Welcome to this Century: TTC Debuts the Automated Metropass Kiosk

They've had these for over a year. Sorry to burst your bubble.

They have a few at Union Station, but I've only seen them crop up in the past few weeks.

Isn't this a waste of money? I mean, sure it's better to have them than not, but the money could go to much more useful things. People only buy metropasses once a month and people who need them every month can get them mailed directly to their home with the discount plan. I haven't seen one of these machines myself, but from the name it looks like these don't sell tokens or tickets, so why not? I'm tired of the old machines that won't allow me to get only 4 tokens with a $20 bill, not to mention they are often out of order.

And while I'm on a TTC rant, is the website redesign going to come any time soon?

(It's a love-hate relationship between TTC and me.)

The TTC needs a stored value system like every other transit system. Would be sweat to use your credit card to fill up your TTC card.

Yonge-Finch station has had 2 of these machines since at least the beginning of March when I moved back to the city. They're ridiculously awkward to use as you have to kneel to be able to read the tiny display on the keypad and hope no one is shoulder-surfing your debit card PIN while you do it.

We've been using MetroPass vending machines in NYC for almost a decade now. Oh yes and you CAN collect Air Miles on your CC by adding Subway fares to your stored value cards. You can buy individual fairs [at a bulk discount] or time based, weekly, monthly, yearly cards...

At most stations they have removed half the Vendor Booths; half the netrances are now MetroPass only; none to surprisingly at the ire of the unions...

The plan is to do away with all booths and have station personnel simply roaming the entrances to give directions... ie providing REAL customers service! - Personally, I can't wait for the day when the last of the "Booth Potatoes" have been sent home to sleep at home rather than in their cushy little glass housings that block my way to the train.

Whats a token?

I'm too lazy to carry around wads of bills? Lots of people don't have credit cards but do have debit cards they find more convenient than cash. I've had a debit card since the beginning of high school, but wasn't able to get a credit card until only last year. Still, they should have definitely included a credit card option.

A Metropass machine would be useful in reducing traffic at the collector's booth, where insane lines can form at the beginning of the month. Why do these lines form if it's only occasional users of Metropasses? It's only for a few days of a month -- not strictly "once" a month, since there is a buying period of several days -- but it might make a difference to people who hate wasting their time.

Not everyone can or wants to dedicate themselves to a yearly plan, especially if you have no one to share a Metropass with to make it firmly worthwhile.

Then again, I don't buy my Metropass monthly at the TTC; I have to get it on campus where they have an actual student discount for students who happen to attend a university but not a high or elementary school.

Cover the keypad with your hand.

Yes, they do have these at Finch subway, and for probably close to a year now. I moved away from the area last summer and they had them for a number of months before that.

Although it doesn't necessarily help the lines that much since often people can't figure out how to use them.

This is strange that they are not ordering kiosks made in Toronto!
Plus, I think it's not a big deal to accept international credit cards - we have to welcome visitors!