For Immediate Release: May 10, 2010

BURLINGTON, ON— Burlington Transit is offering riders a new, easier way to ride with the introduction of the PRESTO Fare Card System using smart card technology on all 52 of the city’s buses.

The system will be used in conjunction with GO Transit, Hamilton Street Railway and Greater Toronto transit providers, offering riders with a smarter transit fare payment option throughout the GTA. Along with Oakville Transit, Burlington transit will be the first transit system to offer PRESTO technology.

PRESTO cards will be sold at the downtown transit terminal and can also be bought online at www.prestocard.ca. During the early stages, Burlington Transit will only offer adult fares to be used on the PRESTO system costing $2.50 per ride. After the rider has paid 36 full-fares within a calendar month, the remaining travel that month using Burlington Transit is free.

Burlington Transit will offer children, student and senior riders the option of PRESTO in the fall of 2010.

The installation of the PRESTO system will provide Burlington Transit buses with a technology that is not only environmentally friendly, but will also provide riders with a smarter and easier way to travel. The City of Burlington has been committed to the project since 2001, contributing $1.8 million.

PRESTO is only one of many initiatives the City of Burlington is taking to improve the transit experience for its customers. Burlington Transit recently replaced ten of its transit buses with new low floor accessible buses and will replace eight more by the end of this year making the complete fleet 90 per cent accessible to its customers. By 2019, the city plans to increase its total fleet by 12 buses and have also equipped all buses with bike racks to allow riders the option of travelling in an environmentally friendly manner.

The City of Burlington is also currently renovating and expanding the Transit Operations Centre, a project that the goal for when completed is to receive LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) silver certification. The project continues the city’s commitment to green, environmentally sustainable building projects by reducing wastes of energy and water used during the construction process.

For more information on PRESTO or Burlington Transit visit www.burlington.ca/transit.

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