, but not probable; I'm in Cambridge, actually.

I hope you had a lovely Shabbos (and easy travel), though the weather was so humid.