TTC: Monthly Pass Prices: Metropasses vs. other North American Cities

[Long Island Mike]

Comparing Monthly/Weekly Transit Pass Prices: Are there any proposals to limit use?

Everyone:

This has become a interesting topic concerning this discussion on transit pass prices compared by system...

The good feature of unlimited use passes is that the more you ride the more that you save...

The MTA in New York has just filed to increase fares in 2015 and these are the current and proposed Unlimited Metrocard prices:

30 Day Unlimited: Currently $112 to $116.50

7 Day Unlimited: Currently $30 to $31

7 Day Express Bus Plus Pass: Currently $55 to $57.25
(The Express Bus fare which is currently $6 one way would increase to $6.50)

I have one question concerning Monthly or Weekly Passes sold by the TTC and other systems:

Do any propose placing a "cap" on the amount of rides that can be used in each respective validity period?

Back in 2010 the MTA proposed instituting "caps" on their Unlimited Metrocards and the negative feedback from riders
at public hearings and politically was so strong against this proposal that the MTA did back down and since then there
is no "caps" on rides being proposed - I recall the general thought was "Increase the fare if you have to but please do
not take away the Unlimited use option"...Since Unlimited Metrocards were made available in the late 90s many transit
dependent people use them multiple times each day and literally some of their livelyhoods depend on having this option...

LI MIKE

 

[nfitz]

Do any propose placing a "cap" on the amount of rides that can be used in each respective validity period?

There's been no discussion of this. For TTC it's not even an option currently, as there's no way to tell how many times a pass has been used in a month, and we are still 2-3 years away from being able to tap on every vehicle.

I'll put it in perspective. TTC fareboxes currently don't have any electricity. It's 1800s technology.

 

[Johnny Au]

At least Metropasses are transferable. Some systems' monthly passes have photos on them and are non-transferable, just like the Metropass over a decade ago.

 

[Long Island Mike]

Transit Pass use: Transferrable? Cap limitations?

NF and JA: In New York the MTA can "track" Metrocard use by their unique serial number that can
record which subway stations or bus routes they are used on - that can help in fare disputes and
faregate/farebox problems in which there can be adjustments made for refunds or fare credits...

All Unlimited Metrocards are fully transferable like Toronto's Metropass is today - but the notable
exception is monthly passes that are used on the two MTA commuter railroads - LIRR and MNCR which
are not - and the only features that are used on them is that they are gender marked Male or Female
(The LIRR uses a punch block and MNCR uses a M or F also printed on) and if you use the Mail-N-Ride
service the user's name is printed on the pass...A man can easily use a pass marked M and even with
the name printed on passes are rarely checked unless it is obvious that the user is not the person
actually owning the pass (a woman using a pass marked M or a youth using a parent's pass are good
examples that I know of) and can not prove that they are the rightful owner of the pass in question...
They are also supposed to be signed to be valid but that is rarely enforced...


SEPTA in Philadelphia - which currently offers unlimited use weekly and monthly passes and used to
mark them with gender stickers - a orange F or a green M - are technically not transferable and they
dropped the use of these markings after getting sued by a transgender rights organization and losing
in 2012 - now there is no way whatsoever to check on how many people will "borrow"passes and the
only way of any control is the "lockout" period of 18 minutes at a certain station or bus route...that
eliminates "pass-back" abuse but does not address the "sharing" of passes...

SEPTA is now beginning to install new equipment for their New Payment Technology "Key" system that
will begin use sometime during 2015 and they already have gotten some riders riled up because they
have proposed "caps" on all Key card use and because the SEPTA System is of a "hub-and-spoke" type
that relies on convenient transfers between lines riders are wondering how multiple vehicle rides will
count under a "cap" limit - I feel that any use within a two-hour time frame should count as one ride...

The ride "cap" limits are proposed to be 240 rides on a Monthly and 56 rides on a Weekly with the
new "Key" system implementation replacing the current system's unlimited riding...

The even bigger task will be instituting the new "Key" card system on the Regional (Commuter) Rail
System - SEPTA has proposed gating any access to all five Center City stations as a prime example...

For more information see: www.septa.org/key/index.html

Long Island Mike