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Text message from 905404XXXX
to 19054427423
TUE JAN 24 3:28 PM
do they check presto cards on the train
Text message from 19054427423
to 905404XXXX
TUE JAN 24 3:33 PM
Yes
how?
With a hand-held reader
is it wireless?
Dude, that'd be one hell of an extension cord
but how does it talk to the system when their card readers on the platform
Huh?
how is it all connected?
Satellite I guess
so why does it take more than 24 hours for my card balance to show? such bs
I've actually written GO about that. The answer I got was because every reader has to be updated throughout the system. Propogate and all
isn't this the 21st century?
Last time I checked
this is such bullshit
Why do you ask?
i forgot to tap when i got on. just curious how they know i tapped seeing as they cant make my funds available the minute i load the card
Not that I'm defending GO, but forgetting to tap and not having the balance be instant are two different things, no?
but it makes for a good argument. why do i need to make sure i've instantly tapped my card. how about i just tap it when i get off
Er ...
well thanks for listening. i'll just take my chances here.
All righty. If you do get caught, you'll get a warning.
so stupid. go holds my money for 24 hours like a third world bank. thieves.
10 comments:
If you charge your presto card at the go-station (which I do, as I've heard a lot of horror stories with the online service), the funds are available instantly.
You also get funny looks from the CSRs there, who can't understand why you would get a presto card if you're going to use it like a paper monthly pass.
Well, I will admit, that person does have a point.
If the system "automatically" knows when you tap on (and it really is only a few mins difference in most cases) why does it take the system 24 hours to know that there is money to subtract.
I think it was their execution of the point that caused confusion.
And I fully intend to load up my PRESTO card, when I get it, at Union on the last day of the month. Just like I deal with for the paper pass.
If you can load a Tim Hortons card automatically when you load it online, why not Presto? Archaic system? Dingbats.
The month I used Presto last year, I did load it online one night when I got home, and the next morning, the money was there when I checked it on the balance checker machine. And my question is, why can't they have one machine? Dingbats.
The difference between Presto and a Tim's card is simple.
For your Presto card the balance and trip information is actually stored on the card itself. When you tap the machine is actually changing data on the card. Same with ticket checking on the train, the handheld device is just reading to see if a valid trip is on your card (no wireless communication here). If you load your presto card online the system needs 24 hours to tell all the machines that money is available to put on your card, once the machines know about your money they will write it to your card on the next tap. If you load your card from a GO station there computer puts (writes) the money right on your card.
For the Tim's card, all the data is link to a central server, thus if Tim's pay system is down, no Tim's cards work. But, Presto network down, but machine working all works since all data on the card.
I suspect it also helps to reduce fraud.
So what you're saying is ... wait a few months more before some hacker comes out with a device to change your own balance? Seems like a mighty big security loop hole.
I can see how your card knows when was the last time and where it was tapped, and therefore whether you have paid your fare. Having the ballance stored on the device is just stupid design, I don't think even presto is that dumb.
*** What David said.
@David: When you tap on any device (bus or train), the system records the balance before and after. This all gets sent to Presto for checks... and one of the things they heck is that your balance hasn't increased without adding money.
Personally, I see no reason why online top-ups shouldn't be 'available' at GO station readers within a few minutes.
Also, the 24-hour thing is only a pain if your balance is at or near zero.
It only registers on the initial 'tap' of where you departed from. The wireless system see's the instance is open and acruing fee. The balance isn't calculated until you finish your commute (the second tap). It doesn't update isntantly because people usually commute several times during the day, so instead of having the database constantly update, they push the user account info for balance in the early AM.
Tried the presto system, got screwed twice. Lost 50$ in total. I wont use the system until they fix the tapping problems.
I've used card systems in other cities, and they far surpass the system here. I wouldn't be surprised if Presto gets sued for all of the mistaps in a class action at some point.
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