MBTA’s Youth Pass Application Process Becomes a Smooth Ride

The MBTA operates "the T," the network of subways, buses, commuter rail, and ferries connecting Boston and its surrounding suburbs, often the easiest way for residents to get to school or work. To keep transit affordable, the MBTA modernized its Youth Pass Program, moving to a secure, accessible online application and card fulfillment process that gets discounted CharlieCards into the hands of qualified low-income young adults across Boston and its participating cities.

• Integrate with systems across 19 participating municipalities and a fulfillment center
• Create a consistent application experience across every city
• Make the process easy for citizens to apply
• Account for eligibility requirements based on age, residency, and partner programs

• A smart application asks eligibility questions up front and notifies ineligible applicants immediately
• Customized error messages resolve specific issues at each step of the application
• Backward compatibility means changing any field automatically adjusts the rest of the application
• Applications route automatically to the correct municipality by zip code, eliminating the need for 19 separate point-to-point integrations
• Permission settings ensure each municipality sees only the applications under its purview
• Fonts and colors were made fully ADA compliant
• The fulfillment center automatically receives a report with mailing addresses for approved riders

• Processed 142 applications on the first day, 792 in the first week, and 4,076 within the first 2.5 months, with only a 3% denial rate
• Citizens receive cards in five days or less after submitting their application
• The program launched in less than three months, after employee training and security testing
• Improves access to public transportation for citizens who rely on it for work, appointments, and connecting with family and friends