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Metrolinx: Presto Fare Card

DSC said:
You really cannot expect Metrolinx to keep track of peoples' ages! A card can be used by anyone; if you are 65 or older you can use a card that is set for Senior Fares; if you are less than 13 (No charge up to 13th birthday) you can use a Presto set for Child. It would, obviously, be better if the Child and Adult (and teenager?) cards LOOKED different and MLX could do this by charging $6 for a Child's card but then exchange it (at no cost) for an adult one or a "Teen" card which, in time, could be exchanged for an Adult one. We have two cards in our household, one Adult, one Senior and it is up to US to make sure that only a Senior uses the Senior one. (We can do this visually because we have a Black card for Adult fares and an older Green one for Seniors. ) Though it would not matter to TTC if a Senior used the Adult card - they would get the full fare - but for a customer it would actually make sense if MLX had four card designs/colours. Child, Youth, Adult, Senior and would exchange one for another at no cost when its user reached the requisite age milestone. Dream on, indeed! Of course, as more and more people pay for transit with credit/debit cards or apps the use of specific Presto cards will decline but ....
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The fare inspectors would see an indication on their scanners on who is eligible for a discount or free, when they scan the cards for proof of payment. Unless the student has grey hair, they'll then be asked for proof of age.
 
W. K. Lis said:
Do they actually use the date of birth?
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As a GO Transit employee, I sell PRESTO cards frequently. In order to change the concession from Adult (the default concession) to either Child, Student or Senior, we need to input a Birth date. The PRESTO card will then revert to the default Adult Concession upon the expired time, ie Child reaches their 13th birthday, or Student reaching 20th Birthday.
 
Fritter said:
As a GO Transit employee, I sell PRESTO cards frequently. In order to change the concession from Adult (the default concession) to either Child, Student or Senior, we need to input a Birth date. The PRESTO card will then revert to the default Adult Concession upon the expired time, ie Child reaches their 13th birthday, or Student reaching 20th Birthday.
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That's interesting but implies that Metrolinx sees cards as 'belonging' to individuals. I see a card as just being a card and the Metrolinx way does not take into account a card bought for occasional visitors (grand-children for example) and thus used by any 'child' who is at hand. I really wonder why they bother, as Walter notes above, the fare inspectors will see if an adult is trying to use a child's card easily enough.
 
DSC said:
That's interesting but implies that Metrolinx sees cards as 'belonging' to individuals. I see a card as just being a card and the Metrolinx way does not take into account a card bought for occasional visitors (grand-children for example) and thus used by any 'child' who is at hand. I really wonder why they bother, as Walter notes above, the fare inspectors will see if an adult is trying to use a child's card easily enough.
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That's why I hope the fare inspector can verify the birth date of the 30 year old using the child PRESTO.
 
Looks like the CNIB has a different card for the blind, but acts the same as a PRESTO card. Good for three years.

From link.

The TTC has introduced a new version its transit card for CNIB customers. This card is available from the CNIB and provides CNIB clients who meet the criteria for the TTC CNIB transit card (i.e. legally blind and live in Toronto) with unlimited travel on the TTC.​
There are a few important things you need to know about your card before you use it:​
  1. Your new card works like a PRESTO card – tap it each time you enter a subway station or board a surface vehicle. If you need help learning to do this, you can contact CNIB at 416 486-2500 ext 8275 and leave a voice mail.
  2. Do not punch a hole in your card or it will damage the embedded chip.
  3. Your new card is valid for three years and will expire in January 2021.
  4. Your card will only be valid when used in combination with your CNIB photo identification card and is only meant for free travel on the TTC.
 
W. K. Lis said:
Looks like the CNIB has a different card for the blind, but acts the same as a PRESTO card. Good for three years.

From link.

