Metrolinx: Presto Fare Card

[Megaton327]

Apple doesn't want 3rd parties to use the iPhone's NFC capabilities, so most likely it will be Android use exclusively.

That is incorrect, Apple has stated that they are rolling out support for other cards through the Apple Pay API and the iPhone's NFC chip. I believe there is at least one US store chain that uses it for their rewards card already.

 

[NotMathematical]

That is incorrect, Apple has stated that they are rolling out support for other cards through the Apple Pay API and the iPhone's NFC chip. I believe there is at least one US store chain that uses it for their rewards card already.

I see, there hasn't been a lot of information floating around about the API , but happy they're opening up for developers to use it (like Touch ID initially) instead of keeping it amongst themselves.

 

[nfitz]

Does anyone know why presto still doesn't offer a virtual card for smartphones

Because such changes are part of Wave 5. It's always been post-2016.

 

[many7695]

Because such changes are part of Wave 5. It's always been post-2016.

Thanks

 

[interchange42]

Presto at Bay Station:

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[mdrejhon]

Pretty trivial today given it's over hours (not minutes) and by 2035 a typical cell phone will probably be able to deal with that backend load. Also, even at 50 bytes per tap (massive; shouldn't need more than about 16 bytes before compression) we're still only hitting 1GB of data per month per vehicle.

That is not bad. The big problem is....when will we have realtime Internet refill? Any ground Presto reader should be able to be updated quicky.

Also, Presto cards expire after 5 years, so they can switch to a new system if need be.

That said, the transactional load is nowadays manageable these days even on a single high end server machine. Throw in obligatory redundancies (including distributed failovers) and the Presto system can manage for many decades to come. It can be incrementally upgraded with new features that be active on newer Presto cards.

 

[nfitz]

That is not bad. The big problem is....when will we have realtime Internet refill?

Never I'd think. What system has realtime update? We are so much more advanced than any other systems on reloads, such as Montreal or London.

Also, Presto cards expire after 5 years, so they can switch to a new system if need be.

They don't expire. Mine says 2015 on it - it's the end of the warranty period. But you can keep using them, if they still work.

 

[cplchanb]

Presto at Bay Station:

View attachment 77019

42

they need to block off where that fare inspector is sitting...free passes if he ever gets up

 

[interchange42]

I wouldn't be surprised if that whole collector's booth comes out next, to be replaced by more gates. Only the other one is ever used anymore.

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[nfitz]

I'd think ultimately, you want a ticket booth away from the fare line.

 

[MetroMan]

Does anyone know why presto still doesn't offer a virtual card for smartphones

ApplePay is coming to the TTC.

In London, UK Apple Pay is already accepted. You tap on, then tap off and the TfL system recognizes it. This only works in cooperation with Apple since each ApplePay tap generates a random credit card number and wouldn't be recognized as the same card tapping out. There are also weekly maximums if you use the same ApplePay card when you commute. The TTC will work the same way.

 

[cplchanb]

ApplePay is coming to the TTC.



In London, UK Apple Pay is already accepted. You tap on, then tap off and the TfL system recognizes it. This only works in cooperation with Apple since each ApplePay tap generates a random credit card number and wouldn't be recognized as the same card tapping out. There are also weekly maximums if you use the same ApplePay card when you commute. The TTC will work the same way.

Im really hoping that Android releases an equivalent and that TTC and other co.s be more aggressive towards demanding it. It would be a terrible shame to see the other 60%+ of the customer base not being able to enjoy this convenience

 

[MetroMan]

On Android, it's more straightforward. PRESTO can release an app that uses any Android's NFC chip which is open to developers.

 

[Megaton327]

ApplePay is coming to the TTC.

In London, UK Apple Pay is already accepted. You tap on, then tap off and the TfL system recognizes it. This only works in cooperation with Apple since each ApplePay tap generates a random credit card number and wouldn't be recognized as the same card tapping out. There are also weekly maximums if you use the same ApplePay card when you commute. The TTC will work the same way.

For the TTC this refers to purchasing fares. In fact they already support it at the Presto Self-Serve Reload Kiosks and at collector booths for purchases over $10 (I believe they take tap?), as well as at the LFLRV onboard/offboard fare machines for cash fare purchases. And as I've mentioned elsewhere, Apple Pay is in fact no different, in terms of "supporting" it, than tap-to-pay Visa/Interac/etc. If you can tap debit or credit, congratulations, that merchant accepts Apple Pay.

The only "coming soon" Apple Pay/Credit/Debit support on the TTC is at collector booths for single cash fares/purchases under $10. To be clear this does not mean TfL-style support as a presto replacement.

Also, Apple Pay doesn't actually generate a unique card number for each transaction--it generates a unique device account number for the combination of device+card, i.e. my Phone has one for my Visa and one for my Debit, my Watch has a different one for my Visa and for my Debit. That number is unique to the device+card, but does not change between transactions--this is how TfL works, and if you ever need to return something at a store in person it's how that's possible.

On Android, it's more straightforward. PRESTO can release an app that uses any Android's NFC chip which is open to developers.

As I've said multiple times in the recent pages of this thread, Apple is in the process of rolling out support for third-party NFC cards through Apple Pay, which would include Presto if Metrolinx ever cares to add support for it. Full support should be available on Apple's end no later than September/October this year with the release of iOS 10. Yes, Android has supported it for years--in fact on an old Android phone I had, if you tapped the presto card to the phone it made a beep but did nothing else--but Metrolinx is lagging behind here...Android users could have had it probably in 2011-2012.

 

[interchange42]

TTC News Release


178 TTC buses now have PRESTO

May 30, 2016

One hundred and seventy-eight TTC buses servicing 22 routes across the west end of the city now have PRESTO. This marks the completion of the first of seven TTC bus garages to have its whole fleet outfitted with PRESTO.

Customers who travel on the following routes can now board these buses by tapping a PRESTO card:

- 192 Airport Rocket
- 49 Bloor West
- 50 Burnhamthorpe
- 111 East Mall
- 15 Evans
- 315 Evans-Brown's Line
- 37 Islington
- 337 Islington
- 110 Islington South
- 40 Junction
- 44 Kipling South
- 188 Kipling South Rocket
- 45 Kipling
- 30 Lampton
- 66 Prince Edward
- 80 Queensway
- 48 Rathburn
- 73 Royal York
- 76 Royal York South
- 123 Shorncliffe
- 168 Symington
- 112 West Mall

While PRESTO may be a good option when traveling on these routes, PRESTO customers planning on using a bus on a different route, must take a transfer as connecting buses that come from other garages may not have PRESTO readers yet. PRESTO card users travelling by bus in other areas of the city must carry tokens or exact cash during the eight month bus rollout. The bus rollout now moves to the TTC's Arrow and Wilson garages located in the northwest part of the city. By the end of 2016, all TTC buses will have PRESTO.

In addition to card readers being installed on buses, PRESTO continues to arrive at more subway stations. Bay Station is the latest to receive the TTC's new fare gates with PRESTO. Construction at Sherbourne Station will be completed soon, bringing the total number of subway stations with PRESTO to 30.