SYSTEM OVERHAUL - JUTC to revamp ticketing operation
Published:Sunday | September 4, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Brian Bonitto, Special Assignment Editor
In a bid to modernise its operations, state-run bus company, Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC), will be revamping its bus-ticketing system by the end of September.
"We are introducing a new ticket system at the Half-Way Tree Transportation Centre by month end," said Reginald Allen, corporate communications manager for JUTC. "The initial roll-out will be confined to the transport centre only, as we need to go through a test period to iron out the kinks before going all out," he continued.
Allen explained that the revamping exercise was necessary as the company's current technology for producing bus tickets was outdated.
"The manufacturers have stopped making parts for our current Wayfarer system, which is central to our ticketing processes and our electronic charging mechanism. Therefore, our current SMART Card system will also be affected. We'll be investing in a new FareOn system," Allen told Automotives.
Although the JUTC corporate communications point man was unable to give a figure for the overhaul exercise, he said the cost would be "significant".
Customers to benefit
He said under the proposed new system, commuters who use public transport service will benefit from a more efficient service.
"With the new system, passengers would continue to purchase their bus tickets prior to getting on the bus, but the new feature would allow for quicker boarding," he said.
Allen said the implementation of the new bus-ticketing system should have taken place earlier this year, but was delayed due to technical glitches. He was, however, optimistic that the new system would be fully operational by March next year.
He said once the new bus-ticketing system was up and running, the government-run transportation centre would then enter the next phase of overhauling its prepaid bus-card system.
"We intend to eventually phase out the SMART Cards and replace them with SMARTER Cards," Allen said. "The SMARTER Cards will facilitate improved fare collection, increased safety for passengers and JUTC staffers, as well as increase operational efficiency."
He explained that holders of rechargeable prepaid cards would simply place them on the relevant machines installed in the buses and press the user-friendly buttons.
"This would relieve the drivers of the task of collecting fares, and they could then focus more on their substantive function - that of being careful and courteous drivers," he told Automotives.
"The fares would then be automatically deducted from the card," Allen said.
JUTC buses ply more than110 routes in the Kingston Metropolitan Transport Region, which covers Kingston, St Andrew, urban St Catherine - Portmore and Spanish Town - and sections of St Thomas.