The LTO’s new handheld payment terminals can allow motorists to pay for tickets instantly

The LTO is moving to a digital payment system for its tickets. Erring motorists who find themselves being cited for a violation on the road might have to bid farewell to Bayad Centers or other payment offices altogether. Thanks to new hand-held payment/ticketing terminals, settling a traffic violation can be done on the spot through electronic payment methods. 

These new devices are similar to point-of-sales devices that you see at retailers around the country. These terminals will be able to communicate with credit or debit cards, and we assume that they can also generate a QR code for motorists that prefer to pay in G-Cash, Maya, or other electronic payment services (still unconfirmed). 

It’s not yet totally clear what the full capabilities of these terminals are. As of now, and judging from the photos we’ve been seeing online, these terminals look like they can communicate with credit or debit cards via a swipe, a tap, or an insertion. There is also a thumbprint scanner at the bottom of the terminal which will likely be used for identity verification purposes. The device also has a large display that allows the enforcer to interact and even show the motorists their violation before printing it out. 

According to the LTO, several law enforcers have already undergone training for the handheld system. These terminals will also be able to issue erring motorists with an Electronic Temporary Operator’s Permit (E-TOP), which is similar in practice to the pen and paper Temporary Operator’s Permit.

It’s highly likely that we will be seeing these all-in-one handheld devices in use by the LTO and Its traffic enforcers real soon. Coupled with the streamlining of the government agency’s ticketing system across the country, this is good news in terms of the efficiency of issuing tickets for enforcers, and the efficiency of settling violations for motorists.