Fare evasion on GO Transit has nearly doubled in recent weeks, a phenomenon that Metrolinx is attributing to the return of riders who havent used the system for months.
The transit agency says that about three per cent of GO Transit riders typically dont pay their fares but that number has recently increased to about five per cent.
Metrolinx says that it believes the increase could be the result of many people returning to the system and forgetting to either load their Presto cards or tap on and off.
For that reason, the transit agency is encouraging customers to take advantage of a newly launched app that allows riders to reload their PRESTO cards wherever they may be. They also say that riders can now purchase e-tickets online in advance of arriving at GO stations, an option that didnt exist prior to the pandemic.
What we often hear from customers is that theyve had some time off, were running late on their first morning back and forgot they needed to add money to their PRESTO card, GO Transits Chief Special Constable and Director of Transit Safety Bill Grodzinski said in a blog post on the Metrolinx website. Some customers havent been on our trains since March and its taking them a few trips to get back into their routines.
GO Transit ridership plummeted by about 80 per cent at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March but has slowly been climbing back up with the gradual reopening of the province.
Grodzinski said that Metrolinx does sees an uptick in fare evasion each fall as riders return from summer vacations, only to realize that there is no money left on their PRESTO cards.
The phenomenon is, however, more pronounced this year.
I think its fair to say its taking some people a little while to get back into regular routines, which includes tapping on and off the trains with their PRESTO cards, Grodzinski said. We expect this wont be as much of an issue as customers start travelling with us more regularly during the next few weeks.read more
Fare evasions on GO Transit has nearly doubled as more riders return to system: Metrolinx – CP24 Toronto’s Breaking News
