DOTr eyes other cashless payment systems in public transpo

MANILA: In order to strengthen the foundation of the nation's public transportation system even further, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) is aiming to increase cashless payment in public transportation through various payment methods like bank cards and mobile phones.

In a media release this week, the DOTr listed these payment options as using near-field communications (NFC) technology in mobile devices like smartwatches, credit and debit cards, and quick response (QR) codes for mobile wallet applications.

According to the DOTr, these payment options can be utilized on trains, buses, and modern jeepneys.

“The use of the AFCS technology in the mass transit system expands the fare media the public can use, while offering a secure payment system, improved passenger convenience, and helps lessen card-issue and management costs for transit operators,” DOTr explained.

Through its partnership with Landbank of the Philippines (Landbank) and the use of their Europay-Mastercard-Visa (EMV)-enabled bank cards in contemporary jeepneys, the DOTr said new payment methods would expand the DOTr's current efforts on using an automatic fare collection system (AFCS) for public transportation.

The project's pilot production testing began on September 1 at the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX).

The complete AFCS will be tested under "real-time operational settings," according to the initiative, along with its interoperability with the nation's mass transit system.

Photo from Department of Transportation (DOTr) 

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