DOTr wants to rationalize minimum load, remove convenience fee for Beep cards

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Friday said it is looking for ways to make the "no Beep card, no ride policy" in EDSA carousel buses more budget-friendly for the riding public.

During a Senate hearing on the proposed P143-billion budget of the DOTr for 2021, senators lauded the interoperability of the Beep card for cashless payments of commuters but pointed out that the minimum load requirement of around P65 for bus users is burdensome to minimum wage earners.

DOTr Assistant Secretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure Mark Steven Pastor said the Automated Fare Collection System service provider has  explained that the minimum load was imposed to ensure that passengers have sufficient card balance when they ride buses.

"Ang kanilang explanation, ang pamasahe po from Monumento all the way to PITX is P56. May mga pagkakataon daw po na 'yung mga pasahero kailangan pong i-swipe nila ang card nila at bababa sa PITX, ang laman lang ng card ay P30. Para mabawasan 'yung ganoong pagkakataon, naglalagay lang ho sila ng minimum load," Pastor said.

"Patuloy pa rin ho kaming nakikipag-ugnayan para masolusyonan natin ito at hindi po maging dagdag na gastusin sa ating mga kababayan," he added.

Further, DOTr chief Arthur Tugade said he also ordered the removal of the P5 convenience fee that was supposedly being collected.

"Ayun ho ang kinukwestyon ko kanina... Liliwanagin ko lang po, ang namili ng service provider, hindi ho kami 'yun. Ang nagbigay ho ng service provider ay 'yung mga kinontrata namin na mga grupo ng bus operators na kung saan nagsama-sama sila para makipag-ugnayan diyan," he said.

"Kaninang umaga nabalitaan ko ho 'yun, kinuwestyon ko antimano kaagad 'yan... Tinawagan ko ang mga service operator... Pinapatanggal ko ho iyan [convenience fee] kasi mayroon din akong nabalitaan na hindi ho yata resibado ang P5 convenience fee," he added.

Tugade reiterated that he wants Beep cards to be distributed for free.

The DOTr has ordered the enforcement of a cashless fare collection on public utility buses that ply the EDSA Busway route starting October 1, 2020.

Some commuters, however, said they were surprised by the “no Beep card, no ride” policy on the first day of its implementation.

Tugade said the DOTr is also studying the possibility of using QR codes, instead of cards, in the cashless payment scheme in the transport sector.

"Tinitingnan din namin ang mga pamamaraan na kung saan hindi ka na gagamit ng card, gagamit ka na lang ng cellphone, 'yung QR code na tinatawag, ito ho hopefully ma-implement namin in the next few days," he said.—AOL, GMA News