Metrolinx: Presto Fare Card

[hkric88]

Full PRESTO readers now installed at College stn.

 

[hkric88]

Just went to the presto website and its down with a page saying that it is being 'refreshed' - looks like they're really on track for this launch monday..

 

[tgam]

Miracle witnessed at college station

 

[hixatchi]

seems to me one can scan their prestocard and get entry into the station, but how does one scan out? i don't see those prestocard scanners on the exit turnstiles?

anyone know the answer for this?

 

[hkric88]

PRESTO is a fare processing system only. The implimentation depends on the fare structure of the system. GO transit is a zone-based fare-by-distance system, which therefore depends on the origin and destination point to determine the fare. Therefore on GO, one must 'tap on and tap off'. However, the TTC uses a flat rate model where one fare allows a single direction trip from any origin to any destination. Therefore the location of the origin and destination are immaterial, one pays a fare to enter the system. For this reason, one does not need to 'tap off' if using the TTC, and thus PRESTO readers are only required at the entrance turnstiles.

 

[hixatchi]

hmmm if this is the case, i'm wondering how much each tap-in fare will cost, and how long will the time last on that tap before you have to tap again if making many short errands downtown?

 

[Jonny5]

You can now purchase cards on the website.

 

[hkric88]

hmmm if this is the case, i'm wondering how much each tap-in fare will cost, and how long will the time last on that tap before you have to tap again if making many short errands downtown?

Well firstly, the tap-in fare would be the same as a cash fare, or $3.00. However, as far as I understand it, the more you use it in particular time period, lets say you take > X number of trips in Y number of days, you will get a discounted fare for further trips. An example, as is applied to one actual system (can't recall which one), if you spend the cost of a monthly pass in one moth, your subsequent fares becomes free. Essentially it means that, hypothetically, if you are already a monthly pass user, on this new system you would never be able to spend more than the cost of a monthly pass, however if u did not make the number of trips to warrent one, you will end up spending less. It has a lot of potential, though the details are far from finalized. I have also heard that you would be able to purchase virtual passes that would be stored on your card, so tapping in would just verify that you have the current month's pass on your card.

Secondly - regarding transfers - at this point in the roll-out, none of the TTC surface vehicles have PRESTO readers. In this case, if using PRESTO to get on one of the PRESTO enabled stations, you would proceed to collect a transfer from the transfer machine upon entering the fare-paid area, just the same as if you paid with cash or a token.

 

[nfitz]

Well firstly, the tap-in fare would be the same as a cash fare, or $3.00.

Why has it changed? When they were first doing the trial, the TTC was the token fare not the cash fare.

 

[hixatchi]

i just bought my card....can't wait to test it out!

 

[nfitz]

Hmm, so if you make less than 10 trips in a month, but you use a 10-ride, you are screwed. The 10-ride ticket is $57.25; that's $5.73 a trip. Yet even if you go through up to 2 10-ride tickets a month, it will cost you more money?

Surely the fare for 1-10 trips should start at the 10-ride ticket level, the same way that the first TTC trip starts at the price for a token; not the price for cash.

I was just looking at the new GO Presto pricing that took effect this month: http://www.gotransit.com/public/en/fares/prestofaresMay1.aspx

Going back to the pricing discussion from last fall; it looks like GO came to their senses. Under the original pricing scheme the first 20 rides a month would cost more than a 10-ride ticket (0% discount for the first 10 rides, and only a 5% discount for the second 10 rides).

Now every ride using Presto is a minimum of a 7.5% discount - matching the 10-ride price.

So now there is finally an incentive for us who only use GO once every week or two to ditch our 10-ride tickets!

 

[hkric88]

Why has it changed? When they were first doing the trial, the TTC was the token fare not the cash fare.

Sorry my bad, I should have said 'or something like that', I'm not sure myself exactly what it will be..

 

[nfitz]

Sorry my bad, I should have said 'or something like that', I'm not sure myself exactly what it will be.

I'd assume that it would continue to be the token price; but I haven't seen anything in writing since the new Union experiment began last fall. Is anyone using the card now? What are you paying at Union?

 

[DavidH]

I was just looking at the new GO Presto pricing that took effect this month: http://www.gotransit.com/public/en/fares/prestofaresMay1.aspx

Going back to the pricing discussion from last fall; it looks like GO came to their senses. Under the original pricing scheme the first 20 rides a month would cost more than a 10-ride ticket (0% discount for the first 10 rides, and only a 5% discount for the second 10 rides).

Now every ride using Presto is a minimum of a 7.5% discount - matching the 10-ride price.

So now there is finally an incentive for us who only use GO once every week or two to ditch our 10-ride tickets!

This is much more sensible, and much more easily explained. Good move on GO's part.

The last part of the page is less clear:

If you do not take the exact same trip each time you travel on GO within a calendar month, your first 35 rides on GO will be 7.5% off the single adult GO fare*. For rides 36 and onwards, your discount will be based on the value of the rides you’ve taken that month.

I take this to mean that the heavy discounts/free rides late in the month will apply to rides of equal or less value compared to the ones you've taken. If you ride Long Branch to Union for 40 trips, your 41st trip to Niagara Falls should not reasonably be expected to be free, but only discounted. On the other hand, if you ride Hamilton to Union for 40 trips, a trip from Union to Richmond Hill might well be free.

I'm seeing if I can find some detail on exactly how this will work.

 

[SGHA504]

I'd assume that it would continue to be the token price; but I haven't seen anything in writing since the new Union experiment began last fall. Is anyone using the card now? What are you paying at Union?

You assumed correctly, it is token price. Ive tapped on a few times at Union (quickly and conveniently I might add) and have enjoyed the fact that only $2.50 was being deducted from my presto balance.