Manila’s two suburban rail networks are conducting a trial in the Philippines to test the use of a common contactless smart card for their commuters.
An official at the Light Rail Transport Authority tells PaymentsSource that it is evaluating the adoption of a unified card for the Manila Metro Rail Transit System and Manila Light Rail Transit System.
One station from each network began testing the contactless transit card earlier this month in a pilot that will run until March, the official says.
Both transit systems currently operate their own ticketing systems. Manila Metro Rail has offered its commuters a contactless smart card, developed in collaboration with telecommunication operator Globe Telecom Inc., but the other agency has not.
“The trial is very preliminary,” the official says. “Many problems need to be sorted, including how to upgrade tickets for existing smart card holders, development of integrated fares, sharing of revenues, etc.”
Full project implementation may begin in 2011 but could stretch into 2012, the spokesperson adds.
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