Metrolinx: Presto Fare Card

[BMO]

not gonna lie...call me entitled, call me millennial, but as one of the largest generations that will come to replace and pay off Baby Boomer debt and pay for all these services as the tail-end of this upcoming generation gets into the workforce, I don't think there's any problem with having high standards and demanding stuff get done when it's supposed to get done. PRESTO installations are a good start.

 

[Megaton327]

In what world do you want them to turn on the units early, if they are having some kind of issue? The last time they tried that in Ottawa, Metrolinx ended up firing the guy running Presto. Surely, they are best to delay a few days, and make sure it's working properly.

Could you please cite a source on these "problems" they are having with the readers? I haven't heard of this before. I'm assuming you have some sort of evidence to back up your argument?

 

[nfitz]

not gonna lie...call me entitled, call me millennial, but as one of the largest generations that will come to replace and pay off Baby Boomer debt and pay for all these services as the tail-end of this upcoming generation gets into the workforce, I don't think there's any problem with having high standards and demanding stuff get done when it's supposed to get done. PRESTO installations are a good start.

I don't disagree. I get concerned however when something like the Presto implementation is going quite well (the ever-increasing number of Presto readers now on the old streetcars is evidence of that), and yet we have people harassing Brad with tweets giving him the nth degree about his tweet about hoping that some of the readers would be on-line before the end of November.

All such horrid behaviour does, is close communication doors.

In terms of real issues - 20-minute gaps on routes that run every 4 minutes. Years of delay in subway lines and streetcar procurement. Give them heck!

Could you please cite a source on these "problems" they are having with the readers? I haven't heard of this before. I'm assuming you have some sort of evidence to back up your argument?

I didn't say they were having problems. I simply asked a hypothetical. Though TTC did indicate this week that they were still training operators.

Though installing 2 to 3 readers on each of the 237 old streetcars, getting everything working with Presto, and training hundreds upon hundreds of operators on how to deal with Presto and transfers - my gosh, can you imagine a scenario where there wouldn't be any problems?

 

[NotMathematical]

Apple Pay coming to TTC via PRESTO by 2017.

http://m.metronews.ca/#/article/news/toronto/2015/11/18/apple-pay-coming-to-the-ttc-.html?referrer=

This maybe a key item in the article.

 

[Catenary]

Apple Pay coming to TTC via PRESTO by 2017.

http://m.metronews.ca/#/article/news/toronto/2015/11/18/apple-pay-coming-to-the-ttc-.html?referrer=

This maybe a key item in the article.


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It surprised me that they didn't already take contactless, as the VX820 terminals they just installed are capable of it.

 

[W. K. Lis]

PRESTO will be on the iPhone 12, that's how long it may take.

 

[Napoleon]

Apple Pay coming to TTC via PRESTO by 2017.

The hard part on Canada is going to be getting major banks on board. So far, only AMEX in Canada works with Apple Pay. Getting the big banking oligopoly to use another system is going to be tough. The US has actual competition in credit card issuers, so it's been adopted much more quickly there.

 

[muller877]

The hard part on Canada is going to be getting major banks on board. So far, only AMEX in Canada works with Apple Pay. Getting the big banking oligopoly to use another system is going to be tough. The US has actual competition in credit card issuers, so it's been adopted much more quickly there.

Apple pay charges about 0.15% for each transaction (buried within the Amex fee of around 1.5 to 2%). Why would I as a big bank agree to pay Apple a 0.15% fee? I'm sure they would be fine if a retailer would suck up the additional cost but the retailers would fight back.

In the US there is a savings for the credit card companies since the fraud risk on swipe and sign (probably 90% of all transactions) is much greater than tap. But in Canada we are already at tap so there is no savings on reduced fraud.

The TTC needs to be pushing cheaper forms of payment, not more expensive ones. By increasing the size of payments they can decrease the rates that they have to pay VISA/Amex/MC/Debit. If there are a large number of small payments the % that Visa charges increases (based on one-off agreements with large retailers).

This is why I really don't understand why they are pressing for this type of payment delivery. Unless they payment will be for a cash fare price (and Presto will give us a token fare price).

 

[nfitz]

This is why I really don't understand why they are pressing for this type of payment delivery. Unless they payment will be for a cash fare price (and Presto will give us a token fare price).

I'd assume this is exactly what will happen. That you'll get a better price with a Presto Card, than with debit/credit; Presto's own transaction cost will be higher with debit/credit - let alone the fees. I'd also expect there'd be even better deals for Presto users such as rate capping and passes that won't be available on credit/debit - unless Interac and the others are willing to come to the table with a special deal.

 

[TOareaFan]

I'd assume this is exactly what will happen. That you'll get a better price with a Presto Card, than with debit/credit; Presto's own transaction cost will be higher with debit/credit - let alone the fees. I'd also expect there'd be even better deals for Presto users such as rate capping and passes that won't be available on credit/debit - unless Interac and the others are willing to come to the table with a special deal.

Not sure if they still do...but when the College subway station accepted VISA this is exactly how it worked....VISA got cash fare and Presto got token fare.

 

[nfitz]

Not sure if they still do...but when the College subway station accepted VISA this is exactly how it worked....VISA got cash fare and Presto got token fare.

Someone mentioned that one of the ticket machines along Queens Quay (or Spadina?) was briefly accepting debit a few days ago, and it was $3.

 

[TOareaFan]

Someone mentioned that one of the ticket machines along Queens Quay (or Spadina?) was briefly accepting debit a few days ago, and it was $3.

it makes sense.....the casual/one off transit rider will have some sort of credit/debit card and for their rare trips that would normally need cash they tap...but they pay the cash fare....if transit becomes a regular habit you look to find a way to reduce the cost and you find that using a Presto card is cheaper.

 

[nfitz]

it makes sense.....the casual/one off transit rider will have some sort of credit/debit card and for their rare trips that would normally need cash they tap...but they pay the cash fare....if transit becomes a regular habit you look to find a way to reduce the cost and you find that using a Presto card is cheaper.

If they want to incentivize it properly, they should make the debit/credit fare more than tokens/Presto and less than cash.

 

[TOareaFan]

If they want to incentivize it properly, they should make the debit/credit fare more than tokens/Presto and less than cash.

Unless I am reading wrong (been happening a lot lately)...that is exactly what happens (or happened) at College....the Visa card tap charged the cash fare (which is more than tokens) and the Presto card was token rate (which is less than cash).

 

[nfitz]

If they want to incentivize it properly, they should make the debit/credit fare more than tokens/Presto and less than cash.

Unless I am reading wrong (been happening a lot lately)...that is exactly what happens (or happened) at College....the Visa card tap charged the cash fare (which is more than tokens) and the Presto card was token rate (which is less than cash).

I said that they should make the debit/credit less than cash. Not the same as cash.