The Toronto Board of Trade (TBT) is urging the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) to stick with its plan of implementing Presto’s smart cards instead of an open payment system for The Greater Toronto Area’s public transit, according to thestar.com.
If implemented, Presto would allow commuters to tap on to all public transit systems in the GTA, Hamilton, or Ottowa using one singe card.
The TBT is concerned that an open payment system, which would accept smart cards, tokens, cash and even mobile payment, would end up costing the TTC more than it can afford.
A TTC report last fall quoted the price of rolling out Presto at $400 million, reports The Star. Of this sum, the Ontario government says it will pay $173 million, but the rest is up to the TTC.
The TBT also argues that a unified single card system would do more to promote regional transit systems than an open system with disparate payment methods.
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