SUMMARY
This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.
MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – The unified automated fare collection system (AFCS) for Metro Manila’s elevated trains will begin its public trial run at the Light Rail Transit 2 (LRT2) on Monday, July 20.
Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) spokesman Hernando Cabrera said the pilot testing for the new contactless beep stored value cards and single journey tickets will begin at the LRT2’s Legarda station.
If the results of the trial run are positive, other stations along the LRT2 line will also be scheduled for similar tests, he added.
On Friday, July 17, AF Payments Incorporated, in partnership with the LRTA, said the new contactless cards will be available at LRT2’s Legarda station and will be accepted at the train system’s new gates.
The beep cards can also be reloaded at any station teller’s booth. The beep card will be sold for P20 ($0.44), and can be loaded and reloaded with a minimum of P12 ($0.27) to a maximum of P10,000 ($220.97).
The limited public trial marks another important phase of the end-to-end testing of the new payment system, AF Payments said.
“Our team has conducted rigorous technical testing to assess all operational aspects of the new system,” AF Payments chief operating officer Peter Maher said.
Maher added that they want to observe user experience to check for necessary improvements.
“We hope that as we roll out the limited public trial, we’re able to address any concerns that may come up to ensure a smooth transition to the new payment system,” he said.
LRT2 becomes the first Philippine commuter train to implement the smart card technology for its ticketing system.
The new AFCS will run simultaneously with the old system, which uses the magnetic stripe tickets until rollout is completed in all LRT2 stations.
For updates regarding the rollout schedules and other information, commuters are advised to follow Beep on Facebook (beepcardph) and Twitter (@beep_card).
AF Payments Incorporated (formerly Automated Fare Collection Services, Incorporated), is the consortium of Ayala Corporation and Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC).
The consortium is supplying and installing a total of 731 gates, 138 ticket vending machines, 221 point of sale devices, and 44 station computers across the 3 rail lines. – Rappler.com
$1 = P45.26
Add a comment
How does this make you feel?
There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.