By Awa Sowe
The digitalisation of public transportation and the introduction of prepaid cards have emerged as powerful tools for driving financial inclusion. Prepaid instruments present innovative pathways for revenue generation in automated fare collection.
By integrating prepaid cards into public transport systems, cities can enhance accessibility to transportation services while simultaneously providing individuals with a gateway to financial inclusion.
The success stories of partnerships in public transport, and tech players highlight how prepaid cards are helping digital payments in mobility. Moving away from traditional methods like cash payments, prepaid solutions not only make fare collection smoother but also enhance the journeys of commuters.
Digital cards serves as versatile prepaid instruments, play an important role in driving financial inclusion, modernising transportation operations and enhancing the overall customer experience, through easy enrolment process.
To be in tune with the demands of modern society as highlighted above, The Gambia Transport Service Company (GTSC) officially launched the “TAAMO” card, a smart travel card designed to revolutionise the way passengers access their services. This innovative card allows passengers to tap in and out of their vehicles seamlessly, with fares deducted automatically based on usage.
The General Manager of GTSC, Mr Seedy Kanyi, said the introduction of this card is a significant milestone in GTSC’s digital transformation.
He said that the GTSC, over the past decade, has become a household name in The Gambia’s transport landscape, contributing its quota to economic growth in many aspects.
“It is worth noting that GTSC has been contributing to the growth of the Gambian economy through employment creation, relatively safer, more reliable, and more affordable means of transportation,” he said.
According to him, Taamo Card is a digital card preloaded with cash and can be used to pay for transport fares by tapping it on validators that are fixed on GTSC buses.
Moreover, he declared that this innovation is history in the making and that it will bring GTSC services to the doorsteps of the residents of The Gambia.
He assured that once this technology is rolled out across the length and breadth of the country, it will make life easy for both the rural and urban dwellers, as well as provide them with the same opportunities for growth through the use of GTSC services.
Mr. Kanyi elucidated that the Taamoo Card is meant to provide convenience, security, and financial flexibility during travelling, minimising the risk and hassle associated with carrying cash and simplifying transactions on board GTSC buses.
“It is important to note that in the event the card is lost, stolen, or damaged, the cardholder can still maintain his or her cash balance in the replacement card,” he explained.
The Board Chairman of GTSC, Mr Saloum Malang stated that GTSC is a private limited company owned by Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation.He disclosed that GTSC was registered as a private company, explaining that during the past regime, there was a lot of interference by the state, which caused the company to collapse.
Board chair Malang said GTSC “is very important and is needed for this country to progress”.
“We can all attest that the company is transforming the transportation sector,” he said.
Prepaid cards have also emerged as a viable solution for expanding financial inclusion, particularly in urban settings with public transport systems. They offer a convenient and secure alternative to cash for purchasing transportation tickets and accessing transit services. Prepaid cards, serving as versatile instruments, streamline transportation operations and offer real-time transaction tracking. This eliminates the hassle of managing multiple tickets or passes and simplifies the entire travel process within the country
The president of The Gambia Transport Union, Mr Omar Ceesay expressed satisfaction over this innovation, adding that this could allow passengers of public transport to seamlessly travel without having to use traditional payment systems like cash or purchasing a paper ticket.
He added that this card will tackle issues such as cash handling, change sharing between commuters and apprentices and fake monies that drivers are faced with.
According to Mr Ceesay, many African countries are now using smart ticketing schemes, with the advent of technology, the world is moving towards automated systems. One such transition is moving from manual fare collection to automated fare collection. He went on to explain that a digital card can be used to automate fare collection by keeping a track of one’s journey.
He disclosed that in 2022 the Union signed an MOU with a mobile company to introduce mobile ticketing but that is still unconcluded.
He urged the public to cooperate with GTSC on this new innovation.
Malang Sambo, commuter, also welcomed the idea noting that it also ensures efficiency. “Digital card technology provides an easy, cost-effective and efficient solution for transportation within the country,” he added.
Additionally, digital transportation cards are useful for passengers as it reduces the overhead of waiting in queues to collect tickets before each journey. Also, it is useful for transportation organisations as it reduces the use of one-time tickets and in turn reduces human effort for issuing tickets.
