Permit to Ride the HSR Bus

• Every school year, the bus pass is valid from September 1st to August 31st. The bus pass will start working on August 22, 2022, for the benefit of students moving to Hamilton before September.

• Beginning on August 15, 2022, new students who are eligible and returning students who were unable to pick up their PRESTO card can do so at any register in the main Campus Store located in Gilmour Hall B101. In addition, the Campus Store's exterior exit vestibule is a PRESTO card pick-up location (no other transactions are possible in the vestibule). In order to get a PRESTO card, students will need to show their McMaster student ID.

Previous PRESTO cards (or any PRESTO card) can be used again by returning students. The voucher code can be retrieved via Mosaic, and then loaded into a PRESTO account (as shown in the video below). If you need to replace a lost or stolen PRESTO card, you can do so at any PRESTO Customer Service Outlet.

How does the PRESTO card for the HSR bus pass function?

• Tap your HSR Bus Pass PRESTO card on the bus PRESTO device located inside the front door and present your McMaster Student ID card on every ride. In less than a second, the system verifies that you have a valid HSR Bus Pass and doesn't charge you for your trip.

It can determine the appropriate fare for your trip on other transit systems and deduct that amount from your card balance. Given that the HSR Bus Pass is only valid for rides on the HSR, you will need to load money onto your PRESTO card for any trips you take that are not on the HSR.

I already have a PRESTO card; what should I do?

• If your PRESTO card is not registered to your name, you will not be able to use the voucher code. If they don't already have one, incoming freshmen are strongly encouraged to stop by the Campus Store and pick up a free PRESTO card.

We recommend not loading large amounts of money onto your current PRESTO card before August if you plan to use the free blank PRESTO card for your HSR Bus Pass AND keep an existing card.

5. Where do I enter the voucher code to register my PRESTO card?

• The HSR Bus Pass requires a "My PRESTO Account" in order to be loaded onto a registered PRESTO card using a voucher. In the event that your card is lost or stolen, you can have it replaced and your HSR Bus Pass and/or cash balance will be reinstated. Visit www.PRESTOcard.ca and navigate to "Create a new My PRESTO Account" (video tutorial available). Register your card after account creation by selecting "Add an Existing Card." ”

You can add a new card to your existing account by selecting "Add an Existing Card" from the "Manage" menu. If you already have a PRESTO card, you can simply add the voucher code to it.

Watch the video guide to learn how to sign up for PRESTO, complete with screenshots and text instructions for both new and seasoned users.

PRESTO card for my HSR bus pass, what happens if I lose it?

• You can transfer all of your card information (including voucher information) to a new card if you lose a registered card that contains a voucher by following these steps:
  • Replace your lost or stolen card by visiting a Shoppers Drug Mart or a PRESTO Customer Service Outlet and paying the associated fees (minimum e-purse load may be required).
    • A WORD OF CAUTION: The newly acquired replacement card SHOULD NOT BE REGISTERED. In the case of PRESTO, information stored on one registered card cannot be copied to another.
  • Go to your PRESTO account's login page.
  • Select "Report Lost Card" from the drop-down menu. ’
  • To transfer your balance to a newly ordered or purchased card, click the link labeled "Transfer the balance to a new card." The new card will have the same registration information, value balance, voucher information, etc. as the old one.
  • Please update your card information and accept the terms and conditions.
  • After 4-24 hours, use your card at any PRESTO terminal by tapping it.
• OR
  • A new card can be purchased at Shoppers Drug Mart or any PRESTO Customer Service Outlet (fees may apply, and a minimum e-purse load may be necessary).
    • Please take note that If you need to replace your card, DO NOT register the new one. A PRESTO card's information cannot be transferred from one registered card to another.
  • The PRESTO Contact Centre can be reached at 1-877-378-6123, where you can request a transfer of your old card's information to a new, unregistered card.

7. How to maintain my PRESTO card and what should I do if my new card has a defect

• Inside of the PRESTO card is a chip and an antenna that allow it to function. Puncturing or otherwise altering a card will render it useless, and students will be responsible for the cost of a new card. Likewise, it is the student's responsibility to keep their cards in working order and prevent any malfunctions that could result from misuse, bending, or cracking. Visit any PRESTO Customer Service Outlet for a replacement if your card is damaged.