The TTC has introduced a new version its transit card for CNIB customers. This card is available from the CNIB and provides CNIB clients who meet the criteria for the TTC CNIB transit card (i.e. legally blind and live in Toronto) with unlimited travel on the TTC.​
There are a few important things you need to know about your card before you use it:​

  1. Your new card works like a PRESTO card – tap it each time you enter a subway station or board a surface vehicle. If you need help learning to do this, you can contact CNIB at 416 486-2500 ext 8275 and leave a voice mail.
  2. Do not punch a hole in your card or it will damage the embedded chip.
  3. Your new card is valid for three years and will expire in January 2021.
  4. Your card will only be valid when used in combination with your CNIB photo identification card and is only meant for free travel on the TTC.
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Interested to see what it looks like.
Do TTC staff also have a card that opens all the gates?
 
WillTo said:
Interested to see what it looks like.
Do TTC staff also have a card that opens all the gates?
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They do. Their employee ID opens the gates. It also allows them to bypass closures during station lockdown (Priority 1, Plan B, Plan C turned into a Plan A then a Plan B).
 
DSC said:
All he can do is look at a person who appears to be 30 and ask for additional identification showing that he is (or is not) little Timmy Jones who was, according to his PRESTO card born in 2011.
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This is in the Agenda for next week's TTC Board:

Visually distinct PRESTO child concession cards (Q2 2019 – TBD)  Q3 2019: A change request was submitted to Metrolinx to create visually distinct PRESTO child concession cards. Metrolinx will be developing in a business case, in consultation with TTC, to address this request. Timelines to be provided by Metrolinx

Lots of other PRESTO suggestions in the Report. At http://ttc.ca/About_the_TTC/Commiss...Strategy_Phase_1_Response_to_the_Auditor_.pdf
 
DSC said:
This is in the Agenda for next week's TTC Board:

Visually distinct PRESTO child concession cards (Q2 2019 – TBD)  Q3 2019: A change request was submitted to Metrolinx to create visually distinct PRESTO child concession cards. Metrolinx will be developing in a business case, in consultation with TTC, to address this request. Timelines to be provided by Metrolinx

Lots of other PRESTO suggestions in the Report. At http://ttc.ca/About_the_TTC/Commiss...Strategy_Phase_1_Response_to_the_Auditor_.pdf
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Does this mean, we exchange the cards when become of age (12)? Should that happen with other "discount cards"?
 
W. K. Lis said:
Does this mean, we exchange the cards when become of age (12)? Should that happen with other "discount cards"?
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Well, Seniors' cards may be hard to exchange or even use after they cease to be valid on earth - unless Metrolinx operates the Styx ferry and has put the old Ferryman (Charon) out of business! :->
 
W. K. Lis said:
Looks like the CNIB has a different card for the blind, but acts the same as a PRESTO card. Good for three years.

From link.

The TTC has introduced a new version its transit card for CNIB customers. This card is available from the CNIB and provides CNIB clients who meet the criteria for the TTC CNIB transit card (i.e. legally blind and live in Toronto) with unlimited travel on the TTC.​
There are a few important things you need to know about your card before you use it:​

  1. Your new card works like a PRESTO card – tap it each time you enter a subway station or board a surface vehicle. If you need help learning to do this, you can contact CNIB at 416 486-2500 ext 8275 and leave a voice mail.
  2. Do not punch a hole in your card or it will damage the embedded chip.
  3. Your new card is valid for three years and will expire in January 2021.
  4. Your card will only be valid when used in combination with your CNIB photo identification card and is only meant for free travel on the TTC.
Click to expand...
It would be great if Presto cards for those eligible for the Fair Pass discount program (not just CNIB customers) have a different design. The Fair Pass design would be the same, regardless if applied through ODSP or Ontario Works. Why the same? It's to make things easier instead of having CNIB cards for the blind, Bob Rumball cards for the deaf, Geneva Centre cards for those under the autism spectrum, Ontario Works cards for those with low income, and so on and so forth.
 
Johnny Au said:
It would be great if Presto cards for those eligible for the Fair Pass discount program (not just CNIB customers) have a different design. The Fair Pass design would be the same, regardless if applied through ODSP or Ontario Works. Why the same? It's to make things easier instead of having CNIB cards for the blind, Bob Rumball cards for the deaf, Geneva Centre cards for those under the autism spectrum, Ontario Works cards for those with low income, and so on and so forth.
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I don't think we want to stigmatize people that are on Fair Pass. They should just look like Presto cards.
 
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