DOHA: About 8,500 Karwa smart cards have been sold out since Mowasalat introduced the new ticketing system in its public buses about two weeks ago, the company said yesterday.
The cards are currently available in the Al Ghanim Bus Station, 10 kiosks in and out of Doha, and a mobile kiosk operated by the company. Top ups for the cards are sold at 26 partner outlets which include small and medium supermarkets and studios.
The company has also launched special promotions to boost the sales of the cards. While purchasing the cards, the customers also receive a bag full gift-items. Instantly, the activation of their card qualifies them to the weekly raffle of Mowasalat. The raffle draw will last for another three weeks.
Customers who are holding Karwa's Stored-Value FareSaver Cards can have their new Karwa Smartcard free-of-charge. Once they surrender their old stored-value card, the remaining amount will be transferred electronically within a few days to their new Karwa Smartcard.
For such customers, chances are still available for winning Mowasalat's weekly prizes, the 1-Year Unlimited Free Ride Special Karwa Smartcard and the 6-Months Unlimited Free Ride Special Karwa Smartcard.
The manual ticketing system will be phased out, probably in three months, once people are used to the new system, officials said yesterday.
The company will soon add 300 new taxis to its existing fleet of Karwa taxis. It has also started work on establishing bus shelters outside Doha in areas like Al Khor, Al Wakra and Um Salal.
Meanwhile, Mowasalat, which is a member of the International Union of Public Transport for the Middle East and North Africa (UITP MENA) will participate in the UITP's 59th World Congress and Mobility and Transport Exhibition to be held in Dubai from 10 to 14 April next year.
© The Peninsula 2010
