DOI : https://doi.org/10.18517/ijaseit.15.3.20698

Cashless Transit Payments in a Developing City: Yogyakarta’s BRT and Technology Integration

Alfin Aghisna (1), Anita Ratnasari Rakhmatulloh (2), Diah Intan Kusumo Dewi (3), Hadi Wahyono (4)
(1) Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Diponegoro University, Semarang, Indonesia
(2) Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Diponegoro University, Semarang, Indonesia
(3) Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Diponegoro University, Semarang, Indonesia
(4) Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Diponegoro University, Semarang, Indonesia
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[1]
A. Aghisna, A. R. Rakhmatulloh, D. I. K. Dewi, and H. Wahyono, “Cashless Transit Payments in a Developing City: Yogyakarta’s BRT and Technology Integration”, Int. J. Adv. Sci. Eng. Inf. Technol., vol. 15, no. 3, pp. 863–871, Jun. 2025.
Citation Format :
The implementation of cashless payments for public transportation is an essential component of the development of a sustainable and smart urban transportation system. However, developing countries often face challenges in implementing cashless transactions because of limited infrastructure. In Yogyakarta, a city of students and tourists, public transportation users such as Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Trans Jogja still tend to prefer cash payments. This study aimed to determine the acceptance of cashless payment technology to support effective public transportation development policies. Digital wallets, such as QRIS and similar applications, enable direct payments via mobile devices. At the same time, prepaid cards require users to pre-load a specific amount of money, resulting in different user experiences. This study explores the factors influencing cashless payment adoption and the preferences of BRT Trans Jogja users. Using utility function analysis, it also examined how socioeconomic characteristics affect travel frequency. The results show that safety and efficiency play a dominant role in increasing Trans Jogja use, while educational efforts and making cashless systems more attractive are needed, especially for younger and less educated users. Perceptions of transaction speed are consistently the most influential factor, highlighting the need to enhance Trans Jogja usage. Improving digital literacy, offering incentives like discounts or loyalty programs, and enhancing infrastructure stability are key to expanding cashless adoption and making the system more accessible to all users. This study provides a foundation for future research on payment strategies, integration with other transportation modes, and ways to enhance the attractiveness of cashless systems.

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