Grand River Transit

[robdrimmie]

As a monthly pass holder I'd appreciate a credit on my account pro-rated to the number of days missed. I have a corporate pass, so $24.50 (76 dollars divided by 31 days times 10 missed days) feels very fair to me. Moreso, as always seems to be the case with GRT, I'd appreciate any kind of official communication on the matter.

[timc]

I don't even know if I trust the fare card system to properly handle credits to my account. But I would like some acknowledgement and/or compensation.

[Momo26]

How does one get a corporate membership? Your employer has to enroll with GRT or something? I would like to pay less if I can.

Compensating pro-rated for the days missed definitely misses the impact of the strike on riders/pass holders. It's not like a gym that needed to unexpectedly close for 10 days providing a pro-rated amount - while one can argue the health aspect/exercise is important, there are no other costs that have to be incurred (and by costs it's Uber/Taxi/paying a friend gas money) to get to a job you MUST show up to. I'm not asking for too much but I think it's fair to provide a full refund for JAN2020 pass holders which will assist in offsetting other costs.

[robdrimmie]

How does one get a corporate membership? Your employer has to enroll with GRT or something? I would like to pay less if I can.

Yes, corporate memberships are part of the TravelWise program: https://www.grt.ca/en/fares-passes/corporate-pass.aspx

I strongly agree with your point about offsetting other costs. It is very well stated.

[Momo26]

Looks like 'Free weekend service' and 'Refunds for January pass holders'. Looks like they are doing the right thing. Free weekend is not a big deal as there is obviously a major drop in weekend ridership including some buses not running entirely...bit more of a gimmick but okay.

https://twitter.com/RegionWaterloo

[danbrotherston]

I don't even know if I trust the fare card system to properly handle credits to my account. But I would like some acknowledgement and/or compensation.

I'd almost be willing to be this is the major obstacle to actually offering refunds.

[danbrotherston]

The free weekends in February is a bit of a weird offering. First, they say "10 days" which means they're also including the first of March.

Weekends free is nice and all, but they benefit people not strongly impacted (like myself), but also don't benefit people substantially impacted (those who have transit passes or who commute work days only), I'm sure (or I really hope they are watching) they see it as an experiment into ridership. I already pay the least for transit on the weekends because of the family pass, although it will be nice not to have to use our garbage unreliable fare machines to struggle to buy a pass. But none the less, I already hear people complaining about the free weekends, it just seems bizarre.

I would have suggested making one week free in Feb, and pro-rating Feb passes by a quarter, as fairer for people.

[Momo26]

Free weekends is a gimmick and a bit of a slap-in-the-face to regular PASS HOLDERS who will, by-in-large, need to purchase a monthly pass for FEB as is (that includes weekends). As well as what danbrotherson states above, most pass holders are exclusively weekday commuters. Agreed, apply the 'free 10 days of riding (weekends in Feb + Fam Day)' to the first 10 weekdays of FEB then give the option to buy a pro-rated pass or pay-as-you go for the balance of FEB.

[ijmorlan]

How does one get a corporate membership? Your employer has to enroll with GRT or something? I would like to pay less if I can.

Yes, and the payments come off your paycheque. In the past this also meant that the pass was perpetual, instead of being a new piece of paper every month.

I think I understand why they do it — they just get a big monthly amount from UW, for example, rather than a bunch of individual payments. However, from the rider point of view, it would be better to just have a discount for signing up for a monthly pass paid by PAD like ones utilities etc., without tying it to the employer.

[KevinL]

There's a form for getting your pass discount: https://forms.grt.ca/January-monthly-pass-refund

[trainspotter139]

The free weekends in February is a bit of a weird offering.  First, they say "10 days" which means they're also including the first of March.

Weekends free is nice and all, but they benefit people not strongly impacted (like myself), but also don't benefit people substantially impacted (those who have transit passes or who commute work days only), I'm sure (or I really hope they are watching) they see it as an experiment into ridership.  I already pay the least for transit on the weekends because of the family pass, although it will be nice not to have to use our garbage unreliable fare machines to struggle to buy a pass.  But none the less, I already hear people complaining about the free weekends, it just seems bizarre.

I would have suggested making one week free in Feb, and pro-rating Feb passes by a quarter, as fairer for people.

They are including Family Day in the weekends

[timc]

Yes, and the payments come off your paycheque. In the past this also meant that the pass was perpetual, instead of being a new piece of paper every month.

I think I understand why they do it — they just get a big monthly amount from UW, for example, rather than a bunch of individual payments. However, from the rider point of view, it would be better to just have a discount for signing up for a monthly pass paid by PAD like ones utilities etc., without tying it to the employer.

My corporate pass doesn't come off my paycheque. I have an EasyGO card, and the only difference are that there is a discounted price when I load the monthly pass on the EasyGO site, and that my fare card has my photo on it. I'm not sure why there is a photo--maybe to prevent sharing--but drivers never look at it anyway.

Before the fare cards, there was a different pass, but even then there were 3-, 6-, or 12-month options.

[robdrimmie]

How does one get a corporate membership? Your employer has to enroll with GRT or something? I would like to pay less if I can.

Yes, and the payments come off your paycheque. In the past this also meant that the pass was perpetual, instead of being a new piece of paper every month.

I think I understand why they do it — they just get a big monthly amount from UW, for example, rather than a bunch of individual payments. However, from the rider point of view, it would be better to just have a discount for signing up for a monthly pass paid by PAD like ones utilities etc., without tying it to the employer.

That's up to the corporation. I pay for my pass directly and expense it, in large part because I'm only a seasonal transit user (slash fair weather cyclist) so this option saves both me and my employer money.

[robdrimmie]

There's a form for getting your pass discount: https://forms.grt.ca/January-monthly-pass-refund

This should be applied to everyone who bought a January pass automatically. I'm going to make a t-shirt "GRT does not compute" or something, I can't even express how frustrated I am with their repeated demonstrations of their complete lack of software competence or concern for riders.

Edit to add: In fairness, this form does allow me to add the refund as stored value so it's not entirely garbage.

[ijmorlan]

Yes, and the payments come off your paycheque. In the past this also meant that the pass was perpetual, instead of being a new piece of paper every month.

I think I understand why they do it — they just get a big monthly amount from UW, for example, rather than a bunch of individual payments. However, from the rider point of view, it would be better to just have a discount for signing up for a monthly pass paid by PAD like ones utilities etc., without tying it to the employer.

My corporate pass doesn't come off my paycheque. I have an EasyGO card, and the only difference are that there is a discounted price when I load the monthly pass on the EasyGO site, and that my fare card has my photo on it. I'm not sure why there is a photo--maybe to prevent sharing--but drivers never look at it anyway.

Before the fare cards, there was a different pass, but even then there were 3-, 6-, or 12-month options.

So you have to go to the EasyGO site explicitly every month to do it? That seems pointless. I should have said I was basing it on my experience when I had a corporate pass — I signed up at a session on campus at UW, they gave me a card, and every following month the price was taken off my pay. Very convenient — the pass just kept working with no special maintenance.

The only reason I can see to tie it to certain employers is if it is done as payroll deduction. If it’s done any other way, it should be open to everybody. And automatic debit should definitely be an option.