Metrolinx: Presto Fare Card

[steveintoronto]

The three Presto machines at Dundas West station have been all down for a good period of time last week, and problematic when up. I was waiting to check my balance and reload if need be for 15 minutes yesterday, gave up and walked home. The two machines that were at least appearing to work somewhat had customers completely baffled on how to use them. Working or not, the machines are completely unintuitive.

The cash payment/token machines on the new streetcars are always hosting a session of people spending five minutes or more trying to figure them out, and often giving up in frustration.

When I see people struggling, I prompt them to take a picture of the screen, and then pay at the next opportunity, and meantime if a Fare Inspector accosts them, just show them the pic, and challenge them to ticket you, and you'll show the pic in court...and to anyone else interested.

 

[Andy T]

First day of presto tickets will start tomorrow at Lawrence West and Yorkdale according to a report released for next weeks board meeting.

 

[thettctransitfanatic]

First day of presto tickets will start tomorrow at Lawrence West and Yorkdale according to a report released for next weeks board meeting.

Only at those two? I was starting to wonder what the delay was as in December they said the tickets would available in February. It's April. But they probably deferred that

 

[Richard White]

Only at those two? I was starting to wonder what the delay was as in December they said the tickets would available in February. It's April. But they probably deferred that

They are the first two stations without collectors which is they are doing it this way.

Also, they are little used (comparatively) to Downtown, Yonge Line and some Bloor-Danforth stations. There will be limited impact if it fails at Yorkdale or Lawrence West compared to failing during a system wide roll-out.

 

[thettctransitfanatic]

They are the first two stations without collectors which is they are doing it this way.

Also, they are little used (comparatively) to Downtown, Yonge Line and some Bloor-Danforth stations. There will be limited impact if it fails at Yorkdale or Lawrence West compared to failing during a system wide roll-out.

Yeah they aren't definitely used as much as the downtown stations. Maybe I should go up to Lawrence West and try the Presto tickets. And I imagine that they will probably ultimately fail there. We all know how the each passing provincial government treats technology, even the Spongebob meme to prove it...

 

[MetroMan]

I can't believe they removed debit and credit cards from PRESTO machines on streetcars. Seriously, who carries cash anymore?

I hopped on the streetcar and didn't have my wallet on me so I went to pay with Apple Pay as I've done many times before and was reminded that the TTC had pulled support for electronic payments. Tokens or coins only. You've got to be F'ing kidding me...

Meanwhile, in other cities:

 

[Richard White]

I can't believe they removed debit and credit cards from PRESTO machines on streetcars. Seriously, who carries cash anymore?

View attachment 179920

I hopped on the streetcar and didn't have my wallet on me so I went to pay with Apple Pay as I've done many times before and was reminded that the TTC had pulled support for electronic payments. Tokens or coins only. You've got to be F'ing kidding me...

Meanwhile, in other cities:

View attachment 179921

I think it had to do with the machines being unstable while credit and debit was an option.

 

[thettctransitfanatic]

I can't believe they removed debit and credit cards from PRESTO machines on streetcars. Seriously, who carries cash anymore?

View attachment 179920

I hopped on the streetcar and didn't have my wallet on me so I went to pay with Apple Pay as I've done many times before and was reminded that the TTC had pulled support for electronic payments. Tokens or coins only. You've got to be F'ing kidding me...

Meanwhile, in other cities:

View attachment 179921

One of the main reasons for this was to obviously to encourage people to use Presto. But I do agree that for many, that the debit/credit option should have been left, but I am a cash guy, so if I don't have my Presto, I make sure I got cash.

 

[thettctransitfanatic]

I think it had to do with the machines being unstable while credit and debit was an option.

That's exactly the reason, but I really wish they could have worked a way for it to work. Read my above post.

 

[MetroMan]

I think it had to do with the machines being unstable while credit and debit was an option.

So the Pizza Pizza guy can carry a handheld, battery powered cellular debit/credit machine that fits in his pocket but the TTC can't maintain a debit machine on a ticket terminal the size of a fridge?

 

[nfitz]

One of the main reasons for this was to obviously to encourage people to use Presto.

No, they did this because of the machines being unstable while credit and debit was an option.

So the Pizza Pizza guy can carry a handheld, battery powered cellular debit/credit machine that fits in his pocket but the TTC can't maintain a debit machine on a ticket terminal the size of a fridge?

Not TTC. Metrolinx is responsible for maintaining these particular machines, as per the terms of their contract with TTC. They made this change last year until they can get a more stable solution.

 

[cplchanb]

No, they did this because of the machines being unstable while credit and debit was an option.

Not TTC. Metrolinx is responsible for maintaining these particular machines, as per the terms of their contract with TTC. They made this change last year until they can get a more stable solution.

what were the reported bugs? payment not processing? crashes?

Edit: whatever the issue is, I'm appalled by the fact that the draconian token is still alive 2 years after they promised to phase them out. They really should do the YRT thing and have exchange centres and a grace period and then a cutoff
That will get people to switch over.

 

[thettctransitfanatic]

what were the reported bugs? payment not processing? crashes?

Edit: whatever the issue is, I'm appalled by the fact that the draconian token is still alive 2 years after they promised to phase them out. They really should do the YRT thing and have exchange centres and a grace period and then a cutoff
That will get people to switch over.

What's wrong with tokens stayin' alive?

 

[cplchanb]

What's wrong with tokens stayin' alive?

waste of money to produce and manage and in the age of smart cards and cashless payment does not fit with the times.
I understand people's nostalgic nuances but it simply needs to go if we are to remain a relevant and competitive system.

 

[nfitz]

what were the reported bugs? payment not processing? crashes?

Because they were "causing the machines to be unreliable".

In the most recent (April 2019) CEO's report on page 62, you can see that the reliability of these PRESTO Fares and Transfer Machines increased from about 90% in November to 98.6% in February. They also note that they are replacing the current machines, subject to Metrolinx's schedule to roll them out.

I'd hope they restore debit/credit once they have the new machines in. I haven't seen any yet personally, though they say eight have been installed.