The e‑ticketing regulations clearly highlight that all bus companies and bus drivers commit an offence if disposable cards are not given to a commuter.
This comes as concerns are being raised after a man was allegedly told to get off a bus in Nabua by police officers as the driver did not have $2 disposable cards which the man wanted to purchase to get home.
The man claimed that after work on the 4th of this month he boarded a bus and did not have sufficient funds on his bus card after which he asked the driver to purchase a $2 disposable card with the only $2 coin he had left.
He says that the driver responded that he only carried $5 disposable cards and asked the man to get off.
The man then proceeded to board the bus as the driver did not have $2 disposable cards available.
The man then claims that the bus driver stopped the bus at the Nabua Police Station and with the assistance of police he was asked to get off the bus.
Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum earlier highlighted that if the bus drivers do not have disposable cards available, the passenger can travel for free.
Police Chief of Intelligence and Investigation ACP Vakacegu Toduadua highlighted that their Divisional Police Commander will be directed to conduct an internal investigation regarding the incident and a report will be filed once the investigation is complete.
He says that in this instance, their police officers should not have removed the man from the bus.
Fiji Bus Operators Association Secretary, Rohit Latchan has reiterated that all bus drivers must have disposable cards of both $2, $5 and other denominations available for passengers.
Latchan says bus operators must ensure that drivers have enough for all their scheduled services as the disposable cards are there for emergency purposes.
He has also stressed that as the e-ticketing system has been running for a over year now and it is also the responsibility of the commuters to ensure that their e-cards are topped up with sufficient funds.
