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Thursday, January 23, 2014

This headline makes me want to start drinking

Washington Metro subway buys Presto system


via The Toronto Star
Washington Metro riders will be getting their own version of the Presto transit fare system about the same time that the technology finally rolls out on the TTC.
Accenture, the company that built Presto for Metrolinx at a cost of $700 million, has sold the latest version of the technology to the Washington Metro for $184 million. Washington says it will begin a pilot next year, the same year a broad roll-out was scheduled for the TTC.
But a company spokesman denied any suggestion that the U.S. transit agency was getting the same product for less than a third of the price.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just watch how fast Washington DCs Metro system will find out how many glitches are in the system once discovered

Squiggles said...

Huh. Absolutely no mention about GO Transit and how we have been tricked, abused and overall taken-advantage-of with this system.

As well, I noticed the Star didn't allow comments for the story. Betcha that was because all comments on the previous Presto stories had the majority (if not all) comments in the negative.

Bicky said...

I saw this article. I want to scream "Run! Run away now!"

C.J. Smith said...

And note how much less the system is being purchased for... blah blah blah RIGHT.

TomW said...

Of course they will pay less - it's for one transit system, not the nine we have here. (With all sorts of complicated rules for transfers between systems, plus a complicated fare-by-distance for one).


Let's not gloss over the fact that Metrolinx got money (multiple millions) from Accenture to be able to use Presto outside of Canada. And the GTHA gets for free any enhancements developed elsewhere.

C.J. Smith said...

Re: Commenting.

I'll take this opportunity to mention that I SEVERELY restrict what makes it to this point. I have learned what you guys want to read and what you don't want to read.

There are bloggers who let every comment fly because they like seeing "250" comments. They like that *big* number.

I don't. After 25 comments, I lose interest. If you can't make a point, of you can't splel english or grmar 2 save you're life, or you're a hater, or a troll, or Santa didn't give you everything you asked for at Christmas when you were a kid, I delete your comments.

Sometimes I let a few fly because it's worthy to discuss someone's opinion but most get trashed. I'm not about popularity. I'm about value. I value your time and I know you don't have time to read 200+ comments of nonsense.

Anonymous said...

Do you work for Accenture, TomW? I just notice in the past you're so quick to defend this POS

George said...

I think it'll work as expected for a one transit company with a single-zone or a few zones system.

As for the backoffice stuff like auto loading I think the DC folks will not like what we have put up with so far.

Good luck to them, the province could use the extra cash.

MATT said...

"Between GO and the TTC, Presto will be available at about 200 train stations, compared with 86 in Washington, said Cuddihey."

...GO has 63 train stations by my last count; are there 137 subway stations on the TTC?

Nahid said...

WMATA is fare by distance as well, and they probably have more train stations than the TTC+GO combined.

mark p said...

perhaps little nuggests like this is why rob ford is drinking again.....

TomW said...

@Anon (2:36 PM)
No. I'm just well-informed of the facts. People are (rightly) wondering why DC got the system for less, so I was pointing out reasons.

If you have a problem with the accuracy of my comments, please feel free to highlight the error.