YRT "UNFARE" Harassment

Normally I purchase my York Region Transit Monthly Pass for the next month around the 20th day of the month. This is usually not a problem and I'm able to easily get one at one of the local stores near me.

Since November 20th, I've attempted to purchase my York Region Transit Monthly Pass and have come up empty handed. Last night I tried calling three locations that York Region Transit lists on their website as having their fare media available:

1. Metro - 1 Henderson Drive, Aurora, Ontario

2. Metro - 16640 Yonge Street, Newmarket, Ontario

3 Regency Variety & Gift - 14800 Yonge Street, Aurora, Ontario

I came up empty on all three.

Imagine that, with less than one week to go until December 1st, and York Region Transit has no Monthly Passes available at three of it's listed retailers.

To make matters worse, I called YRT Customer Service that evening (shortly before 7:00 P.M.) and spoke with "Kristin". After explaining my problem she said this was the first she and anyone at YRT Customer Service had heard of it and asked me to call back the next day (i.e. this morning) after 8:30 A.M. when someone at the YRT Fares office would be available. So not only did I come up empty at the three retailers but YRT Customer Service was caught unaware on the issue of lack of fare media at certain locations. Further, nowhere on York Region Transit's website was their a customer notice stating that their were issues in printing and/or distributing the passes for December and when the issue would be rectified.

This morning shortly after 8:30 A.M. I called back to YRT Customer Service to inquire again. I spent two minutes on hold before talking to "Elsie". She tried searching the YRT Website where I could purchase TTC Metropasses! I inquired why we should be searching on the website when I was looking for a YRT Monthly Pass for December and had tried this same thing last night and called three retailers and came up empty. I also noted I talked to "Kristin".

"Elsie" then connected me with Erin Strachan of Fare Media. Erin explained that the passes were being distributed late this month as retailers only wanted half their orders for December. She then explained that her delivery driver would be in Newmarket this morning and Aurora this afternoon doing deliveries of the passes. I inquired if the Metro stores would receive them and she said "Yes" but sometimes their accounting departments hold onto them for a day so I should call first.

Fast forward to tonight, I called and they (GOOD GOD!) had them! I nearly skipped the entire way to the store to purchase them. I felt like I had won the lottery!

But in hindsight, a YRT Customer shouldn't have to 'win the lottery' in order to purchase a simple item like a YRT Monthly Transit pass. The YRT Customer shouldn't have to call YRT Customer Service Agents who know zip on why YRT Monthly Passes are unavailable at 3 (!!!!) retailers. YRT Customers shouldn't have to look through the YRT Website for notices why the Transit Passes are not availble. Customers shouldn't have to put up with any of this "UNFARE" Harrassment.

Simply, the York Region Transit passes should be available at the retailers posted no questions asked. But again that would be too simple for YRT, they apprently sometimes like to make things difficult.