GO GEORGE Smart Card on its way

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GEORGE NEWS - GO GEORGE is proud to announce the implementation of the long-awaited GO GEORGE Smart Card, resembling a plastic bank card and replacing the paper ticket system of the bus service from 15 November.

This card that will be tapped on a card reader upon boarding the bus, will save much-needed time for the buses to stay on schedule, while also helping with the problems that came with the paper tickets of littering as well as the need to have the correct cash ready.

Issued and facilitated by Standard Bank, cardholders can load trips in different packages and fare categories onto this card at Smart Card kiosks, registered GO GEORGE Smart Card top-up vendors and participating Standard Bank vendors such as supermarkets, petrol stations and cafés.

Transactions of less than 10 trips will cost R10 per trip, while batches of 10 trips and more will cost R9 per trip.

Although the card will only be implemented in November, a vast awareness and informational campaign is being launched this week, including visits to schools, libraries, clinics and other central points in the community.

Cards available from 15 October
To give all our passengers enough time to get to a card distribution point, Smart Cards will be issued from 15 October. While the cost of a Smart Card is usually R40, the first Smart Card issued to each passenger will cost R20 and will have two bus trips pre-loaded on the card.

Each passenger over four years of age that travels on the buses will need their own Smart Card. Passengers will have to produce their ID (or birth certificate in the case of children) to ensure that only one card at this price is issued per person. This is to prevent a situation where people are issued a card at reduced cost without ever using it.

Thereafter, should a passenger wish to purchase a second Smart Card, it will be at a cost of R40.

The Smart Card itself will not be available at regular ticket or top-up vendors, but only at specified distributors.

Where and how?
The Smart Card itself will not be available at regular ticket or top-up vendors, but only at specified distributors. These include the Smart Card kiosk at the George Transport Hub in Cradock Street, Smart Card kiosks right next to the former SARS building in York Street, at the Blanco triangle and at the Garden Route Mall, one in Pacaltsdorp (venue to be confirmed) and two GO GEORGE Smart Card mobile vehicles that will travel through town according to a schedule.

Once a GO GEORGE Smart Card has been activated at the point of collection, trips can be loaded at any of the distribution points mentioned above, as well as GO GEORGE Smart Card top-up vendors and certain Standard Bank-designated retail stores.

Employers and family members can buy several cards
People can buy Smart Cards for employees or other family members at the first-card price of R20, including two pre-loaded trips, provided they produce a valid form of identification for each of these persons. Without valid proof of identification, the card will cost the normal price of R40, with no pre-loaded trips.

These cards must still be purchased and activated at a card distributor (not a top-up vendor) where trips can be loaded onto the cards at the same time as the purchase of the card.

Watch a video below.