Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) has decided to introduce a prepaid card for Raajje Transport Link (RTL) bus service in the Greater Male' Region.
Speaking to PSM News, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Adam Azim said MTCC decided to introduce an RTL brand prepaid card for the customers to ease payment for the bus service. He said prepaid cards will be introduced before the end of the year. He added the prepaid card can be recharged online unlike the existing bus cards.
MTCC commenced the minibus service in Male' City on September 5. The bus routes have been established to make it easy for school students, office workers, and individuals travelling to hospitals to reach their destinations within 10 minutes from the farthest bus stops. The bus routes are interconnected to areas in Henveiru and Maafannu and each bus stop is a five-minute walk away from the other.
One major concern raised by people was not being able to purchase tickets from the bus. However, MTCC has now stated passengers can purchase paper tickets for the RTL minibus service but they will not be able to make changes. Meanwhile, online ticketing for bus services is now available on the RTL website and application, and Visa cards can also be used.
Furthermore, Azim said that bus stops in Male' are in cramped areas, noting that the roads in the city are congested and crowded. He said it would be difficult to build a quality bus stop at each of its locations due to space constraints. Highlighting there are 41 bus stops in the city, he said each bus stop will be developed considering the available space. He assured MTCC will continue improving the quality of the service which will be closely monitored.