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Metrolinx: Presto Fare Card

nfitz said:
We probably didn't need it - but more proof that Presto is run by morons.

I got an e-mail asking me to take a survey.

One of the questions:



Note the lack of indication if 1 is agree or disagree.

Which means the results of the survey will be meaningless ...
Click to expand...
Actually Presto hired morons..they didn't run it themselves. A marketing group named Pollara did the surveys....
 
UrbanPrincess said:
Actually Presto hired morons..they didn't run it themselves. A marketing group named Pollara did the surveys....
Click to expand...
I would expect Presto would have both had a selection process when they hired their contractor, as well as would have had sign-off on the questions.
 
Markster said:
Queens park and city have 12.4B TTC Deal
http://www.thestar.com/article/965947--queen-s-park-and-city-have-a-12-4b-ttc-deal?bn=1
Click to expand...

Looks like the Presto part of this deal was exaggerated a bit. According to the government press backgrounder:

PRESTO:

The PRESTO fare card system will be implemented on the entire Metrolinx project.
The City of Toronto, TTC and Metrolinx will work together on mutually agreeable terms to implement PRESTO across the TTC.
Click to expand...

So Eglinton-Scarborough will have Presto, but the rest of the system is still up for discussion. It does sound as if TTC is back to considering Presto as the prime option, though.
 
Isn't part of the deal with Metrolinx that anything they fund, they own?

So they'd own the Eglinton line and, apparently, not the subway extension. Note that their press release differentiates between the METROLINX project and the CITY OF TORONTO project though, from a resident's perspective, they're both TTC.

In that sense, the idea that there will be Presto on Metrolinx's route doesn't seem like a paradigm shift.
 
Passing through the GO bus terminal at Union a few minutes ago, I noticed almost all the buses had PRESTO readers installed.
 
Coruscanti Cognoscente said:
I don't think they're turned on though.
Click to expand...

They are not available for use yet, they have a cover on the tap pad that says something like "PRESTO Coming Soon". I got a close up look at one unit though and it was powered up and ready to be used.
 
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So far, I generally like my Presto Card, though I don't use it much. Generally only once/day on my way home from work to access TTC at Kipling Station. Will use it on Mississauga buses when it's available, and GO too. I've also used it for the TTC at Union.

So, I like the card, but I find the whole fare loading scheme to be clunky.

  • Why do we need to tap on or use a one of the balance checkers before we can check our recent transactions online?? Seems so backwards...
  • I recently used up my my Presto balance so I signed up for the automatic deductions. So far, no deductions have been made, so I've been using tokens. Do I need to manually add a balance again, so that it triggers the autoload the next time I pass under my threshold? Why didn't it just top me up right away?
  • So this morning I manually topped up again via the website, to an amount just above my autoload threshold. Got the email confirmation that payment went through, but again I need to tap on before the website actually gets updated with my current balance. Grrr.
  • So after I pay my fare today, my balance will be below the threshold and I expect to see that autoload kick in. Let's see how that goes...
 
vic said:
I recently used up my my Presto balance so I signed up for the automatic deductions. So far, no deductions have been made, so I've been using tokens. Do I need to manually add a balance again, so that it triggers the autoload the next time I pass under my threshold? Why didn't it just top me up right away?
Click to expand...
Yes, you do.

The way the automatic reload works, is that it you set a threshold and a reload amount. For example, you can set it to reload $40 everytime it goes below the threshold of $20.

However, if you only have $15 in your account when you set this up, it won't add $40 because it only triggers when it crosses below $20.

Yes, whoever designed it this has to be really, really, really, stupid. What any normal design would have done is that it would trigger the reload when you set up the contract and you are already below the threshold. But this is not what they did.

vic said:
So after I pay my fare today, my balance will be below the threshold and I expect to see that autoload kick in. Let's see how that goes...
Click to expand...
Might not happen until tomorrow ... if you only did it manually on the website today, don't you have to wait until tomorrow until it get's added to your card? Confusing as all heck ... if anyone in the private sector ever designed anything so badly, they would have been fired by now.
 
No one ever said the private sector can do everything better than the public sector. You need only look at the health care debacle south of the border to see the worst health care system in the Western world.
 
Very True! And despite the many poor examples of public sector, there are an equal number that are very good but never mentioned...

One I can think of is Canada Post! Its just organizations like the TTC that give just a negative view!
 
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