GTA Farecard: Good idea?

The transit associations across the Greater Toronto Area have decided to collaborate and introduce a farecard that will allow monetary value to be credited to it, allowing payment for fares on transit systems across the GTA. My question: Do you think it will be worth spending the massive amounts of money implementing it? Currently the Toronto Transit Commission plans on initially installing it at 5 of their Subway/RT stations. Do you think that it should be implemented completely across the system including on buses, or just at every station?

Here is the site: http://www.prestocard.ca/

Well, it's fast comparing to counting how much money you have in your pocket. I mean, it's hard to lose it than normal coins. But wasting tons of money on it is not a good idea. They should just have a debt card machine on the bus so that they don't have make a bus card. On the other hand, lots of other company is making cards as well, have you heard about the new Tim-Hortons card?

Yes, the card uses the same concept as the Tim Horton's card.

What's the point with all these cards? Is it the new thing?

Yes, it is a new way of paying for transit. New for the GTA, not the rest of the world. Similar systems have already been implemented in other places. The point of the cards is that they are supposed to make it easier to pay for transit, and to make transfers between transit systems easier.

russell wrote:Yes, it is a new way of paying for transit. New for the GTA, not the rest of the world. Similar systems have already been implemented in other places. The point of the cards is that they are supposed to make it easier to pay for transit, and to make transfers between transit systems easier.

Well, if they think it is a good idea then go for it.

I think it is viable. We are using a lot if money on paper for transfers, bus tickets and many other paper-based bus things. The pay-off will outweigh the pay.

I think that will take a LONG time.

Nah. The ceasing of using paper will cause immediate saving and then there will be continued pay-off from the people using it.

Admin wrote:I think that will take a LONG time.

Oakville Transit is supposed to have it fully implemented by the end of the year. As for transfers, they will still be needed within a transit system, or else you would be paying your fare twice. The card acts in place of money, not in place of a transfer.

Oh, my heart sinks. We still need to do something about the amount of paper used in transfers and tickets though.

Skiyk wrote:Oh, my heart sinks. We still need to do something about the amount of paper used in transfers and tickets though.

Yeah, because they throw out the ones that aren't used, because they're spoiled. As I recall, the TTC's transfers are actually printed out with the route and time info, because they have too many routes to fit on one piece of paper and piece holes in.

Exactly. I think that there should be a garbage bin for garbage but also a recycling bin for transfers on the bus.