The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is pushing for the use of cashless transaction in public transport, Secretary Jaime Bautista said.
To check the efficiency of the cashless ticketing system, Bautista on Friday, Dec. 2, said he personally tried the use of TRIPKO card, a form of cashless payment in public transportation. The transport chief used the TRIPKO card as he rode a bus unit at the One Ayala Terminal in Makati City.
As part of payment digitalization, private company Journey Tech has set up a booth for card distribution and loading of TRIPKO cards in the terminal.
To get free TRIPKO card, passengers need to load an initial amount of P100 and the whole amount will be credited upon registration.
TRIPKO card can be used as payment in riding a public utility bus and modernized jeepneys. The card needs to be reloaded for continued use.
To date, around 1.5 million free TRIPKO cards were already released to the riding public in various bus and jeepney routes in Manila, Batangas, Sta. Rosa in Laguna, Alabang, Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX), Lawton, Cebu, Tacloban, and Davao, among others.
Passengers can use the card in about 800 buses plying the said routes, according to Journey Tech.
The use of TRIPKO card is in line with the implementation of the Automated Fare Collection System (AFCS) in relation to the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) of the DOTr.