New bus transport "wallet" will reward regular passengers

Balearic transport minister Marc Pons said on Monday that the new scheme is due to be introduced for the whole network in early January. A new fare structure will allow the Intermodal wallet to be used on the whole bus network, while passengers will no longer be linked to subscriptions for 20 or 40 TIB journeys. It will only be necessary to have a minimum balance of five euros and a maximum of 50 euros, and the journey will be validated when getting on or off buses.

The new tariff system will initially apply, as of this coming Sunday, to three TIB routes: Palma to Bunyola; the Joan March Hospital to Galilea; and Portol to Marratxi station. This will help to see how passengers adapt, there having been a pilot test in July for the Palma to Sant Agusti route.

Passengers will be able to recharge the card at the 119 access turnstiles at railway stations and at the 63 ticket vending machines. The new system is costing 6.4 million euros, with 50% of this coming from the European Regional Development Fund.

Pons added that all the new bus network concessions will be in operation in January. These concessions, awarded at a cost of 480 million euros for ten years (extendable by five), will mean more routes and greater frequency. The vehicle fleet is being renewed, with 198 buses being powered by natural gas and eighteen being electric.