Free Ride? York Region Transit rewards frequent customers with new 'fare capping' system

Unlimited monthly passes no longer available

Yorkregion.com
Jan. 8, 2024
Mike Adler

Frequent York Region Transit riders may occasionally ride for free under a “fare-capping” system that started on Jan. 1.

YRT stopped selling monthly passes in mid-December as it moved toward fare capping, which rewards people for using their PRESTO card.

Single fares for the regional bus service didn’t go up for 2024.

They remain frozen at pre-pandemic prices, so adult fares paid with PRESTO or the YRT Pay app are $3.88 per trip, youth ages 13 to 19 pay $3.03. Children six and up or seniors 65 and over are $2.40.

Fares paid with cash, credit or debit cards remain $4.25 each, no matter how old the passenger is.

Fare capping starts after PRESTO calculates adults have paid for 41 rides that month, or after youth have paid 40, or when seniors or children have paid for 29.

By continuing to use PRESTO, those passengers would not pay fares for the rest of the month, YRT says.

On its website, however, it adds “fare payment on TTC routes south of Steeles Avenue and the TTC subway is not included” in the capping program.

The unlimited monthly passes cost $154 for adults, $118 for students and $65 for seniors and children.