The Consumer Council of Fiji has called for immediate action from Vodafone Fiji and other stakeholders involved in the administration of the e-ticketing system.
CEO Seeman Shandil said consumers were struggling with a system that was supposed to make lives easier.
Ms Shandil said the discontinuation of disposable cards had left many consumers without a back-up option during emergencies, and commuters have reported being left behind when bus drivers refuse to accept other form of payment during system outages.
She questioned the reliability of the e-transport system that was first rolled out in 2017.
“Consumers are struggling with a system that was supposed to make their lives easier,” Ms Shandil said.
“While we fully support the growing digital economy and our collective move towards a cashless society, we cannot ignore the challenges faced by ordinary people in accessing this basic service.
“When the system fails, it doesn’t just inconvenience people, it disrupts livelihoods.
“What alternatives are commuters supposed to rely on when the system fails?”
She also raised concerns about the disproportionate impact the system had on elderly passengers and rural communities.
“This is not the first-time concerns about e-ticketing have been raised, however, the council now considers the situation urgent and unacceptable and is calling for a national review of the system’s effectiveness and fairness,” she added.
“While the council understands Vodafone has launched an app and has taken steps to rectify some of the issues, it must communicate these actions more clearly, consider the real challenges people are facing, and work towards practical, people-centred solutions.
“The future of transport must be inclusive, accessible, and consumer centred, and we are calling on service providers to listen to the people who rely on these services daily and take decisive steps to fix what is broken.”
