Metro commuters is having another good reason to keep and use beep cards. AF Payments, Inc. (AFPI) has installed its tap-and-go payment system in TAS Trans’ point-to-point (P2P) bus line that takes the Nuvali, Sta. Rosa, Laguna to Promenade Glorietta 2 and Circuit Makati (and vice-versa) routes daily.
The contactless payment joint venture of Ayala and Metro Pacific groups has also rolled out a discounted promo fare that will last until November 30, 2017. The promo will cover this route and would translate to about P100 in savings for each passenger.
Under the promo, one-way fare costs P150, while discounted fare for PWDs, students, and senior citizens costs P120. After the promo duration, regular one-way fare of P250 will be applied.
TAS Trans premium P2P fleet comprises of 45-seater luxury buses—with wheelchair provisions, fully climate-controlled interiors, leather and padded reclining chairs, and free Wi-Fi onboard. The buses are also GPS-enabled and are equipped with CCTVs for passengers’ protection. Those also come with first aid kits and are run by competent drivers who are also trained to administer emergency medical aid.
Daily trips are scheduled from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. A bus is set to leave every 20 minutes during specified peak hours and every hour during off-peak hours of the day. Buses also leave the station once they get full.
“P2P buses offer a convenient alternative to ease commuting worries these days,” said AFPI President and CEO Peter Maher. “The service is continuously expanding and with beep card acceptance, commuters can transfer seamlessly from one line to another as necessary.”
This route is an addition to the growing list of routes from different P2P bus lines where beep cards are used as payment mode. The payment system was previously adopted by RRCG Transport P2P buses coming from Alabang Town Center to Greenbelt 1 and by Froehlich P2P buses coming from Trinoma going to Glorietta 5 and from SM North EDSA going to SM Megamall.
As of March 2017, AFPI has sold more than 3 million beep cards, which are mostly in circulation—used in LRT and MRT systems, various toll gates, bus lines, Family Mart stores, and Robinsons Movieworld locations. You can buy beep cards in all LRT/MRT terminals, in BGC Bus stations, and Family Mart outlets, where users can also tap up their cards with cash equivalents. PayMaya and Globe GCash have also released their beep cards.