Yeah I don't mean Go ticket re-sellers, I mean actual Go Stations.

At the very least they should make it easier and inform students earlier. It wouldn't be so bad to wait 2 weeks for the card to come in the mail if you could just register for the card online with your student number. I'm sure they could confirm that you are in fact a student and then mail you the GO ID. Also it would be better if it were advertised earlier, if I could have done this earlier in the Summer I could have got a card before September so I could actually get a discount when I try and purchase my 10-ride or monthly pass.

Originally Posted by sew12

Yeah I don't mean Go ticket re-sellers, I mean actual Go Stations.

At the very least they should make it easier and inform students earlier. It wouldn't be so bad to wait 2 weeks for the card to come in the mail if you could just register for the card online with your student number. I'm sure they could confirm that you are in fact a student and then mail you the GO ID. Also it would be better if it were advertised earlier, if I could have done this earlier in the Summer I could have got a card before September so I could actually get a discount when I try and purchase my 10-ride or monthly pass.

I agree, they really screwed over the majority of students by changing it so late into summer. Another good method would be to provide them with your McMaster e-mail, which sends a confirmation letter where you can confirm you are said student.

Yeah.

It was really easy last year just to show my Student ID and get my tickets.

Is this just an issue of carelessness/laziness/poor training of employees? There shouldn't be an issue with using current Student ID to purchase student tickets. Employees might just have to check it a little closer, take 20 more seconds out of their time to verify it as opposed to an official Go card which I guess they can just glance at and know its legit.

I can't see any other reason that Student ID cards would not be a valid form of confirmation of being a student.

Originally Posted by sew12

Yeah.

It was really easy last year just to show my Student ID and get my tickets.

Is this just an issue of carelessness/laziness/poor training of employees? There shouldn't be an issue with using current Student ID to purchase student tickets. Employees might just have to check it a little closer, take 20 more seconds out of their time to verify it as opposed to an official Go card which I guess they can just glance at and know its legit.

I can't see any other reason that Student ID cards would not be a valid form of confirmation of being a student.

I feel as if GO Transit thinks that the McMaster student cards don't have enough security measures on them. It's literally a printed card and the sticker is also easy to duplicate. Unlike McMaster, GO Transit can't scan or swipe the card to make sure it's real. I'm sure their cards have more security, I know their paper cards had hologram stuff on it. Not sure if the card is still paper or if it's plastic now.

Another thing that they could possible do is carry around a swipper machine and instead of applying for cards, you just apply for the service on your existing McMaster ID card. There might be problems with identical magnetic strips between different schools, but all the other schools actually use the GO ID student cards.

Hey OP.. this might be a dumb question so far into the discussion, but where did you get the information that we require GO Student ID cards? As far as the GO transit website and McMaster's Sustainability website go, full time undergraduate and graduate students with the valid HSR sticker are fine. Either both websites are not up-to-date, or there's somewhere else with this information...?

Originally Posted by ali11

Hey OP.. this might be a dumb question so far into the discussion, but where did you get the information that we require GO Student ID cards? As far as the GO transit website and McMaster's Sustainability website go, full time undergraduate and graduate students with the valid HSR sticker are fine. Either both websites are not up-to-date, or there's somewhere else with this information...?

A student a couple days ago was denied Student Tickets and told them that they needed a GO ID Student Card. Another student called GO Transit and confirmed the information.

It only happened recently so either two GO employees screwed up their information or the websites just haven't been updated since last year.

Originally Posted by jhan523

A student a couple days ago was denied Student Tickets and told them that they needed a GO ID Student Card. Another student called GO Transit and confirmed the information.

It only happened recently so either two GO employees screwed up their information or the websites just haven't been updated since last year.

Ah, I see. I really don't wanna take the trip to Union and am gonna take a leap of faith and hope COMPASS will sell them without the ID required...
I purchased a 10-ride student ticket at square one bus terminal last week and they didn't ask for anything. Let's see what September brings...

