Briefing Note

TTC will stop selling tickets, tokens and passes on November 30, 2019

Background

November 30, 2019, will be the last day customers can purchase tickets, tokens and passes (GTA Weekly and the Day Pass) at collector booths. Customers will still be able to purchase tickets and tokens at some third-party retailers.

Customers will be able to use tickets, tokens and passes to pay their fare.

 No end date has been set for when the TTC will stop accepting tickets, tokens and cash.  Refunds will not be provided, so customers must use up their tickets, tokens and passes.  The last day a customer will be able to use a GTA Weekly Pass will be December 1, 2019

The TTC will continue selling tickets and tokens to agencies and organizations like school boards and social service agencies until a new PRESTO card / PRESTO Ticket bulk sales program is in place. The timing for this is still being finalized.

Wheel-Trans customers

Customers who travel in Wheel-Trans sedan taxis will be required to pay with exact cash, any tickets or tokens they have, or with a monthly pass on their PRESTO card. Full PRESTO payment will be available on sedan taxis before the end of the year.

Switching to PRESTO

Customers who no longer have tickets, tokens or passes should switch to a PRESTO card. PRESTO cards are available for $6 and can be loaded with money for pay-as-you-go travel or a monthly pass for unlimited travel each month, at:

 The Fare Vending Machines at all subway station entrances  All Shoppers Drug Mart locations  prestocard.ca  The TTC Customer Service Centre, above Davisville Station

PRESTO cards are set to deduct an adult fare. Youths, seniors and post-secondary students must have their card reset to deduct a youth, senior or post-secondary fare. Customers must take their government issued identification or TTC post-secondary photo identification card to any Shoppers Drug Mart location or the TTC Customer Service Centre, above Davisville Station to have their card reset.

Infrequent travellers or visitors to the city can purchase a one-ride, two-ride or day pass PRESTO Ticket from the Fare Vending Machine at all subway station entrances, at all Shoppers Drug Mart locations in Toronto and from the TTC Customer Service Centre, above Davisville Station.

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Communicating this information

In addition to ongoing communications about this milestone, at the end of October, the TTC will be launching an advertising campaign to reinforce this message and advise customers that now is the time to switch to PRESTO. Ads will be seen across the system and in community papers and the StarMero until the beginning of December.

PRESTO will also be launching its own ad campaign to highlight the benefits of using PRESTO to pay your fare. This campaign will also be in market until the beginning of December.

Complimentary PRESTO card distribution strategy

We are in the process of developing a complimentary PRESTO card distribution strategy, which will be executed in three phases. Phase one, will begin in the middle of November, and we are partnering with city agencies to help us distribute cards in areas of the city where we know there are gaps in the existing retail network. Phase two will commence in January 2020 and the timing for phase three will be aligned with the full rollout of our new station transformation model. Details on how cards will be distributed in phases two and three are still being determined and more information will be provided when it’s available.

New station model coming to 65 more subway stations

Starting January 5, 2020, the collector booths at 65 subway stations will be closed and the collector will be positioned at the fare line to verify transfers, tickets, tokens and cash, as well as assist customers by answering any questions they may have.

Frequently Asked Questions

The TTC previously said August 3, 2019 was going to be the last day for customers to purchase tickets, tokens and passes. Is the November 30, 2019 firm now?

Yes, November 30 will be the last day customers will be able to purchase tickets, tokens or passes at collector booths. Customers will still be able to buy them at some third-party retailers.

Do you have a list of third-party retailers that are still selling tickets, tokens and day passes?

Yes, our customer service team will be provided with a list on a monthly basis of all of the current third- party retailers.

Originally the TTC was going to stop selling tickets, tokens and passes on August 3, 2019. What contributed to the three-month delay in stopping the sale of tickets, tokens and passes?

There were some outstanding fare options, such as cross-boundary payment and Downtown Express bus payment that took longer to introduce because of their added complexity. These features are now in place and we are ready to move away from traditional tickets and tokens.

Is the TTC ready for full-PRESTO adoption?

Yes. Most customers have been able to use PRESTO to pay their fare across the TTC since 2017. In fact, PRESTO adoption is currently at 81% and we expect that number to increase once customers no Date longer have tickets, tokens or passes remaining. The system is working well for customers and there is an expanding array of self-serve options for them to take advantage of, like the PRESTO App, Fare Vending Machines at all subway station entrances, and Self-Serve Reload Machines.

What about customers who take Wheel-Trans sedan taxis?

Our customers who travel in our Wheel-Trans sedan taxis will be able to use PRESTO to pay-as-they- go in the near future (monthly pass customers can use PRESTO in sedan taxis already). Until full PRESTO payment is available, these customers can pay with exact cash, use any remaining tickets or tokens they have, or use their PRESTO card with a monthly pass loaded on it.

Can I get a refund for my unused tickets, tokens or passes?

No, refunds won’t be provided. You should use any remaining tickets, tokens or passes you have. The last day you can use a GTA Weekly Pass will be December 1, 2019. No end date has been set for when the TTC will no longer accept tickets, tokens and cash.

Can I load the value of my unused tickets, tokens or passes onto my PRESTO card?

No. You should use any remaining tickets, tokens or passes you have before you switch to PRESTO.

How does the TTC expect customers to transition to a PRESTO card if we can’t bring our unused tickets, tokens or passes in for a refund?

