EDSA bus system starts full cashless transactions Oct. 1

The Department of Transportation (DOTr), through the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), will begin implementation of a fully cashless transaction system using BeepTM Cards on public utility buses (PUBs) of the EDSA Busway System starting October 1.

According to DOTr Assistant Secretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure Steve Pastor, the move was part of the agency’s added safety measures to reduce the spread of the virus associated with cash-handling in public transport.

“We want to ensure that commuters along EDSA will have a safer and comfortable travel, while at the same time providing them a more seamless and efficient system of public transport,” said Pastor. “This will also complement other safety and health protocols already enforced by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the management of Emerging Infectious Diseases on PUVs, such as the required social distancing, and mandatory wearing of face masks and face shields to board.”

“As we are removing other potential health risks, we also want to limit the time spent in queues and lines that come with having to do cash payments,” said LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra.

Beep cards are stored-value contactless cards that provide easier, modern, and more convenient ways of paying for the ride. Fare is deducted from the card upon tapping at its fare collection machine. This system is also used in Metro Manila’s three elevated railways which are the LRT-1, LRT-2, and MRT-3 and by a number of Point-to-Point (P2P) buses and modern Public Utility Vehicles (PUVs) nationwide.

To load the BeepTM cards, passengers can go to any LRT and MRT stations, FamilyMart and Ministop branches, Bayad Center and their affiliates, or via Over-the-Air (OTA) loading partners such as BPI, Eon by Unibank, Akulaku, and Justpayto.

The EDSA Busway is a joint project of the DOTr, LTFRB and MMDA that will transport commuters from Monumento to PITX, through a median bus lane.