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Metrolinx: Presto Fare Card

DavidH said:
It's for the same reason that VISA cards expire after a few years. It allows them to replace the card with an updated one using newer technology if appropriate.

I can understand the general sentiment, but as above, it's a $1.20 a year. I don't think I'll be worrying about that.

NOTE to ANYONE currently riding GO; you will be able to get a "free" Presto Card when Presto comes to your station. The deal is that you turn in a 10-ride or monthly pass and you get a Presto card with equivalent value loaded onto it back in return, without having the pay the $6 issuance fee. They do give you your cancelled pass back so that you can use it for tax purposes if appropriate.

Details are here: http://www.gotransit.com/public/en/fares/prestofaresMay1.aspx
Click to expand...

Visa, and other cards, expire more for credit review purposes. I may have qualified for that card 3 years ago but I may not 3 years from now..sorta thing. Credit cards can (and are) replaced mid-term if new cards with significant new features are released. Got a new one yesterday, as an example.
 
I was thinking of this thread today as I made one of my infrequent, semi-regular visits to the Brampton GO station. Aside from the work on the station nearing completion, it struck me that there are no Presto machines there. I know it does not get rolled out on this line for a while but it seems to me that they had the whole thing torn up and it would have made sense to install the readers, wrap them in a cover and use the actual readers as a "coming soon" promo.......now, when it does get rolled out on that line, they will have to do more work.

Small point but a bit of a head scratcher for me.....as we rolled through Malton (another station that has had a lot of work done) I didn't see any there either.
 
Georgetown is supposed to be the third corridor with PRESTO completed. PRESTO was originally scheduled for construction between March-June, which would have coinsided with other construction work at Brampton GO and Malton GO. Accenture are finishing 1 PRESTO installation per week. Lakeshore West is behind initial scheduling and at the current speed will be finished by July 19 (10 stations). Continuing that through Milton (8) stations would finish Sept 13. Georgetown (8) would then be finished by Novemeber 15. They'll still make the "Fall 2010" moniker, but unless they've slowed down the roll-out because of the budget cutbacks, it's disappointing they'd be so far behind schedule already.

Current GO installation schedule for Presto
 
Jonny5 said:
I just got mine and started the activation process.
I noticed at the bottom of the successful activation page, it said "you must tap on to complete the activation process".
I was still confused about what to do, but I knew if I checked into this thread answers would be found!
Click to expand...

UPDATE: I arrived at Union today. The machine at Union subway station wouldn't activate my card, saying "Card is inactive". *Facepalm*.
I went to the Presto booth in the GO concourse and the agent was helpful, once he decided I was worthy of him turning on the microphone.
He directed me to use the balance checker and that successfully activated it.
I then successfully used it to enter the subway at Union, much to the amazement of the people waiting in line.
Two people actually stopped me and asked where and how I got the card. Later trials were not as successful.
The readers did not work at College or Bloor, though they were powered on, they displayed various error messages.
They did work at St. Patrick and Dundas. The readers at Dundas are placed at the turnstiles most people use to exit the platform which was quite annoying.
 
Last edited:
I also had to activate my card inside Union Station's GO concourse because the TTC reader wouldn't work.

I think it's because TTC readers don't have a button to cancel trips and the machine both activates and deducts fare the first time a PRESTO card is used. I suppose they thought the TTC readers don't need a cancel button because the rides are not destination based (i.e. no need to tap off). It would be nice if you changed your mind though. Could be their precaution for the odd time people tap through, stretch around the turnstyle, cancel, tap again, and ride for free.
 
Mapleson said:
Georgetown is supposed to be the third corridor with PRESTO completed. PRESTO was originally scheduled for construction between March-June, which would have coinsided with other construction work at Brampton GO and Malton GO. Accenture are finishing 1 PRESTO installation per week. Lakeshore West is behind initial scheduling and at the current speed will be finished by July 19 (10 stations). Continuing that through Milton (8) stations would finish Sept 13. Georgetown (8) would then be finished by Novemeber 15. They'll still make the "Fall 2010" moniker, but unless they've slowed down the roll-out because of the budget cutbacks, it's disappointing they'd be so far behind schedule already.

