BY: Magadu Mashudu
PUTCO, a major public transport company, will introduce the SmartTap electronic system for its passengers. With SmartTap, passengers can purchase trips at top-up stores and use cards to tap on machines in PUTCO buses.
At Roodeplaat Dam, PUTCO spokesperson Lindokuhle Xulu discussed the new SmartTap electronic system. Xulu explained that PUTCO is following the government’s push for transport companies to adopt digital electronic systems.
Lindokuhle Xulu indicated that the system will be launched with workshops and educational sessions to help passengers learn how to use SmartTap. These sessions will showcase the system’s benefits, provide live demonstrations of SmartTap transactions using training equipment, and distribute pamphlets explaining its use.
“We are transitioning from a paper-based system to an electronic digital system. This shift aligns with the government’s vision for an integrated intermodal transport system,” Xulu stated.
The presentation will include an outdoor screen, stage, SmartTap training machine, ticket-selling machine, and pamphlets. Members of the community will be transported to the venues free of charge. PUTCO is currently in the final implementation stage of the digital system in the northern region (Tshwane/Mpumalanga, Soshanguve, and Ekangala) and has already successfully introduced it in the southern region (Soweto and Eldorado Park).
“The new payment methods will be easier because you pay once for the whole month,” said Mr. Mahlangu, a committee member.
The system aims to enhance passenger convenience and align with the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport’s intermodal integrated transport and smart mobility system requirements. It is also set to bring convenience and travel flexibility to passengers and offer additional services, such as Wi-Fi.
“We hope and believe that our passengers will soon get used to these new methods and that they won’t encounter problems,” said Mr. Mbonani, another committee member.
The SmartTap system will allow passengers to use smart cards, similar to bank cards, for daily bus travel. It will introduce longer validity periods for multi-journey trips, ranging from 30 to 60 days. Cash transactions on buses will start on August 27, 2024, while multi-journey card transactions will begin on October 1, 2024.
Starting from August 21, 2024, both cash and card transactions will be available, allowing passengers to buy and use their SmartTap cards for travel. Passengers can continue using their old printed weekly and monthly tickets alongside the SmartTap system until November 1, 2024.
