Metrolinx: Presto Fare Card

[DSC]

You think Presto has known about this defect? Should I tell them?

Can't do any harm! Though in this case you seem to have been charged once for one entry, If the second gate had been working you would have had to talk to someone as you can't use same card in same place within x minutes.

 

[hw621]

Ok, someone please help me get this straight.

I got on the 7 am train at Centennial, and was charged $5.30 on the card. Tapped off at Kennedy at 7:30 and was charged another $0.43.

Found out power outage at Donland. Tapped on the 7:40 GO and went to Union, and was charged $5.30. When tapping off at Union got back $4.98.

So I ended up going from Centennial to Union, with a stopover at Kennedy, and paying $6.05. But a direct ride would have costed me $7.62! I calculated the fare using the GO calculator and verified that the trip with the stopover IS cheaper. So there is nothing wrong with my card, but the fare structure is set up that way. Not complaining that I have paid less, but what is the rationale for this? If fare is based on distance the fares should have been the same?

 

[nfitz]

The rationale, is this is the best algorithm they could come up with. It's yet another loophole similar to how return GO trips downtown are free or very cheap if you start your final leg in under 3 hours.

If you follow along, you'll see that the general level of expertise at Metrolinx in most areas is very, very, low. But I give GO credit for at least putting a working calculator on the website that follows the same bizarre rules as the machines do!

Perhaps this is why there are no Presto readers on the platform - to avoid the temptation of people jumping out at every stop, and tapping in and out (wouldn't work because of the delay in allowing to tap - but I have done similar at Union, when I boarded at Exhibition and had not had a chance to validate my book-of-ten ticket ... so used the 6-minute stop at Union to do so ...!).

 

[hw621]

The rationale, is this is the best algorithm they could come up with. It's yet another loophole similar to how return GO trips downtown are free or very cheap if you start your final leg in under 3 hours.

If you follow along, you'll see that the general level of expertise at Metrolinx in most areas is very, very, low. But I give GO credit for at least putting a working calculator on the website that follows the same bizarre rules as the machines do!

Perhaps this is why there are no Presto readers on the platform - to avoid the temptation of people jumping out at every stop, and tapping in and out (wouldn't work because of the delay in allowing to tap - but I have done similar at Union, when I boarded at Exhibition and had not had a chance to validate my book-of-ten ticket ... so used the 6-minute stop at Union to do so ...!).

There are readers on the platform at Kennedy. Most people would not have an idea about this...

 

[nfitz]

There are readers on the platform at Kennedy. Most people would not have an idea about this...

LOL ...

Well, it wouldn't work anyway, unless one is willing to get off, and take the next train to save some $.

It will be amusing trying to see how they make this system work properly with the $3 fare.

#SPOILER# It won't ...

 

[PinkLucy]

When I was new to Presto on GO, I was looking in vain for a reader on a platform to tap on. I asked a GO employee who told me that the platform is technically a fare paid area so tapping on must happen before you go on to the platform.

 

[nfitz]

When I was new to Presto on GO, I was looking in vain for a reader on a platform to tap on. I asked a GO employee who told me that the platform is technically a fare paid area so tapping on must happen before you go on to the platform.

Another feeble Metrolinx BS response ...

 

[Leo_Chan]

Another feeble Metrolinx BS response ...

But it’s correct and the reasoning for it makes sense. Sometimes answers with little reasoning is good enough.

 

[hw621]

When I was new to Presto on GO, I was looking in vain for a reader on a platform to tap on. I asked a GO employee who told me that the platform is technically a fare paid area so tapping on must happen before you go on to the platform.

I guess that was Union Station? At RURAL stations readers are on platforms.

 

[PinkLucy]

Nope, Aldershot. The reader isn't on the platform, it's at the entrance to the platform.

 

[nfitz]

Nope, Aldershot. The reader isn't on the platform, it's at the entrance to the platform.

Odd, I thought one would have to occasionally access the GO platforms for VIA Rail trains.

This policy always seems rather mixed. At some stations, the tunnels are also used by the community, and require one to walk on the platform. Danforth, Exhibition, and Meadowvale come to mine.

 

[Fritter]

While technically the platforms are fare paid areas, I think GO uses the rule more for the legal ability to force someone off the platform if needed, than using the rule for active enforcement. You are more than welcome to be on the platform without a paid fare to go help your aging grandmother off the train, but if you are acting like a jackass on the platform without a paid fare, then GO has the legal ability to remove you from the platform.

 

[nfitz]

While technically the platforms are fare paid areas ...

Hmm ... so what instrument makes them technically fare-paid areas?

What you are describing sounds like technically non-fare paid areas!

 

[innsertnamehere]

While technically the platforms are fare paid areas, I think GO uses the rule more for the legal ability to force someone off the platform if needed, than using the rule for active enforcement. You are more than welcome to be on the platform without a paid fare to go help your aging grandmother off the train, but if you are acting like a jackass on the platform without a paid fare, then GO has the legal ability to remove you from the platform.

Yes, they are technically fare paid, but effectively aren't. Fare enforcement never occurs on platforms, only on the trains. Which means they are essentially unpaid zones.

Not really sure why Metrolinx makes them "fare paid zones" as I don't see much of a point. Why is there an issue on people being on a platform unpaid, provided they don't actually board a train? Especially since they don't enforce it.

 

[EastYorkTTCFan]

Not really sure why Metrolinx makes them "fare paid zones" as I don't see much of a point. Why is there an issue on people being on a platform unpaid, provided they don't actually board a train? Especially since they don't enforce it.

They are fare paid zones becuse they don't want to have people hanging around the sations that aren't baording a train.