Cash, Card, QR Scan Talks, A Breath Of Fresh Air For Bus Travellers

Bus travellers will be relieved to note of a proposal to introduce the open-loop control system enabling them to have more options to pay their bus fares.

Since the eTicketing system was introduced in 2018, the one-payment option often posed challenges for many travellers.

For too long, commuters have been burdened to a single payment avenue, leading to a range of issues.

Some were left with no choice but to scramble for cash to settle their fare, often at a higher price, while others faced the embarrassment of being turned away from buses for not having a functional eTicketing card or having insufficient funds on it.

These obstacles have hindered the full embrace of the digital era within the public transportation realm.

In what was labelled a first-time meeting of all stakeholders, the Land Transport Authority, the Fiji Bus Operators Association (FBOA), Vodafone and Digicel began talks of the way forward in Nadi on Thursday.

The current system was promoted considering the digital era but more so to eliminate pilferage against supposed bus drivers.

But the culture of eTicketing was never fully adopted by commuters because at times, technological challenges and availability hindered commuters from accepting the system.

LTA acting chief executive officer, Irimaia Rokosawa, is right in saying that as stakeholders, if something is implemented but does not work for the public at large, then it defeats the purpose of introducing it in the first place.

“We might have the buses ready in good condition and meeting the standards. But if the general public cannot board it because of payment issues, then we are missing the point,” Mr Rokosawa said.

On the other hand, payment facilitator, Vodafone, admitted that the payment system was not financially sustainable.

For the network provider to make such comments is groundbreaking, to say the least.

Here, commuters thought that Vodafone was the biggest benefactor.

This joint effort to diversify fare payment options heralds a new era of efficiency and accessibility for the travelling public.

The collaborative spirit of all stakeholders, acknowledging the past pitfalls and seeking a more inclusive and user-friendly approach, bodes well for the future of public transportation in Fiji.

It’s a step in the right direction, aligning technology with people’s needs, and ensuring that the doors of opportunity remain open for all passengers, irrespective of their chosen mode of payment.

Story By: Ranoba Baoa

Feedback: ranobab@fijisun.com.fj