But what about POP? Won't the reader say you haven't tapped in 2 hours?
That is not how POP works on Presto for timed transfers.
It's different than paper.
The fare inspector Presto reader simply does this:
"Inspector Reader:
Electronically checks if the card was successfully tapped on this vehicle/system"
That's it!!
Once you enter the vehicle with a green checkmark, you are ONE. HUNDRED. PERCENT. SCOTS. FREE.
Guaranteed -- 100% safe on the vehicle for unlimited time as long as there's a green checkmark on the electronic screen you tapped on.
You don't expire until you step off the vehicle (bus/streetcar) or exit subway.
Yes, yes, yes, Even if vehicle subsequently takes 3 hours in gridlock after the last tap after 1h55min of free transfers (yes, 5 hours on same TTCfare). Or railfan. Tour the subway, check out the new station -- spend all day in the subway system if you wish on the final tap after 1h59min of free transfers, sure. Just stay inside the farepaid area.
The amount charged is done at the door/faregate (charge if more than 2 hours, free if less than 2 hours). All you need to care about is the green checkmark, then you have nothing to worry about on the same vehicle.
Whatever gave you the green checkmark (free or otherwise) -- you can spend as long as you want inside TTC until you have to disembark (e.g. closing time for subway, or end of route for bus).
All the inspector farereader does is check that the most recent tap was a successful checkmark on the same vehicle (or subway).
The fare inspectors are (supposed to be) trained this way. Whatever old training (in the paper era) does not apply to Presto POP for the last several years.
PROOF:
Clicky: Twitter Search text: "@TTCHelps first tap last tap"
So this is both old and new "Presto POP" policy, seeing the twitter dates (recent and old). Fare inspectors have long ago been trained to this, which is totally different from paper. The timed transfer simply improves this to now allow return trips. This is a tremendous simplification, behaving as a worry-free unlimited 2 hour TTC pass + duration of final trip (however long it is), ride back and forth, 360 degrees.
Don't worry about anything except getting your green checkmark on entry.
For further questions on potential new grey areas (e.g. "how does timed transfer now work for bus connections in fare paid zones...? Is the new policy I tap or not? What will fare inspectors do for untapped late transfers from subway to fare-inspected streetcars at interchanges?") please tweet your question to @TTChelps. They are very fast at answering questions on Twitter.
