In other news, commuters will no longer have to spend an extra minute or 2 digging in their purses or pockets for spare change to catch the E bus, because today under City Council's E mobility project, they partnered with Digi Wallet to launch a public transport ridership card, as more convenient way for passengers to pay to ride the E-bus. Here is how it will work.
Dr. Louis Zabaneh, Minister of Transport
"We are very pleased to be here with all our partners, certainly along with mayor Bernard Wagner and his team friends from UNDP through funding from the European Union today we are launching the cash less system where we use a card to pay for services on the E bus that has really gotten a lot of popularity here in Belize city so we are very pleased to see the progress made already in under a short period of time just a year and the data that is being gathered from this pilot is going to be important as we build out within Belize City first and then of course across the country."
Monique Ford Vicente, Marketing Manager, Digi Wallet
"So the system Is really easy you will be able to pickup a ridership card at the Belize City council but our first distribution will occur this Saturday at the Belize City council, down town sale so you can pickup a card at the Digi Wallet Booth. All you need to do pickup that card is bring along with you a valid ID and a recent bus receipt so when you get on the bus they give you a receipt and it has to be no older than 3 days and with that you provide those two documents and we can issue the appropriate card to you, at the booth you will also be able to provide us with the funds and we will be able to apply it to your card or you can also visit any of the digi wallet agents which includes our digistores. Once you get your card and you get on the bus all you simply have to do is tap so If you are a Vip which is a regular rider the standard fare of $3 will be deducted there is nothing you have to do all you have to do is tap. If you are a golden citizen when you get on the bus your discount will automatically be applied again there is nothing specific you have to do but tap and last for the student card you just have to show your student ID and again all they have to do is tap and their fare of a dollar will be applied."
Bernard Wagner, Belize City Mayor
"When we travelled to Asia we travelled right into the Unite states just a two hour flight from here and this is the sort of system people utilise every day to access services, access transport systems I just believe that aside from the efficient way what it does is create some sort of transparency mechanism where now the people who are collecting will not be collecting cash, it will be more a system where the funds are directed directly to your merchant account."
