I just returned to Canada, landed in YYZ from LAX. Those newish kiosks have been a nightmare for me. My recent experiences included about half a dozen trans border flights during COVID, both using an old and renewed NEXUS card.

I have had everything from:
- successfully tapping my card, going through the motions and being on my way seamlessly;
- both tap feature and scan feature not working, proceeding to general passenger queue;
- tap feature of card not working, but scan of card working, proceeded to NEXUS designated agent;
- tap working, photo being taken, but then getting being told that the system is having problems identifying me, and spitting out a bare-bones customs declaration slip with nothing but my photo and name on it.

The last scenario is what just happened to me yesterday. I tried about four kiosks after that. The tap would work, I'd get the green checkmark on the screen, before instantly displaying a message that the system couldn't identify me. I had taken off my mask and glasses, so I have no idea why. A few passengers were getting through ok, but it seemed like there were more in a similar boat like myself, and frustrated at that. They went around the e-gates where an officer placed a mark on whatever slip they were handed and people went on their way, no questions asked.

After uncrumpling the paper slip that I had jammed into my pocket (thinking it was futile), I decided to try my luck going around the e-gates, hoping to see what the agent would tell me with what I thought was a useless slip. She ticked it like everyone else's and I was on my way. Very strange. It seems like they are still understaffed, and those kiosks seem extremely finicky. Has anyone else experienced the same recently? I have had zero consistency the past six trips.