If a card taps a PRESTO device and is not recognized, it may be broken even if it seems fine. In order to replace a card purchased from the Campus Store, you can either send an email to [email protected] or go to a PRESTO Customer Service Outlet. In the event that your card is lost or stolen, prestocard.ca allows you to easily replace it and transfer your account information.

Is there a list of eligible students for the HSR bus pass?

• When an undergraduate or graduate student has 18 units registered for the semester or academic year, the HSR fee will be added to their account.
• Masters and Doctoral Students Who Attend Classes Full-Time
• Assistants in Medicine
• Students in the Multicultural Education and Leadership Development Program

Since the tuition for an exchange student is covered by the home institution, there will be no additional cost to the student. To be eligible for a PRESTO Card at the Campus Store, exchange students must be listed in the HSR Student PRESTO Card file. Email [email protected] if you need help from the McMaster University Student Accounts office.

Disabled individuals interested in attending MSU on a part-time basis can do so. To be included in the HSR Bus pass file, this application must first be accepted and processed.

Ineligible for the HSR bus pass are the following nine students:

• Students at the undergraduate level taking a total of 17 or fewer units
• Co-op Students in Engineering
• Graduate students enrolled in fewer than 9 credits per semester (including exchange and visiting students)
• Undergraduates in Business Administration
• All Students at a Theological University
• Graduates of a Post-Baccalaureate Program
• Medical students (other than PAs)
• Nurse-Midwifery Students

10 Do low-enrollment students (those taking 17 credits or fewer) qualify?

• Conditions exist under which part-time students may be eligible. If a student meets the criteria for transferring from MAPS to MSU and the transfer is approved, the HSR fee and any other MSU-related fees will be added to the student's account. The HSR Student PRESTO Card will be available for pick up in the store the next business day after the HSR Fee has been applied to the student's account.

11) Where do students find the HSR fee on their bill?

Access your account summary by navigating to Student Centre > Finances > Account Summary.

The price tag for each label is as follows:

• • • Degree Program (MSU): $232 94
    • Pricing for Graduate Students at the GSA Level: $294 15

Is the cost of a bus pass required? 12

• Because no opt-out clause was included in the contract between students and the HSR that was approved by a student referendum, students are required to pay the fee. Every three years, students vote on whether or not to re-negotiate and renew this contract.

What should I do if the HSR tile isn't available in Mosaic Question 13

• In order to receive a free HSR bus pass, you must be a full-time undergraduate student taking 18 or more credits between the fall and winter terms. You probably aren't being charged MSU fees (including the bus pass) if your income is below a certain level, and this is why you don't see the tile on your Mosaic account. In order to verify your eligibility, check your Mosaic Account Summary to see if the Bus Pass fee was applied to your account.
  It's important to remember that these fees are typically listed on the Account Summary PDF's second page. Sign into Mosaic, go to the Student Center, click on Account Summary, choose the current school year, and then click on View Detail/Print. In the event that you have been charged for the bus pass but do not see the tile on Mosaic, please follow the steps outlined below.
  

14 What if my name isn't listed in the HSR document?

• If a student's name isn't on the HSR Student PRESTO Card distribution file, they should check the requirements (above) to see if they qualify for one. The student who is responsible for paying the HSR fee should verify that it has been added to their MOSAIC account. Because it takes one business day for a student's ID number to appear in the HSR Student PRESTO Card distribution file, the student should double-check the date this charge was applied to their account. In the event that a student has not been added to the HSR Student PRESTO Card distribution file after one business day of the HSR fee being charged, that student should contact the Student Accounts office via email at [email protected].

Students who believe they should be eligible for a HSR pass but who have not yet been charged the fee should also contact the Student Accounts office via email at [email protected].

Is there a GO Transit student discount for McMaster students?

• If you are a full-time student (18 credits or more), and you have the 2022/2023 HSR Bus Pass loaded onto your PRESTO card through your Mosaic account, you will be eligible for the GO Transit post-secondary fare discount. To activate the student fare on an existing PRESTO card, simply visit any staffed GO Transit Ticket Counter or participating Customer Service Outlet. For more information, including locations of nearby Customer Service Outlets, please visit www.prestocard.ca. There is no need for students to obtain a separate GO ID. This PRESTO card is valid for use on GO trains and buses and is accepted by GO Transit. Before using GO Transit, students must activate their student discount card by loading funds onto it.