The revisions in the fare hike proposal, however, did not mollify some rider advocates, who said it is still unfair to lower-income residents who do not have cars and rely on the T to get around. ``One of the things the fare policy states is that they address socioeconomic factors," Lee Matsueda, organizer at the T Riders Union, said yesterday. ``The T has failed to do this by having fares increase across the board through all modes."

The MBTA is battling technical bugs in its new automated fare collection system that have stalled buses and lengthened subway ticket lines as the agency makes a $90 million transition from tokens to Charlie Cards. T watchdogs say the problems have been a continual source of frustration for riders. “More and more people are becoming skeptical about automated fare collection,” said Lee Matsueda, an organizer with the T Riders Union. “There are a lot of delays.”

Governor-elect Deval L. Patrick also opposes the fare increase, saying it doesn't make sense when the T's ridership is falling, though he said he recognizes the T's financial troubles. "It is clear that the MBTA revenue system needs a good long look and significant reform, but raising the fares is the wrong answer," he said in a statement. Representatives of the T Riders Union, a passenger advocacy group, read the comments of city leaders and Patrick to the board. After the vote, they marched with petitions with 3,000 signatures to the State House, calling on members of the Legislature and Patrick to revamp the way the T is funded by the state.

Still, T critics say the move will have a disproportionate impact on low-income riders. Members of the T riders union are planning a protest at the board meeting scheduled for 1 p.m. today. The board could vote to institute the fare increase on Jan. 1.

Patrick added: “We should working to attract new riders by making the subway, commuter rail, and buses more efficient and appealing. I have said for months that this is the wrong action at the wrong time.” Boston Mayor Thomas Menino has also expressed opposition to the increases. The nine-member board unanimously voted this Thursday to impose the hike, the second in three years, after taking testimony for about an hour from upset members of the Transit Riders Union (TRU) and others at the Transportation Building. The vote drew a smattering of boos and hisses from the back of the room.

Angry riders at yesterday’s T board meeting called the new fare increase a “travesty,” accused T directors of failing to work with the Legislature and promised political retribution. “We’re going to cause you some pain, some political pain,” rider Jeff Booth bluntly told the board.

Grabauskas claims the T could face an additional $22 million shortfall next year if gas prices increase or revenues dip. Yesterday’s fare increase is expected to close an already $70 million budget deficit. “We’re broke,” said Grabauskas, speaking after the MBTA Board of Directors unanimously approved a fare increase, effective January 2007. According to Grabauskas, the MBTA “forward funding” scheme, which went into effect in 2000 by a legislative mandate, is not working.

Eugene Benson, a member of Alternatives for Community and Environment, which worked vigorously against the hike, believes something needs to change or the cycle of increases will continue indefinitely. “The board has an obligation to have affordable fares, and they’re ignoring their obligation,” Benson said. According to Benson, the group is delivering 3,000 signatures to legislative leaders requesting the state step in to relieve some of the T’s debt.

Advocacy groups that opposed the 2007 fare increase are worried about bus riders, who tend to have less income than train passengers. Subway riders can get cards and add value to them in stations, said Khalida Smalls, head of the Transit Riders Union in Boston. If bus passengers cannot obtain cards and buy value without going to a train station, they will have to pay an extra fare just to obtain and use the new card, Smalls said. ‘‘We hope that they plan to put (sales terminals) in as many stores as possible,’’ Smalls said. She said the group has asked the MBTA for a copy of its Charlie Card distribution plan but has not yet received it. In suburbs south of Boston, the T has no retail outlets where bus riders can get cards or buy value in Weymouth, Braintree, Milton and Randolph.

Still, T officials are scrambling to install CharlieCard vending machines in areas of the city that depend on transit, yet do not have many retail outlets. Transit activists say they're worried that riders, particularly bus passengers, will be forced to use the more expensive CharlieTicket or pay cash because they lack access to CharlieCard machines. Khalida Smalls, head of the T Riders Union, said she wants to make sure the new fare card is widely distributed. "We just want to be sure that people can use it," she said.