Travelling just 1 stop down GO isn't necessarily always a good idea, my local example is probably the worst case scenario: Unionville GO and Cornell bus terminal. There's two ways to take this trip directly, Viva Purple and the GO bus 52/56. Taking the GO bus 1 stop will save you 10 minutes in light traffic, but for some ungodly reason, it costs 6.65 on Presto. (I think it's because GO lumped Cornell into the Durham fare zone for god knows what reason.) So travelling from eastern Markham intending to use GO (either the Stouffville line, or continuing on the GO bus west on Hwy 407) will lop off nearly $3 per trip if they take local transit first instead of using the GO bus.
Why does York Region Transit have the highest fares when the service is so unbelievably poor? This is the region best known for a "BRT" system that comes once every 20 minutes.
My take: Many transit agencies (such as YRT) focus heavily on capital projects while neglecting the improvement/maintenance of operations and existing services. There are many possible reasons for this, but at the end of the day all levels of government should ensure a consistent, predictable flow of funding for operations as well: a few extra millions of dollars a year goes a long way.
May I ask a question? Oakville Transit is free for people from 0-19 and 65+. If a youth transfers from Oakville Transit to a different bus agency that has fares for that age range like MiWay or GO, what would they be charged, the Oakville Transit fare of $0, or (for example) the GO fare of 2.64?
Unfortunately, the answer isn't a short one... Generally, the first bus you take determines the fare that you pay for the entire trip (within the 2 hour transfer window). So if you start on Oakville (pay the $0 Oakville fare) and then transfer to a non-Oakville bus, it is considered a free transfer when you tap on the next bus(es) within 2 hours. But... Note that the new One Fare Program only covers transfers to/from TTC for the neighbouring agencies, so if you've started on Oakville and tap on TTC even within 2 hours, you'd pay the full TTC fare as if you have started your trip from scratch. (The reverse is also true.) However, most people travelling between Oakville and Toronto take GO Transit anyways, which leads me to my next point... The exception to "first bus fare only" is GO trains/buses, which ALWAYS override whatever you paid in the 2 hours before/3 hours after the first GO tap. You'd end up paying the GO fare for your age category (e.g. $2.64 for youth). It doesn't matter what you paid before and after: those fares (e.g. Oakville) gets refunded as if they never happened. This is also the case with the TTC; even if you take TTC first, you still pay a GO fare. Also, I'm only considering PRESTO-enabled systems; things get more complicated if you consider non-PRESTO agencies.
There a single ride discounts for more than just GO/UP - I know personally that with the PS1 “universal” fare type, I am charged the “Youth” fare on most agencies, in particular, I know this is for sure the case on TTC (as mentioned on GO website) and Durham Region Transit.
The “Youth” fare type (exclusively ages 13-19) is technically a separate fare type from “PS1/PS2” prestocard.ca/en/about/fare-types-and-discounts and is considered the same only on GO/UP: if the card is set correctly, PS1/PS2 *should* only give single ride discounts on GO/UP. (If you see “Fare Type: Youth” for your card on the PRESTO website, it is not PS1/PS2.) If you’re still being charged a Youth single ride fare despite being 20 or above, it is likely that the expiry has been set beyond your 20th birthday (wouldn’t be the first time I’ve seen that happen), to your advantage. Also, I’m not sure exactly what happens if two fare types are set at once (if that is even possible), but my guess is that Youth overrides PS1/PS2 as it gives more discounts. Personally I know the system is sometimes glitchy: I've had fare types disappear before the expiry.
If all goes to plan, it will start in mid-March 2024 for transfers to or from TTC. Free transfers between most local transit agencies (e.g. Brampton Transit and York Region Transit) and between almost all local transit agencies and GO Transit are already in effect.
Travelling just 1 stop down GO isn't necessarily always a good idea, my local example is probably the worst case scenario: Unionville GO and Cornell bus terminal.
