Metrolinx: Presto Fare Card

[TOareaFan]

Or there isn't a need for alternative methods since loading online and using auto-load completely eliminates the need to visit an outlet unless there is an issue, in which case, the user will likely be travelling to a GO station or Square One anyway.

Same could be said of the many other municipalities that have Presto but have seen fit to have greater access to getting and loading the cards. What is the harm in making it more accessible through already existing municipal services locations like libraries and community centres?

 

[BurlOak]

Sorry about that.

That's ok. I was at Ikea anyways, so it was just a short healthy walk to Fortinos.
I am in Hamilton next week - my luck says that the promotion will end on the 4th.

 

[Jonny5]

Bit off topic but are most Fortinos still in Hamilton? May just be a local phenom but since we have 3 here in Brampton I just assumed the brand had expanded greatly from the Hamilton roots.

The website shows the following locations

Ancaster (1)
Brampton (3)
Burlington (4)
Etobicoke (1)
Hamilton (5)
North York (1)
Oakville (1)
Stoney Creek (2)
Vaughan (2)
Waterdown (1)
Woodbridge (1)

 

[Jonny5]

Or there isn't a need for alternative methods since loading online and using auto-load completely eliminates the need to visit an outlet unless there is an issue, in which case, the user will likely be travelling to a GO station or Square One anyway.

Several hundred thousand GTA residents do not have bank accounts at all. These are some of the people most likely to use public transit. Even if they have an account and internet access, the online system can't load funds immediately. The purpose of remote card loading sites is to give accessibility to the system to these people.

 

[TOareaFan]

The website shows the following locations

Ancaster (1)
Brampton (3)
Burlington (4)
Etobicoke (1)
Hamilton (5)
North York (1)
Oakville (1)
Stoney Creek (2)
Vaughan (2)
Waterdown (1)
Woodbridge (1)

So 13 outside the expanded Hamilton?

 

[nfitz]

The Globe and Mail is reporting this morning that TTC is trying to accelerate the Presto roll-out a bit, and the hope to get it on all the current streetcars by the end of the year, all the buses by summer 2016, and all the subway stations by the end of 2016.

Page A9 or www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/presto-coming-to-all-ttc-streetcars-this-year/article22546826/

 

[dowlingm]

As I understand it, Dufferin subway station was just reopened from modernization but is not Presto enabled. No doubt there will be some sort of future disruption to allow this to be done - is it too much to hope for that all the necessary wiring is plumbed in, just wanting for gates etc. to be dropped in?

 

[nfitz]

As I understand it, Dufferin subway station was just reopened from modernization but is not Presto enabled. No doubt there will be some sort of future disruption to allow this to be done - is it too much to hope for that all the necessary wiring is plumbed in, just wanting for gates etc. to be dropped in?

The contracts to do the Dufferin modernization were awarded years ago, long before the power and communications infrastructure requirements were done. The contract was issued in 2010. The design dates back to 2008.

Yes I'd assume, they'll have to run a couple of conduits. But how much disruption did this cause when they completed that work recently at Spadina, Museum, and Bathurst stations? Did it really inconvenience anyone? (I don't know the answer ... certainly I didn't notice any issues at Bathurst other than having to show my pass to a person, rather than swipe it - so it actually was quicker).

 

[yrt+viva=1system]

I hope the TTC smartens up and installs the Presto readers on the top of turnstiles as opposed to the current layout of having it on the side. It is just so awkward to tap there, more like actually having to hold and wait. They should probably also look into increasing the speed (sensitivity?) at which the reader reads Presto cards for subway turnstiles otherwise were going to have a backup of people trying to get through.

 

[the lemur]

Maybe move the readers to posts before the turnstiles, so you're entering a fare-paid area.

 

[ShonTron]

The populations those serve is bigger than 3:1

Including GO train stations, then, Oakville has 11 places to deal with Presto....Mississuaga also has 11 (only 10 inside the city). Still seems underserved to me especially when you consider that a good deal of those GO stations are not manned/open all day.

Only two of those stations are open after the AM rush. Brampton is a bit more fortunate as Brampton Transit has four staffed terminals, though the Downtown terminal is closed on Sundays. Bramalea GO is open later in the morning, even after the last train leaves, likely due to all the buses serving it on the 407 corridor, as well as the Union Station and Brampton local 34/35 routes.

I never understood why Mississauga never built proper full-service bus terminals except at Square One. Westwood Mall would be a very logical location for one, at least similar to the kiosk/waiting room at Trinity Common.

 

[nfitz]

I hope the TTC smartens up and installs the Presto readers on the top of turnstiles as opposed to the current layout of having it on the side. It is just so awkward to tap there, more like actually having to hold and wait. They should probably also look into increasing the speed (sensitivity?) at which the reader reads Presto cards for subway turnstiles otherwise were going to have a backup of people trying to get through.

I don't find it difficult, or slow.

There's some minor design changes over the temporary stuff Metrolinx did originally. Though the new faregates are much higher.

Here's the original temporary Metrolinx installation:


With the final TTC installation, the design has supposedly shifted a bit. A bit higher, and an angled reader. I'm curious what the new installs in Union and Spadina look like (I've only used my Metropass):


The new faregates however, are completely different, and more what you are looking for:


Though who knows how many decades before those get rolled out everywhere.

 

[Fred.S]

I find Presto lags more than other similar systems, in that it takes a second or two for the reader to read the card. I don't think it's a major issue though.

A question to anyone that might know. The Presto readers in buses/streetcars, are they stand-alone units? That is, are they just mounted and given a power-source? Or is there a data connection from the reader to another processor or antenna or something? Just curious as to whether it's that difficult to install them on the current (old) streetcars, and if they can be easily removed and placed on other vehicles once the streetcars are retired.

 

[ShonTron]

It should be pretty simple to swap Presto readers between buses and streetcars; there were plenty of buses that were nearing their due date for retirement in the 905 fitted with Presto machines.

 

[dowlingm]

It should be pretty simple to swap Presto readers between buses and streetcars; there were plenty of buses that were nearing their due date for retirement in the 905 fitted with Presto machines.

Presto is moving to some sort of next gen though right? Maybe second hand equipment wouldn't be the way to go?