Our reader responds to a story StratfordToday ran on July 9 about Stratford Transit adding a mobile option for fares called HotSpot.
Read the story here: https://www.stratfordtoday.ca/local-news/stratford-transit-to-add-mobile-option-for-fares-5563309
You had reported about this great app that allows you to purchase bus tickets directly from your bank account and pay for parking in the Stratford area. It is called HotSpot.
We are a family working extremely hard to try and make ends meet and barely scraping by. We had to get rid of our vehicle as we couldn’t afford payments and the insurance. Money is tight with us, as it is with many other families struggling to make ends meet after the pandemic.
So I downloaded the app, paid for a membership, because they made it look like you would not have to pay any fees on top of your transit pass and monthly membership.
I added $20 to my wallet and then when I went to use it to purchase a bus ticket...they don’t allow you to use the money in your wallet for the bus ticket, only parking. Again, I do not have a vehicle, so I just used my visa debit card to pay for the pass. Checking my account later that day, I noticed that for a $3 bus ticket, they charged me $4.14!
That is a crazy markup! If you rode the bus to and from work daily, that’s an extra $11.40 per week! I understand you need to pay for the service but to charge a membership fee and (a markup) each ticket - that’s robbery.
Just thought I should let you know that they are ridiculously priced for doing absolutely nothing!
Lea-Anne DeVouge
Stratford
Editor's note: StratfordToday contacted the city of Stratford. Due to a technical issue, 26 people were overcharged. The city said customers will be refunded any overage from the app for purchasing bus fare.