Current GO installation schedule for Presto
Click to expand...

I think I noted that I understood that the system would not be rolled out on Gtown line....just don't understand why with all of the construction at Brampton/Malton that you would not install the machines at this time (unless the roll out is more governed by the availibility of machines?) and leave them covered......if the machines were there and covered with a "coming soon" message it could work towards promoting the system.

My earlier comment ( a while back) about the GO/Via Paks is a bit moot now too. When those paks were introduced I bought one right away and used it VIA as a back up plan...made it a point to carry a Pak with me anytime I used GO. Don't use them frequently so they last a long time. The beauty was that they basically charged a price that made the combined GO/Via price a blend/average of the two systems. Small premium, I thought, for the additional flexibility/comfort/service/directness.

Went today to buy a new one as I used the last ticket a couple of weeks ago. The price when I last bougth was $58 (so $5.80 a trip + a GO fare).....new price (and I don't know how long that has been in play) $91. So using VIA from Brampton to Toronto now costs $9.10 + $6.38 (assume 10 ride pass) = $15.48.

I am not a particularly price sensitive person....but that exceeds even what I would pay for the flexibility.

Just an example, I guess, of how far we have to go on fare/service integration.
 
TOareaFan said:
Went today to buy a new one as I used the last ticket a couple of weeks ago. The price when I last bougth was $58 (so $5.80 a trip + a GO fare).....new price (and I don't know how long that has been in play) $91. So using VIA from Brampton to Toronto now costs $9.10 + $6.38 (assume 10 ride pass) = $15.48.

I am not a particularly price sensitive person....but that exceeds even what I would pay for the flexibility.
Click to expand...

I just bought a new one last week, and I, too, was annoyed by the price hike (and the HST, but that's another story). But you know what annoyed me even more? GO/VIA Paks now expire after a year.
 
000 said:
I also had to activate my card inside Union Station's GO concourse because the TTC reader wouldn't work.

I think it's because ...
Click to expand...
No, it's because TTC didn't do enough testing. Presto has already said they will fix this problem.

Basically, nobody realized that TTC readers would be seeing unactivated cards; the assumption seems to have been that everyone would have activated on GO (because they would have *ridden* GO) before using a TTC reader.

Fortunately, it's a relatively small issue and it sounds as if TTC attendants already know what to tell people.
 
hwy7 said:
I just bought a new one last week, and I, too, was annoyed by the price hike (and the HST, but that's another story). But you know what annoyed me even more? GO/VIA Paks now expire after a year.
Click to expand...

That was the real decider on my part too and sorry I left that out. They really are (to me) a flexibility pak. Sometimes I use 10 rides very quickly but other times they last more than a year.....making me decide upfront to spend that much money and then tell me they won't honour the ride in 367 days just broke the camel's back for me.

If Golftown (to pick a company out of the air) sold a gift card today that had an expiry date the papers would be screaming at them! Guess if you are a government owned retailer of goods/services you play by different rules ;)
 
It's illegal in Ontario to sell a gift card with an expiry date. Paper's screaming at them would be the least of their worries!

Bad example, but we get what you're saying :p
 
RedRocket191 said:
It's illegal in Ontario to sell a gift card with an expiry date. Paper's screaming at them would be the least of their worries!
Click to expand...

I think that was my point. A GO ten ride pass does not have an expiry date....not sure why VIA can/do have one on theirs.

RedRocket191 said:
Bad example, but we get what you're saying :p
Click to expand...

Not sure it is a bad example. What is the difference between a pre-paid purchase of train rides and a pre-paid purchase of golf shirts?

Aside from that it just discourages easy revenue. Someone standing on a GO platform with a reasonably priced VIA Pak in their pocket might jump on that VIA train, with or without a seat, to get to work 10 or 15 minutes earlier than the next GO train will get them there. That same person faced with having to go buy a ticket and facing a $21 fare (using the Brampton comparison) is less likely to do so.
 
Just used mine to enter union subway stn today. Smooth as silk!
 
When are the presto readers supposed to be installed at Finch station?
 
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