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Metrolinx: Presto Fare Card

Any luck testing out the speed with the Presto by itself?
I didn't time it, but it's noticeably slower than it used to be. Probably less than a half second. But it's frustrating. Many people tapping their naked Presto cards have about the same delay as when I have mine in my wallet.
 
I didn't time it, but it's noticeably slower than it used to be. Probably less than a half second. But it's frustrating. Many people tapping their naked Presto cards have about the same delay as when I have mine in my wallet.
I definitely notice the additional delay. It was really bad the first week or two, sometimes I would have to take the card out of my wallet to get it to register. It's better now, just with a bit of extra lag versus the old readers.

I have the Secrid Slim Wallet which works perfect for me. I flip open the leather hinge and tap the leather which houses only my Presto. The RFID blocking portion houses debit/credit/ID. Anything else random like work RFID card or loyalty card go in the last slot. Best compromise between slim and utility for me. I've refused 'nicer wallet' gifts just because of how engrained my system has been for a decade.
 
I didn't time it, but it's noticeably slower than it used to be. Probably less than a half second. But it's frustrating. Many people tapping their naked Presto cards have about the same delay as when I have mine in my wallet.

I tapped mine this morning and I stood there for a few seconds waiting for it to read on the bus.

When I walk into High Park station now, I place my card on the reader and it takes awhile for the reader to acknowledge it and open the gate. You know how many times I almost pushed through the gate because of the delay (unintentionally)
 
From a purely qualitative experience, the readers on YRT seem to be reading cards at a normal pace compared to when they first rolled out. But there still is a problem of readers not reading cards or having extreme delays to the point that the driver tells passengers to tap on their unit. At the same time I did try out an experiment with two different presto cards both with loaded monthly passes. My first generation card (green) gets read lickety-split and rarely has a delay. My other card is a DC Comic Presto Card, definitely has on more than a few occasions experienced delays. Cards tapped on the driver units don't seem to have any problems, though I'm not for sure as it's rare to tap on their unit.

The passenger units on the buses experience the most problems from what I experience.
 
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I tapped mine this morning and I stood there for a few seconds waiting for it to read on the bus.

When I walk into High Park station now, I place my card on the reader and it takes awhile for the reader to acknowledge it and open the gate. You know how many times I almost pushed through the gate because of the delay (unintentionally)
I'm just not seeing this. The only real lag I've seen lately was tapping a VISA card. The time varies a bit, but the first time I tapped my (very old) Presto card on the new readers at Christie, it was faster than usual (the next time it was about the same as usual) - and I don't stop walking when I tap (though I slow down a bit to not hit the gate).

I'm wondering if your card may have issues - do you have an alternate card you can try for a bit?
 
I'm just not seeing this. The only real lag I've seen lately was tapping a VISA card. The time varies a bit, but the first time I tapped my (very old) Presto card on the new readers at Christie, it was faster than usual (the next time it was about the same as usual) - and I don't stop walking when I tap (though I slow down a bit to not hit the gate).

I'm wondering if your card may have issues - do you have an alternate card you can try for a bit?

I plan to change out my card when I go to Hungary this summer. I am taking the opportunity to do so when I am not buying a monthly pass.

That said the card dates back to 2017 so that could also be it. The chip may be wearing out.
 
I plan to change out my card when I go to Hungary this summer. I am taking the opportunity to do so when I am not buying a monthly pass.

That said the card dates back to 2017 so that could also be it. The chip may be wearing out.
These card really shouldn’t “wear out”, the communication is done by a few thin wires in the card. The delay is likely due to the device communicating with its base station or internal processing rather than the connection between your card and the device.
 
These card really shouldn’t “wear out”, the communication is done by a few thin wires in the card. The delay is likely due to the device communicating with its base station or internal processing rather than the connection between your card and the device.
It's not necessarly the card wearing out but if you keep it somewhere that it can get bent easily then it does stop working, I've replaced two of them because of keeping them in my wallet.
 
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My card "expires" June 2017, and what looks to be a manufacture date of Sep 2011, so it's likely 10+ years old and still kicking.
Mine expired in May 2015! And still fine. So about 13 years old (I had it very early, as I was having a lot of problems cancelling the paper tickets on GO). The other day I noticed it was actually faster than someone with the black cards ... though I wonder if the inconsistent lag be more related to the network than the card. Is time of day an issue?

If it's working, I'd be tempted to keep it. I find the black card (I use my wife's occasionally) confusing - perhaps because it's the same colour as my credit card - and I don't want to tap that accidently (though I have tapped my Driver's Licence before! :) )

Also, the newer black cards are thinner, and seem to get more brittle when it's very cold. I've heard of them breaking when bent just a bit.

It's not necessarly the card wearing out but if you keep it somewhere that it can get bent easily then it does stop working, I've replaced two of them because of keeping them in my wallet.
Green ones? I've had mine in my wallet for 13 years - though not in my back pocket.
 
I've been taking the GO Bus recently and I noticed some weird quirks with the fares on some of my trips:
  • Route 41 from Scarborough Town Centre to Richmond Hill Centre is $5.13, while it's $3.70 to go to Highway 407 (you can transfer onto the 66 and take it to the carpool lot at 400/Major Mackenzie and it's still $3.70).
  • If you take Route 66 from Yonge/Green Lane, transfer to the 41 at Highway 407 and go to Scarborough Town Centre, it's $7.91. But, if you take the same trip in reverse, it's $6.90.
  • Taking 40/41/52 between Highway 407 and Richmond Hill Centre is $3.70 whereas taking VIVA Orange would have cost $3.88. Since you get to take YRT for free if you travel on GO, it's $0.18 less expensive to take GO.
I'm wondering if anyone else has found weird quirks in GO's fare system.

Edit: Makes me wonder how many people are going to take the 27/19 between Sheppard and Finch or the 29 between Square One and Kipling once TTC-GO-905 fare integration goes into effect since it'll be less expensive than a TTC-905 transfer.
 
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Interac payment is being activated on 905 readers and GO with this weekends update.
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