Toronto mayoral candidate Rocco Rossi has promised to deliver Presto smart cards to the city’s “failing” transit system should he be elected, according to Inside Toronto.
After threatening to implement a Presto system for some time, the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) opted ultimately for an open payment system that will accept tap and go payment from contactless debit and credit cards, as well as from other traditional forms of payment such as tokens and cash.
Rossi criticized the TTC for “dragging its feet and inventing excuses” when it came to Presto, only to revert to a system he calls “stuck in the 70s.”
The TTC says its dropping the card system based on the expense ($356 million for a 7 year roll out), and that that the makers of Presto “haven’t yet been able to demonstrate their system will work” to the TTC’s satisfaction.
The TTC is also feeling pressure from other cities that are moving from smart card systems to open payment.
However, Rossi says the cards will pay for themselves within two to four years, citing added Presto Plus+ advantages that let customers pay for services such as parking and zoo admission.
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