Steve X
Senior Member
About the instant thing, this is all tied down with the new CAL bus tracking system and cellular data access for buses/streetcar. It'll allow presto readers to connected to the internet and could updated data within seconds.At best, PRESTO processes your load in about 30 minutes, but that's only for the Self-Serve Reload Machine and UP Express Fare Payment readers. I just hope they replace all the GTA readers with PNG architecture, so then these 24 Hours became at best an Hour.
I did an experiment last summer and post it to /r/toronto, and it does take about 30 minutes for your load to reach the readers.
Here's the link:
http://m.imgur.com/a/dodCT
BUT constant data downloading off the cellular network cost money and drain a lot more electricity for the readers to process new data. Having 2000 buses/streetcar doing that every minute will cost a lot of $$$. A more reasonable time is a few minutes while open payment transactions will instantly go through.