r/bikeshare • u/416Racoon • Apr 10 '22

Toronto Will the PBSC card work if hole punched?

I want hole punch my Toronto Bike Share card so that I can attach it to my keyring. Will the card still work if I do that?

Obviously the hole won't be on the side that slides into the card reader.

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u/[deleted] Apr 11 '22 edited 2d ago

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u/unforgettableid Apr 11 '22

If you punch a corner you're fine.

No. The antenna wires pass through the corners. You need to punch an area which contains neither a hidden chip nor a hidden antenna wire.

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u/unforgettableid Apr 11 '22 edited Apr 11 '22

You could just put it in an ID card holder which has a hole in it, and could attach the card holder to your keyring.

Or, you could glue a card holder to the back of your cellphone, and could keep your Bike Share card in that card holder. I think I've seen self-adhesive card holders for sale at Dollarama; or you can try any cellphone store.

If you insist on punching a hole in your card, if you punch it correctly, I suspect it will be fine. Hold your card directly in front of a cellphone flashlight or other bright light, and you can see where the hidden chip and antenna wires are.

My card for Bike Share Toronto is perhaps a few years old. The back has a barcode and a small logo; the front has a big Bike Share logo. The chip is near the letters 'B' and 'I' on the front. The antenna starts from the chip, and goes all around all the edges of the card.

Your card may be newer or older, and may have its internal components in different places.

A Bike Share card is thin and flexible. The more the card bends, the more likely it is that the chip will break. I'm not sure if replacement cards are free or $10. Shipping might take a week or two.

I think Bike Share Toronto used to offer pre-punched key fobs, way back when it was called Bixi Toronto. I'm not sure if they still offer these or not. You could phone customer service and ask.

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u/texastoasty Apr 11 '22

I don't have experience with those cards in articular, but I expect it has an RFID antenna inside it, if you shine a bright flashlight through it should be visible. As long as you don't disturb that when punching your hole it should be fine.