Trial period for automated LRT fare system over

MANILA, Philippines - The trial period for the Automated Fare Collection System (AFCS) for the country’s light rail transit has been completed with over one million beep cards sold as of December.

In a statement issued yesterday, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) said the AFCS has reached full systems acceptance (FSA).

“We have reached another milestone through the rollout of a modern, unified ticketing system. We have been informed that we are the fastest in the world to achieve FSA, which means the system passed the standards and requirements we have set. This is certainly the fruit of the hard work of DOTC, LRTA (Light Rail Transit Authority) and MRT-3 (Metro Rail Transit Line 3) personnel in coordination with AF Payments, Inc. (AFPI),” DOTC Secretary Joseph Abaya said.

“We are the only ones with an AFC system wherein the government is paid instead of us paying a subsidy. We are proud of this achievement,” Abaya said.

The new ticketing scheme was launched in LRT Line 2 from Santolan station in Pasig to Recto station in Manila last July and in LRT Line 1, which runs from Roosevelt station in Quezon City to Baclaran in Pasay City, in August.

The MRT-3, which spans North Avenue station in Quezon City to Taft in Pasay City, started using the beep cards in October.

The limited public trial for the new ticketing system was conducted to address glitches in the system and provide commuters a smooth transition.