MTCC partners with BML to enable Visa and Mastercard payments for RTL bus

Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) and Bank of Maldives (BML) have partnered to enable Visa and Mastercard payments for the Raajje Transport Link (RTL) bus service in Male’ City.

The wireless payment method was launched Tuesday.

Passengers using the RTL Male’ city bus networks can now use any contactless Mastercard and Visa card including those issued by BML, for fare payments on the ticket validators.

Additional payment methods:

• Cash payment (paper ticket)
• Online payment (QR ticket)
• Tap-to-pay (card payment)

MTCC states that while card payments are currently available for RTL bus service in Male’, the company plans on expanding the service to other cities and islands in the future.

Speaking at the ceremony held to inaugurate the service Tuesday, MTCC’s managing director Adam Azim noted the service had been much-awaited by customers.

"We are grateful to our partners BML and Mastercard for the immense support and assistance provided in the integration of contactless Mastercard and Visa debit and credit card payments into our RTL bus service. This is an essential step for us in making our service more easily accessible and convenient to the public. We believe the option to use this contactless payment method will be a major factor in helping even more people adopt our RTL bus service. Our aim is to provide an excellent service that is enriched with a wide array of convenient options, thereby enhancing our customer experience,” he said.

BML’s CEO Karl Stumke said the bank will continue to collaborate with its partners to introduce additional payment methods.

“Our more than 300,000 customers can now use their BML debit or credit cards to make tap-and-go payments easily and securely on the RTL network. We will also continue to collaborate with our partners to introduce additional payment methods. Our aim is to invest in providing innovative solutions that provide a seamless experience for everyone,” he said.

Sandun Hapugoda, Mastercard’s Country Manager, Sri Lanka and Maldives, said the company was delighted to partner with MTCC and honored to contribute towards MTCC’s vision to deliver world-class solutions to the people of Maldives.

“With open loop acceptance for contactless enabled Mastercards, commuters will be able to enjoy a frictionless experience, all while directly impacting the growth of digital payment adoption. Mastercard has been working towards simplifying daily commuting in many cities around the globe and we are proud to bring this wealth of experience to upgrade Maldives transit. As open loop becomes the most widely adopted payment method across smart cities worldwide, we are proud of our efforts which led to the Maldives being a part of this list,” he said.