TTC riders are happily tapping their Presto fare cards after the transit service launched its two-hour transfer option on Sunday.
Riders with Presto fare cards are able to take several short return trips within a two-hour time frame and they will only be charged for the first trip.
Brittany Stewart has a Presto card and said the newly added two-hour transfer policy has made planning her day a lot easier.
“I think it’s really awesome,” she said.
“The saving money aspect of it, and being able to have the option to get off and back on, and not have to worry about paying $3 that many more times during the day.”
The two-hour transfer is only available with the Presto electronic fare card. Riders paying with cash, tokens or tickets will continue to receive transfers valid for travel in one direction only.
The two-hour countdown begins as soon as the Presto card is tapped for the first time, Mayor John Tory explained on Sunday.
“It does include the travelling time from when you first tap on to when you last tap on for the last time,” he said.
“You can get on five times if you want to make five different stops, as long as it’s within the two hour period.”
The TTC’s board approved the two-hour transfer policy in November. According to a report to the board at that time, implementing the measure would add an estimated 5,000,000 customer trips per year.
The report estimated that if the plan were implemented in August, it would cost the TTC $11.1 million this year, with an annual cost of $20.9 million after that.
— With files from Kerri Breen and David Shum
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