Public transport services: Uniform ticketing on cards
Govt moves to enact law to rope in pvt companies as well
The government is going to enact a law to introduce a uniform ticketing system for all public transport services including metro rail, buses, trains and launches.
Dhaka Transport Coordinator Authority (DTCA) has already prepared a preliminary draft of the act, aiming to implement a "One Card for All Transport" system.
The system, called Rapid Pass Card, will be hassle-free and save people's time and money, two officials involved with the process said. It will be introduced across the country.
A committee which was formed last month by the Road Transport and Highways Division for enacting the law will hold a meeting on March 13 to scrutinise the draft, they said.
DTCA's Executive Director Shabiha Pervin, the convener of the committee, will preside over the meeting, they said.
Currently, Dhaka dwellers are using two types of cards -- MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) Pass and Rapid Pass -- to avail metro rail services.
Launched under the supervision of DTCA in 2018, Rapid Pass is meant to eventually serve all forms of transport services but currently can be used only to pay the fare for metro rail, and some specific buses.
On the other hand, Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), the operating agency of metro rail, launched MRT Pass only for metro rail service.
In this situation, the government decided to enact the law to introduce a uniform ticketing system so that people can avail all transport services using a smart rapid pass, a member of the committee said.
Once the uniform ticketing system is formally launched, the MRT pass is likely to be abolished and the Rapid Pass will become the uniform card for all transport services, the member said wishing not to be named.
The uniform system is used in many developed countries. For example, the Oyster card is a payment method for public transport in London while the Octopus card is used in Hong Kong.
WHAT THE DRAFT SAYS
DTCA uploaded a draft of the act titled "Uniform Ticketing System for Public Transport and Clearing House Management Act-2023" on its website on Thursday.
As per the draft, the government will form a special purpose company for operation, management, maintenance and publicity of the Rapid Pass Card system.
The company may have both public and private partners, reads the draft. DTCA will be the regulator of the company.
Public transport operators (PTOs) like DMTCL, BRTC, Bangladesh Railway or private bus or launch companies will sign contracts with the operating company to introduce the Rapid Pass system.
PTOs will set up an automatic fare collection system for their services and collect fares from the passengers through the Rapid Pass Card.
DTCA will establish and operate a clearing house for managing all types of ticket sales and their associated data, and PTOs will have to pay a certain amount for getting services from the clearing house, reads the draft.
PTOs will be allowed to provide discounts to Rapid Pass Card users for publicity and expansion of their services.
The government will be able to make the use of the card mandatory for any particular or all public transport services, reads the draft.
The Daily Star could not reach Road Transport and Highways Division Secretary ABM Amin Ullah Nuri or DTCA's Executive Director Shabiha Pervin for comments over phone.
A top official of the division, however, said once the committee prepares the draft, they will hold a meeting of stakeholders and seek public opinion before finalising the draft.