Debit cards can be tapped to pay for transit in Toronto region
Posted on 4th May 2023 at 16:10
Customers traveling around the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area can use their debit cards to pay for transit on PRESTO devices on GO Transit and other services across the local area.
Ontario Associate Minister of Transportation Stan Cho joined Metrolinx President and CEO Phil Verster, Interac Corp. Chief Commercial Officer William Keliehor and elected officials on May 2 to announce the fare payment advancement.
Our vision for the future of transit isn’t limited to building more infrastructure that services the needs of future generations, it’s also about optimizing the services provided by our existing transit networks today. One way we are doing this is by making paying for transit more convenient and more flexible,” said Associate Minister Cho.
Ontario Associate Minister of Transport Stan Cho announcing the new scheme
His speech also drew attention to the fact that, since the program launch in August 2022, passengers had used the contactless system over a million times. Given the success of the system, the government of Ontario and Metrolinx say they are working with Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) to introduce debit and credit payment options to TTC’s network this summer.
As of May 2, nine transit systems in the Toronto region equipped with PRESTO devices will allow debit cards to be tapped to pay for transit fare. Photo courtesy of Metrolinx
“We are thrilled to bring our customers yet another way to pay their transit fare with the addition of Interac debit payment now accepted on PRESTO devices across participating transit agencies,” said Metrolinx Chief Payments Officer Barclay Hancock. “This is just another way we continue to innovate the PRESTO payment experience and make is easier to travel seamlessly across the region.”
A growing number of Ontario residents are interested in more contactless payment options for transit. A 2022 survey by Interac found:
69 percent of Ontarians polled saw debit as a convenient way to pay for transit.
69 percent claimed that tap payments would save time when paying fares.
68 percent were interested in using debit or credit cards to pay for their trips if they had the option.
72 percent believed it would be easier for visitors to pay for transit using their bank card as opposed to tickets, tokens or passes.
Tagged as: Toronto, ticketless, TTC
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