Metrolinx: Presto Fare Card

[johntauren]

The unfortunate thing is that metrolinx has indicated that is the extent to which they plan to deploy any of these--they have said none are planned to go to Ottawa, or to any other transit system in the GTA, or in fact even to any GO stations other than Union. I think the omission of them from GO stations is hugely illogical--most GO stations, in my experience, have fairly large lines every morning filled with commuters reloading their cards; with presto being the main way to pay for travel on GO, it seems very logical to have every single GO Train station have at least 2 of the kiosks installed, and deploy them in select highly-used transit terminals namely at Square One, and potentially put a few in Ottawa (not necessarily every transitway station, that seems like overkill, but perhaps the 3 downtown stations on the Confederation LRT line).

I think it's more of the fact that every other location you've mentioned already has a way to load presto, whereas the TTC stations do not have any way.
Perhaps they view it as more efficient to install a limited number of these machines rather than outfit every collector booth for Presto (which are inevitably busy already at most times), especially for those already inside the fare-paid areas.
Although, I would agree it would definitely not hurt in the slightest to add more to major terminals around the GTA as needed (ie. Mississauga could really use some)

 

[ssiguy2]

I still can't figure why a regular TTC user would ever use the Presto card. If you rely on the TTC for work and everyday transportation, using Presto would cost a lot more money.

 

[Tuscani01]

I still can't figure why a regular TTC user would ever use the Presto card. If you rely on the TTC for work and everyday transportation, using Presto would cost a lot more money.

Because not all regular users use the TTC for work. Im a regular TTC user, but use it to get to meetings/shopping/visiting friends. I use Presto whenever I am at a Presto enabled station, as its always in my wallet. Beats having to buy and carry around tokens, while only costing me the token price.

How is it costing me more money?

 

[innsertnamehere]

over a metropass you mean?

I live downtown and use presto whenever possible. I usually bike, so the TTC is a more occasional use on bad weather days or when with friends or when I will be drinking(couple of times a week), so the metropass doesn't make sense. I HATE carrying tokens, so I only keep a few in my wallet when I start a trip on a bus or streetcar, and use Presto when I am boarding at the subway. Once the legacy streetcars have Presto, I will rarely use tokens, as I almost never start a trip on the TTC from a bus stop.

I use GO quite a bit as well, so I have it for that too.

 

[ehlow]

I still can't figure why a regular TTC user would ever use the Presto card. If you rely on the TTC for work and everyday transportation, using Presto would cost a lot more money.

Because there won't be any other choice in a couple of years

 

[ssiguy2]

I can see it if you take the TTC occasionally but for those who take it a lot, it ends up costing more than the Metropass.

 

[Admiral Beez]

I can see it if you take the TTC occasionally but for those who take it a lot, it ends up costing more than the Metropass.

With MetroPass at $141.50 and tokens at $2.80, you'd need to use the TTC over fifty times a month for the Metropass to make any financial sense. Unless you're using TTC for daily commute, it's not for you.

 

[Kitsune]

.. except a month will have 21 to 23 work days. So if your using for your daily commute only it still doesnt make sense. Although some companies do offer discounted metropass'.

 

[salsa]

The TTC website has a map that shows which stations have presto.

http://ttc.ca/Routes/General_Information/Maps/index.jsp

 

[TOareaFan]

.. except a month will have 21 to 23 work days. So if your using for your daily commute only it still doesnt make sense. Although some companies do offer discounted metropass'.

and if your life was such that you would use the TTC every work day each way 23 times a month 12 months of the year you would likely sign up for the discount plan where the cost of a Metropass is 46 X the 2.80 token/presto fare....so you break even on just your work trips and every other trip you take on TTC is free.

 

[ehlow]

I can see it if you take the TTC occasionally but for those who take it a lot, it ends up costing more than the Metropass.

It's a pretty safe assumption that there will be a monthly pass for Presto in the future.

Hopefully we'll see rapid expansion of Presto readers into more subway stations next year?

 

[whatever]

I thought this had previously been addressed? That the Presto card caps itself when you hit the equivalent value of a day/week/month pass so that you don't end up paying more than you should? I'm sure I read here somewhere

 

[Napoleon]

Because not all regular users use the TTC for work. Im a regular TTC user, but use it to get to meetings/shopping/visiting friends. I use Presto whenever I am at a Presto enabled station, as its always in my wallet. Beats having to buy and carry around tokens, while only costing me the token price.

I cannot wait for Presto to be enabled on the streetcars. I'm in the category of people that probably uses it a couple times a week. I usually get around by bike. I despise having to purchase and then carry tokens with me. They're so tiny, they're easy to lose, and for men that don't carry around a purse with a dedicated place to get change, it's even more annoying.

And yes, once the metropass is on Presto (presumably end of 2016 when all buses and stations are enabled), regular riders will have that option too. In my dream world, paying by the ride would reach a monthly cap equal to the metropass cost, but alas, I can't imagine that ever happening.

 

[Napoleon]

I thought this had previously been addressed? That the Presto card caps itself when you hit the equivalent value of a day/week/month pass so that you don't end up paying more than you should? I'm sure I read here somewhere

It does not...it's just on a wishlist. People have mentioned other systems, such as London and Sydney, that do have caps.

 

[TOareaFan]

It does not...it's just on a wishlist. People have mentioned other systems, such as London and Sydney, that do have caps.

GO also has caps.....other systems using presto allow the loading of period passes....how TTC handles it has yet to be determined.