The Land Transport Authority has urged all bus operators and drivers to refrain from making any cash transactions other than whilst handling disposable cards.

LTA’s CEO, Carmine Piantedosi says LTA has received reports that bus drivers are taking cash.

He says under the law, bus drivers that take cash will be charged.

Piantedosi says they are monitoring the situation on the ground and drivers are only meant to accept cash when selling a temporary card or disposable card.

A woman from Koronivia has told Fijivillage that a driver took money from a passenger instead of selling him a disposable card.

The woman had boarded the bus at the Nausori Town Bus Terminal and the driver was not in the bus so they had to pay their fares when getting off the bus.

The woman says she was seated behind the bus driver and saw the man pay his bus fare and get off the bus in Koronivia.

Piantedosi says over the last week, LTA has only received a small number of similar complaints regarding the taking of cash.

He says each case has been investigated by LTA.

Piantedosi adds that if people have complaints about any issue regarding e-ticketing service with regards to the bus operators or drivers, they are encouraged to call LTA and also call the toll free line 151.