PRESTO frequently asked questions

• Online through the PRESTO website (it may take up to five business days to receive your new card in the mail)
• Oakville Town Hall, 1225 Trafalgar Road
• Oakville Transit office, 480 Wyecroft Road
• Oakville, Bronte and Clarkson GO Transit stations (visit the GO Transit website for station start dates)

Is there a cost to purchase a card?
Yes. When you purchase a new PRESTO card, there is a $6 issuance fee. This card is good for a maximum of five years.

Where can I use my PRESTO card?
In Oakville, you can use your PRESTO card on all Oakville Transit buses. Simply tap your card on the PRESTO device when boarding. For other participating transit systems, please visit the PRESTO website. PRESTO will be available on care-A-van at a later date.

How do I load value onto my card?
In Oakville, you can load value onto your card using cash, debit or credit at Town Hall and at the Oakville Transit office during operating hours. Value can also be loaded 24/7 through the PRESTO website. 

Is there a maximum/minimum amount on the card?
At time of purchase, you must load a minimum value of $10. At any given time, your e-purse can hold a maximum value of $320.

How do I check the balance on my card?
Each time you tap your card on a PRESTO Fare Payment device when boarding a bus, it will display the transaction fee for your ride as well as the remaining balance on your card. Additional PRESTO devices that can verify your balance are located at Town Hall, the Oakville Transit office and GO Transit stations. Registered card holders can also check their balance on the PRESTO website.

Should I register my card?
Yes. Registering your PRESTO card has numerous benefits. Lost or stolen cards: Report a missing card and have it blocked. You will be responsible only for the value spent within 24 hours of reporting the loss. The remaining value can be transferred to a replacement fare card.

Autoload: Registration allows you to sign up for Autoload. With the Autoload option, money is transferred to your PRESTO card from your bank account or credit card when the card value reaches a pre-determined level.

Emergency trip: If you need to get somewhere fast, but don't have enough on your card to cover the trip, you can make a single trip and incur a negative balance, provided you don't have a zero balance to begin with. A small fee will apply.

What about my privacy?
PRESTO will ensure that personal information is protected and all data is stored safely. The system meets all legislation and guidelines that are designed to protect your privacy. Your name will not appear on your PRESTO card nor is any personal information stored on it.  

- Fares -

Number of rides	Cost/trip
rides 1-8	$3
ride 9	$1.50
ride 10	$0
rides 11-34	$2.55
ride 35	$1.30
ride 36 and more	$0

 
How will PRESTO affect fares?
Each transit provider sets its own fares. The cost of riding an Oakville Transit bus will not change with the introduction of the PRESTO card. The price you pay per ride using the PRESTO card will change based on how often you ride. A current monthly pass will be equal to 35 rides using your PRESTO card.

Will the PRESTO card work for all fares?
During this phase, the PRESTO card will only be for adult fare. Student, child and senior fares will be available in the late fall of 2010.

Can I use my PRESTO card to pay for an additional person?
Not at this time. To avoid accidental taps and double payments, the PRESTO card has a 15 minute period after the card is tapped during which it will not register another fare.

Will I still get a co-fare discount when I take Oakville Transit to or from the GO Train?
Yes. PRESTO will calculate co-fare automatically. However, during this adult fare only phase, the full co-fare discount will only apply to the first 35 one-way trips per calendar month which include travel on both Oakville Transit and the GO Train. Full functionality for co-fares will be available at a later date. Until then, customers who travel by Oakville Transit to and from the GO Train more than 35 times per month should continue to use existing Oakville Transit fare media and GO tickets and passes.

Example: 
For trips into Toronto, the PRESTO system will deduct the normal $3 fare upon boarding an Oakville Transit bus and tapping onto the PRESTO device. When the customer taps onto the PRESTO device at a GO station, the system will reimburse the customer for $2.35.
For trips into Oakville, the PRESTO system can tell that the customer just completed a GO Transit ride and will deduct $0.65 when the customer taps onto the PRESTO device on the Oakville Transit bus.

For more information and examples, visit the GO Transit website.

- Transfers and connections -

Will I still need a transfer?
With a PRESTO card you will no longer have to ask the driver for a transfer. PRESTO's smartcard technology will recognize your continuous travel each time you tap your card and will provide you with a two-hour window to make connections. Oakville customers can use the PRESTO cards to transfer between Oakville buses and Burlington buses. If transferring to Mississauga, paper transfers will be required until late fall 2010.

Which Oakville Transit buses are PRESTO equipped?
All of our buses are PRESTO ready! Enjoy the convenience.

Who is participating in PRESTO?
PRESTO is a partnership involving the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, GO Transit and nine municipal transit authorities:

• Oakville Transit
• Burlington Transit
• Brampton Transit
• Mississauga Transit
• Hamilton Street Railway
• York Region Transit
• Durham Region Transit
• OC Transpo (Ottawa)
• TTC (participation at 12 subway stations)

- Federal Tax Credit -

Can I still apply for the Transit Tax Credit?
Yes. You must register your card and use it for at least 32 one-way trips in any calendar month on an individual transit system to be eligible for a federal tax credit. With a registered PRESTO card, you will now be able to print off a usage statement from the PRESTO website for tax purposes.

- Contact -

Who can I contact for more information?
For PRESTO customer service and more frequently asked questions:
1-8-PRESTO-123 (1-877-378-6123)
PRESTO website 

For Oakville Transit questions:
905-815-2020 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday
Oakville Transit website