Why is it called CharlieCard?

MBTA riders have long used Charlie Tickets and CharlieCards to travel on the subway and rapid transit system. But visitors and newcomers (and maybe a few locals) may have wondered, “Who’s Charlie?”

The CharlieCard concept was launched in November 2004 and went into effect in December 2006, when the last MBTA token was sold. Before that, Boston used tokens for nearly 90 years. As the first major city to have a rapid transit system, we were the last to retire tokens.

From August 1, riders will be able to say goodbye to their CharlieCard and choose to use their debit or credit card, mobile device or smartwatch to pay for entry into vehicles and stations before boarding.

“Contactless payment and the existing CharlieCard will remain two separate forms of payment and will have separate names for the foreseeable future,” MBTA spokeswoman Maya Bingaman said in an email to Boston.com. “Contactless payment and the CharlieCard also rely on separate riders.”

As Boston rolls out a new pricing system, a newly opened service center, and a live tracking app in development, we wanted to help answer the question: Who is the namesake of the electronic payment system that has been in use for the past few decades? And what will happen to Charlie in the future?

Why is it called CharlieCard?

Popularized by folk group The Kingston Trio in 1959, “The MTA Song” or “Charlie on the MTA” was originally created to protest the 5-cent increase in train fares in the late 1940s.

Written in 1949 by Jacqueline Steiner and Bess Lomax Hawes for Massachusetts Progressive Party mayoral candidate Walter O’Brien, the song tells the story of Charlie, a fictional Boston character, who finds himself stuck underground on the MTA – now known as the MBTA – because he doesn’t have a penny left to pay the conductor to get off the train.

For this reason, Charlie rides the train indefinitely. In the song, his wife hands him sandwiches through the open windows of the train car as it passes through the Scollay Square stop, which is now called Government Center.

The song’s introduction serves as a cautionary tale, warning of the negative impact of fare increases on the people of Boston, encouraging listeners to “fight fare increases, vote for them.” [Walter] “O’Brien! Get poor Charlie off the MTA!”

In the Kingston Trio’s version of the song, Walter is replaced by the name “George” due to national fear and disgust for left-wing politics during the Red Scare, according to the left-wing political magazine Jacobin.

The Kingston Trio’s version of the song became a hit, reaching number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States in July 1959. The song remains an important part of Boston’s public transportation history.

At the launch of the CharlieCard in 2004, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney joined the trio to sing “Charlie on the MTA.”

What will happen to Charlie?

In response to questions about whether or not the iconic character will continue after the new payment option, Bingaman assures us that the Charlie brand is here to stay.

“Hundreds of thousands of travelers in the Greater Boston area rely on our services every day. We believe that deviating from branded terms could cause confusion among travelers who are familiar with our fare options, services and processes.”

Passengers will still be able to purchase reusable and rechargeable CharlieCards at most fare stations and CharlieTickets upon arrival at metro, bus, commuter train stations and ferry terminals.