I can picture it now, lying in the grass. Maybe it's lying in the gutter. Maybe it's been carried down to the sewer. Maybe it's in a big sewer pipe floating towards Lake Ontario.
Le sigh.
All I know is that when the bus pulled up to the curb this morning and I reached into the pocket of my purse where I keep my card, it wasn't there.
Mr. Very Understanding Bus Driver Who Was New let me ride to the station. While on the bus, I tore my purse apart. No dice.
At the station, the GO attendant put my lost card on a hotlist and gave me a temporary card that I loaded with $60.00.
Oh, here's the kicker, boys and girls. Yesterday morning, at 9:15, I loaded $150 on the card using Presto's website and subsequent taps for the ride home hadn't transferred the balance to the card.
There's $150 of my money floating around in banking cyberspace that I won't see again until:
- Someone finds my lost card and taps it (the balance will transfer but the card then locks)
- I find my card and tap it, but I wouldn't be able to use it because I would have to unlock it by calling Presto
- 30 days from yesterday has passed. I won't see that money again until Dec 12.
Thankfully, it's not going to hurt me financially as I can manage to pay for my transit between now and then, but I immediately think about people who live paycheque to paycheque.
I'm hoping someone does me a favour and finds my card and taps it, thinking they'll get a free ride. The only way Presto can transfer the $150.00 I loaded yesterday over to my replacement card is the money has to be transferred to the chip on that card.
If the balance doesn't transfer by December 12, the money will be returned to my bank account. Until the money is transferred, I don't have access to it.
The current balance of my lost card is $23.33. Tomorrow, I can call Presto and have that balance transferred over to my replacement card.
I've been told not to register the replacement card. We all know that having lost this card now jeopardizes my eligibility for the transit tax credit for the month of November.
Once I am sure my old card is indeed gone forever, I will register the new card and like the good, mistrustful person I am, I've been downloading my transit usage reports monthly. I have a record of all of my trips for September to October.
The only thing I am grateful for is that I no longer deal with passes. Had I lost my monthly pass for November, there would be no $286.00 finding its way back to my bank account on December 12.
Could you call your bank and ask them to undo the transaction sending money to Presto? At least you get $150 back sooner.
ReplyDelete(What should happen is that Presto should be able to "undo" things and refund the money much sooner)
Also, Presto *do* transfer over your usage records to new cards. I know, because I lost my card and had a similar worry.
When you are able to run the transit report for 2012, your rides pre-new card will be there. I know this because I lost mine last year. However, your monthly report for this month will be screwed.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of many reasons I do not load money from the Presto website. I would rather go to the customer service counter and load my money.
I've lost my Metropass twice this year. And there's no way of getting any sort of replacement from our friends at the TTC. Bascially SOL for anyone that happens to. Tinpot Transit Commission.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure my bank will help me if I felt it was urgent.
ReplyDeleteCJ,
ReplyDeleteWhat happens to your discount? Will the new card discount at the right trip or do you have to start over again?
I lose the "steps" for November.
ReplyDeleteI found a card today ... what is the name/signature on the card?
ReplyDeleteNo need. This is post from 2012
ReplyDeleteUnknown. Did you find it in Cannington? Or did you give it into a station or a driver. Thankyou for being honest. As my Granny said... " handsome is a handsome does"
ReplyDeleteHow do I get reimbursed by TTC.
ReplyDeleteI purchased my first PRESTO card from the TTC Head office at Davisville, we talked about my being a Senior, I certainly LOOK like a Senior but was given a regular PRESTO card and charged accordingly.
How do I get a REBATE please? JNG