Presto chango! The TTC’s payment war with the province is over (sort of)
One of the more maddening fights between the city and the province has been the argument over rolling out the Presto payment system. The TTC wanted to investigate the possibility of “open payment,” meaning riders could pay with their credit or debit cards. Acrimony, of course, ensued. It looks like our long municipal nightmare may finally be over, though, if the Toronto Sun is right.
You’ll soon be able to tap and swipe your way to work on public transit, says Transportation Minister Kathleen Wynne.
In response to a friendly question from Liberal backbencher Kevin Flynn, Wynne told the Legislature Monday the government has started to develop the “next generation” of technology.
The province and TTC clashed earlier this year over which technology to use for fare payment across the GTA.
Thanks to the Wynne-Flynn exchange in question period, it now looks like Toronto will get both Presto and some form of open payment, and all the city had to go through was months of carping between Wynne and Adam Giambrone. When the dust settles from the election, maybe the city can actually step on the gas when it comes to rolling out Presto if this argument is finally settled.
Given that none of the remaining candidates seem to stomach a fight over this, we’ll probably have to find other excuses for Presto-based puns. After all, there’s always the inevitability a chance that the TTC will bungle the rollout.
• New technology on the way for Presto fare card: Minister [Toronto Sun]
&picture=https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Presto-fare-card.jpg&description=One of the more maddening fights between the city and the province has been the argument over rolling out the Presto payment system. The TTC wanted to investigate the possibility of “open payment,” meaning riders could pay with their credit or debit cards. Acrimony, of course, ensued. It looks like our long municipal nightmare may finally be over, though, if the Toronto Sun is right.
You’ll soon be able to tap and swipe your way to work on public transit, says Transportation Minister Kathleen Wynne.
In response to a friendly question from Liberal backbencher Kevin Flynn, Wynne told the Legislature Monday the government has started to develop the “next generation” of technology.
The province and TTC clashed earlier this year over which technology to use for fare payment across the GTA.
Thanks to the Wynne-Flynn exchange in question period, it now looks like Toronto will get both Presto and some form of open payment, and all the city had to go through was months of carping between Wynne and Adam Giambrone. When the dust settles from the election, maybe the city can actually step on the gas when it comes to rolling out Presto if this argument is finally settled.
Given that none of the remaining candidates seem to stomach a fight over this, we’ll probably have to find other excuses for Presto-based puns. After all, there’s always the inevitability a chance that the TTC will bungle the rollout.
• New technology on the way for Presto fare card: Minister [Toronto Sun]){kind=link}
Presto is not the Magical Solution
As a first year planning honours student at the University of Waterloo, I have strong opinions on how our transportation systems are developing in the GTA.
So many people complain about crowded buses, unreliable transit frequency, and ineffective transit routes. Yet, instead of solving the issues that affect the efficiency and reliability of local transit systems, we are resorting to the high-tech electronic cards being used in other parts of the world to solve our problems. Sure, there is an interest in new technology, but Presto smartcards are not the solution to our transportation issues.
Transportation Minister Kathleen Wynne seems to be delusional to the fact that she is providing the wrong solution to the wrong problem.
Nearly $250 million of our money has already been poured into a project that isn’t even directed towards reducing ticket costs or improving services on existing public transit systems. Not to mention an additional plastic card being added to our wallets.
Integrating the various GTA public transit systems will encourage people to hop onto one system to the next, increasing urban sprawl. We are no longer trying to find solutions to intensify our transportation system.
And what is the purpose of using Presto when the TTC, which accounts for 85% of the transit trips in the GTA, is not even committed to this solution. After all, in order for Presto to work effectively, we need the people using the system.
It’s time we realize that ‘Presto’ is not the instant solution to our transit problems. We need to do more than simply wave a wand.
@Bhakto Rathod
Nobody said Presto will be the magic solution to solve GTA’s transit problem. It is however, one of many steps which the province took and will be taking to encourage residents of Ontario to embrace Transit once again.
By eliminating tickets, exact change and lining for monthly pass, it makes riding public transit easier in the payment department. In addition to convenience, the presto eliminate the issue with printing tickets, stamping tokens, fraudulent tokens/tickets and fare underpayment which reduce revenue stream of the operators.