Yangon Region Transport Authority-YRTA is working to practice e-ticket system for YBS buses within a year.

The announcement came at the YATA’s meeting with media (3/2019) at its head office in Tamway.

“For the mutual benefit of YBS passengers and YBS bus lines, YRTA is working, as their priority, towards bringing the application of YBS e-ticket into existence within a year,” said Joint Secretary of YRTA U Hla Aung.

“Implementing e-ticket is one of the aims of YATA. Our priority is to meet this aim within a year. The idea is to bring mutual benefit for both passengers and Bus lines. There is also guidance form the Chairman concerning the e- ticket. What we will prioritize to implement this year is e-payment called e-ticket,” he said.

“It is impossible to put e-ticket into application in a short time as it is a complex process and that it is necessary to take time and work through steps carefully. This meeting is held since the project involves law regarding financial matters and technical matters.

“It is hard to implement it quickly because this system involves not only the technology but financial matters, which is why we need confirmation of the Central Bank of Myanmar according to Financial institution Law. As this has been done by Yangon Region Government, a tender winner company, Asia Star Mar Transport Intelligent is implementing it.

Yangon region Government has established a company by the name of “Yangon Payment Service (YPS)” to enter agreements and sign contracts with Asia Star Mar Transport Company.

“The credibility terms in the contract has been examined by the Advocate General Office. As regulation dictates, YPS will have to get Service Level Agreement (SLA)”he said.

In e-ticket system, the cost of a trip will depend of how a far a passenger travels. For that, the technicians are working on the calculation as to fares of different travel distances.

“The fare will depend on travel distances. There will be two e-ticket machine (ETM)on each bus, one on entrance door and another on exit one. Passenger must check in when they board the bus and check out when they disembark it. Bus fare will depend on travel distance. The technicians are working on the calculation on the basis of one Kilo trip” said U Hla Aung.

At the beginning, e- ticket as well as boxes will be in use. The boxes will be retained for a certain period of time considering the fact that some might have difficulty using card, according to the meeting.

“By difficulty, it means delaying card purchase, not being accustomed to card use and others” said U Hla Aung. By Yamanya

(Translated by Alphonsus)