Rhode Island
Audit faults MBTA for CharlieCard misuse by transit ambassadors • Rhode Island Current
BOSTON — The MBTA knew as early as 2019 that some of its transit ambassadors were using agency-issued CharlieCards for personal use, but the transit authority has failed to address the problem, according to a new state audit.
The ambassadors, who work for a private contractor that operates under the name Block By Block, help passengers buy tickets and navigate stations and also serve as the T’s eyes and ears monitoring safety hazards and maintenance needs inside the subway system.
“The MBTA should hold Block By Block accountable for inappropriate use of these cards,” said the report from Auditor Diana DiZoglio’s office.
The report also found that the T could not verify that ambassadors were fully trained before assuming their posts and that spot checks of station infrastructure (elevators, escalators, and other equipment) were not being conducted at agreed-upon twice-per-hour intervals.
The audit — covering the two-year period from January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2022 – was released on Sunday, which is unusual. A spokesman for the auditor’s office said the audit was released over the weekend to reduce overlap with another audit or audits scheduled to be released this week.
According to the audit, the problem of ambassadors abusing T passes first surfaced in April 2019, when the MBTA decided to replace CharlieCards assigned to specific stations with passes assigned to individual transit ambassadors.
In a communication at the time to transit ambassadors and Block By Block, the T said the change was needed because there had been a significant increase in what it called “courtesy taps” with the CharlieCards and not all taps were being reported. The communication also reiterated that the CharlieCards were to be used for work only and their use would be closely monitored.
Three months later, the MBTA shifted gears and went back to the system of assigning cards to stations and not individuals, in part because high turnover of transit ambassadors made it difficult to track card usage.
Nevertheless, the audit said, the three-month experiment “revealed signs of misuse of the courtesy taps (e.g., BBB employees letting people in for free and cards being used at locations not covered by those employees).”
At the end of the two-year audit period on December 31, 2022, the problem had not gone away. The audit said the station-based cards were used for more than 2.5 million taps over the two years, but only 669,547, or 27 percent, were reported by transit ambassadors along with specific reasons for the taps.
“Failure to properly record courtesy taps, at a rate of $2.40 per transaction, increases the risk for significant lost revenue,” the audit said. “Our analysis also identified 83,990 instances where these fare access cards were used at different MBTA locations than the ones where the cards were assigned. In 445 of these instances, the fare access cards were used on an MBTA bus, indicating a high probability that the card was used for personal use.”
Transit ambassadors reported that they used their passes to let riders into the subway system in many instances because of problems with passenger gates, faulty fare passes, and mixups involving riders unfamiliar with the system.
But the cards were also used to let in members of the military (48,038 taps), customers experiencing homelessness (75,532 taps), customers who didn’t have enough money for the fare (92,492 taps), and for station checks (113,295).
The audit included a response from the MBTA, which disputed the suggestion that ambassadors were tapping in customers and costing the T significant fare revenue.. The T said many of the taps not reported by ambassadors were related to infrastructure checks, mostly for elevator inspections. The agency also said the CharlieCards are secured in station booths and instances where passes are being used “at an abnormally high rate” are investigated by the T’s fraud department.
The audit, however, said the T’s deputy director of fraud detection and analytics revealed that his team does not monitor courtesy taps. The audit also said on-site monitoring of ambassadors indicated the passes are not confined to a station booth but typically carried by the ambassadors themselves.
The audit urged the T to set a specific threshold for courtesy taps that, if exceeded, would trigger an investigation.
“It is also important to investigate instances that exceed the established threshold or when station-assigned fare access cards are used at locations other than where they are assigned,” the audit said. “For example, as part of our data analysis, we noted that on December 31, 2022, one station-assigned fare access card was used 40 times at the Orient Heights station when it was assigned to the Wood Island station. The use of this pass 40 times in one day in a station where it was not assigned—and certainly not secured in the station booth—and the MBTA’s response to this issue indicates a lack of monitoring and control and a lack of awareness by MBTA management about how its operations are being conducted.”
This article first appeared on CommonWealth Beacon and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
North Kingstown, R.I. – A Rhode Island man is facing a disturbing charge.
According to police, on Friday at approximately 4:00 p.m., the North Kingstown Police Department responded to a 911 call reporting an incident of indecent exposure. The caller, a 17-year-old, reported that a male subject drove up her on Prospect Avenue, asking for directions to the North Kingstown High School while completely naked. The suspect was driving a silver Subaru, registered in New Hampshire. The vehicle was last seen traveling towards Fairway Drive.
