TTC Pay-n-Go

Product Experience

Problem Space ‍

Problem Statement  

How might we make the payment experience of the TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) with the Presto APP more seamless and less painful for daily commuters, specifically addressing the pain point of the lack of a tap-and-pay feature on the TTC POS?

Problem Background  

The need is to make the payment experience for public transportation commuters more convenient and efficient. 

Through consumer research in the form of surveys and interviews with four interviewees, we have learned that daily commuters find difficulty being able to pay at a POS when they forget to bring their presto cards, resulting in 40% of interviews stating that they are highly unsatisfied over the absence of a tap-and-pay option on the TTC POS.

The problem we're addressing is the lack of tap-and-pay functionality on the TTC POS, which leads to inconvenience and inefficiency in the payment process. Commuters have to carry physical cards or tickets, leading to potential delays, especially during peak hours, and adding friction to their daily transit experience.

A 2022 Canada-wide survey by Interac found:

• 69% of Ontarians polled saw debit as a convenient way to pay for transit.
• 69% claimed that tap payments would save time when paying fares.
• 68% were interested in using debit or credit cards to pay for their trips if they had the option.
• 72% believed it would be easier for visitors to pay for transit using their bank card as opposed to tickets, tokens, or passes.

Research Insights

A key takeaway from our user discovery research: is that participants are unsatisfied due to the lack of payment alternatives when using public transportation (TTC).

• 40% mentioned that having a contactless payment could improve their commuting experience
• 75% expressed the desire to be able to link their credit cards to their Presto APP or Digital Wallet
• 48% of participants stated that they are highly unsatisfied with the absence of a tap-and-pay option on the TTC POS.

More information can be found on the Research Synthesis. 

Conducted a survey to obtain initial user data with regards to their commuting habits and experience riding the TTC. To address this problem effectively, the questions focused on their payment experience with the Presto APP.

User Pain Points

Using Surveys and in depth interviews, we identified that the Presto APP does not provide an option to pay with the APP directly when riding.

Supporting Data

Based on research, from a Canada-wide survey by Interac, 69%  claimed that tap payments would save time when paying fares.

Feedback

Users are clearly signaling a need for a more seamless experience when it comes to payments.

Landing on the Solution

Based on the pain points of our potential users, it was identified that the main pain point for most users was a lack of payment options when commuting.

1. As a user, I want to be able to link multiple cards (in case of loss) to one NFC, so I can pay directly using any card from one single account.
2. As a user, I want to use my Presto APP to tap and pay directly on any TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) Public Transportation  POS, so I can avoid the hassle of carrying physical cards or tickets during my daily travels.
3. As a user, I want the option to make quick and seamless payments with my phone on any TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) Public Transportation  using the Presto APP, so I can have a more convenient and efficient transit experience.

Future Steps

I plan to use my experience and lessons learned from this project to develop a new product with a team of designers and engineers that could potentially include this payment feature.

Resource: https://www.interac.ca/en/content/news/interac-debit-now-available-for-transit-riders-across-ontario/
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