Metrolinx: Presto Fare Card

[EastYorkTTCFan]

This is my thought process:
Tap on TTC bus = trip began in zone A/B.
If there isn't another tap on another transit vehicles outside of zone A/B. You'll be charge the base fare for zone A to B.

The system will have to know the TTC route you tapped on only travels in certain zone(s). For example, 37 Islington only travels in zone B. Tap on 37 Islington, and then a MiWay bus = zone B to C.

With this set up that'd be no need for tap off (except routes that cross multiple zones), because next tap on acts as a tap off for the first trip.

I wonder if the presto system is capable of actually doing this on a large scale?

 

[allengeorge]

I suspect that from the coding side (and behavior perspective) it’s much easier to tell people to tap-on/tap-off on every vehicle/station.

 

[W. K. Lis]

This is my thought process:
Tap on TTC bus = trip began in zone A/B.
If there isn't another tap on another transit vehicles outside of zone A/B. You'll be charge the base fare for zone A to B.

The system will have to know the TTC route you tapped on only travels in certain zone(s). For example, 37 Islington only travels in zone B. Tap on 37 Islington, and then a MiWay bus = zone B to C.

With this set up that'd be no need for tap off (except routes that cross multiple zones), because next tap on acts as a tap off for the first trip.

Now if only the MiWay bus could pick up and egress passengers within Toronto, for the same Toronto fare.

 

[superelevation]

I'd like to see some kind of off-peak discount in such a system.

Theres not a huge point, it doesn't encourage very much ridership according to case studies, so its mainly a social benefit.

I wonder if the presto system is capable of actually doing this on a large scale?

One would hope . . .

 

[W. K. Lis]

Theres not a huge point, it doesn't encourage very much ridership according to case studies, so its mainly a social benefit.



One would hope . . .

Outside of COVID-19, the TTC has had a higher ridership during the non-rush hours than most transit agencies in North America, including New York City. That was the excuse given for the higher costs for monthly transit pass than most others.

 

[superelevation]

Outside of COVID-19, the TTC has had a higher ridership during the non-rush hours than most transit agencies in North America, including New York City. That was the excuse given for the higher costs for monthly transit pass than most others.

Sure but again NA shouldn't be the benchmark

 

[Coolstar]

Open payment is coming on the UP Express early this year.

New PRESTO devices are now available across GO Transit, UP Express and transit agencies in the 905 region

New PRESTO devices are now available across GO Transit, UP Express and transit agencies in the 905 region

blog.metrolinx.com

 

[Megaton327]

Open payment is coming on the UP Express early this year.

New PRESTO devices are now available across GO Transit, UP Express and transit agencies in the 905 region

New PRESTO devices are now available across GO Transit, UP Express and transit agencies in the 905 region

blog.metrolinx.com

Thanks for drawing attention to that. I had read this blog post but somehow missed that detail! About time.

 

[Allandale25]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1357393828085460992

 

[Coolstar]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1361850029129007104

 

[littlewill1166]

The UP Express open payment trials have started, and they are not going well.

 

[rbt]

The UP Express open payment trials have started, and they are not going well.

That's surprising. The 2012 Presto open-payment trials in College station worked well enough. International cards are a processor problem once the basic mechanism works.

Are they accidentally double-charging for double-taps or that kind of thing? I would think the debounce mechanism would be generic rather than tied to a Presto card.

 

[littlewill1166]

That's surprising. The 2012 Presto open-payment trials in College station worked well enough. International cards are a processor problem once the basic mechanism works.

Are they accidentally double-charging for double-taps or that kind of thing? I would think the debounce mechanism would be generic rather than tied to a Presto card.

Error 43 on the new fare inspection/registration device, and they got the registration schedule backwards. If anyone wants to participate, UP Express Union station tomorrow between 2-3pm. Look for signs that say test participant registration. Hopefully things get ironed out tomorrow.

Edit: Also, mobile wallets are iffy at the moment. And no concessions.

 

[Allandale25]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1361701643402809350

 

[Catenary]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1361701643402809350

An important note is that while this might be the first PRESTO equipped agency taking open payments, it is not a PRESTO installation. Ottawa owns their own equipment and already runs a shadow fare system for bus transfers, train tickets, multi-day disposable RFID passes and accessibility/employee/retiree/contractor cards, as well as being compatible with STO's MULTI. Though this readers on the buses predate this internal system, they have been upgraded over the past year to enable it. This is the layer that open payments will run at, separate from PRESTO. They worked with Scheidt & Bachmann, the manufacturer of their equipment, to enable this functionality.

Though TTC also uses S&B equipment, it is owned by Metrolinx, so they have less flexibility. GRT relies fully on S&B for their system, so it will be interesting to see if they can leverage OC Transpo's work into their own system.