Officers immediately responded to the area from different directions to contain the vehicle and investigate the report. The vehicle was located and stopped on Lantern Lane. The driver/sole occupant was identified as David C. Palmer of East Providence. After further investigation, Palmer was taken into custody and charged with Disorderly Conduct – Indecent Exposure.
Palmer was later arraigned at the station before a Justice of the Peace and released on a $1,000 personal recognizance bail. He is scheduled for formal arraignment at the 3rd Division District Court on December 6th.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island FC falls 3-0 to Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC in USL Championship final – What's Up Newp
Rhode Island FC’s historic inaugural season came to an end in the USL Championship Final on Saturday when it fell 3-0 to Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC at Weidner Field. Becoming the first Eastern Conference team in league history to advance to the final match in its first season, the Ocean State club will return to Rhode Island proud after making the farthest run by an expansion side in eight years.
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC had a golden chance to take the lead less than a minute into the match when Yosuke Hanya was on the receiving end of a central pass as he cut behind the Rhode Island FC defense. Sprinting into a one-on-one opportunity with Koke Vegas, the midfielder dragged his shot just wide of the right post.
Holding just 30 percent of possession throughout the first 15 minutes, RIFC got its first real chance of the match when it won a dangerous free kick at the corner of the 18-yard-box in the 14th minute. JJ Williams stepped up to take the free kick, and curled it narrowly over the bar as the match stayed scoreless.
Colorado Springs eventually broke the deadlock in the 22nd minute when Hanya broke free on the right wing, sending a cross into the six-yard box for Juan Tejada. Making a run into the open space, Tejada side-footed the ball into the back of the net from close range to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.
In the 42nd minute, Colorado Springs doubled its lead with a powerful strike from the top of the box. It happened when Jairo Henriquez tore down the left flank, cut inside and took a shot that was blocked by RIFC. Unfortunately for the Ocean State club, the rebound fell kindly to Haneriquez, who made no mistake on his second effort and picked out the top-left corner to make it 2-0.
The Switchbacks nearly took complete control with a third goal in first-half stoppage time when Quenzi Huerman unleashed yet another shot from distance, but Vegas punched the effort over the bar and took care of the resulting corner to keep the match 2-0 at the break.
Nine minutes into the second half, RIFC nearly cut the deficit in half when Clay Holstad connected on a corner kick from the top of the box. Instead, Colorado Springs blocked the shot and quickly broke out on the counter-attack, where Roaldo Damus finished with a low, one-on-one effort to make it 3-0.
RIFC came within inches of getting one back in the 64th minute when Frank Nodarse headed a corner towards the bottom-right corner, but Colorado Springs goalkeeper Christian Herrera produced a sharp diving save to deny the Ocean State club. Minutes later, Jack Panayotou forced another save out of Herrera, and Morris Duggan couldn’t keep the close-range rebound on frame.
The opportunities were as close as RIFC could get to finding the back of the net in the match as the USL Championship Final ended 3-0.
After the match, the visitors walked over to thank the over 400 Rhode Island FC faithful who made the trip out west. The fanbase’s incredible support during the record-breaking inaugural season fueled the team to a memorable finish. The Ocean club will now look forward to its launch of season two from The Stadium at Tidewater Landing in downtown Pawtucket.
GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN
COS – Juan Tejada (Youke Hanya), 22nd minute: Tejada connects with Hanya’s right-wing cross from inside the six-yard box. COS 1, RI 0
COS – Jairo Henriquez, 42nd minute: Henriquez picks out the top-left corner with a powerful strike from the top of the 18-yard box. COS 2, RI 0
COS – Ronaldo Damus (Matt Real), 53rd minute: Damus finishes a one-on-one counter-attack with a low finish into the bottom corner. COS 3, RI 0
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- Saturday’s match was the first-ever USL Championship Final to air nationally on network television (CBS).
- The opening goal for Colorado Springs in the 22nd minute marked the first time RIFC trailed during the 2024 USL Championship Playoffs.
- The 2-0 halftime deficit marked the first time RIFC has trailed by multiple goals at halftime since April 26.
- RIFC will return to the Ocean State after making the furthest playoff run by any Eastern Conference expansion team in league history, and becoming the first expansion club in eight years to advance to the final.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Clay Holstad
Match stats and information available here.
Thank you, Joe Biden
Trump has learned that if he tells lies often enough and loudly enough, they will be believed. He keeps repeating that Joe Biden has been a terrible president.
In fact, President Biden has accomplished much. He tackled the COVID crisis by helping hospitals get supplies, getting COVID vaccines distributed, making free testing kits available, sending checks to all Americans, and helping people return to work and students return to school.
He revitalized the U.S. participation in NATO and supported Ukraine vs. Putin.
