Metrolinx: Presto Fare Card

[nfitz]

PRESTO machine has been installed at Exhibition Station, and bagged. .

There were several of them there installed an unbagged (but not powered up) when I wasthere almost 2 weeks ago. I had plenty of time to stare at them and curse, as I was trying to get my soaking-wet 10-ride ticket to validate ... can't wait for some waterproof fare media!!

 

[Bayer]

I have had the Presto card for a few weeks... I live downtown so I only use it on the TTC, and I thought it would be useful since I use mostly the stations that are equipped with Presto readers.

But the way this is managed is truly Kafkaesque. I reloaded online, but after several days the amount I paid still didn't show on my account. I tried using my card at College Station, and it let me through anyway, showing a negative balance afterwards.

You see, I didn't know that due to a technical problem, I needed to go and tap my card on a balance checker at the Union Station Go terminal to validate my reload. After I was told, I went there on two different occasions to do just that, but it still didn't work, so I phoned customer service.

I was told, believe it or not, that since my card balance is officially negative, I have to go to a Presto counter at Union Station and give them... 25 cents.

I asked if they could just deduct the */*&%$* 25 cents from the $20 I already gave them, and of course, they said no.

So I'll have to go to Union for a THIRD time.

I would expect this idiocy in a Third World country.

 

[nfitz]

I was told, believe it or not, that since my card balance is officially negative, I have to go to a Presto counter at Union Station and give them... 25 cents.

I asked if they could just deduct the */*&%$* 25 cents from the $20 I already gave them, and of course, they said no.

Wow, that is truly bizarre.

Presto seems to be very badly managed.

 

[Tuscani01]

I have had the Presto card for a few weeks... I live downtown so I only use it on the TTC, and I thought it would be useful since I use mostly the stations that are equipped with Presto readers.

But the way this is managed is truly Kafkaesque. I reloaded online, but after several days the amount I paid still didn't show on my account. I tried using my card at College Station, and it let me through anyway, showing a negative balance afterwards.

You see, I didn't know that due to a technical problem, I needed to go and tap my card on a balance checker at the Union Station Go terminal to validate my reload. After I was told, I went there on two different occasions to do just that, but it still didn't work, so I phoned customer service.

I was told, believe it or not, that since my card balance is officially negative, I have to go to a Presto counter at Union Station and give them... 25 cents.

I asked if they could just deduct the */*&%$* 25 cents from the $20 I already gave them, and of course, they said no.

So I'll have to go to Union for a THIRD time.

I would expect this idiocy in a Third World country.

I had the exact same problem. Finally got the $20 after arguing with a guy at the counter for over 10 minutes. He had no idea what to do.

 

[Justin10000]

Wow. That's awful. I think I'll wait until these problems are sorted out.

 

[Mapleson]

Wow, that is truly bizarre.

Presto seems to be very badly managed.

Is sounds to me like the TTC doesn't really want to make it convienent for passengers. PRESTO is still an annoyance to them, rather than the beginning of the future.

When was your card issued, Bayer? Hopefully, they've already sorted this with newer cards if you've had it a couple weeks or more.

 

[nfitz]

Is sounds to me like the TTC doesn't really want to make it convienent for passengers. PRESTO is still an annoyance to them, rather than the beginning of the future.

TTC has nothing to do with this; all they have done is let Metrolinx install hardware.

The problem seems entirely on the Metrolinx side of things.

 

[Mapleson]

That's half my point. The TTC isn't helping passengers with issues, they say along the lines of 'If you have Presto problems, go to a GO station'. Since PRESTO is supposed to be useful for everyone in the GTA, it'd be nice if you could activate your card at any station.

I'm not blaming the TTC for causing the issue (bugs of Presto), but they should have an interest in solving it, both in the individual case and the collective.

 

[Tuscani01]

That's half my point. The TTC isn't helping passengers with issues, they say along the lines of 'If you have Presto problems, go to a GO station'. Since PRESTO is supposed to be useful for everyone in the GTA, it'd be nice if you could activate your card at any station.

I'm not blaming the TTC for causing the issue (bugs of Presto), but they should have an interest in solving it, both in the individual case and the collective.

Telling you to go to Union is all they can do, and its the only thing Presto will tell you to do if you call them. Thats how the problem is being solved for now.

 

[chriskayTO]

Telling you to go to Union is all they can do, and its the only thing Presto will tell you to do if you call them. Thats how the problem is being solved for now.

I had a problem activating the card at Union and the people at the Presto counter couldn't do anything - they told me to call... And they also couldn't do anything.

 

[Tuscani01]

I had a problem activating the card at Union and the people at the Presto counter couldn't do anything - they told me to call... And they also couldn't do anything.

Whats the problem?

 

[chriskayTO]

Whats the problem?

Seven days passed before I had a chance to activate the card, so I had to reactivate it online.

 

[hixatchi]

I have had the Presto card for a few weeks... I live downtown so I only use it on the TTC, and I thought it would be useful since I use mostly the stations that are equipped with Presto readers.

But the way this is managed is truly Kafkaesque. I reloaded online, but after several days the amount I paid still didn't show on my account. I tried using my card at College Station, and it let me through anyway, showing a negative balance afterwards.

You see, I didn't know that due to a technical problem, I needed to go and tap my card on a balance checker at the Union Station Go terminal to validate my reload. After I was told, I went there on two different occasions to do just that, but it still didn't work, so I phoned customer service.

I was told, believe it or not, that since my card balance is officially negative, I have to go to a Presto counter at Union Station and give them... 25 cents.

I asked if they could just deduct the */*&%$* 25 cents from the $20 I already gave them, and of course, they said no.

So I'll have to go to Union for a THIRD time.

I would expect this idiocy in a Third World country.

Guys.... make sure you vent your frustrations/questions to this forum:

http://www.facebook.com/PRESTOcard

 

[DavidH]

TTC has nothing to do with this; all they have done is let Metrolinx install hardware.

The problem seems entirely on the Metrolinx side of things.

First, PRESTO is not yet a Metrolinx project; it is in the hands of a separate team at MTO with the installations being performed by the contractor, Accenture.

Second, TTC is responsible for testing installations in their locations just as GO Transit is responsible at their locations. While the ultimate cause of this problem lies with the PRESTO office itself, it doesn't appear that TTC did enough/any testing at their end.

As for the problems themselves, well, all I can say is that PRESTO is still having significant problems that have to be sorted out.

 

[nfitz]

First, PRESTO is not yet a Metrolinx project; it is in the hands of a separate team at MTO with the installations being performed by the contractor, Accenture.

Fair enough ... still Metrolinx is part of MTO, as is Presto.

BTW, the Ontario government lists the project director as Jeffery Young. 647-780-0320 ext 5162 jefferyy@prestocard.ca That would be a good place to direct complaints. Or perhaps to his ADM

Second, TTC is responsible for testing installations in their locations just as GO Transit is responsible at their locations. While the ultimate cause of this problem lies with the Presto office itself, it doesn't appear that TTC did enough/any testing at their end.

I fail to see how going negative on your card, and then not being able to simply fix the problem on-line has anything to do with TTC. The second problem of not being able to initiate a card by using TTC should have been apparent in the years of testing that occurred at Union Station. Perhaps the failing was that Presto failed to give out the test cards to anyone who wasn't a GO user.

As for the problems themselves, well, all I can say is that PRESTO is still having significant problems that have to be sorted out.

Indeed. Any current users are effectively beta-testers.