Only Smarter Card Can Access Concessionary Fare Come September

As of September 1, 2014, concessionary fares on Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) buses can only be accessed with the use of a JUTC Smarter Card.

This was disclosed by Deputy Managing Director in charge of Operations, Kirk Finnikin, at a JIS ‘Think Tank’, on August 19.

Mr. Finnikin said the concessionary fare is accessible to four categories of passengers and accounts for 50 per cent of the total ridership on JUTC buses.

“The passenger who pays a concession fare is subsidised by the Government of Jamaica.  In order for the JUTC to administer that subsidy, the Smarter Card is the tool that is being used to ensure that it is properly accessed by those that it was designed for. That passenger must fall within one of the following categories – children 3-11 years, students 12-20 years in uniform, the disabled and the elderly,” he explained.

He added that the measures have been put in place to ensure that unauthorized persons do not access the subsidy.

Mr. Finnikin indicated that passengers will not be in a position to pay cash to access the concessionary fares, and that the only ticket that the driver will be able to issue with their driver card is the adult ticket.

He pointed out that the driver card, which is a multi-purpose card that is used for the operation of the system, is also used to facilitate the issuance of a ticket when cash is collected for fare payment.  All driver cards will, as of September 1, be programmed to process adult fares only and the driver will have no discretion in the matter, Mr. Finnikin said.

The Deputy Managing Director informed that there is a new look concessionary card in circulation and all new Smarter Cards issued to concessionary passengers will bear the new design.

He further explained that the concession cards that are already in the system, which bear the design of the adult cards, will still be valid and will function no differently from the regular Smarter Card.

“Those who already have the old concession card will continue using it, and persons purchasing new concessionary cards will be issued with the new card,” Mr. Finnikin said.

Meanwhile, Information Technology Manager, Brian Tulloch, informed that the two older cards that were associated with the now defunct fare collection system, are no longer valid in the new dispensation.

“Those cards are the white cards bearing the name Transit Pass and the yellow cards with the humming bird design,” he pointed out.

Mr. Finnikin added that persons with concessionary cards are encouraged to travel with their relevant identification cards, as they may be asked by the bus operator for proof of age or disability.