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It has been greater than seven years because the U-Cash bus card system entered into public use. Particularly, in 2015, the Mongolian public transport sector was reformed by introducing South Korean normal public transport companies. Sadly, as an alternative of bettering this know-how and making it extra accessible to the residents, the authorities have taken a step backward by deciding to convey again the outdated — failed — resolution the general public transport sector had earlier than.
Mongolians weren’t prepared for this non-cash cost service on the time and it brought about plenty of confusion at first. It is because bus conductors used to gather money from passengers and challenge tickets on buses. Again then, the e-Cost Mission for Public Transport Companies was carried out and the cash-sealed bins that had been positioned on buses had been taken away to modernize the system and remove corruption. It can’t be denied that it was not simple for residents to change to this new and trendy service since many companies had been up to date and altered on the identical time. Furthermore, individuals had hassle recharging their bus playing cards because of the restricted charging factors. Some both misplaced or forgot their playing cards in locations so usually that they stopped utilizing public buses, particularly since drivers would shout at them to get off in the event that they couldn’t pay their fare with a card. Drivers did so as a result of they had been carefully monitored by the authorities by means of surveillance cameras at first.
A few years have handed because the introduction of the system and the situations for this e-payment service to be totally carried out have already been created. Nonetheless, the related organizations haven’t discovered an optimum resolution to successfully promote and facilitate residents in paying their bus fares by card till now, so that they determined to position money bins on buses once more.
Particularly, the Ulaanbaatar Metropolis Council handed a decision on September 7 to allow passengers to pay for public transport buses in money. In different phrases, in accordance with the choice, residents will quickly have the ability to pay their bus fare with both their U-Cash card or money. On this regard, money bins can be positioned on public transport buses, officers stated.
Again in 2015 and 2016, passengers may pay with both their U-Cash card or money at first. Nonetheless, on the time, there have been fairly a number of circumstances the place some drivers embezzled the cash residents put within the money bins. Subsequently, ranging from April 1, 2017, residents had been allowed to pay for public transport solely with U-Cash playing cards. Though residents had been utilizing the good bus playing cards for a while, the variety of card customers declined and extra individuals had been reverting to the use of money bins, growing corruption and decreasing the revenue of the sector. Therefore, the authorities eliminated the money bins from all public transport buses. Officers believed that this is able to enable public transport companies to function with out loss.
In truth, a big sum of cash was spent on getting individuals used to utilizing playing cards solely. Particularly, in 2017, public transport inspectors bought playing cards on buses for two,500 MNT and monitored passengers for e-payment solely. Nonetheless, now that the authorities are attempting to re-implement the ineffective resolution, calling it a giant step again, most of the residents, particularly younger individuals, are sad with it.
It’s protected to say that the most recent resolution was made on the grounds that the general public transport trade has suffered losses as a result of persons are utilizing their cost playing cards much less usually and giving money to drivers as an alternative.
In 2015, the income of the general public transport sector was barely 48.77 million MNT and it dropped to 45 billion MNT in 2016. In 2017, nonetheless, it had the best revenue of fifty billion MNT. Since 2017, in reference to the choice to use U-Cash playing cards solely, its income decreased. In particular, in line with the outcomes for 2021, the capital’s public transport income was 21 billion MNT, a lower of greater than 60 p.c in comparison with 2017. Metropolis authorities present funding to the general public transport sector from its funds. In 2015, 21 billion MNT was allotted to the sector. Nonetheless, final yr, 105 billion MNT was given. Because of the sector’s incapability to pay attention ample revenue, the town has elevated its funds for the sector to cowl losses, in line with Head of Division of Inspection and Analysis of the Ulaanbaatar Mayor’s Workplace Kh.Gantulga.
He additional defined, “We signed an settlement with the Ulaanbaatar Public Transportation Division to introduce sel-financed and accessible public transport companies. Nonetheless, this work shouldn’t be being carried out and the general public transport sector is in a state of decline.”
Greater than 980 buses serve residents in 106 instructions in Ulaanbaatar. Following the brand new resolution, money bins can be put in in all of them once more. At present, it’s not clear whether or not the outdated bins can be put in or new ones. In any case, it would require funding to some extent.
MORE POSSIBILITIES TO CHARGE CARDS ARE NEEDED
As a substitute of implementing this “setback” resolution, netizens say that it’s needed so as to add devoted card charging factors and enhance different choices for charging playing cards.
