Metrolinx: Presto Fare Card

[doady]

This is what happens when you let transit agencies set their own fare policies.

Yes, I and other post-secondary students in Mississauga get a discount because Mississauga Transit sets its own policy that Presto could have easily followed but decided not to for some strange reason. Thank goodness for that.

 

[RedRocket191]

Yes, I and other post-secondary students in Mississauga get a discount because Mississauga Transit sets its own policy that Presto could have easily followed but decided not to for some strange reason. Thank goodness for that.

I feel that your problem is with Mississauga Transit, not Presto, as GO found a way to give post secondary students a discount despite not fitting into the age category.

 

[DavidH]

Yes, I and other post-secondary students in Mississauga get a discount because Mississauga Transit sets its own policy that Presto could have easily followed but decided not to for some strange reason. Thank goodness for that.

Presto does not set fare policy on any system. Presto is just a payment mechanism; each system sets their own fare policy for Presto.

I'm not saying this is the way it should be; I'm saying this is the way it is.

 

[doady]

Presto does not set fare policy on any system. Presto is just a payment mechanism; each system sets their own fare policy for Presto.

I guess that explains why the student fare policy for Presto is the same across the whole 905, according to their website...

 

[Jonny5]

Regarding the fare calculation issues we were discussing with bus connections earlier, I have now experienced the problem too.
I took the Lakeshore West to Aldershot and then transferred onto the connecting bus to Hamilton. I got off the bus in Hamilton (it doesn't make any stops before you get there), but I was not charged anything for that part of the trip. It debited $4.20 when I boarded the bus and credited it all back when I got off. Clearly there is a systems or operational issue with the bus connections.

 

[RedRocket191]

The only way we'll know for sure is if someone takes the train out to Oshawa and then connect all the way Bowmanville or Newcastle. Niagara via Burlington will work, as will Guelph via Georgetown and a host of other potential connections. We need to test a trip that goes beyond a few stops into the next fare zone before we call it a system error.

 

[DavidH]

I'm seeing some very different behaviours on some trips. Most of the time, travelling on the 96 bus between Ajax and Yonge Street (just south of Finch terminal), I'm charged $4.20 on boarding and another $1.77 or so upon exiting. But every once in a while, I'm charged something like $14.30 on boarding and then issued an $8.80 refund when exiting.
.

To follow up, GO staff tell me that the $14.30 charge is the fare from Ajax to Hamilton. I should just be charged to the next stop, which would be the minimum $4.20 on most routes, so something funny is going on here that my Toronto-bound trip is triggering the maximum on boarding. They're investigating further.

Ultimately, this doesn't make a huge difference since the refund on exiting the bus balances everything out, but it does make me feel less comfortable knowing that the refund has to occur in order for me to not be overcharged. So far, it's never not occurred properly, but still...

I'll report more when I have the complete answer; it should be next week.

One other point: I had noticed I was being charged $0.50 more on my trip home. It turns out that I - mostly out of habit - have been walking one stop further north, so that I have more choices of seats. That stop is now in a slightly more expensive fare zone than the stop I get off at in the morning.

So this confirms - Presto IS operating on more granular fare zones than the paper tickets use. My understanding is that this will never charge you more than the paper tickets (e.g. I was always paying that $0.50 when using paper passes) but you might pay less.

 

[Komiksulo]

I sent an email to YRT with the following question:

Hi!

Is it possible to use the Presto card on the Sutton GO bus, route 69? GO says that Presto is accepted on all GO buses, but YRT in the Fall 2011 MyTransit update says that Presto is not accepted on GO Route 69. Does this mean that Presto cannot be used to pay YRT fares on Route 69?

I got back the following answer:

The GO Transit Route 69 is outfitted with PRESTO devices; however, as it is a GO Transit bus it will deduct GO Transit fares. The system cannot recognize that you are a YRT passenger; therefore, your PRESTO card cannot be used to pay YRT fares on the GO Transit Route 69.

This is what I'd thought. YRT just needs to clarify their information to state that you can't (yet?) pay YRT fares on the Sutton bus.

This would also explain why the "3-zone" buttons on the YRT Presto machines are X-ed out. The only way to take a 3-zone trip on YRT is to go from the southern part of York Region to Georgina, and the only way to get to Georgina via YRT is on a GO bus on Route 69. Perhaps that feature of the fare system isn't working yet.

Edit: this still doesn't explain why my trip from Newmarket to Sutton still hasn't appeared in my Presto transactions log...

 

[Komiksulo]

I sent an email to Presto asking them about the trip I took on Route 69 and why it has not yet appeared on my Presto transaction register; I'll let you know what response I get.

 

[Komiksulo]

And I sent the following message to YRT regarding having to trek to Union to get my card reset:

I have a number of questions and concerns about using Presto in northern York Region.

