SONDA, a leading company in digital transformation in the region, commemorates its 11th anniversary as financial administrator of the mass mobilization system in Panama, which is used by more than a million users of the capital city who travel daily in the MiBus units and the Panama Metro or access the Great Transportation Terminal with the technology of the Panama transportation card.
The Multinational, with a presence in 11 countries in the region, began service in Panama in 2011, continuously contributing its international experience in “Smart Cities” and providing technical and financial management support through the use of a card as a means of payment for the public transport service.
“We are proud of what we have achieved in these 11 years of uninterrupted service for the citizens of Panama, San Miguelito and Colón. We are a company with international experience made up of a team of professionals who make it possible, with a single card and multiple digital and face-to-face recharge options, to connect Panamanians through their trips with MiBus and the Panama Metro, who They have been fundamental allies for the success of our management”, dstake Víctor Betancourt, General Manager of SONDA in Panama.
To the above, the executive adds that, “We will continue to position Panama as a country at the forefront of technological solutions for digital transformation, which is why we will promote our Center of Excellence for the region, where we have created services that add value and optimize the experience of users in Central America.”
11 years of success of the transport card in Panama
As Financial Administrator of the Mass Mobilization System of the Metropolitan Area of Panama, SONDA has been responsible for providing the systems and operations that have allowed the processing of more than 400 million top-ups to Transportation Cards, more than 2,500 million boardings in the MiBus units and trains of the Panama Metro, and more than 700 million balboas collected for the operators of the Integrated Transportation System, according to data at the end of March 2022.
As part of the constant updating of the service, strategic alliances have been established with eight local banks to be able to recharge cards through online banking, mobile banking and a network of stores throughout the Metropolitan Area.. “User habits have evolved since the pandemic, so electronic top-ups have become more important. In recent years, Self-Service Terminals and Digital Channels have become the main means of recharging and our system has facilitated their integration into a large digital ecosystem”, Betancourt mentioned.
Following this line, SONDA has supported various social programs of the Government of Panama, with more than 350 thousand student cards issued and more than 70 thousand special cards for retirees, pensioners, the elderly and people with disabilities, with special rates at the time of making their journeys with the Panama Metro. In addition, the company offers a vision of Transportation 4.0 that is constantly bringing innovations to the service, such as the recent launch of the A2-20 app to locate recharging points and service centers, according to the user’s geolocation and which is available for iOS and Android devices. Likewise, it is important to highlight the Activa Recarga PTY application, where users can activate their electronic recharges with just a “tap” on their NFC-enabled Android phones.
“We remain firm in our commitment to Panama to move forward with a Smart Cities system for transport 4.0, which includes integrated and open payment systems, efficient fleet management solutions, information platforms focused on improving the user experience, energy efficiency , reduction of environmental impact and safety”concludes the executive.
Within the evolution of SONDA’s service, the company will continue to contribute from its proven experience – already a benchmark in the region – so that Panamanians are protagonists of a state-of-the-art transport system.
