EDSA Busway ‘no beep card, no ride’ policy to commence by October 1

Apart from local highways slowly transitioning towards cashless transactions, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced the application of the same payment method for the EDSA busway, as passengers will now be required to use beep cards to pay their fare. 

The ‘No beep, no ride’ policy will be implemented this coming October 1. Likewise, this tactic goes in accordance to the ongoing pandemic, wherein physical contact is reduced. As apart from the convenience factor of this payment method, passengers shall also benefit from this as a safety protocol, therefore, reducing the supposed transmission of the virus.

Transportation Assistant Secretary Steve Pastor further stretched that this payment method would certainly complement other safety and health protocols enforced by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases on public utility vehicles (PUVs). This includes social distancing, wearing of face masks, and face shields. 

Notably, commuters can now acquire their beep cards, when needed, as there are some designated stands on bus stops where they can purchase one for themselves. Once your card has insufficient value, you can have it loaded up on designated loading stations. As many commuters know, the beep card is not only limited to those EDSA buses, but it is also usable on LRT-1, LRT-2, and MRT-3 as well as point-to-point buses, and modern jeepneys.

It was also mentioned that this move was not done in a rushed manner, in fact, commuters were already being informed for many weeks already. Plus, it’s safe to assume that many have already acquired their beep cards even before this pandemic, as there are indeed countless riders of the railway system here in the Philippines.