[nfitz]

The closest balance checker for a TTC customer shouldnt be at a GO Station, to be able to check a Presto card balance.

I haven't tried, but I'd have assumed that you can check the balance on those reload machines that are being installed in every subway station that has Presto.

Personally, I just check on-line.

 

[ottbike]

The TTC should at least shift to the "time/amount left" screen option once time based transfers officially become a thing. I doubt it would slow down boarding that much, since it only shows for a second. More time is spent putting your fare in the box and waiting for the driver to hand you a transfer.

 

[rbt]

^Well if they're going to that, the least they can do is install balance checkers inside stations and at major terminus points (ie: Long Branch, Humber Loop, etc..) so someone can figure out what their balance is. Let's remember, not everyone has a smartphone and/or internet and some people actually will rely on those kind of machines.

The closest balance checker for a TTC customer shouldnt be at a GO Station, to be able to check a Presto card balance.

Most of the Presto enabled subway stations have 2 or 3 of those green kiosks for topping up cards. Insert your card and it tells you the balance very quickly.

 

[Megaton327]

I haven't tried, but I'd have assumed that you can check the balance on those reload machines that are being installed in every subway station that has Presto.

Personally, I just check on-line.

Most of the Presto enabled subway stations have 2 or 3 of those green kiosks for topping up cards. Insert your card and it tells you the balance very quickly.

But then people who are actually trying to use the reload machines to reload their cards get delayed by people checking balance, and vice versa. They are not nearly as quick as balance checkers, which are yet again not as quick as just showing you the balance when you pay--the SSKs hold for a few seconds when you press 'done' and remove your card. Additionally, even if it was just as quick to check your balance on one of them, what if there's a line of people in front of you reloading? Not so quick then. Definitely poorly thought out by the TTC...again, every transit operator in the 905 that uses Presto, plus OC Transpo, manages just fine displaying balance, but no, they couldn't possibly do that.

Also, I never really noticed a problem with people stopping at the old presto readers the TTC used which did display balance...so what, riders weren't causing any delays checking their balance on the old machines, but on the new ones suddenly everybody's obviously going to hold up the line? As with many things, no competent thought went into this.

 

[Voltz]

I think they should show the balance on the presto reader displays, but at least they could allow users to set up their card so it tells the reader to display the balance. for those who want that feature.

 

[Riverdale Rink Rat]

Checked this morning and my card showed as active. I was able to setup autoload and then successfully tapped on a 504 streetcar. Took an extra day, but I'm up and running. I guess the kiosks at King Station aren't connected and do an upload or something overnight.

I saw Mr. Byford on CP24 yesterday and he was encouraging "everyone" to go get a Presto card and start using it. Based on my experience, and with all the non-Presto-ready buses and subway stations out there, I think that is a bit premature. Better would be to call this a beta period and really set expectations properly with users.

Going in I knew this would take some work to get set up. The average rider coming from tokens or a Metropass will expect things to just work. It doesn't right now thanks to the complexity of the system and the challenges of rolling it out, and that will lead to an overall perception that Presto is bad.

That perception will be furthered by TTC faretakers like the woman at Greenwood that declared Presto "a complete waste of time" to me yesterday. Talk about cultural resistance - you just don't say that type of thing as a frontline employee.

 

[BMO]

That perception will be furthered by TTC faretakers like the woman at Greenwood that declared Presto "a complete waste of time" to me yesterday. Talk about cultural resistance - you just don't say that type of thing as a frontline employee.

You were basically using the thing that will make her job almost completely unnecessary, ofcourse she's going to say it's a complete waste of time.

 

[crs1026]

The 'hold up the line while reading my balance' phenomenon has only been a problem because to date, the few subway stations with Presto turnstiles have had only a few of them. So lineups tended to form at those turnstiles. TTC Presto users early on have been an impatient bunch (I bet most of them were heading to Union to catch a GO train, hence especially time conscious)
Once every gate is Presto equipped, lineups wn't form, you won't be holding anyone up if you read your balance. I have never seen a problem with this on a surface vehicle that shows your balance.
If it's truly an issue, just program the reader to beep more distinctively when the balance is low. All one likely needs is a general warning, not the exact dollars and cents.
- Paul

 

[dowlingm]

That perception will be furthered by TTC faretakers like the woman at Greenwood that declared Presto "a complete waste of time" to me yesterday. Talk about cultural resistance - you just don't say that type of thing as a frontline employee.

Disparagement is a bit better than information which is actually untrue: https://twitter.com/benFsinger/status/683334677134835712

 

[Napoleon]

I think they should show the balance on the presto reader displays, but at least they could allow users to set up their card so it tells the reader to display the balance. for those who want that feature.

A simple app could let you do this in about 5 seconds.

 

[bennessb]

Making it so you get the the appropriate federal tax slip

I didn't even realize this was a thing. So you can register to get an annual form/receipt/whatever to claim the transit credit from Presto use?

 

[LNahid2000]

I didn't even realize this was a thing. So you can register to get an annual form/receipt/whatever to claim the transit credit from Presto use?

Yes. This is what makes Presto WAY better than tokens. As long as you make 32 trips in a 31 day period, you get the tax credit.

I stopped buying Metropasses when my office moved to Finch Station because of this, and ended up saving a lot of money.

 

[TOareaFan]

Yes. This is what makes Presto WAY better than tokens. As long as you make 32 trips in a 31 day period, you get the tax credit.

I stopped buying Metropasses when my office moved to Finch Station because of this, and ended up saving a lot of money.

buying a metropass every month also qualifies you for the tax credit......or am i missing your point.

 

[LNahid2000]

buying a metropass every month also qualifies you for the tax credit......or am i missing your point.

You're missing my point. A Metropass costs $120.28 after the tax credit while 40 tokens cost $116. Not much of a difference so I used to buy Metropasses every month. With Presto, 40 rides cost $98.60 after the tax credit, so I save around $20/month.

I actually ended up saving more because without the "I already paid for a Metropass" mentality, I ended up biking to work on some days and had around 32 trips a month on some months (costing $78.88 after tax credit with this year's fares).

 

[ksun]

Agree. This "I already have a metropass so why not use it" mentality should be eliminated. There are really people who take the street car from Yonge to Church in non winter weather, or two stops on the 510 on Spadina (to avoid walking 400 meters).