Peggo upgrades could shorten waits for transit riders, city says

Transit riders may start to notice improvements to the Peggo card system as early as this summer, the City of Winnipeg says.

Starting later this June, Winnipeg is rolling out new tablet-based systems to Shoppers Drug Mart stores, 7-Elevens and other merchants that load fares and monthly passes onto Peggo cards for Winnipeg Transit users.

The new tablets have already been tested at 14 participating merchants and, so far, the new system hugely improves on the old one, says Kirk Cumming, manager of information systems for Winnipeg Transit.

Currently, users can wait several minutes for their transit cards to recharge. The new system promises to be three times faster, said Cumming.

"We're getting a lot of positive feedback," he told the city's finance committee on Friday.

Riders can expect improvements to the tap system on buses later this year as well. 

Cumming expects an upgrade to the software on buses could shave a full second off tap lag times. As of last month, the contractor, Garival, was still testing the upgrade.

"We can't commit to any date when riders should see improved tap speeds as it is pending the completion of our tests, and depends on those tests being successful," said City of Winnipeg spokesperson Felicia Wiltshire in an email.

"If those tests are successful we will be rolling out the improvements to the fleet gradually."

A range of issues has delayed efforts to fully complete the new automated fare system, Kirk says.

Most recently, a glitch discovered in April, primarily on Ecopasses — a pass that incentivizes employees to take transit to work — has delayed tests and the final completion of the Peggo system. 

Coun. Scott Gillingham, chair of the finance committee, says he is glad to see progress, while acknowledging it's been slow going — Peggo was supposed to be fully operational in 2017. 

"It is important that that system work very well," he said. "It's about customer service and providing a level of customers service do expect and should expect."

The city now expects to have the Peggo system finished during the fourth quarter of 2019.