There's two ways to take this trip directly, Viva Purple and the GO bus 52/56. Taking the GO bus 1 stop will save you 10 minutes in light traffic, but for some ungodly reason, it costs 6.65 on Presto. (I think it's because GO lumped Cornell into the Durham fare zone for god knows what reason.) So travelling from eastern Markham intending to use GO (either the Stouffville line, or continuing on the GO bus west on Hwy 407) will lop off nearly $3 per trip if they take local transit first instead of using the GO bus.
Why does York Region Transit have the highest fares when the service is so unbelievably poor? This is the region best known for a "BRT" system that comes once every 20 minutes.
My take: Many transit agencies (such as YRT) focus heavily on capital projects while neglecting the improvement/maintenance of operations and existing services. There are many possible reasons for this, but at the end of the day all levels of government should ensure a consistent, predictable flow of funding for operations as well: a few extra millions of dollars a year goes a long way.
they use it to pay for the spartan army necesary to fight off the superNIMBYs that live here
Update: The new One Fare Program will begin sooner than expected, on February 26th, 2024.
May I ask a question? Oakville Transit is free for people from 0-19 and 65+. If a youth transfers from Oakville Transit to a different bus agency that has fares for that age range like MiWay or GO, what would they be charged, the Oakville Transit fare of $0, or (for example) the GO fare of 2.64?
Unfortunately, the answer isn't a short one...
Generally, the first bus you take determines the fare that you pay for the entire trip (within the 2 hour transfer window). So if you start on Oakville (pay the $0 Oakville fare) and then transfer to a non-Oakville bus, it is considered a free transfer when you tap on the next bus(es) within 2 hours. But...
Note that the new One Fare Program only covers transfers to/from TTC for the neighbouring agencies, so if you've started on Oakville and tap on TTC even within 2 hours, you'd pay the full TTC fare as if you have started your trip from scratch. (The reverse is also true.) However, most people travelling between Oakville and Toronto take GO Transit anyways, which leads me to my next point...
The exception to "first bus fare only" is GO trains/buses, which ALWAYS override whatever you paid in the 2 hours before/3 hours after the first GO tap. You'd end up paying the GO fare for your age category (e.g. $2.64 for youth). It doesn't matter what you paid before and after: those fares (e.g. Oakville) gets refunded as if they never happened. This is also the case with the TTC; even if you take TTC first, you still pay a GO fare. Also, I'm only considering PRESTO-enabled systems; things get more complicated if you consider non-PRESTO agencies.
There a single ride discounts for more than just GO/UP - I know personally that with the PS1 “universal” fare type, I am charged the “Youth” fare on most agencies, in particular, I know this is for sure the case on TTC (as mentioned on GO website) and Durham Region Transit.
The “Youth” fare type (exclusively ages 13-19) is technically a separate fare type from “PS1/PS2” prestocard.ca/en/about/fare-types-and-discounts and is considered the same only on GO/UP: if the card is set correctly, PS1/PS2 *should* only give single ride discounts on GO/UP. (If you see “Fare Type: Youth” for your card on the PRESTO website, it is not PS1/PS2.)
If you’re still being charged a Youth single ride fare despite being 20 or above, it is likely that the expiry has been set beyond your 20th birthday (wouldn’t be the first time I’ve seen that happen), to your advantage. Also, I’m not sure exactly what happens if two fare types are set at once (if that is even possible), but my guess is that Youth overrides PS1/PS2 as it gives more discounts. Personally I know the system is sometimes glitchy: I've had fare types disappear before the expiry.
Not really! I pay $11 return from Bradford to Union, Plus TTC is free, I cant drive and park in Toronto for 3X that price.
So the one fare program launch next month or March?
If all goes to plan, it will start in mid-March 2024 for transfers to or from TTC. Free transfers between most local transit agencies (e.g. Brampton Transit and York Region Transit) and between almost all local transit agencies and GO Transit are already in effect.