THE much-talked about e-ticketing system is in effect.
Students of 11 schools, both primary and secondary, in the Central and Eastern divisions were the first to use the e-ticketing system as a mode for paying bus fares.
Confirming this, LTA spokesman Alfred Wiliame said the e-ticketing system only covered students in the Central and Eastern divisions who received government concessions on bus fares.
"A total of 11 schools and six bus operators have been introduced to the e-ticketing system," Mr Wiliame said.
The schools are Marist Brothers High and Primary schools, St Joseph's Secondary, Saraswati College, Adi Cakobau School, Cathedral Secondary School, Suva Grammar School, Veiuto Primary School, Draiba Primary School, Stella Maris School and Jai Narayan College.
Mr Wiliame said the bus companies that had installed the system were Tebara Transport, Shore Buses, Tacirua Transport, Island Buses, Central Transport and Citiline Bus Services Limited.
The students under the government bus fare concession scheme have been issued paid show-and-go cards.
"The cards have been credited with funds for one whole school term for students," Mr Wiliame said.
The card has been labelled show-and-go because as students enter the bus, they show the card to the e-ticketing console in the bus and the appropriate fare that has been predetermined for the students will be deducted.
"Students will be travelling from home to school and vice versa and their cards have been pre-determined with the stages they will travel," Mr Wiliame said.
"So once they board a bus and show their card to the e-ticketing console, their appropriate fare will be deducted."
Mr Wiliame said by the end of next month, the authority will target non-subsidised students who did not receive bus fare concessions and move to other divisions by the end of November.
The e-ticketing system will be introduced for the public next January.