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Metrolinx: Presto Fare Card

APTA-2048 said:
You actually get a bit of a discount. On the Lakeshore line right now: if you take a return trip within the 3hr window, you're return trip is around half the price.
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More specifically, you don't pay the base fare again if you do a round-trip within 3 hours, so you save $4.71.
 
Out of curiosity, are the Presto Reader sensitivity set by the individual transit agencies? On the TTC, the readers seem to take a bit to pick up a Presto card; as in I literally have to place it directly centred and in occassions having physically touch the card the reader. There has been a few times where I would walk by tap as I normal would but the reader doesn't pick up. Whereas on 905 buses, I can tap in the general vicinity of reader area and in a split second it is registered (in order words, walk and tap).
 
yrt+viva=1system said:
Out of curiosity, are the Presto Reader sensitivity set by the individual transit agencies? On the TTC, the readers seem to take a bit to pick up a Presto card; as in I literally have to place it directly centred and in occassions having physically touch the card the reader. There has been a few times where I would walk by tap as I normal would but the reader doesn't pick up. Whereas on 905 buses, I can tap in the general vicinity of reader area and in a split second it is registered (in order words, walk and tap).
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Really? I've found the TTC's bus/streetcar readers, and the ones fitted onto the turnstiles that look like the bus/streetcar readers, are ridiculously overpowered. I was once travelling with a female friend, she actually had a transfer because she was using tokens at the time and as she boarded an LFLRV her presto card was scanned through her purse and charged her a fare she had no intention of paying (as she already had a transfer from a token payment). I recall having been looking back in her direction at the time, her purse was close to but not touching the presto reader, so I'm amazed that it got her card at that distance plus through her purse. They're way too strong. I've never seen anyone have trouble getting a read through a wallet or purse.

I've found second to those readers, the GO train readers are the next strongest, still tend to work through wallets/purses. I don't ride 905 agencies with the 1st gen bus readers that often but from what I remember they're pretty good. Don't remember the old 1st gen TTC turnstile readers well enough at all.

The TTC fare gate readers, on the other hand, are horrendously underpowered and I certainly find it causes me slight difficulties/delays using the gates in addition to the delay with them opening once the card is read. None of my friends with cards in wallets/purses have ever even once gotten a successful read on a faregate without taking their card out first.

To your question, I don't think the transit agencies set reader sensitivity, I think it's a matter of the hardware being used. The TTC and OCTranspo have the newer 2nd generation readers for their surface vehicles, the 905 agencies and GO have 1st generation equipment of slightly varying versions.
 
There are people who can't keep a "minimum" balance or even $10.00 in their bank account. See link.

They should have at least three (3) months of money to cover rent, food, and utilities, but are living pay cheque to pay cheque. They probably don't even know what "overdraft protection" is.
 
yrt+viva=1system said:
Out of curiosity, are the Presto Reader sensitivity set by the individual transit agencies? On the TTC, the readers seem to take a bit to pick up a Presto card; as in I literally have to place it directly centred and in occassions having physically touch the card the reader. There has been a few times where I would walk by tap as I normal would but the reader doesn't pick up. Whereas on 905 buses, I can tap in the general vicinity of reader area and in a split second it is registered (in order words, walk and tap).
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The TTC has two different types of readers for Preto cards the ones on the new fare gates are a different design then those that are on buses and they may require physical contact with the reader.
 
hw621 said:
what?!so they chose to implement their own smart card system? so if I go to Waterloo I cannot just tap my Presto? How is this integration?
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too bad eh.... i wonder if there will some sort of common interfacing for the systems so maybe one day they can interuse? sort of like how you can use and JR regional IC card in japan at any JR station
 
hw621 said:
what?!so they chose to implement their own smart card system? so if I go to Waterloo I cannot just tap my Presto? How is this integration?
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Not sure I blame them for not signing up to the Provinces smartcard boondoggle, which is essentially extortion, as they are demanding ever increasing % of fare revenues.

Last year's the province was demanding that OCTranspo fork over 10% of each fare to pay for Presto. In the past, the TTC was spending about 5% on fare collection.

I guess we shouldn't be surprised considering the millions upon millions of dollars that were invested in Presto. Gotta cover that tab.
 
hw621 said:
what?!so they chose to implement their own smart card system? so if I go to Waterloo I cannot just tap my Presto? How is this integration?
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You'll be able to tap your Visa or Mastercard (or Apple watch, etc.) on both systems eventually just as you would if you made a trip to London (England) or even Salt Lake Utah.

Transit system specific bank-cards were nifty in the 90's, a rather dated concept now.
 
hw621 said:
what?!so they chose to implement their own smart card system? so if I go to Waterloo I cannot just tap my Presto? How is this integration?
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Lol, I thought that this was common knowledge. Yes, Waterloo Region rejected Presto, the reason given on the EasyGO FAQ (http://www.grt.ca/en/fares-passes/easygo-fare-card-faqs.aspx) is:

Presto could not be selected because they did not respond to a Request for Proposals, which is a Regional requirement. Also, Presto could not provide many of the functionalities that the Region deemed essential for our system including the ability to accept payment on MobilityPLUS vehicles, the ability to integrate a U-Pass program and the ability to issue machine readable paper tickets from Ticket Vending Machines. Having our own system allows us to ensure our fare products meet our unique customer needs.
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Pardon my ignorance. Is there a co-fare between GO and Waterloo transit? Curious how it will work under two separate card systems - cash maybe?
 
hw621 said:
Pardon my ignorance. Is there a co-fare between GO and Waterloo transit? Curious how it will work under two separate card systems - cash maybe?
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Also per the EasyGO faq:

GO Transit riders with a valid Presto card can have a Connect-to-GO flag set on their EasyGO fare card. When you tap to board the bus, the full fare will be deducted from your balance. When you tap on a device at the Central Station ION stop, your card will be reimbursed.

To have the Connect-to-GO flag set on your EasyGO fare card, you will need to provide your Presto card number.
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Rather awkward, but I'm guessing the best they could do under the circumstances. In fact, very awkward. GO Trains currently depart from the Via station on the corner of Weber and Victoria, two blocks from the Central Station ION stop. That means that if you arrived at the Via station on the 4, 8, 6, 20, or 204 iXpress buses, you'd have to walk two blocks over and back to obtain the $0.50 discount. Ugh! Who thought this up???
 
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