EDSA bus commuters, you need to load your beep cards starting October
It’s all over the news that the authorities are allowing more buses to operate to revive the economy. However, they are implementing a new system to lessen the risk of transmission of the virus from one person to another. One precautionary is making the cashless payment system official for the EDSA Busway system by October 2020.
Buses operating on EDSA will start going cashless by October 1
If you’re planning to regularly ride a bus along the EDSA route, you must load your beep card ahead. The Department of Transportation announced that there will be a total cashless payment system beginning October 1. Bus operators will only accept beep cards are payment according to the agency.
This is just a part of their initiative to lessen contact on public transportation to minimize the risk of spreading COVID-19 among passengers and the driver as well. DOTr Assistant Secretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure Steve Pastor explained, “We want to ensure that commuters along EDSA will have a safer and comfortable journey, while at the same time providing them a more seamless and efficient system of public transport.”
He added that this new system will complement other safety and health protocols that the Inter-Agency Task Force is already enforcing. He is pertaining to requirements like social distancing and mandatory wearing of face masks and face shields to board.
LTFRB noted that it will be more convenient for commuters
Likewise, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board head Martin Delgra is reminding commuters to buy and load beep cards. When they do this, they will be able to avoid hassles in the future. He further emphasized, “As we are removing other potential health risks, we also want to limit the time spent in queues and lines that come with having to do cash payments.”
He said that the agency is looking forward to the adoption of digital transactions in more public vehicles. It may be through QR codes, online payments, or in partnership with cashless payment providers like a beep.
Before the pandemic, commuters often used beep cards on the LRT-1, LRT-2, MRT-3, P2P buses and modern public vehicles. You can load your beep card at FamilyMart and Ministop convenience stores and Bayad Centers.
It may take a while before we can adjust to the changes in transportation. However, there’s no doubt that it’s safer to use cashless payments during this health crisis. Do you guys agree?
