News   Nov 07, 2024
Data Centre, Hyatt Hotels Planned at SteelesTech Campus at Highway 404
 249     1 
News   Nov 07, 2024
News Roundup for November 7, 2024
 428     0 
News   Nov 07, 2024
Vineyard Getaway
 437     1 

Metrolinx: Presto Fare Card

Mapleson said:
PRESTO machine has been installed at Exhibition Station, and bagged. .
Click to expand...
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!!
 
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.
 
Bayer said:
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.
Click to expand...
Wow, that is truly bizarre.

Presto seems to be very badly managed.
 
Bayer said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
nfitz said:
Wow, that is truly bizarre.

Presto seems to be very badly managed.
Click to expand...
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.
 
Mapleson said:
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.
Click to expand...
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.
 
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.
 
Mapleson said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
Tuscani01 said:
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.
Click to expand...
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.
 
Bayer said:
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.
Click to expand...

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

http://www.facebook.com/PRESTOcard
 
nfitz said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
DavidH said:
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.
Click to expand...
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

DavidH said:
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.
Click to expand...
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.

DavidH said:
As for the problems themselves, well, all I can say is that PRESTO is still having significant problems that have to be sorted out.
Click to expand...
Indeed. Any current users are effectively beta-testers.
 
You must log in or register to post here.

Back
Top