Cali has just taken a step that places it on the map of pioneer cities in intelligent mobility in Latin America, after it was announced that from next week, mine users can pay their tickets not only with the traditional system card, but also with visa and mastercard cards, whether physical or digital.
This includes the use of cell phones and smart watches with no contact technology, which expands the alternatives and modernizes the experience of passengers; thus becoming the first city in Colombia to implement an open circuit model for public transport, which means that it will not be necessary to have an exclusive means of the system to access it.
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With this innovation, Cali connects to international payment networks and adds to a select group of cities that have integrated their transport with global financial means.
A commitment to modernization
The initiative was possible thanks to the Temporary Collection and Technology Union (UTRYT), in alliance with Metro Cali and with the support of Credibanco, Visa and Mastercard; signatures that highlighted that for its implementation, it was necessary to replace All the validators of the system, which now have more intelligent and versatile technology.
This system seeks to promote access to public transport of the caleños.
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“These equipment work both online and offline, guaranteeing the agility of transactions at peak hours and reducing the congestion into recharge points. We are transforming the way to mobilize in Cali and delivering more autonomy to users when paying,” said Arturo Villarreal Navarro, legal representative of the UTRYT.
For his part, the mayor of the city, Alejandro Eder, stressed that this progress represents A tangible contribution to the recovery of Cal, highlighting that “this step modernizes transportation, improves the experience of users and demonstrates that the city is ready to innovate with the support of the main payment networks of the world.”
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It should be noted that the new payment scheme uses the same contactless technology that today operates in shops around the world. These are EMV standards, internationally recognized for their ability to guarantee safe transactions.
In the words of Federico Martínez, Mastercard manager in Colombia, “this innovation promotes financial inclusion, because it brings more Citizens to the benefits of the digital payment system and facilitates the day to day in urban mobility. ”
This system seeks to promote access to public transport of the caleños.
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Along the same lines, Adriana Cárdenas, visa manager for the Andean region, stressed that “transport is a key entrance door for more people to become familiar with digital payments. Cali becomes a reference and we hope that more cities will follow this path.”
Beyond a passage
Since the spokesmen of mine, they stressed that this change not only seeks to make it easier The public transport payment process, but also aims to expand financial inclusion in the city, since in Colombia, there is still an important part of the population that does not access formal banking products, and mass public transport becomes an ideal space to bring them closer to the financial system.
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For Felipe Acevedo, president of Credibanco, the entry of this model is a “milestone in the massification of the use of digital means by transport, which reduces friction in mobility and strengthens confidence in electronic transactions”.
Finally, it must be said that Cali’s commitment also connects with a regional trend, in which countries such as Chile, Mexico and Brazil had already advanced in the integration of digital payments in their public transport, and organizations such as ECLAC and IDB have highlighted the importance of these Initiatives to improve urban efficiency and reduce administrative costs.
This system seeks to promote access to public transport of the caleños.
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Now, with the implementation of the model in mine, Colombia enters that conversation and is positioned as an example for other cities that seek to improve their transport systems and promote banking.
Daniel Hernández Naranjo
Portfolio journalist
