MYCITI CARD VENDING MACHINES LAUNCH

MyCiti Bus has finally launched card vending machines at two stations in Cape Town, namely, Adderley Street and Century City Gate.

The card vending machines (CVMs) were installed last week as part of a pilot project. Commuters have been encouraged to use them to buy myconnect cards, load money and Mover Points on their myconnect cards, and purchase other MyCiTi products such as the monthly package.

According to MyCiti, ‘These two CVMs, or virtual kiosks, are part of a pilot project during which Transport for Cape Town – the City’s transport authority – wants to establish the functionality and efficiency of CVMs. We will roll out a further eight machines to other MyCiTi stations and locations once the pilot period has expired – pending the outcome of this testing phase and the progress made,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Transport, councillor Brett Herron.

These two locations were chosen due to the type of communication network infrastructure that is available. At Century City Gate, the card vending machine uses 3G connectivity whereas at Adderley Street, the machine uses fibre optic to perform transactions. This pilot project will then test the efficiency of the machines in relation to the communication network infrastructure at each hub.

It is anticipated that the CVMs will become increasingly popular once commuters get used to these virtual kiosks instead of the manual system. The CVMs accept cash and bank cards, and operate in English, isiXhosa and Afrikaans.

‘I am confident that the CVMs will assist us in improving commuters’ experiences of the MyCiTi service. The CVMs provide commuters with an alternative for purchasing cards and value, and as such will make a notable difference to the sometimes lengthy queues and waiting times experienced at the MyCiTi kiosks. We are extremely excited about this addition to the service and I encourage commuters to give it a go,’ added Herron.

Will you be trying the new card vending machines?

Photography MyCiti Bus