Presto should work for low-income riders: NDP

TORONTO — NDP Transit critic Jessica Bell is calling on the Ford government and Metrolinx to make sure Presto’s new single-use tickets are not a barrier for low-income riders and social service agencies.

This morning, Metrolinx began testing single-use Presto tickets on the TTC. The single use tickets cost $3.25 and expire after 90 days. Regular Presto users pay $6 for a permanent Presto card, and pay $3 a ride.

“Metrolinx and the province should permit low-income riders and social service agencies to purchase single-use Presto tickets at a bulk discount rate, and these tickets shouldn’t expire after 90 days,” said Jessica Bell.

Hospitals and social service agencies purchase up to 30,000 TTC tokens each a year at the $3 rate to help people travel to appointments, chemotherapy treatments and doctor visits.

The TTC and Metrolinx signed an agreement in 2012 to implement Presto on Toronto’s transit system. Since then the deployment has been dogged by cost overruns and delays.

The system was supposed to save the TTC money on fare collection costs, but it will in fact cost the agency more.