KINGSTON, Jamaica — Commuters who travel on the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) buses now have another cashless and convenient option to pay their fares.

The new device dubbed, ‘Prepaid Smarter Card’, is intended to be an alternative to cash and the Smarter Cards will be sold in values of $300, $600, $900, and $1,800. The prepaid card will be distributed by Transaction E-Pins Limited, with outlets throughout the Corporate Area as well as JUTC locations.

Speaking at the official launching ceremony, at the Transport Centre in Half-Way Tree, on Friday, Minister of Transport, Works and Housing, Dr Omar Davies, said the new feature will help in improving the operations and efficiencies of the company.

“Utilising this cashless system moves us towards a greater percentage of the fare being seen in the treasury of the JUTC,” he said.

At the same time, managing director of the JUTC, Colin Campbell, said the card is expected to further reduce the use of cash on the buses and modernise the payment forms available.

He said that while all concession passengers utilise the cashless feature, it has been “very difficult” to win over the adult passengers to go cashless.

“We have tried to clone the exact situation for the successful prepaid top-up phone- cards, which means in the same way that E-Pins has a distribution network for top- up of telephone cards, our Smarter Cards will be available through the same network. So, when you go to top up your phone-card, you can now buy a prepaid bus card,” he noted.

He said through a partnership with Transactions E-Pins, additional points of top-ups have been established. The Smarter Card top-ups may only be used to pay adult fares of $120.

Approximately 255,000 commuters use the services of the JUTC daily.