Metrolinx: Presto Fare Card

[EastYorkTTCFan]

It would be nice if this was a setting you could manage on your Presto account, as to whether you want you balance displayed or not, and maybe even whether you want it read out or not (that should be an option for visually-impaired). I personally have no need to see my balance, as I have auto-load, and can also just check on my phone if I need to.

That would make sense to me as. The biggest problem for me is that the screen on the buses and streetcar is at an awkward position to read and then the ones on the fare gates are too far away for some people to see it as well.

 

[nfitz]

I think it's a terrible idea and will just cause people to block entrance on buses and streetcars and the ones at the subway well a few people will stip to check their balance.

That's the theory, but to be honest, I haven't noticed this being a real problem in Vancouver, which shows the balance.

Meanwhile, there are problem's here, as you don't know why it's beeped negatively, which do cause delays. Might as well provide more information.

 

[ViveleCanada]

I think it's a terrible idea and will just cause people to block entrance on buses and streetcars and the ones at the subway well a few people will stip to check their balance. I have said it many times I have never seen anyone stop and look at the ones on go trains as they pass to see what their balance is. If you haven't checked your balance before you board then it's your fault, besides getting to a bus and finding out you have a zero balance still doesn't help you anyway.

Currently the TTC is the only one to not include the feature and, as a YRT user, I haven't seen anyone block the door to check their balance or that sorts given its displayed for a few seconds. Given that Presto doesn't have real time updates besides at the vending machines, it's very easy for one to lose track of their balance if they are running errands all day throughout the city and aren't accessing the subway system. This should also help warn those low on funds to prepare to pay cash, and help reduce situations where people are having to scramble for cash after realizing their Presto card is empty. Not to mention the the confusion people get with the lack of information when their card is declined. It's not perfect, but it helps those who do care how much is on one's balance. Besides every other major transit agency uses a system without a problem so I don't see how Toronto is special.

 

[EastYorkTTCFan]

I honestly doubt as many people check the balance on the readers as much as people seem to think they do. Most people probably don't even look at it after they tap unless the machine gives them a reason to do it. If someone finds out they have no money on their card and had to dig out cash will just delay things even more as it is the most anyoing thing in the world to be stuck behind someone who isn't ready to pay their fare.

 

[steveintoronto]

I think it's a terrible idea and will just cause people to block entrance on buses and streetcars

You've made the massive assumption that that it will be on the same readers used to tap on.

 

[EastYorkTTCFan]

You've made the massive assumption that that it will be on the same readers used to tap on.

Why would they add extra screens just to show the balance?

 

[nfitz]

You've made the massive assumption that that it will be on the same readers used to tap on.

They've talked about using the same readers in the past. What suggests they may now be going a different path.

 

[steveintoronto]

They've talked about using the same readers in the past. What suggests they may now be going a different path.

Nothing discreet, but there's going to be a surplus of readers once the legacy streetcars are retired, it would make sense, as Metrolinx does, to utilize these machines as stand-alone balance readers at eye height and away from the entrance points. Paint them, yellow, as ML does...the colour of surrender...Where the present on-board TTC devices are placed doesn't make the display clearly visible, even if the present software allows adding in the balance display.

 

[nfitz]

Nothing discreet, but there's going to be a surplus of readers once the legacy streetcars are retired, it would make sense, as Metrolinx does, to utilize these machines as stand-alone balance readers. Paint them, yellow, as ML does...the colour of surrender...

Surplus how? The old streetcars have 2 readers ... or 3 on the remaining 10 ALRVs. The new streetcars have 6.

Looking at the most recent (April 24) roster, there are 89 CLRVs and 10 ALRVs - that make 208 readers that will come available. However they still had 70 Flexity cars coming, which would require 420 readers.

And then there's what - about 2000 buses? If only one balance-checker on each bus, that's 2000 devices - which is an order of magnitude higher than the those still on old streetcars!

Surely, the assumptions here, are even more massive than the one that they are not backtracking on the earlier comments of considering just changing the display on the existing readers.

 

[steveintoronto]

Surely, the assumptions here, are even more massive than the one that they are not backtracking on the earlier comments of considering just changing the display on the existing readers.

Then link and reference your claim.

You also make a massive assumption on the demand of the task. It's merely a passive readout of what the card indicates. There's no need for software connection, just basic machine code level function to indicate balance.

Try thinking from the other side for once: How accessible to the eyes are the present machines? If it wasn't for the audible beep, they'd be next to impossible to read on many occasions. Why screw around trying to make them readable when it would be far easier to attach a reader at some other point(s) and either run them on the ambient light, or simply connect into the power bus.

You can buy these devices at ten bucks a shot. Setting parameters for the particular card details is a one-off (most likely switch settings on the board) sequence. Perhaps it might have to be burned onto a read-only chip.

Correction, it's five bucks more, and far simpler than even having to burn on the parameters necessary for the function chip:

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Gee, let me guess: 'Cheaper in quantity'

 

[nfitz]

Then link and reference you claim.

I don't think anyone wants an unreadable post, full of tons of irrelevant links. I'm not that obsessive-compulsive! Just read up the thread, if you can't recall the previous discussions. I'm not sure why you need links to prove that there's only a couple of hundred readers left on the old streetcars, and we have thousands of buses!

 

[steveintoronto]

I don't think anyone wants an unreadable post, full of tons of irrelevant links. I'm not that obsessive-compulsive! Just read up the thread, if you can't recall the previous discussions. I'm not sure why you need links to prove that there's only a couple of hundred readers left on the old streetcars, and we have thousands of buses!

Well that's very interesting, because I just checked, and can't find any. And your whim is to be taken as fact?

Hey, I just caught a twenty ton fish and threw it back in, it was too small. Everyone saw it...

And because I exactly know your next attempt to change the record, here is what I responded to:

Surely, the assumptions here, are even more massive than the one that they are not backtracking on the earlier comments of considering just changing the display on the existing readers.

 

[steveintoronto]

Why would they add extra screens just to show the balance?

So you could see them. Most of us are taller than the three feet high the machines are on the Flexities. And a reader is best not right at the doors, as well as being at....duh...eye height for at least the average person.

How tall are you? I'm a little taller than average, such that a Presto card in my back-pocket taps onto the Presto reader when I'm standing to get off a Flexity...whether I want it to tap or not.

I guess the readout when and if it's to be on those machines is perfect for a midget. Most of us are a tad taller though...

 

[johntauren]

I check the time left on my transfer more than my actual balance, which the TTC readers don't show yet either.

 

[nfitz]

I check the time left on my transfer more than my actual balance, which the TTC readers don't show yet either.

Interestingly, when you tap onto GO after a TTC trip, it does flash what your TTC transfer time is still ... even when you have a TTC pass. Not that there's much value at that point.