Acting Prime Minister, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says Vodafone is currently looking at having vending machines at a number of places to allow people to get their e-ticketing top up or disposable e-ticketing cards from these stations.
Sayed-Khaiyum says the plan will be implemented when they source the supplier.
SODELPA MP, Aseri Radrodro says the reality is that people are still paying cash for bus fares as there are not enough recharge stations for e-ticketing cards. He asked Sayed-Khaiyum if the government would consider reintroducing the dual payment system for bus fares.
Sayed-Khaiyum says the short answer is no as the dual system will not work.
NFP MP, Prem Singh asked Sayed-Khaiyum whether or not the government intends to amend the Electronic Fare Ticketing Act to remove the heavy fines imposed on bus drivers who allow passengers without e-tickets to board and travel on their bus.
Sayed-Khaiyum says the penalties are in the subsidiary law of the legislation which includes passengers, bus drivers and operators.
He says the significant point about e-ticketing is to capture revenue not just for government but for bus operators as well.
Sayed-Khaiyum says bus operators have said that in their assessment, the main culprits that used to pilfer from the giving of cash as bus fares was bus drivers. He says it was said that one third of the takings of the day was taken by bus drivers.
Sayed-Khaiyum says it would appear now that most of the bus drivers are complying with the requirement however some of the passengers are now not complying with it. He says they simply throw the coins at the driver and walk in.
The Acting Prime Minister says if the machine does not work, then the passenger can travel for free. He says if the disposable cards are not available, then the passenger can also travel for free.
Sayed-Khaiyum says LTA and Police will be carrying out inspections to see that everyone is complying with the law.
He also stresses that drivers can accept cash for disposable cards as the cards will be tapped on the machine after it is bought by the passenger.
