Metrolinx: Presto Fare Card

[mildredolson]

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[TOareaFan]

The time of death has been called on the monthly pass.

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/1271249--go-transit-cancels-monthly-pass.

 

[DKsan]

Presto and GO need to embark on a major educational PR campaign right NOW.

There are a lot of people that don't realize that the monthly pass isn't going away, it's just being moved to a different medium.

 

[nfitz]

Presto and GO need to embark on a major educational PR campaign right NOW.

There are a lot of people that don't realize that the monthly pass isn't going away, it's just being moved to a different medium.

Technically speaking, it isn't. The Presto card has the ability to store a monthly pass - however GO isn't using it. They are using monthly price-capping instead. They could just as easily have both systems in place (presumably with a discount for a monthly, or annual pass, over the monthly price-capped maximum.

I think they are doing the right thing - but it could well differ to what other agencies - especially TTC that does have an annual pass that is cheaper than a monthly pass.

Have any of the other agencies using Presto discontinued monthly passes, or put a monthly pass or monthly price-capping (or heck even daily price-capping) on Presto yet? Edit - looks like HSR is selling proper monthly passes on Presto. Anyone else, or anyone else using capping?

 

[DKsan]

Brampton Transit got rid of 10 rides, shifting them to Presto. They also have monthly period passes, though still physically sell them too.

 

[nfitz]

Brampton Transit got rid of 10 rides, shifting them to Presto.

I assume that you don't have to pre-purchase 10 tickets on Presto for Brampton (like you have to do with an Opus card), and that you pay the discounted price, whether you just ride once or 10 times.

 

[DSC]

I assume that individual tickets will still be available - at a higher price? - for people (and visitors) who only use GO occasionally.

 

[Chinese Jamaican Bloke]

How will fare evasion prevented on the go trains with the new presto cards?

 

[nfitz]

How will fare evasion prevented on the go trains with the new presto cards?

Presumably the same way they are with the current Presto cards.

With the current Presto cards, on some trips the fare enforcement officers will go down the train, and check everyone's tickets. If they have a Presto card, they scan it, and confirm that you've tapped in. If you haven't tapped in, then you get a fine. If you tap in, but don't tap out, then they automatically deduct the maximum fare for that line from your card.

 

[BMO]

I noticed a new PRESTO machine at Dundas Station last week. I think it was a new open payment machien as it had the Mastercard and VISA symbols, as well as a new dock for tapping onto.

 

[Fred.S]

I noticed a new PRESTO machine at Dundas Station last week. I think it was a new open payment machien as it had the Mastercard and VISA symbols, as well as a new dock for tapping onto.

Yes it is. Unfortunately, if you're like me, and just tap your wallet against the machine, it will give you an error if you have your presto and credit card together. I have to stick with the older machines, or hold the wallet the right way and just far enough so it only reads the presto card.

 

[BMO]

Yes it is. Unfortunately, if you're like me, and just tap your wallet against the machine, it will give you an error if you have your presto and credit card together. I have to stick with the older machines, or hold the wallet the right way and just far enough so it only reads the presto card.

SO can we use our credit cards to pay now?!

 

[nfitz]

SO can we use our credit cards to pay now?!

At Dundas and College. It's a trial that TTC has announced - well mentioned quietly.

Not sure if it's at both sides of Dundas or not.

Yes it is. Unfortunately, if you're like me, and just tap your wallet against the machine, it will give you an error if you have your presto and credit card together. I have to stick with the older machines, or hold the wallet the right way and just far enough so it only reads the presto card.

Since getting an Interac card with a chip in it, I've simply resorted taking my Presto card out of my wallet as I tap on/off. I don't need the hassle of the error messages.

 

[rbt]

Since getting an Interac card with a chip in it, I've simply resorted taking my Presto card out of my wallet as I tap on/off. I don't need the hassle of the error messages.

Tinfoil.

Put the cards you tap on a regular basis on the outside edges of the wallet and run a piece of tinfoil somewhere in the middle.

So now you have a credit side and a Presto side.


Ultimately, of course, you cut up the presto card and never worry about Presto's screwed up auto top-up system again.

 

[nfitz]

Tinfoil.Ultimately, of course, you cut up the presto card and never worry about Presto's screwed up auto top-up system again.

Presumably Presto will ultimately give you a better deal than just using a credit card. I'd expect that they'd ultimately offer better pricing to those using Presto - presumably they'd have to pay less service charges to VISA/Mastercard/Interac per transaction.

Presto is certainly screwed up in many ways (though not as bad as Montreal's Opus card, which suffers from a severe failure in the architecture, as it isn't simply a card carrying cash, rather than pre-purchased tickets for each system) - I haven't had problems with the auto top-up system once activated. Sure, it fires a couple of $ early each time ... but otherwise, it's been running painlessly for over 2 years.