It is apparent that the compulsory eTicketing system has hit the ground stumbling and does not appeal to a large number of the travelling public whose main method of travel is by bus.
I believe eTicketing is stressing everyone out after following numerous reactions on social media and the news.
People have had wrong fares charged, schoolchildren were not being picked up, eTicketing machines were not working, commuters travelled free, etc., and we were only two days into this modern initiative.
I read a news article on fijivillage.com (02/10) which said there were “teething problems” mainly because of “driver error”.
I disagree with such a report. If the machine is not working, bus drivers should not get the flak. And if the passengers face “great difficulty”, as per the report, then it is more than a minor issue.
I want to say that it is not fair to blame the bus drivers for failure of this system. How much awareness was done to educate the drivers?
Oh and meanwhile, Government released a statement on Sunday (01/10) that school students who did not have an eTransport card should be allowed to board buses until Vodafone Fiji and the Ministry of Education sort out the distribution of the eTransport cards.
I believe here we have another initiative launched – just like the free milk and free textbooks – without being properly thought out, it seems.
Fiji’s A-G, during the official launch of the eTicketing system made a point that “in order to make the system work there are various penalties in place”.
It appears that the system is being forced on people and I do not believe it is a good thing to do.
