Durban commuters using public transport can look forward to a swifter, more efficient and safer payment method as the deadline to change to the cashless card system looms.
The bus coupons that have been used on the Durban Transport and Mynah busses since the early 90’s will be discontinued on 1 April 2014 and replaced with the MUVO Card – the City’s new cashless smartcard.
Commuters who get their MUVO Cards now and use it 10 times or more until 1 April 2014 stand a chance to win free transport for one year with weekly draws giving 10 commuters the opportunity to win.
As part of GO!Durban, the massive Integrated Rapid Public Transport Network, the MUVO card is the 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.
“The card was launched in July 2012 and was gradually phased in across all regions.” says Thami Manyathi, Head of the eThekwini Transport Authority. “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.” ”
Muvo Cards are a progressive step towards modernising the current transport system. The card is 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 of the MUVO Card is that it can be loaded with travel products that only expire after 3 years, whereas the coupon expires after 2 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. 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.
The card is being issued free of charge until 1 May 2014, one month after the bus coupons have been discontinued, from which point a charge will be levied for the card.
PayPoints have been set-up at the same locations where bus coupons are sold - look out for the branded MUVO SmartVans - with the addition of some Municipal Sizakala Centres to increase commuter convenience.
Pensioners, people with disabilities and scholars will also be catered for with the new system through a concession card programme that will follow a simple and convenient application process.
For enquiries about the MUVO Card call 080 000 6886 or SMS your name and a short description of your question to our free of charge SMS line 44524 and one of our brand ambassadors will call you back.
For a full list of Muvo PayPoints visit the Muvo websitewww.muvo.co.za, and for more information on the GO!Durban project go towww.godurban.co.za..
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