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TTC: Fare system loopholes

ksun

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We all know how outdated TTC's fare system is. And based on my observation, this gives rise to considerable loopholes in terms of fare evasion. Let me give some examples here.

1) day passes

In theory, it should only give two adults unlimited trips during weekend and holidays, but it can be abused easily. For example, A and B can get in the train at Queen, stop at any station, such as Broadview, one of them exit and pick up C and continue to trip.

If more than two passengers need to get in at the same subway station, two of them could go inside, and pass out the pass through a non-manned entrance, so that another 2 can enter. Or one of them get out and pick up another passenger who is waiting at a different entrance of the same station (for some stations such as Queen, Dundas etc, there are multiple fare gate at different sides of the tracks). This works for metropasses as well.

2) transfers

I have seen students do that all the time, especially in downtown when stations are close to each other.
A get in king station using one token, take any number of transfers he wants, get out and walk with B, C, D etc and all of them can use the transfer on the 501 along Queen, which is only 300 meters away. So one fare worked for multiple passengers.
Have you seen passengers taking a bunch of transfers? that's probably why.

3) backtracking trips

In theory one ticket should not allow a return trip. For example, if you get a transfer from Yonge/Dundas on a WB 505, you can't use the transfer to take a EB streetcar upon returning. But one can easily do that by going to Dundas/Spadina or Bathurst for example, do whatever they need to do nearby, then using the transfer northward to go to Spadina/Bathurst station. Once you are in the subway station, TTC has no control over which direction you are headed afterwards, including backtracking ones.

4) negligent fare inspectors
Don't we constantly pass the fare gate only the find the ticket inspectors don't even bother raising their eyes to check? I wonder if you hold a transfer from a week ago, or just a random one on the ground, what are the chances the inspector will actually check the date and time. They seldom do. TTC ticket inspectors are overstaffed, but rarely do their job well.

There are probably many more creative ways to cheat the outdated TTC fare system, which relies on paper based ticket and passes and human inspection. And I believe the amount of fare evasion is much much higher than TTC itself estimated. Until a fully automated system is adopted avoiding human inspection completely, fare evasion will continue to exist (especially consider how expensive it is for short trips).
 
I've taken multiple transfers a few times... Only because I felt like pressing the button twice. Also I'm trying to collect a transfer from every Station in the system. Never even thought about doing it for fare evasion :p
 
Actually getting moving on Presto implementation would really help cut down on fare evasion, which I've seen happen regularly (although not participated in). So would a move to time-based transfers, even if they still remained all paper-based, because there would be less passengers annoyed with paying two fares for a quick trip (ex. riding a bus to the store, grabbing bread, and heading back) who would be looking for ways to cheat the system.
 
Loopholes?

These aren't loopholes. They are criminal acts.

I'm quiet sure you could walk into most grocery stores, and walk out with an apple in your pocket without paying.

That's not a loophole ...
 
I'm not sure what to call this but it essentially involves transferring twice but using only one transfer. For example, you pay your fare at a subway station and travel to, say, Spadina, where you go upstairs, take a transfer and then go back down and get on a Spadina streetcar. Then you use the transfer to get on another TTC vehicle, such as a Queen streetcar.
 
If more than two passengers need to get in at the same subway station, two of them could go inside, and pass out the pass through a non-manned entrance, so that another 2 can enter. Or one of them get out and pick up another passenger who is waiting at a different entrance of the same station (for some stations such as Queen, Dundas etc, there are multiple fare gate at different sides of the tracks). This works for metropasses as well.

I'm pretty sure that once you use a metropass to swipe into a station it cannot be used again for 5-10 minutes
 
I'm pretty sure that once you use a metropass to swipe into a station it cannot be used again for 5-10 minutes

yes, but the first person or the second person, or both can circumvent this by simply showing the pass to the inspector.
I think passengers should be required to swipe the metropass.
 
We all know how outdated TTC's fare system is. And based on my observation, this gives rise to considerable loopholes in terms of fare evasion. Let me give some examples here.

1) day passes

In theory, it should only give two adults unlimited trips during weekend and holidays, but it can be abused easily. For example, A and B can get in the train at Queen, stop at any station, such as Broadview, one of them exit and pick up C and continue to trip.
Because the TTC does not require users to tap-out when exiting the system, there's no way to stop that. Broadview is a bit too far from Queen, better examples would be the Line 1 stations in downtown.
 
It's 15 minutes. And that delay is precisely for the reason you think it is.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

yet metropass holders are not required to swipe the cards, are they? they can choose to just show it.
 
Apparently you can exchange your transfer at St. Clair for the 2 hour one. So if you are going downtown and plan on making a few errands, you can pick up your transfer when you get on the subway, exchange it at St. Clair or St. Clair West for a timed one, get off at the next stop, and take the train into the city.

That is a loophole, and perfectly within the rules of the transfer.
 
The unmanned entrance to Glencairn station at Viewmount is actually viewed by the fare collector at the main entrance to Glencairn station. I know this, as two people tried to crush through the unmanned entrance together but through the PA, the fare collector is watching them and if both go through, one of them will have to pay a $500 fine for trespassing. Both decided go in separately and pay separate fares.
 
I'm not sure what to call this but it essentially involves transferring twice but using only one transfer. For example, you pay your fare at a subway station and travel to, say, Spadina, where you go upstairs, take a transfer and then go back down and get on a Spadina streetcar. Then you use the transfer to get on another TTC vehicle, such as a Queen streetcar.
I'd call it a criminal act.

Edit. Hang on ... why get the second transfer? You can use the first transfer on an unlimited number of vehicles, to get you from point A to B, if that's how many vehicles you need. There's nothing wrong with paying and getting a transfer at Ossington, jumping on a Spadina streetcar to Queen, and then using the Ossington transfer to get on Queen car. You could then use that same Ossington transfer to get on a Bay bus at Queen/Bay to go to Front/Bay (which kind of sounds silly, but perhaps Line 1 is closed or something).

I'm pretty sure that once you use a metropass to swipe into a station it cannot be used again for 5-10 minutes
Something like that. Quite bothersome on a Saturday afternooon when I've swiped in at (say Christie), walked downstairs to buy a soft drink at the store, found it closed (despite the station always being very busy on a Saturday), and then gone back outside, and next door to buy drink, and tried swiping back in again ...
 
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I'd call it a criminal act.

I guess it's fraud in that the TTC is owed two fares for a trip like that, yes.

Something like that. Quite bothersome on a Saturday afternooon when I've swiped in at (say Christie), walked downstairs to buy a soft drink at the store, found it closed (despite the station always being very busy on a Saturday), and then gone back outside, and next door to buy drink, and tried swiping back in again ...

You're actually willing to pay two fares just to be able to enter the station, leave and come back then?
 

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