He recognized climate change and rejoined the rest of the world in battling its effects.
He appointed the first Black female Supreme Court justice.
He initiated projects to improve the nation’s crumbling infrastructure.
He oversaw the U.S. economy’s rebound from the pandemic.
The list goes on.
But, best of all, he stopped the daily flow of lies that had been streaming from the White House.
Cindy Kaplan, West Warwick
Better compensation for doctors
What is happening to the health-care system in America? The quality of care seems to be diminishing. One of the reasons is the abysmally poor salaries we pay to our medical residents and fellows, doctors who have already spent years in medical school and are now honing their skills in hospitals throughout the country.
The problem is especially acute in Rhode Island where these young doctors are paid an average of less than $70,000 per year at our hospitals (“Resident doctors make union bid,” News, Nov. 21).
How can these doctors’ patients and hospital management expect them to excel while trying to survive on such meager wages for four to seven years of residency and fellowship, especially with the high cost of housing in Rhode Island and with their average quarter-million-dollar student loan debts?
The only thing that keeps at bay the hounds who are constantly calling for the nationalization of our health-care system is that our country provides the best medical care in the world. Nationalization would destroy our system as it has done in the UK and Canada.
Poor pay and overly arduous working conditions foisted upon residents and fellows in the U.S. will lead to fewer quality doctors entering the profession. Nationalization will eventually follow.
I have opposed unions in the past, but when we pay our young doctors less than what we pay electrical and plumbing apprentices, something is terribly wrong.
If we want our citizens to continue receiving the world’s best medical care, we better start properly compensating residents and fellows and allowing them a bit of time off. Otherwise, they will enter other professions and the quality of medical care in America will deteriorate to that provided by nationalized health systems.
Lonnie Barham, Warwick
Saving RI’s forests
Many environmentalists are concerned about the upcoming administration being filled with individuals who do not take climate change seriously. While, unfortunately, these next four years will probably take us backwards in the fight against climate change, we can still protect the environment here in Rhode Island.
Currently, Rhode Island is the only state in New England with no protected forests on state-owned land. Rare and endangered species are threatened due to their habitats being destroyed by DEM and solar developers through forest clear-cutting.
By joining the Save Rhode Island’s Forests Campaign, you can help in the effort to get legislation passed to create laws to finally protect our state forests and endangered species. In Rhode Island, you can save the environment.
Nathan Cornell, Warwick
The writer is president of the Rhode Island Old Growth Tree Society.
SEC Reports Record $8.2B in Remedies With 583 Enforcement Actions in 2024 – Regulation Bitcoin News
Fed’s preferred inflation gauge highlights holiday-shortened trading week: What to know this week
Fitness: Is mindfulness the key to a more enjoyable workout?
Sookshmadarshini Review: A Cleverly Written Thrill
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Cell Phone, 256GB AI Smartphone, Unlocked Android, 200MP, 100x Zoom Cameras, Fast Processor, Long Battery Life, Edge-to-Edge Display, S Pen, US Version, 2024, Titanium Black
Colorado Rockies game no. 116 thread: Zac Gallen vs José Ureña
See it: Tesla crashes into Columbus convention center at 70 mph
Fox News Politics: Georgia the whole day through
Why Marjorie Taylor Greene was ‘kicked out’ of the Freedom Caucus according to Rep. Buck
Death of missing Oregon girl found in stream ruled homicide
Fred Harris, former Democratic senator from Oklahoma and presidential candidate, dies at 94
‘Optical illusion’: Key takeaways from COP29
With talks teetering, climate negotiators struck a controversial $300 billion deal
Trump administration takes shape: President-elect completes top 15 Cabinet picks
Thousands march across Europe protesting violence against women
-
Business1 week agoColumn: Molly White's message for journalists going freelance — be ready for the pitfalls
-
Science4 days agoTrump nominates Dr. Oz to head Medicare and Medicaid and help take on 'illness industrial complex'
-
Politics6 days agoTrump taps FCC member Brendan Carr to lead agency: 'Warrior for Free Speech'
-
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25739950/247386_Elon_Musk_Open_AI_CVirginia.jpg "Inside Elon Musk’s messy breakup with OpenAI")
Technology6 days agoInside Elon Musk’s messy breakup with OpenAI
-
Lifestyle7 days agoSome in the U.S. farm industry are alarmed by Trump's embrace of RFK Jr. and tariffs
-
World6 days agoProtesters in Slovakia rally against Robert Fico’s populist government
-
News6 days agoThey disagree about a lot, but these singers figure out how to stay in harmony
-
News6 days agoGaetz-gate: Navigating the President-elect's most baffling Cabinet pick