
DOTr looking to pilot automated fare collection in MRT 3 by July
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is looking to pilot the automated fare collection carousels at the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT3) next month in a bid to offer more payment methods, Transportation Secretary Vivencio 'Vince' Dizon said Monday.
According to Dizon, the AFCs will allow customers of the MRT to pay by tapping their debit and credit cards at the counters of the MRT3.
'By July, we're going to be launching the first automated fare collection carousels. This is initial,' Dizon said at the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines (EJAP) Infrastructure Forum in Makati City.
'I know you're all excited about AFCs. So am I, but this is just a pilot which we're going to be doing on MRT3, but this will be your modern carousels,' he added, noting that the rollout is expected by the third week of the month.
Cashless payments, particularly GCash, was enabled as an option at the MRT3 — which runs along EDSA from North Avenue to Taft Avenue — in May. –NB, GMA Integrated News
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