Problems with Presto fare cards are more than just a handful, if complaints from readers are any indication.

What do you think?

Our Monday column detailed the woes of a Presto user who battled GO Transit for months over an account balance far greater than the amount that appeared when he tapped his card on a reader.

He was credited with the correct amount after we talked to Metrolinx, which operates Presto and GO, but it prompted about 20 emails from readers with similar problems.

They also reported balances that were less than the actual amount in their accounts, cash top-ups that disappeared, readers that wouldn’t work and customer service staff that were unable to resolve problems.

Metrolinx says Presto has nearly one million cardholders across the GTA, Hamilton and Ottawa, and processes about 12 million transactions and card taps monthly. It says problems are extremely rare and limited to “a handful” each month.

Tell that to the people who had money in their Presto account but couldn’t tap into it when they tried to use their card.

Mary Jane Stockton said she transferred $60 into her account from her bank card last July but was never credited with it, even though it “instantly” disappeared from her bank account.

“That is $60 I will never see again,” said Stockton, adding she’s given up fighting Presto to recover her money.

“Now I try to pay it at a counter, so at least I can see it done, but even then I am terrified every trip that it will not show up and there’s not one thing I can do about it.”

Robert Johnson said his son’s credit card was debited $100 a month ago, but only $20 was credited to his Presto account, and that he’s still waiting for a refund or the money to show up on his balance.

Shirley Harrison, who’s 77 and rides the GO train from Oakville to Toronto to see her doctor, said her account has twice been debited for a return trip to Niagara Falls, even though she tapped her card on a reader when she got off in Oakville.

Harrison complained to Presto that she didn’t go to Niagara Falls, but was told “the rules are the rules” and she’d have to pay. She said she no longer uses Presto.

Tyler Johnson said he topped up his account with $50 in October, but when he tried to use his Presto card on a GO bus, “the driver indicated I did not have sufficient funds.

“They said it was returned to my bank account, but it wasn’t,” said Johnson, adding the same problem has since happened again, but he got the money back a few weeks later.

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We’ve forwarded the complaints to Metrolinx and asked it to explain why so many people are having problems with balances and card functions.

And we still want to hear from anyone who’s had similar Presto problems. Email us at thefixer@thestar.ca or jlakey@thestar.ca .

What’s broken in your neighbourhood? Wherever you are in Greater Toronto, we want to know. To contact us, go to thestar.com/thefixer or call us at 416-869-4823. To read our blog, go to thestar.blogs.com/thefixer . Report problems and follow us on Twitter @TOStarFixer.

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