GO Transit is getting rid of its monthly passes at the end of the year in favour of the Presto electronic fare swipe card, a spokesperson says.
December’s monthly pass will be the last of its kind, spokeswoman Vanessa Thomas told CP24 on Monday.
Starting in January, GO riders will instead use the plastic Presto card, which Thomas says is more convenient and cheaper for customers and the transit agency.
The lone alternative will be single ride tickets.
It appears many riders have already made the switch to Presto, a reloadable card that is being rolled out in the Toronto and Hamilton areas and will be unveiled in Ottawa in 2013.
Currently, the majority of GO customers – about 60 per cent – are using the card, as sales of monthly passes have gradually decreased since Presto cards were introduced, Thomas said.
In September, GO sold 23,000 monthly passes, a sales number that accounts for 18 per cent of regular commuters, she said.
According to GO Transit, there are more than 350,000 Presto card users across the network.
Thomas said it is more efficient and economical for GO to operate with a single fare option.
Presto cards can be reloaded at in-person customer service outlets, by phone and online, or automatically with pre-approved credit card charges.
In addition to GO Transit, Presto cards can be used at 14 TTC subway stations, including Bloor-Yonge, Downsview, Finch and Union.
A TTC fare of $2.60 is deducted from the card when it is “tapped” at a reader in one of the stations.
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