THE hundreds of drivers who are plagued every month by CashCard problems will soon find some relief.
From next week, motorists who have been fined because their wonky cards and in-vehicle units (IU) were not detected by Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) gantries can get the penalties waived in a single stop.
The scheme, which debuts on Wednesday, will let bedevilled motorists head to Land Transport Authority (LTA) authorised mechanics for a quick inspection.
If their gear is faulty, the fines disappear and they will be given new CashCards or IUs, said the LTA and CashCard issuer Network for Electronic Transfers (Nets).
Every month, 250 to 300 drivers face 'compatibility problems between the IU and CashCards', said the LTA. In the past two weeks, several readers had contacted The Straits Times to complain about such hitches.
Previously, motorists faced a time-consuming challenge to get the fines expunged.
They had to get waivers from the LTA office, head to a mechanic to have their CashCard or IUs tested and finally go to a customer service centre run by Nets for a new card.
Drivers welcomed the new plan, but said it does not do away with the faulty CashCard problem.
'This one-stop solution is only temporary as I still have to go to the centres to nip my CashCard problems,' said Mr Eugene Tay, a 29-year-old business owner.
'When will they get to the root of it and stop the errors for real?'
In a joint press release, LTA and Nets said they are 'investigating the cause of these incidents'.
Many drivers have blamed the faults on the CashCard material, which they say is too weak. Some say the cards develop ridges over time, making them harder for IUs to read.
A list of authorised LTA vehicle inspection centres can be found at www.onemotoring.com.sg. Motorists wanting cash refunds from the CashCards will still need to get them at the banks.