Originally Posted by jhan523

I feel as if GO Transit thinks that the McMaster student cards don't have enough security measures on them. It's literally a printed card and the sticker is also easy to duplicate. Unlike McMaster, GO Transit can't scan or swipe the card to make sure it's real. I'm sure their cards have more security, I know their paper cards had hologram stuff on it. Not sure if the card is still paper or if it's plastic now.

Another thing that they could possible do is carry around a swipper machine and instead of applying for cards, you just apply for the service on your existing McMaster ID card. There might be problems with identical magnetic strips between different schools, but all the other schools actually use the GO ID student cards.

I just got my GO ID recently and if anything their card is a lot easier to duplicate than the McMaster student card. It's just a piece of paper that is laminated. There is a bit of a hologram on their "validation sticker", but it's just shiny and I don't think it's actually a security feature. It can't be swiped either. If security is a reason they changed it, that's nonsense. At least they make the GO IDs there for you on the spot at Customer Service. It takes seconds.

I don't understand why they got rid of the online application! It was soo much better, not that I'm affected by this...are they not aware that not everyone can conveniently travel to Union Station for the sole purpose of getting a GO ID?

If that's true than security is not a legitimate reason, its obvious the employees aren't checking IDs properly for whatever reason and instead of having them check IDs from different schools they're just making it easier for themselves (rather than for their customers) by making students get a different ID.

Originally Posted by nh999

I just got my GO ID recently and if anything their card is a lot easier to duplicate than the McMaster student card. It's just a piece of paper that is laminated. There is a bit of a hologram on their "validation sticker", but it's just shiny and I don't think it's actually a security feature. It can't be swiped either. If security is a reason they changed it, that's nonsense. At least they make the GO IDs there for you on the spot at Customer Service. It takes seconds.

I don't understand why they got rid of the online application! It was soo much better, not that I'm affected by this...are they not aware that not everyone can conveniently travel to Union Station for the sole purpose of getting a GO ID?

You only had to show your Student Card right?

Originally Posted by sew12

If that's true than security is not a legitimate reason, its obvious the employees aren't checking IDs properly for whatever reason and instead of having them check IDs from different schools they're just making it easier for themselves (rather than for their customers) by making students get a different ID.

Well, the McMaster card is not swipeable for GO Transit. So really the McMaster Student ID has 0 security features. Also, they have a Validation Number on the card which they can probably verify if they think the card is a fake.

But I totally agree that they are just making it harder for their customers which doesn't make any business sense whatsoever.

For the amount of people who might go through the trouble of trying to fake a post-secondary Student ID card to get cheaper GO tickets I figure they're just making it unnecessarily difficult for the large amount of actual students.

Thanks Go!

Originally Posted by jhan523

But I totally agree that they are just making it harder for their customers which doesn't make any business sense whatsoever.

I think they're just assuming that students need the transportation (thus they won't lose any business), and if this results in students not going through the hassle of getting the GO Transit ID, then that increases revenue for GO.

Originally Posted by sew12

For the amount of people who might go through the trouble of trying to fake a post-secondary Student ID card to get cheaper GO tickets I figure they're just making it unnecessarily difficult for the large amount of actual students.

Thanks Go!

Lol, definitively agree with you there. But I honestly wouldn't be surprised if the number is higher than you think it is... I mean saving 50$ on a monthly pass (Oakville-Hamilton) or 70$ on a monthly pass (Toronto-Hamilton) is a lot by the end of the year.

Originally Posted by nerual

I think they're just assuming that students need the transportation (thus they won't lose any business), and if this results in students not going through the hassle of getting the GO Transit ID, then that increases revenue for GO.

That's true, because students are saving massive amount of money. I assume Greyhound and other bus companies are much more expensive (not to mention less frequent).

It is a lot of savings but I mean we have plastic ID cards, how many people have access to a machine that can make ID cards like this?

In any case yeah I really need the discount if I'm going to be commuting using GO transit but I guess I won't be able to use this discount in September since I won't be able to get this for 2-4 weeks if I go the mailing route. Going down to Union station before school starts isn't really an option.

If they can accept the Student ID as proof of enrollment to get this GO ID how exactly does that make sense? Then you can just use your fake Student ID to get a real GO ID.