West Island man out $350 after overpaying on wrong train ticket
A West Island man is out hundreds of dollars after accidentally buying the wrong Exo train ticket – one worth more than the fare he was supposed to pay.
William Mattsson says he was in a rush one day in October 2022. The then-19-year-old was headed from the West Island to an Alouettes game in downtown Montreal.
"I made the mistake of buying [an unlimited evening] ticket, which is actually more expensive than just a one-way downtown," said Mattsson, now 22.
He tried to explain to the inspector that he mistakenly bought the $5.76 night ticket, not the $3.50 day fare. The inspector initially told Mattsson he would likely receive a reduced fine, but that wasn't the case.
"A couple of days or weeks later, we get the ticket in the mail, and it's a full $272 ticket," he said.
Mattsson mistakenly bought the $5.76 night ticket, not the $3.50 day fare (Kelly Greig / CTV News)His mother, Andrea Laliberte, kept all the paperwork showing he paid for a ticket. She said it was a simple mistake that's now ballooning.
"The machines are confusing. If you're rushing at all, you have to keep scrolling over and over and over to find [the right fare]. And you’ve got A zones, B zones," she said. "We've bought the night ticket twice now instead of the day ticket. So that's easy to do."
The Exo train service said its inspectors were in the right, telling CTV News in a statement, "the person would have noticed that the ticket was not approved since a red light would have flashed on the terminal.
"It is important to say that our trains work on a payment and honour basis since there are no turnstiles on the train platforms," it added.
William Mattsson waits for a train (Kelly Greig / CTV News)Mattsson tried to fight the ticket but claims he was never notified of one of the court dates, meaning the trip that was supposed to cost $3.50 will now cost nearly $350.
"I just – I can't even," said Laliberte. "He's paid $2 more for the ticket, and he's being fined now, at the end of the day, $350."
"I was furious," added Mattsson "Even my mom was kind of yelling and freaking out a bit… we were all pretty shocked and upset."
Mattsson wants to warn others how easy it can be to make this mistake.
"My hands are kind of tied here. There's nothing I can really do except pay the ticket," he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Blaine Higgs 'furious' over sexual education presentation
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs has shared his anger on social media over a presentation in at least four high schools.
Grayson Murray's parents say the two-time PGA Tour winner died of suicide
Grayson Murray's parents said Sunday their 30-year-old son took his own life, just one day after he withdrew from a PGA Tour event.
The dreams of a 60-year-old beauty contestant come to an abrupt end in Argentina
A 60-year-old woman saw her dreams of becoming the oldest Miss Universe contestant in history melt away in a haze of sequins and selfies Saturday at Argentina’s annual beauty pageant.
2 died in plane crash near Squamish, B.C., police confirm
Two people died after a plane went down in a remote area near Squamish, B.C. on Friday, authorities have confirmed.
Kingston, Ont. tenants fed up with lack of action from landlord over broken floor tiles
Joel Felder and Misti Pitcher have been living in their apartment in Kingston, Ont. for over two years, but the past 12 months have been miserable.
Driver, 18, gets $3,000 ticket, 32 demerit points after speeding on Laval boulevard
A young driver received a hefty fine from Laval police after they say he was driving nearly 100 km/h over the posted speed limit.
Are you a loud snorer? You could have sleep apnea
You'll have a lot more energy throughout the day if you get a good night's sleep, but not everyone does due to a medical condition.
At least 15 dead after severe weather carves path of ruin across multiple U.S. states in the South
Powerful storms killed at least 15 people and left a wide trail of destruction Sunday across Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas during the latest deadly weather to strike the central U.S.
North Korea informs Japan of a plan to launch military spy satellite
North Korea has told Japan it plans to launch a satellite by early next week, an apparent effort to put its second military spy satellite into orbit.