smallspy
Senior Member
The real problem is that this pilot project is a half-baked idea. Even people who live within walking distance of Danforth GO aren't switching, because the time savings isn't enough to justify another $60 a month and having to adhere to the irregular GO schedule. If Metrolinx is serious, they need to include all Scarborough stops and offer more frequent, consistent service.
A friend of mine is an engineer currently allocated to the Lincolnville line, and he's been averaging 30 ons and offs each way on his train. Now, granted that is simply one pair of trains, but that is far higher than I had anticipated.
If the other trains are seeing similar numbers, that bodes well for the future of the pilot project, and its potential expansion elsewhere.
Co-fare agreements would be much easier to implement with Presto, which is why I suspect GO and the TTC are waiting. Implementing a new co-fare system without full Presto adoption on the TTC would make things extremely confusing for the average user. The current pilot project is just a stop-gap measure using existing payment infrastructure, because it wouldn't be worth launching an expansive new co-fare system when that system is likely to be replaced by Presto within a couple of years.
At the very least, I think we'll see a co-fare agreement once Presto is fully adopted, although ideally I'd like to see a completely integrated fare system across the GTHA, not just co-fare agreements between agencies.
There is and was absolutely no issue with offering a co-fare arrangement prior to Presto being introduced. It'd been in place for many years.
The issue has more to do with the way that the agreements operate (GO subsidizes the difference between the "regular" fare and the co-fare on each agency), and that GO simply didn't want to run such an arrangement with the TTC. It was felt that the jump in ridership would overwhelm GO, and with very little benefit.
Dan
Toronto, Ont.