If the TTC values customer loyalty, shouldn’t Metropass users be rewarded with a discount for paying a month in advance?

When riders who shell out $141.50 for a monthly pass compare it to the cost of using tokens, many find they’re paying a premium, instead of getting a break.

Several readers raised it as a question for TTC Week, saying a Metropass is not a very good deal, except for riders who use it for a lot more than just to get to and from work.

“I would ask the TTC why it charges so much for a Metropass?” said Julio Comello, adding, “for the average commuter it is not worth it at all.

“The TTC is the only business I know where pre-paying, with no guarantee you will be able to collect on the entire amount, forces you to pay more.”

Laurie Gennings said he’s “curious as to why the Metropass is so expensive, when in pretty much any other walk of life, you get discounts for buying season’s passes.

“You have to use it far more often than simply commuting to work five days a week. Are they exploiting the fact that people who can afford Metropasses generally have the money and can spend the extra loot for the convenience?”

Comello compared the cost of a Metropass used by someone who rides the TTC to and from work for a month to the cost of tokens, so we decided to try the same exercise.

With 22 working days in March, a Metropass used twice a day for work costs $3.21 per ride, while tokens purchased in bulk cost $2.80, including an increase of 10 cents that kicks in March 1.

The pass would have to be used for another 6.5 rides for it to be a saw-off with the token price, and much more for it to offer any real advantage.

The TTC has a rosier view of the Metropass, and says if customers sign up for a year of passes under its discount plan, and file for credits on their tax return, the cost is much lower.

“The reality is, it’s a pretty good deal,” said Chris Upfold, the TTC’s chief customer officer, noting that Metropass sales continue to increase, even as the price goes up, a sign that many people believe it’s good value.

The cost of a Metropass, which is used by about 300,000 riders monthly, is approximately the same as 50 tokens bought for $2.80 apiece, said Upfold.

If riders opt for the discount plan, where cash for a year’s worth of passes is automatically withdrawn from their bank account each month, and file for the tax credits, the monthly cost drops to the equivalent of about 37 tokens, he said.

“Metropass sales keep going up faster than the increase in ridership, so whatever an individual says about it being too expensive, clearly the market isn’t saying that.”

A Metropass is typically used about 70 times a month, said Upfold, noting it can also be loaned to other people, and that the convenience of using a pass instead of tokens is a key selling point.

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MONDAY: We take a second look at the good things readers have to say about the TTC and its employees.