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I'm not sure if this was mentioned or not yet, but I just found out GRT is going to replace all the old orange bus stop signs with new ones.

https://www.grt.ca/en/rider-information/...rkers.aspx
(11-15-2018, 12:53 AM)bgb_ca Wrote: [ -> ]I'm not sure if this was mentioned or not yet, but I just found out GRT is going to replace all the old orange bus stop signs with new ones.

https://www.grt.ca/en/rider-information/...rkers.aspx

They've been doing that for a while. mostly the one's where routes are changing first.
My son is going to be heart broken. He sees yellow signs everywhere and thinks they're bus stops hah.
I've always hated the orange/yellow ones... white makes so much more sense.
I thought someone had lost a valuable farecard on the bus - until I picked it up and found it much thinner and lighter! Looks like limited-use cardboard fares will be a thing.

[Image: gTj37dn.jpg]

[Image: b2TnrRK.jpg]
(11-20-2018, 11:01 PM)KevinL Wrote: [ -> ]I thought someone had lost a valuable farecard on the bus - until I picked it up and found it much thinner and lighter! Looks like limited-use cardboard fares will be a thing.

[Image: gTj37dn.jpg]

[Image: b2TnrRK.jpg]

I actually found one the other day as well. I've been meaning to see what kind of nfc chip is in it. (I'm guessing a mifare ultralight)
It is indeed a MiFare Ultralight.

Someone in the Facebook group confirmed these are already being distributed by homeless shelters and social programs! That was quick.
That's awesome.
Is that the reloadable card?
No, it's a non-reloadable disposable. Comes preloaded with just a few fares (not sure exactly how many; I imagine 1-4).
Cool. Is the goal to replace tickets with these?
The sort of tickets used casually, yes - that are handed out, or bought by those who are visting or don't intend to regularly use the system.

People who regularly buy tickets would get a plastic card with stored balance, and top that up as needed.
(11-21-2018, 08:57 PM)KevinL Wrote: [ -> ]The sort of tickets used casually, yes - that are handed out, or bought by those who are visting or don't intend to regularly use the system.

People who regularly buy tickets would get a plastic card with stored balance, and top that up as needed.

I have realized that the stored value cards are a lot more expensive than they seem, you must consider the balance one must carry continuously to use the system, so even though a presto card for example is only 5 dollars, I generally carry a balance of 40 or so in order to ensure I can round-trip + TTC in Toronto.  Make it rather expensive for anyone of lower income--and totally unnecessary if they were willing to tie it to a payment system (i.e., they could be the ones to take the 40 dollar risk, which would be low if they already had payment info).
One step forward with online reloads of the EasyGo cards - you'll now get a special screen flash and audible tone when a reload goes onto your card:

(11-21-2018, 08:57 PM)KevinL Wrote: [ -> ]The sort of tickets used casually, yes - that are handed out, or bought by those who are visting or don't intend to regularly use the system.

People who regularly buy tickets would get a plastic card with stored balance, and top that up as needed.

Montreal has a single-use ticket (paper), a short-term-use farecard L'occasionnelle (paper with RFID), and the OPUS plastic farecard. Boston seems to only have the paper and plastic options. Looks like we're going for paper with RFID/plastic.