OC Transpo introducing monthly fare cap for Presto users

OC Transpo is introducing monthly fare capping for Presto cards, extending the money-saving payment feature to pay-per-ride passengers who are already eligible for discounts.

The new fare cap starts Aug. 1, according to a memo from outgoing OC Transpo general manager Renée Amilcar on Tuesday. The feature will prevent Presto card holders from spending more than the cost of a monthly pass on individual fares.

For example, a passenger paying the $4 adult fare will ride for free for the rest of the month once they've spent $135, the price of a monthly pass. Otherwise, they could end up paying for a monthly pass they don't fully use, or spend more paying per ride than they would on a pass.

The feature was introduced for riders who pay with credit cards and mobile wallets in the late summer of 2023, and debit cards in the spring of 2024.

However, certain discount fares for youth, seniors and lower-income customers have only been available to passengers using Presto cards. Now they, too, can take advantage of the fare cap.

Riders are asked to keep tapping their Presto cards after they've reached the monthly cap to prove they've paid, and to allow for more accurate ridership tracking, according to Amilcar, whose time as general manager ends Friday.

Riders who frequently take both OC Transpo and Société de transport de l'Outaouais buses are asked to keep buying monthly passes.