This Crazy Train's Presto Chronicles, Chapter 20: Presto! There goes my transaction history (and my discount?!)

from Sean B
to cj@thiscrazytrain.com
May 14, 2010

I switched to the PRESTO Card in February because it would make my mishmash of trips (bus/train or train or bus/bus) easier then explaining to the driver I was transferring.

I have not had any issues / problems with the card until this past Friday. I was on my way home and tried to scan the card at a PRESTO machine. No beep. So I go to another, same thing. So I go to the Fare Checker and the Auto Load Machine. No Dice. The card no worky.

So I went to customer service. Thank God I was there at Union early as the regular ticket line was long as heck but Customer Service just had 2 people in front of me. I go in, tell the guy my card no worky. He tries it and says it no worky. He says he can give me a new one and have everything transfered over to it. 

Two problems though, I would have to load money onto the new one but the 2nd problem is I would have to call PRESTO customer service to have everything transferred over (money and rides).

So I call PRESTO customer service and the guy on the line says we have to cancel (or in this case freeze) my old card first for 24 hours before anything could happen. This is Friday at 5pm. That's fine, I say.

I call back Saturday to transfer everything over onto the new card. No problem, but it would take - wait for it - 24 hours to complete.

So Sunday afternoon, I go into Toronto, and the money is there and I have no issues. No issues until I look online at my transaction history. It looks like I have none. Yep. They did not transfer any rides for the past 3 months over. Not even the current month. I was already heading into the mid-20 ride mark. I budget myself very strictly so I know how much I need during the month.

Since we are closing in on the 2nd half of the month, I decide to call PRESTO customer service Monday morning.

I tell them that they did not transfer my rides over. She assures me for tax time, that I will get both records, new and old card. That is fine but what about my current month? I tell her I am on a limited budget and I can not afford to pay full price until the end of the month, So she puts me on hold. She is not totallty sure what she can do. She comes back. She puts me on hold again. She comes back and says she will forward my issue on and have customer service e-mail me back....in 5 business days!

Well, I am not happy. If they are going to force everyone over to PRESTO this summer, they might want to fix the service times and issues like this more quicker.