It has been a full week since the cashless turnstiles on the MRT-3 train line became operational, and already, it seems there are some issues—birthing pains, hopefully.
Many commuters have experienced unsuccessful transactions when using the cashless turnstiles to tap out of the station, and in some cases, others were wrongfully charged the maximum fare of P28. To assist MRT-3 passengers who have been affected by these system errors, the Department of Transportation is providing free single-journey tickets (SJTs).
These tickets have no expiration date and hold the maximum train fare, essentially giving commuters a free ride whenever they need one. To get these SJTs, affected MRT-3 users will need to present proof of their failed tap-out transaction to the train line’s ticketing office.
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Secretary Vince Dizon of the DOTr thanked the commuting public for their support and asked for their patience as the cashless turnstiles are still in pilot testing: “Nagpapasalamat tayo sa overwhelming na suporta ng mga pasahero sa cashless payments natin sa MRT.
“Humihingi lang din tayo ng konting pag-unawa sa ilang mga problema ngayong pilot run, pero rest assured na within this August, dadami pa ang cashless turnstiles natin at tuloy-tuloy ang system upgrades para iwas-aberya.”
The Ayala and Cubao MRT-3 stations have already been equipped with additional cashless turnstiles—each station now has two sets. The DOTr has not stated when the pilot test will end, and if the system upgrades have already taken effect.
