Tap and go card makes bus journey easy in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi - The Department of Transport (DoT), announced the decision on October 4 that money boxes will no longer be in use in Abu Dhabi, which operates almost 600 buses.

All public transport buses in UAE's Capital have - from Sunday - stopped accepting cash (coin) payments from commuters. Instead, Hafilat smartcards - which can be purchased from malls, recharging machines, online ticketing machines and bus stations - have been introduced and made mandatory to board and exit the bus.
The Department of Transport (DoT), announced the decision on October 4 that money boxes will no longer be in use in Abu Dhabi, which operates almost 600 buses.
Since there are almost 100,000 people a day, who depend solely on travelling by bus, DoT believes the smart system will help defuse congestion before getting on and off a bus, thus allowing the ride to be quicker and hassle-free.
The card, which allows you to check in and out of the bus, features six categories to meet various requirements of passengers, which are: temporary commuters (valid for 14 days), permanent, personalised (obtains the owner's details on DoT's database), special needs, senior citizens and students.
When checked in and out of the bus, the indicator will show a green colour, meaning the passenger can go ahead. However, if one receives a red colour, it indicates the card is invalid, expired or has low purse balance.
Temporary and permanent cards can be recharged with up to Dh150, and one of the distinctive features of the card allows commuters to protect the remaining balance, if the card is lost or stolen.
Saeed Al Hameli, General Manager of the Bus Office at the DoT, said the new card system would certainly help create a smoother journey.
Bus commuters agreed that the decision makes transportation around the Capital quicker and more efficient, especially during morning and afternoon rush hours.
Mohammed Saeed, a 34 year old IT consultant told Khaleej Times that long queues outside buses often cause him to reach his work place late. Thus, he believes the cards, which have been available since May, will help him arrive to work on time more regularly.
"Morning traffic in Abu Dhabi can be a pain and catching a bus doesn't always make it easier because the line takes a while," he said, adding that, "I think the smart cards will help ease the lines for the passengers."
Other passengers also agree that modern times calls for modern technology for buses, and having to no longer carry a load of coins certainly eases the mind. "I've been using the card for a couple of months," said Hana Basil, 27 year old receptionist and regular bus commuter.
"I don't like carrying coins. My wallet only has card slots and it feels lighter to just carry a card that allows me to travel and top up whenever it's required," she added.
Other passengers on the other hand, were not so ready for the modern transition, as they were unaware that money boxes will cease to exist in the buses. Mahmoud Al Bakari a 48-year-old technician, said that he was surprised when he was told that money was no longer accepted in the bus.
"I only had money on me," he said, adding that, "I've never used the bus card before. I was told that I couldn't get on the bus without it so I went and purchased a card."
However, Al Bakari believes that the smart system will make travelling easier and agrees that the time spent in line has become shorter. "At first, I was bothered and embarrassed when I got told that I can't use my money, but now I think it's better to just carry a card," he added.
Khaleej Times contacted the Department of Transport for comments regarding the transition, however, DoT did not respond.
jasmine@khaleejtimes.com