456YEGGuy
New Member
The first message on this topic was posted in April 2016. It only took 6 years and 7 months to public rollout. Let's hope it works. 
|
|
|
- Thread starter Daveography
- Start date
CplKlinger
Senior Member
They interviewed the Transit Director on CBC Radio One just now, and she said they'll distribute around 29,000 free cards. Also, if I understood her correctly, they apparently plan to roll Arc out to youth "in the new year" (don't know if she meant the first few weeks of 2023, or just meant sometime next year), then seniors, then people with low incomes, then paratransit.
Last edited:
dkazzed
Active Member
My main impediment to loading more dollars onto my Arc card was not being able to replace the card so this is great news. I do also about boarding speed. I haven't timed it exactly but it takes about 1.5 seconds to tap. Faster than dropping change and grabbing a transfer but slower than showing a transfer or pass. But this problem isn't isolated to Edmonton. Anyone remember Vancouver's magnetic stripe transfers? 2-3 seconds to read the damn things. A little better with Compass.
I see they dropped the Arc adult fare from $3 to $2.75 earlier this month.
I see they dropped the Arc adult fare from $3 to $2.75 earlier this month.
occidentalcapital
Senior Member
Wow. This is fabulous! First city in Alberta with transit tap cards. Having this system will make a huge difference for tourism and in the crucial visitor perception for the city.
dkazzed
Active Member
Calgary has their handy app that sells single tickets, day passes, and monthly passes. I used it last year at the Stampede and it was pretty handy except for the realization that I would be at the Stampede all day and kind of hooped if my phone ran out of battery. Calgary doesn't provide discounts for prepaid single tickets or stored value though so advantage Edmonton there.
Accepting credit cards and Interac tap would be the next step to making it easier for tourists.
Accepting credit cards and Interac tap would be the next step to making it easier for tourists.
northlands
Senior Member
It does say in the article that "Cards and single-use or day tickets can be bought at vending machines in LRT stations or other large transit centres — which will take debit and credit cards"
About freaking time. I don't think there has been anything more CoE than going to a transit station and having to carry small change to buy a simple transit ticket but you can use your VISA Infinite to buy a $1.75 bag of skittles from the ancient two bit vending machine sitting next to it.
occidentalcapital
Senior Member
Having the Arc Card machine at the airport goes a long way to addressing this but I understand the Arc system is capable of directly accepting credit/debit cards but not yet enabled.
dkazzed
Active Member
Debit/credit right at the tap machine without having to worry about vending machines would be good. It's good they have an Arc machine at the airport but what if they're somewhere that doesn't have one? Not everyone wants to pay $6 to get a card, even if they have to spend more paying the cash fare, although maybe there can be signage indicating that it takes just 8 trips to recoup that initial $6 cost.
northlands
Senior Member
I think, if I'm understanding correctly (which I probably am not) that it indicates that single use /day tickets can be bought at the fare machines, which will accept debit/credit, without needing to buy the card itself.
dkazzed
Active Member
Oh, I'm mostly talking about stops that don't have an Arc machine, which is over 90% of the bus stops in the city.
I know we can just insist that travellers and rare to occasional transit users get an Arc card and be done with it but a lot of people are just creatures of convenience and will choose other modes of transport otherwise.
I know we can just insist that travellers and rare to occasional transit users get an Arc card and be done with it but a lot of people are just creatures of convenience and will choose other modes of transport otherwise.
DutchBoy
Active Member
What's the theory behind letting people on in the front and back?
My experience in other countries is that there's enough peer pressure for most people to still tap even if they alight from a rear door.
Avenuer
Senior Member
In Vancouver you have to pay for a Compass card and same in the GTA with Presto, so I think people are just used to paying an upfront small cost for a card that you can technically keep forever. I have both a Compass and Presto which I paid for and use them whenever I visit either region.
I think making sure the bus driver essentially "screens" everyone coming in has some pretty positive safety implications.
The_Cat
Senior Member
The cat's enforcing the Arc card:
EdwardEdm
Active Member
Not by a long shot.
Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Red Deer and Grande Prairie all use tap cards. That left Fort Murray, the Edmonton Region and Calgary region without them.