Ready to Hop on Board? The BMTA's New App is Just Around the Corner!
Anticipated launch of comprehensive bus transportation app by the organisation in October.
Get ready for a smoother ride in Bangkok! The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA), headed by director Kittikarn Jomduang Jaruwanpolkul, intends to roll out the highly-anticipated BMTA "super app" in October. This innovative app aims to simplify urban travel by offering a seamless payment solution for commuters.
However, the app has its challenges, as Mr. Kittikarn candidly admits. The app, a joint venture between BMTA and Techforge Global Co Ltd, asks passengers to input a considerable amount of personal information. This may be a deterrent for some passengers, Mr. Kittikarn expressed his concerns.
The app isn't just about payments. It also includes a user-friendly complaints system and provides information on bus lines, routes, and fares. But let's talk about the fees – each QR code payment made via the app incurs a 5-baht transaction fee by commercial banks, a cost the BMTA aims to negotiate down or find alternative solutions for.
Currently, BMTA buses accept various payment methods, including cash, welfare cards, EMV cards, and digital wallets like TrueMoney and Paotang. The BMTA's ultimate ambition is to merge all these payment methods into a single app, making transactions more accessible and transparent, and reducing our reliance on cash.
It's important to note that despite the aim to decrease cash payments, Mr. Kittikarn reassures that the new payment system won't be a cash-free zone. The agency recognizes that the new system will be beneficial only for some passengers and will therefore continue to accept cash payments.
The development of the BMTA app is part of a larger overhaul of the BMTA's management system, with a budget of 52 million baht. Techforge Global won the concession on April 11. So, gear up, Bangkok commuters! The BMTA's roster of improvements is set to ease your commute and take transit to a whole new level.
References:1. Techsauce.com. (2022, March 13). BMTA to Develop Super App for Payment and Route Search Services. https://www.techsauce.com/2022/03/bmta-superapp/2. Bangkokpost.com. (2022, April 15). BMTA to Develop Super App for Payment, Route, and Fare Information. https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2023139/mta-to-develop-super-app-for-payment-route-and-fare-information
- The BMTA's new app, scheduled for release in October, aims to integrate multiple payment methods, such as cash, welfare cards, EMV cards, digital wallets, and potential QR code payments, into a single platform.
- In an effort to make payments more accessible and transparent, the BMTA aims to negotiate down or find alternatives to the 5-baht transaction fee per QR code payment imposed by commercial banks.
- Despite the goal to reduce cash transactions, the BMTA assures commuters that the new payment system will not become a cash-free zone, as the agency will continue to accept cash payments.