They’re criticizing that there are only a few designated charging factors, and that even the retailers and repair organizations that recharge U-Cash playing cards don’t recharge playing cards as a result of they themselves haven’t prolonged their service or the system is down.
As an illustration, citizen D.Tsetsegsuren stated, “I take the bus day-after-day from Doloon Buudal to Sharga Morit. Now, most individuals have U-Cash playing cards. It’s a lot simpler to cost bus playing cards. However the supply of locations that recharge playing cards is poor. I at all times cost my card across the metropolis heart because it’s nearly not possible to discover a charging level in suburban areas.”
A pupil criticized, “There should not sufficient locations to recharge bus playing cards. It’s stated that it may be recharged by cellphone or financial institution card. However it’s so difficult to try this. I believe if financial institution playing cards are linked to the bus system, fewer individuals can pay their fare with money.”
In truth, residents can solely pay for bus fares utilizing the Golomt Financial institution’s transportation card. In different phrases, it can’t be uniformly accessible to residents.
Head of Division of Inspection and Analysis of the Ulaanbaatar Mayor’s Workplace Kh.Gantulga additionally knowledgeable us that the system is being upgraded in South Korea. When requested concerning the growth of the system, the Ulaanbaatar Public Transport Division reply, “We are going to notify the South Korean facet and procure permission and implement it.” The corporate has already spent 8.6 billion MNT on system growth.
He stated, “A daring resolution needs to be made in this regard and the up to date system needs to be totally launched. The Ulaanbaatar Public Transport Division is unable to totally use the system of Ulaanbaatar Good Card LLC or use its knowledge in policymaking course of. Mainly, the operation of the corporate doesn’t meet the necessities. On high of that, there’s a lack of data associated to card utilization. For instance, on account of residents’ misplaced playing cards, there are 1.3 billion MNT caught in card accounts that can’t be spent.”
He added {that a} new challenge has been launched to extend the variety of different card recharging choices, however nothing has been carried out to date.
A working group has been set as much as enhance public transport operations and develop suggestions. When it inspected the related establishments, a violation was found from Ulaanbaatar Good Card LLC.
“The Ulaanbaatar Public Transport Division signed two contracts with Ulaanbaatar Good Card LLC and Knowledge-Card Firm. In accordance with these contacts, an settlement was signed to introduce public transport administration and e-system. The system needs to be totally carried out inside 4.8 years. Nonetheless, the settlement has not but been totally carried out. The corporate has not totally accomplished the funding works and the data know-how system has not been accomplished and handed over to the client. It’s associated to Ulaanbaatar Good Card LLC.”
“This contract was signed to be able to create public transport knowledge of Ulaanbaatar utilizing GPS gadgets, develop the system and make it clear, accessible and quick. Nonetheless, as of at the moment, the contract has not been accomplished. For instance, the bus station system price 509,600 USD, card manufacturing tools price 940,000 USD, community connection work price 300,000 USD, bus station data board price 100,00 USD, a complete 1.8 million USD price of works haven’t been achieved. Additionally, some programs had been developed however didn’t meet the necessities of the ordering group,” Kh.Gantulga famous.
ARE INSPECTIONS BEING FULLY MADE?
As of at the moment, solely bus drivers management whether or not passengers use their playing cards. Subsequently, it’s needed to enhance the management system and perform the digital transition in its true sense. In truth, the federal government set a giant aim of changing into a “digital nation” a while in the past. For instance, there may be a must test drivers taking money with surveillance cameras and maintain them accountable.
Then again, it’s essential to strengthen the accountability of those that give and obtain money. It is because, in line with the Legislation on Infringements, residents who journey by paying money are fined 10,000 MNT and drivers who obtain cash are fined 25,000 MNT. In fact, this “corruption” is not going to cease when the quantity of money acquired from residents per day is greater than the quantity of the high quality.
Propelled by the rising mobility of at the moment’s modern society on account of elevated city migration, the acceptance of the digital cost system has been on an amazing enhance lately worldwide. Particularly, following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, contactless good card-based options are broadly accepted as the fashionable and protected approach to prepare fare assortment within the public transport trade. In compliance with this growth, digital cost companies have more and more became each day actions in human life. Subsequently, it’s essential to develop e-services to make them simpler for residents.
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