The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has not been shy about its plans to modernize the jeepney. While considered an icon of Philippine roads and pop culture, the sad reality is that many of the jeepneys plying our country’s roads are antiquated in terms of design and roadworthiness. Yet change is coming, says the DOTr.
In line with this, a few of these modern jeepney prototypes are on display at the ongoing 1st Philippine Auto Parts Expo (PHILAPEX) Summit at the Philippine Trade Training Center in Pasay City. Apart from their new features and powertrains, one highlight of these up and coming Public Utility Jeepneys is the use of modern tech such as the beep card.
AF Payments Inc, the folks behind the tap-and-go payment system, showed off a fully working beep card reader placed in some of the jeepney prototypes. Instead of the usual practice of handing (or passing on to) the driver your change, all you need to do to is tap in upon entry. Once you alight, you simply tap out. This will compute how much will be debited from your beep card.
With this new innovation, AF Payments Inc hopes to bring the same convenience experienced by MRT, LRT, and P2P bus riders to the soon-to-launch modern jeepney.
The PHILAPEX Summit runs from October 12-13, 2017 at the Philippine Trade Training Center in Pasay City. It was organized by the Department of Trade and Industry, Board of Investments, Department of Transportation, Philippine Parts Makers Association Inc, Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation, Toyota Motor Philippines, and the Automotive Body Manufacturers Association of the Philippines Inc.
