By Abou Kisige

The Pioneer Easy Bus Company operating in Kampala city and its suburbs has launched a system where passengers use smart cards to pay their fare.

The company’s information systems analyst, James Kasiita, said through the system, passengers will be charged depending on the number of kilometres travelled.

He said the amount will be deducted electronically from the plastic smart cards through validator machines placed at bus doors.

“On a single route basis, commuters on Pioneer buses have on average been paying about 50% of the fare charged by our counterparts in the local transport industry. These will not change,” Kasiita said.

He added that they have set up terminals around the city where passengers can reload their cards with credit by paying cash to gazetted agents who will be equipped with master cards.