I stopped to read the new fare dispensing machines at the Carling Station, Trillium Line.
They have an abundance of fare-acceptance mechanisms. Cash, coins, credit card readers, credit card taps, presto cards, bar-coded transfers… plus surveillance and communication cameras? monitor? keypad, fingerprints?? … is there anything they don’t take?
I do wonder a bit about the distinction between [presumably db and cr “cards” ] and “smartcard”. Is a smartcard a PrestoCard?
and, of course, the fare gates, soon not-to-be-left-open.
which, fortunately, seemed to have many fewer buttons and apps than the fare-machine.
These fare gates lead to the stairs. It appeas to me the one on the left is an “exit gate” as the reader faced away from the picture. I forgot to look for the extra wide gate or go-around, but presumably that is on the other gate set that goes to the elevator.
How will we geezers get through om Wednesdays?
I’ve been though the station a couple times. The gate on the left doesn’t have a reader on either side as the reader is always on your right when entering, and there are no readers when exiting. On the elevator side, there are two gates, both wheelchair width. In Toronto, the black circle on the top shows an arrow pointing down to he gate connected to that reader, and the screen below shows your Presto card/ticket status.
Alex — surely you are not suggesting these gates discriminate against the left handed? What about the ambidextrous? Or those uncertain which hand they prefer? Will those on the political left feel threatened by rightist technology?? Surely transit users deserve a choice to identify with the reader side of their identification?
While I chuckle at your response, I do wonder how many people are going to tap their card and have the next gate over open. Then again, I haven’t noticed this happening elsewhere, so perhaps I’m thinking too much into this.
I’ve heard that you’ll need a senior’s Presto card to tap and open the gates. On Wednesdays it won’t deduct anything from it.
So you’ll have to buy a Presto card to ride for free? Sounds like Ottawa.