JUTC Launch Smart Cards

The takers were few, but those who used the Jamaica Urban Transit Company's (JUTC's) new cashless system - the Smart Card - to pay for rides on JUTC routes within the Corporate Area seemed pleased with the system yesterday.

"I've used mine and it's much better than cash," said Steven, a man on crutches standing by a bus stop in the busy Half-Way-Tree transportation hub.

"I would actually encourage people to get the card, because you get through a whole lot easier, and for someone like me, it is easier to hand over the card, they swipe it, hand it back and you go to your seat rather than having to check change and that sort of thing."
The new Smart Cards which, as of today, will be accepted on the 450 buses that function on JUTC routes, can be purchased and recharged in increments of $100, which will allow JUTC riders the convenience of pre-paying for their transit.

The cards are equipped with an added security feature - an internal microchip which can be encoded with information such as the commuter's name and address. With this new security feature, a commuter's lost or stolen card can be cancelled and the money refunded to the rightful owner.
"The people love it!" exclaimed Merle Headley, a conductress on the number 83 bus one of the routes on which the Smart Cards were tested. In her opinion, the cards are much safer and easier to use than cash.
"The robber dem won't get to hold up the bus anymore, and certain passengers will feel much safer not having to go into a wallet or a purse," she said.

At the York Plaza Smart Card point-of-sale centre, the Sunday Observer spoke with JUTC information technology manager, Nimal Amitirigala, who was on hand to assist with any potential hiccups in the system. At that location, only the occasional customer came to purchase cards, but those that were sold, according to Amitirigala, for the most part, worked.
"We had a few hitches, but pretty much right now, most of the locations are up and running and we are looking at a success story," he said. The main reason, he added, that commuters had not yet switched wholesale to the Smart Card system was due to lack of information about where the cards could be purchased and the fact that the system went into use yesterday.

"At this point, because it is the first day, a lot of people still aren't aware of where the sale locations are, but also today we have launched a major public education campaign to specify the locations. We do expect sales to pick up significantly in the week, as people become comfortable with the cards and with the point-of-sale locations," said Amitirigala.
"It's a good idea, it's very convenient especially for when you don't have change on hand, 'cause as you know, you can't go on the bus at certain times with, for instance a $500 bill," said Monsantes Martin, who related several anecdotes about being unable to ride the buses, especially early in the morning, because he did not have the correct change.

Martin, however, like many JUTC commuters, won't be switching totally over to cash, at least, not yet. For him, having a Smart Card is particularly convenient, since it allows him the option of always having a back-up, just in case he runs out of cash or has no change.
"I think I will save mine for those times when I don't have cash. I will be using cash on the bus same way, but I'll have my card, just in case," he said with a wink.

Posted 2008 November 13

Source: Jamaica Observer - December 15, 2002