Presto "patches" in another GO Transit customer

Grab your leather jacket, cut off the sleeves, and sing with me:

"Riding through this world ... all alone... "

from:		Matt M
reply-to:		(address withheld)
to:		"cj@thiscrazytrain.com"
date:		Tue, Dec 24, 2013 at 10:17 AM
subject:		PRESTO Chronicles!

Finally, PRESTO has bit me.  I feel like I’m part of the brotherhood now.

I have a pre-programmed trip on my card between Union and Guildwood (usual fare is $5.25). Yesterday, I was to take a non-standard trip instead to Milton GO (usual fare is $8.39) to attend a family Christmas dinner (big family; we spread it out over about 4 days to accommodate everyone).  I got to Union and pressed override, then tapped.  Fare charged at this machine = $5.25.  While walking to my platform, I thought that the fare didn’t seem right; I know from past experience that the base fare on an override tap is $4.85 or so.  So, on a separate PRESTO machine, I cancelled my initial tap-on, and was credited back $5.25.  I then pressed override again, tapped again.  Fare charged at this machine = $5.25.  I thought to myself, ok...maybe I haven’t taken a non-regular trip since the last fare increase, and base fare now is a little higher. When I got to Milton, I tapped off, expecting to see a $3.14 balancing of my fare.  Fare charged atthis machine = $5.00.  Total fare paid to travel 1-way to Milton = $11.25.  I knew this was wrong, having checked the price to Milton before I left the office, so planned to call PRESTO today.

I reluctantly called PRESTO anticipating that this would be a “call GO/call PRESTO/call GO/call PRESTO” chain of events.  Sure enough, after explaining my situation, I was told to call GO (actually, I was transferred, so I didn’t have to dial myself).  I explained it again to the rep at GO, who could see my tap on/cancel/tap on sequence, said that obviously the override function wasn’t working, and took my information down to send to PRESTO, promising a call within 2 business days and likely a voucher for the $2.86 I was overcharged. 

Brings me to the same old question...why can’t they just fucking reload the fare on my card?  Why do I need a coupon/voucher?

MATT
______________________________________

And just when you thought Jax aka Matt was out of danger, Clay aka Presto, is up and ready for another round.

from:		Matt M
reply-to:		(address withheld)
to:		"cj@thiscrazytrain.com"
date:		Fri, Jan 10, 2014 at 11:14 AM
subject:		Fw: PRESTO Chronicles!

It happened again last night, this time travelling Union to Agincourt as my wife had our daughter at swimming class close to that station, so it made sense to travel there instead.  At Union, override failed, I cancelled, override again.  Charged incorrectly at $5.25 to get on the train.  Tapped off at Agincourt, charged $4.85 more.  Paid $10.10 for a fare that SHOULD cost $5.29.  In the last 2.5 weeks, I've paid over $21 for about $14 worth of fares.

GO assures me a voucher was sent out Jan 4 for my December 23 incident, and are processing a new request for yesterday's.  What a joke.  I'm tempted to start buying single-fares for non-standard trips, just so that I'm not inconvenienced.  I load enough money on my card for specific purposes; when GO takes a 91% premium on my fares when I use the overcharge, er...override feature, that becomes a big pain in my ass.