Implementation of a cashless transport system is currently in its consultation phase, President of National Council of Public Transportation (NCOPT) Godfrey Ferdinand told St Lucia News Online (SNO) today.
“We have met with the south and some of the associations in the north. We are meeting to discuss the implementation and to ensure that some of the member are okay with it,” Ferdinand told SNO.
According to the council, a public awareness campaign in relation to the implementation will be launched in an effort to raise awareness and to educate commuters of the system.
Ferdinand explained that the council is looking to implement the cashless system using a card consisting of digital data and fares, similar to that of the telephone card system.
The card, which would be scanned upon entry of a bus by the passenger, will automatically transfer the fare to the driver’s account, Ferdinand disclosed.
Drivers are expected to benefit from the implementation of this system in a number of ways: collecting fares in an effective manner, greater security and to bring a resolution to conflict over fares.
“It also eliminates the issue of school children losing their money, because the system will make provision for a digital watch that you can scan and top-up a card, so the child can have a card for a week or month with a security code. So they are a lot of benefits to it,” he explained.
The system could be introduced to St Lucia’s public transport system by a local subsidiary of a US-based company, Transco Limited.
Upon subscription, drivers will be equipped with a scanning machine, installed by Transco Limited.
Ferdinand told SNO that .5 percent of the receipt will go to the council to finance the monitoring of the cashless system and 1.5 percent to Transco.