The Department of Transportation (DoTr) has begun to make contactless payment alternatives available to PUV passengers.
This is a wonderful addition for people who do not generally have currency with them daily for hygienic or safety reasons. When someone pulls out their black card in the e-jeepney, we may expect a bombardment of jokes.
The Automated Fare Collection System (AFCS) is the most recent digital infrastructure, and National Standards will support it. To ensure that operations run as smoothly as possible, these guidelines will allow compatibility between various PUV and contactless payment systems. For cashless payment options, debit, credit, and prepaid bank cards are support at launch.
According to DoTr Secretary Jaime Bautista, such an attempt arose from a real desire to match the standard of public transportation in forward-thinking neighboring nations. Thailand and Singapore are include. Pilot tests were done in December 2020 and 2021 to simulate how the systems will function individually and under the average load of a busy Metro work day.
It was declare ready for a broader range of final testing before distribution in collaboration with the Land Bank of the Philippines.
The hitch is that, for the time being, only Land Bank cards will be compatible with these systems. Support for more banks is planne for a later date. In terms of assisting PUV partners for contactless payments, 150 PUVs in the National Capital Region, Central Luzon, CALABARZON Region, and Central Visayas will first participate.
We can only hope for the best regarding the launch’s performance and the digital security of the systems that store our credit card information and data. This positive step might contribute to traffic relief by encouraging more individuals to start commuting instead of using their automobiles.
After all, we are a value-oriented society that would easily transition to a more affordable lifestyle if it weren’t so taxing right now.