The TTC hasn’t set a stop accepting date, so customers are encouraged to use their remaining tickets, tokens and passes to pay their fare. Once they have used all their tickets, tokens or passes they can purchase a PRESTO card from the Fare Vending Machine at all TTC subway station entrances, at any Shoppers Drug Mart location, online at prestocard.ca or from the TTC Customer Service Centre, above Davisville Station.

I don’t live near a Shoppers Drug Mart, subway station or have a computer. How can I get a PRESTO card?

If you have a smartphone, PRESTO cards can also be ordered through pretocard.ca or through the PRESTO App. Cards ordered online will be mailed to you within seven to 10 business days.

The TTC and PRESTO are looking at ways to continue to make PRESTO accessible for customers to purchase and load cards.

In the meantime, the TTC is in the process of developing a wider reaching complimentary PRESTO card distribution strategy, which will be executed in three phases. Phase one, will begin in early November. We are partnering with city agencies to help us distribute cards in areas of the city where we know there are gaps in the existing retail network. Phase two will commence in January 2020 and the timing for phase three will be aligned with the full rollout of our new station transformation model. Details on how cards will be distributed in phases two and three are still being determined and more information will be provided when it’s available.

Last year the TTC sent information out to school boards about sending complimentary PRESTO cards to the students. Is this still happening?

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No. As a result of a review by the City of Toronto’s Auditor General around fare evasion and the use of child PRESTO cards on the TTC we will not be moving forward with the distribution of complimentary PRESTO cards to students.

The TTC is in the process of developing a wider reaching complimentary PRESTO card distribution strategy, which will be executed in three phases. Phase one, will begin in the middle of November, and we are partnering with city agencies to help us distribute cards in areas of the city where we know there are gaps in the existing retail network. Phase two will commence in January 2020 and the timing for phase three will be aligned with the full rollout of our new station transformation model. Details on how cards will be distributed in phases two and three are still being determined and more information will be provided when it’s available.

As a senior/youth/post-secondary student I understand I need to change the setting on my card to deduct that specific fare. I don’t live near a Shoppers Drug Mart or the TTC Customer Service Centre. What are my options?

You can have the setting on your PRESTO card changed at any PRESTO customer service outlet (i.e. GO Transit locations, Union Station).

The TTC is working with PRESTO on other places customers can go to set a specific fare type on a short-term basis. More details will be shared when the plan is finalized.

I don’t have a credit card or debit card, can I use cash to buy and load my PRESTO card?

Yes. You can use cash to buy and load your PRESTO card at a Fare Vending Machine at all subway station entrances, at all Shoppers Drug Mart locations and at the TTC Customer Service Centre.

Where can I load my card with cash if I don’t live near a subway station, Shoppers Drug Mart or the TTC Customer Service Centre?

All Shoppers Drug Mart locations in Toronto offer PRESTO card services, so if you find yourself near a store at any point during your day or your week, you can be confident that you can load your card.

How much will I have to load onto my new PRESTO card?

Starting Oct. 28, you will only need to load a minimum of $0.05 when buy your card at Shoppers Drug Mart, the TTC Customer Service Center, above Davisville Station, or other PRESTO customer service outlets. Currently, the minimum load amount is $10 at these locations. If you buy a card online the minimum load is $10, and if you buy it at a Fare Vending Machine it’s $5.

Why will I still have to load a minimum of $5 at Fare Vending Machines and $10 online when I will only have to load five cents at in person customer service outlets.

Minimum load amounts for all self-serve machines and online transactions will be lowered in the near future after additional software changes are tested and rolled out. Lowering the minimum load amount to $0.05 at customer service outlets was something PRESTO could implement very quickly, with the new minimum load amount at these locations taking effect Oct. 28. Until Oct, 28, the minimum load amount at customer service outlets is $10.

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How will infrequent customers or visitors to the city pay now that tickets and tokens aren’t available?

Infrequent customers or visitors can continue to pay by cash. They can also purchase a one-ride, two- ride or day pass PRESTO Ticket from the Fare Vending Machine at all subway station entrances and Pearson International Airport, as well as at all Shoppers Drug Mart locations in Toronto.

Why isn’t there a GTA Weekly Pass equivalent on PRESTO?

PRESTO is the default fare payment system that is used for 10 transit agencies in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area, as well as on OC Transpo in Ottawa. If customers have funds loaded through their PRESTO e-purse, they can use them to pay fares on any of these transit agencies and they will be charged the lowest possible amount by default.

To save customers even more money, there are also agreements between many transit agencies that let customers transfer for free or at a reduced rate when moving between systems. Be sure to check before you travel so you know the rules.

The TTC will be reviewing all of its fares as part of its five-year fare strategy, to be completed in 2020.

Why isn’t there a group/family day pass PRESTO Ticket?

Children under 12 are free across the TTC, giving families affordable options for travelling around the city.

In addition, as per our fare policy, each person over the age of 12 is required to have their own PRESTO Ticket, including the day pass ticket. This is because a tapped PRESTO Ticket is a customer’s proof-of-payment and the TTC’s two-hour transfer is only valid for individuals not groups/families.

Why is there a collector in the booth if the TTC is no longer selling tickets, tokens or passes?

Collectors are there to verify tickets, tokens, cash and transfers. They are also monitoring the CCTV cameras, Passenger Assistance Intercom and are available to answer questions customers may have.

The collector booths at 65 subway stations will be closed on January 5, 2020 and the collector will be positioned at the fare line to verify fares and assist customers.

Where can I find more information about PRESTO

Visit ttc.ca/PRESTO to find all the information you need about using PRESTO on the TTC.

Prepared By Heather Brown, Manager Customer Communications, [email protected]

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