| from: | LLM | ||
| to: | CJ Smith | ||
| date: | Fri, Apr 10, 2015 at 10:18 PM | ||
| subject: | My second Presto problem |
Hey Cj, LLM here.
Normally presto has been very good to me if you don't count that $100 issue I had with them awhile back but you do and so do I, so I am now encountering my second problem with them.
On the 9th (of April), I needed to travel to Exhibition Station which is one half of my default trip, the other is Port Credit.
At Port Credit, I tapped my card with no issues and boarded the train, but on my way back, my train was just a few minutes away and I needed to get to platform one at Exhibition station, so I bypassed the machines on platform four to tap one of the machines on the opposite platform so I didn't miss my train
All the machines I tapped my card at on the platform one side read 'invalid card' when I did, which I found odd seeing as I had no problem whatsoever at Port Credit.
Now, I took my chances, and boarded the train anyways hoping that if I was asked for my card, it would show that I at least tried to tap my card. No check took place so I didn't get that proof.
Out of curiosity I went to the Presto facebook page to see if anyone else had encountered this and to ask about it. No one had and presto wasn't any help.
First they said I might have been within the travel window, and not charged for my return trip, and included a link to the presto faq.
When I said that made a little sense but still didn't explain why the machines read 'invalid card' when I tapped on at the start of my ride?
I know my card isn't invalid because it worked when I tapped at Port Credit and I know at least one of the machines I used was working for other people.
I just wanted to know why this happened?
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Biting my tongue. Sitting on my hands ... won't say it ... (-Cj)
8 comments:
I got that message once, I had to go back home within an hour of arriving at Union (on a default trip) because my son was sick. In this case it was because I was still within the travel window. I had to press the override button then tap on (then tap off at Whitby).
I will examine the Presto FAQs to determine if this is properly addressed.
And email me too?
I'd call Presto on the phone to double check with an agent.
After speaking with the agent, get the date, time and agent's name in case this blows up to a bigger issue in the future.
The agent should be able to see your travel history and piece it all together to give you a straight answer.
when travelling within a 3 hour window you must push "override" tap your card then tap off at your destination. In this case you will be only charged the transfer fee which is usally between $2 or $3.
I lost one of my presto cards so I canceled it and got a new one sent in the mail for 6$ with my remaining 32$ balance on it. When I received my card I activated it, went to the bus and it said invalid card. I paid by cash then went towards work. I phoned the automated presto line and after inputting all my information it said the card was allready activated. I went to work for the day then after I tryed to use the card on my way home and again it said invalid card.... I'm lucky I had change and a backup card otherwise I'd be screwed at 530am when I need to get my bus to arrive on time, I hope issues like this are changed and fixed in the near future l.
when you receive a card in the mail from presto you need to tap your presto card on any BALANCE CHECKER machine and that will active the card. Station Attendants unfortunately cannot activate cards sent through the mail. Hope this helps
Now to add to crazy Presto and tapping and Invalid messages. Here goes...
So, Yes, I am also getting this Invalid card message when travelling under 3 hrs. Now, here's the messy party. Sure, the "right thing" to do is to press Override and get charged normally for the tap ON. Now, what happens when you are in your loyalty period after travelling 33 trips and even close to 40 or even after 40 trips. Here's what happens, or at least to me. I am charged for my trip differently (lower reduction $ amount) than if I was tapping normally with no Invalid card message on my trip back to my home. Somehow, it looks like when you press override and you are in your loyalty period of travelling for the month, the amount deducted is less when you press the override button. That is quite ridiculous to me. I would expect to be charged the same amount going back home whether I stayed for 3 hrs or 3.1 hrs...if you get my point and whether I press override or not. I would expect the same net result to be deducted from my presto card when I make the final tap OFF. NOT THE CASE!
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