MBTA to give 250 Brockton residents reduced commuter rail fares into Boston

BROCKTON — A couple hundred Brockton residents will be able to take the MBTA Commuter Rail into Boston for a drastically reduced price the next six months to try to reduce overcrowding on buses amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority announced this week that eligible city residents will be offered reduced commuter rail fare options on the Middleboro/Lakeville line from Brockton's three stations — Campello, Brockton and Montello — into Boston from Dec. 1, 2020, to May 31, 2021.

A one-way ticket will cost the same price as Zone 1A or subway fares — $2.40 per trip, lower than the usual cost of $8.75 or $9.75. Brockton's stations usually have a Zone 4 or 5 price tag.

The MBTA is also offering a seven-day Link Pass on a CharlieTicket, which is normally unavailable from the city's stations, for $22.50. The pass includes one free transfer to another mode of transportation, such as the bus or subway.

And a Zone 1A monthly pass from Brockton to Boston will be reduced to $90. The pass typically costs $281 or $311.

"The program aims to reduce crowding on Brockton Area Transit (BAT) bus service to Boston and allow for social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic," the MBTA said.

Participation in the reduced fare program will be limited to the first 250 eligible Brockton residents who sign up.

To enroll, residents will need to complete an application form online or in person at the Brockton Area Transit Authority terminal.

Proof of residency will be required and applicants will be asked to complete a survey about their current transit usage.

Applications will be processed within 48 hours and people will be notified of their eligibility by email or phone, the MBTA said.

"Once accepted, you will receive an invitation via email to download the BusPlus app, which you will use to prove enrollment to conductors when riding the Commuter Rail," the MBTA said. "A physical card will also be available for riders without a smartphone or email."

For more information, visit mbta.com/projects/brockton-commuter-rail-fare-initiative.

Senior reporter Cody Shepard can be reached by email at cshepard@enterprisenews.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @cshepard_ENT. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Enterprise today.