What happens if I forget to tap off the go bus?

The Phantom Fare: What Happens When You Forget to Tap Off Your PRESTO Card on the GO Bus

It’s the end of a long day. You’re tired, your mind is elsewhere, and you just want to get off the GO bus and head home. In that rush, it’s easy to forget one crucial step: tapping off with your PRESTO card. While seemingly insignificant, this small oversight can lead to what transit riders often call a “phantom fare” – an unexpected charge for a trip longer than the one you actually took.

The PRESTO system operates on a distance-based fare structure. When you tap on, the system registers your starting point. If you don’t tap off, the system doesn’t know where your journey ended. To ensure revenue collection, it automatically assumes you travelled to the furthest point on that route, resulting in the highest possible fare deduction.

So, that quick trip from downtown to your mid-route stop could end up costing you the price of a ride all the way to the end of the line. This isn’t a deliberate penalty, but rather a safeguard to ensure everyone pays their fair share. The system simply doesn’t have the information needed to calculate the correct fare without that final tap.

Forgetting to tap off not only hits your wallet but also skews your travel history. Accurate records are crucial for understanding ridership patterns and improving service. Furthermore, if you’re a frequent rider who relies on monthly passes or discounted fares, these phantom fares can quickly add up and negate the benefits of those savings.

Fortunately, avoiding this scenario is simple: Make tapping off a habit. Just as you instinctively reach for your card when boarding, train yourself to do the same when exiting. A quick tap as you disembark ensures accurate fare calculation and saves you from the frustration of an unexpected charge. Think of it as the final punctuation mark on your GO bus journey.