Pretoria: Durban is to introduce a cashless card system that will cover all modes of public transport, making it easier to get around on Durban’s public transport system.

The MUVO card – the city’s new cashless smartcard – will replace the bus coupons that have been used on the Durban Transport and Mynah busses. The bus coupons will be discontinued on 1 April 2014.

The MUVO card is a cashless card that will eventually be used on all the public transport within the network which sees the integration of public transport with dedicated lanes for busses and upgraded transport corridors for rail.

Head of the eThekwini Transport Authority Thami Manyathi said the city had already started phasing in the card since 2012. “This gradual approach enabled the project team to bed down operational and system teething problems and the system is now operating well with 32 000 commuters having already “moved over to Muvo.”

He said the Muvo Cards, which were a progressive step towards modernising the current transport system, was a single smartcard that can be used across all three of Durban’s primary bus lines: the Durban Transport, Mynah and People Mover busses.

By loading cash to the MUVO Card, users are able to travel to central and greater Durban areas using the interchanging routes travelled by these buses. The card has been designed with two main choices, to either load cash or load specific trips.

“The benefit is that it can be loaded with travel products that only expire after three years, whereas the coupon expires after two weeks. The card can also be loaded with cash which can be used to pay for goods and services at retail outlets that display “MUVO accepted here” signage,” said Manyathi.

The card eliminates the need to carry cash on the bus and to do other transactions and each card has a secret pin that the user chooses which safeguards it like a debit or credit card.

The MUVO Card has been certified by MasterCard and the national Department of Transport’s Compliance Agency making it fully compliant with banking and regulatory requirements, said Manyathi.

Currently, the card is issued free of charge until 1 May. After this date a charge will be levied for the card.

Pay points have been set-up at the same locations where bus coupons are sold, although commuters are urged to look out for the branded “MUVO Smart Vans”.

Pensioners, people with disabilities and scholars will also be catered for through a concession card programme that will be convenient.

Source: South African Official News