EasyGO fare boxes won't be fully operational until January

Most of the hardware for the EasyGO fare system will be in place on Grand River Transit buses by the end of August — it just won't be fully operational until the new year.

The fare boxes and customer service terminals work, but are slow.

A recent report to the region's transportation and environmental services committee said the full launch of the system will be delayed until January for a few reasons.

• Grand River Transit installing new fare boxes on buses
• GRT's new electronic fare card named 'EasyGO'
• New GRT fare boxes expected for January 2017

There have been "challenges" with the software and installation of customer service terminals, which load money onto the fare cards. There have also been delays with development of the customer service web portal, Gethyn Beniston, project manager for electronic fare systems for Waterloo region, said in his report.

"We went through an extensive design and design review process that should have nailed most of this," Beniston told CBC News.

"Other transit agencies had told us, 'Watch out, you're going to have some surprises along the way.' It feels like we've had more than our fair share."

The issues will delay the EasyGO card release as well as the full transition to electronic fare payment by approximately five months.

On top of that, a new service counter still needs to be installed at the Charles Street terminal.

"While this was anticipated, the design has proved more challenging than expected," the report said.

Slow transfers

One big complaint from current transit users is the length of time it takes to get a transfer from the new fare boxes.

Under the new system, the fare box has to register that the full amount has been paid, then a button has to be pressed and it takes up to seven seconds to print the transfer. In extreme examples, it has taken up to 15 seconds for the entire process to be completed.

On average it's nine seconds, which Beniston said is "unfortunate."

It might not seem like much, until you're standing in a line of people waiting to board a bus, Beniston said.

"For a cash transaction, you're supposed to drop your money in the hopper, get a transfer and go," he said. 

"[Before], our operators might tear off a couple of transfers when they see a bunch of people getting on the bus and be ready to help them speed along. Now we can't do that because we have to press the button and wait."

The manufacturer has confirmed the process is taking much longer than is should. A software fix for the fare boxes is expected Sept. 21, which should resolve the delays.

Full transition before summer 2018

The region has budgeted more than $6 million for the new EasyGO fare system.

That includes $2.5 million to install new fare boxes in buses and in MobilityPlus and busPlus services. As well, $3.79 million will go to putting the EasyGO fare system on ION.

According to the new timeline, fare boxes should be installed by the end of this week, but Beniston said there was a "small snag" with getting a vault in Cambridge. He said without the right vault, they can't change the fare boxes.

Also, under the new timeline customer services terminals will be in place in October, the card pilot will be started by the end of the year and the EasyGO fare card will be released Jan. 1.

As well, fare vending machines for ION platforms, which were originally scheduled to be installed in July, will be delayed until October. This delay was due to "environmental testing that necessitated a minor redesign of the machine."

Despite this delay, the machines are expected to be tested and ready for the start of ION service.

As well, university students who receive student cards that are UPass compliant will be able to use their cards this fall.

EasyGO fare cards will be available in January. The full transition to EasyGO — which will see riders pay for their trips with a card or cash — will now be May 30, 2018.