Sometime in the near future, you may no longer have to worry about carrying exact change for your daily morning commute — you’ll just need to have your beep card with you.
Prototypes of jeepneys installed with beep™ card readers stole the show at the 1st Philippine Auto Parts Expo (PhilAPEX). PhilAPEX 2017 took place from October 12 to 13, 2017 at the Philippine Trade Training Center in Pasay City. The Department of Trade and Industry, Board of Investments, Department of Transportation, Philippine Parts Maker Association Inc., Mitsubishi Motors, Toyota, and the Automotive Body Manufacturers Association of the Philippines Inc. worked together to make PhilAPEX a reality.
Jeeps going “beep”
With two simple taps of your card upon entering and exiting, paying for your journey becomes much simpler. The automated fare system will calculate the cost based on your total travel distance.
The beep card reader system will become the first automated fare collection solution for jeepneys in the Philippines. As soon as these jeeps begin operations, that is.
Spearheaded by AF Payments Inc., these new jeeps comply with the Department of Transportation’s jeepney modernization mandate. AF Payments Inc. is a consortium of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and Ayala Corp. It specializes in providing contactless payment solutions in the Philippines.
”We are ready to support the Department of Transportation’s PUJ modernization program,” Peter Maher, President of AF Payments, said. “We have developed a beep card service that is affordable to jeepney operators and will surely be appreciated by commuters in Metro Manila who have already purchased 4 million beep cards.”
Currently, the beep card holds up to P10,000. Additionally, you only need to revalidate your beep card once every four years. The beep card is the primary method of payment for commuters travelling via LRT-1, LRT-2, MRT-3, CAVITEX, and NLEX. It is also a viable payment method at select bus lines and commercial establishments.
Earlier this year, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) unveiled plans for the modernized jeepney, named “Philippine Utility Vehicle.” The jeepney modernization program aims to phase out PUVs that are over 15 years old, replacing them with low-carbon, low-emission vehicles. — MF
Author: Tomas Pedrosa
A graduate of Information Design, a versatile writer, and an avid gamer, Tomas prides himself in his willingness to gain new experiences and perspectives, and to apply what he learns in his other pursuits. Curiosity, interest, and obsession—these are the mile markers that keep him going down his road.
