Singapore's leading electronic payments provider, Nets, and premier solutions provider, Nera Telecommunications Ltd ("NeraTel"), today announced that they have implemented an electronic payment solution for premium bus operator, Plus1 Your Preferred Transportation, that will allow Plus1 to operate a completely cashless bus service.
From today, Plus1 commuters will have to pay their fare using their contactless NETS FlashPay cards. Bus drivers will no longer accept cash and in fact, will not be provided with cash nor coin boxes on their daily routes. The move is expected to decrease waiting time for commuters and also improve working conditions for the drivers since they no longer have to deal with operational issues.
Said Plus1 Founder and Chief Executive, Mr Lim Yong Seng, "I have been searching for a completely cashless payment mode since I started my bus service two years ago. Although it seems simple to operate a bus service, what people don't realise is that operators frequently have to deal with cash leakages, either from commuters or drivers. This causes conflict with our drivers and makes it difficult for us to maintain good relations with our staff. Commuters will also benefit from this new service since it means shorter boarding and wait times!
"What impressed me about NeraTel and NETS was their passion in working out a solution for me. They understood immediately what the situation was, and were relentless in testing and modifying their products until it was the perfect fit for my buses," added Mr Lim.
Plus1 Your Preferred Transportation operates four premium bus routes (Upper Serangoon, Hougang, Sengkang and Serangoon Gardens) to Shenton Way/Raffles Place and Alexandra Road in the morning and the reverse in the evening.
NETS Chief Executive Officer, Ms Poh Mui Hoon, said, "We are very excited to be working with Plus1 and to be able to customise a solution for them. Mr Lim's vision of having a completely cashless operation is very much in line with our own aim of promoting electronic payments everywhere and it was a natural fit.
"The NETS FlashPay card is particularly suited for transit since it is a contactless card which makes it fast and easy to use. With the introduction of NETS FlashPay in the premium bus sector, commuters everywhere, whether on the MRT, LRT, public and private buses, are now afforded the ease of being able to use just one card for all their transportation needs," added Ms Poh.
The all-in-one NETS FlashPay card can be used for the MRT, LRT, public and private buses and ERP gantries, and at over 8,000 retail acceptance points across the island for small-value purchases.
"We are very glad to be able to provide a unique product and solution for payment onboard Plus 1 buses which will help it to improve the overall operational efficiency," said Samuel Ang, CEO of NeraTel. "With Plus 1 going live, NeraTel hope to promote the acceptance of cepas contactless cards to similar customers and other retail sectors."