Metrolinx says it will be proactively refunding GO Transit riders who tapped their PRESTO card on Feb. 2 and Feb. 3 due to the major service disruption caused by a train derailment just outside Union Station.
Speaking to Metrolinx’s board of directors at a meeting on Thursday morning, Michael Lindsay, the CEO of the provincial transit agency, said those who tapped their PRESTO card for trips on Feb. 2 and Feb. 3 will receive refunds along with those who took “deeply disrupted” trips along the Lake Shore lines during the evening rush hour on Feb. 4.
“We are very proud of the Service Guarantee, which has always been in place at GO Transit,” Linsday said Thursday.
“But we know how disruptive this week was for our customers.”
Metrolinx previously said that a train on the Kitchener line was leaving Union Station at a low speed when it derailed. This incident triggered widespread delays across the GO network for several days.
Lindsay said refunds will happen automatically within the next five to 10 business days.
“Given the volume of transactions, this is being done in batches just to make sure we don’t in any way overwhelm the PRESTO system. We would ask riders to wait until the end of that period,” he said.
Lindsay said Metrolinx’s Service Guarantee is open to riders “365 days a year.”
On its website, the transit agency said as part of its Service Guarantee policy, a person will receive a full refund of their fare if a train’s arrival is delayed by 15 minutes or more. It notes that refunds will not be provided for delays caused by extreme weather conditions.
While riders will be refunded automatically for the delays caused by the derailment, typically customers have to apply online for the refund.
“We’re proud of our better than 90 per cent performance historically, which we have returned to this week,” Lindsay said.
