LAHORE - The Speedo Bus Service has failed to attract passengers even after months of its start in the city due to complex e-ticketing system.

Around 200 buses ply on some 14 routes but mostly of them can be seen empty at different locations. The reason, according to some officials and daily commuters, is the electronic ticketing system. The buses - fully furnished and air-conditioned – were introduced with a public private partnership.

At a time when every rickshaw, mini bus and coaches and other public transport are seemed packed with passengers, commuters unaware how to utilize this facility. The service offers similar ease and accessibility to the Metro Bus service, operating within a 500 metre radius to connect the 27-km Metro bus route to the rest of Lahore.

The government had claimed that Speedo will change the transport culture of Lahore and facilitate large number of commuters. However, against the government estimates and claims that a huge amount of travellers will benefit from the service during busy hours, the service has badly failed to receive public response which put a question mark on success of the around Rs2 billion project.

“The authorities were supposed to start a full-fledged awareness campaign before launching this service. We don’t know from where to make the card and how to use it,” said Sharafat Ali, a daily commuter, from RA Bazar to Chungi Amarsiddhu.

“I got a card from a Punjab University shop but it did not work when I tried a bus. Then I revisited the shop and exchanged it with other card,” said Shafique Bhatti, another commuter. The Speedo ply at 14 routes (129-km in route length) with buses arriving every 10 minutes. The fare collection system is automatic and the buses equipped with Bus Scheduling System. The service operates from 6am to 11pm.Commuters suggest the authorities to allow every passenger to use the bus until the people at large get awareness about the system.