In general, I find that Presto is difficult to use here in northern York Region if something goes slightly wrong. For example, I needed to go to a staffed customer service outlet to fill my card, which had a negative balance. This meant that I had to go all the way to Union Station when I was in Keswick, as there was no staffed customer service outlet closer than the YRT head office off High Tech Road near Richmond Hill Centre, and that customer service centre closed at 4:30 on a Thursday afternoon, before I could get there.

YRT could make the Presto card significantly easier to use for customers in northern York Region by:

Ending the policy that states that cards in negative balance must be refilled in person at a customer service outlet.
Providing a staffed Presto outlet at Newmarket bus terminal.
Extending the hours of the Presto outlet at the offices on High Tech Road to include the afternoon rush hour.
Providing Presto sales and reload options through other retail outlets, such as convenience stores.
Providing additional ways to pay.

Why not have have Interac Online and Visa/MC on the Presto website so that loading can be as quick as at a customer service centre? Why not make it possible to set your card up as a bill to pay via online banking, so that you can push money to it? Why not have some kind of fare-vending machine that can accept cash and fill up a card immediately? How about a smartphone apps that enables payment and account tracking? There should be many ways to pay.

I got back the following response:

Thank you for your email regarding PRESTO.

Your comments and suggestions have been documented in our tracking system. Your ticket reference number is XXXXXX. A representative will respond as soon as possible.

Registered PRESTO cardholders may utilize the requested reload or auto load agreements to add epurse values to their cards.

The requested reload agreement allows registered cardholders to set up an authorized agreement that will allow them to add funds to their card using debit or credit card via the PRESTO website or call centre. This contract allows customers to conveniently reload their card by logging on the PRESTO website or contacting the call centre without having to provide their bank account or credit card information on each occassion. The requested reload agreement takes two to five business days for the payment to clear. Please note the card must be tapped on a balance checker, fare payment or bus tap on device for the values to be loaded.

The auto load agreement allows registered cardholders to automatically reload their e-Purse value by pre-authorized payment from their bank account or credit card. The funds are immediately applied to the card when the card value decreases to a pre-determined amount.

You may obtain the forms to set up either the requested reload or auto load agreement in person from a Customer Service Outlet, by calling the PRESTO call center or downloading from the PRESTO website; however, only the PRESTO office can set up the agreements. Please mail your completed forms to the PRESTO Customer Service Centre, P.O. Box 1051, Thorold, Ontario L2V 5A8.

We value your continued support of YRT/Viva. Please don't hesitate to contact us should you require further assistance with these matters.

I responded with:

Re: ticket reference number XXXXXX

Yes, I am aware of the requested and auto reload capabilities... the problem is, if the card goes into a negative balance, they no longer work. There is then no choice but to go to a staffed customer-service outlet. Making payment more difficult seems rather counterproductive if the goal is to get money back onto the card.

This resulted in the following:

Thank you for your additional comments.

Your ticket reference number XXXXXX has been updated to reflect this information.

So I don't know whether someone is going to get back to me with more information.

 

[Justin10000]

When I travel to Brampton, I hardly see anyone paying their fares with a Presto Card. Maybe it's me, but if Presto is supposed to make paying fares easy, you would think more people would be using the card.

 

[RedRocket191]

When I travel to Brampton, I hardly see anyone paying their fares with a Presto Card. Maybe it's me, but if Presto is supposed to make paying fares easy, you would think more people would be using the card.

I don't think one can apply that sort of logic. The Zune was technologically superior to the iPod and I only know of two people who owned one (and I make fun of them every chance I get). I do see more and more people using PRESTO in Brampton every time I travel, and I've noticed that it seems to be more popular with people of colour.

As long as they have traditional fare media people won't want to switch away from something familiar to them. I practically had to steal my mother's paper tickets to get her to switch, but she's never looked back. Numbers have been increasing steadily, but they will not skyrocket until there is no other option but to use a PRESTO card.

 

[Electrify]

Despite what it says on that Presto link, you should still be able to register as a post secondary student with Presto. I'm in York Region and I qualify for a GO discount but not YRT. I went to Union Station and got myself setup for student. Now if I take the GO, I am charged the student fare but if I take YRT I am charged the adult fare.

 

[Electrify]

Just went by Miway's website. During the rollout phase, it only accepts adult fare anyways. However, the student passes are only slightly more than bulk fare, and come to a very similar price compared to adult bulk fares. So if you are a student staying within Mississauga it is probably better to just get their student fares for the time being. But if you are taking GO or travelling between systems, then it might be worth getting Presto for the enhanced convenience.

 

[Justin10000]

As long as they have traditional fare media people won't want to switch away from something familiar to them. I practically had to steal my mother's paper tickets to get her to switch, but she's never looked back. Numbers have been increasing steadily, but they will not skyrocket until there is no other option but to use a PRESTO card.

I do not think it's a case of being afraid to try new media. It's accessiblity, and ease of use. To load the card, you have 2 choices: at a few locations, and online. It's not an easy card to use, compared to just going to the local convenience store and buying tickets/passes.
The numbers will improve once there are more options to pay, and some of the silly procedure required to use the card is abolished.