General
This card was introduced in june 1994 as an alternative to the more expensive debit card. It could be used to make payments in shops in the Dutch town of Asten. Some shops used the card for loyalty schemes. From october 1995 the card could be used to pay bus fares in the Asten region. Users had to apply for this function before being able to use it.
The goal of the Primeur Card was to create a multifunctional card which could replace the existing systems. As this goal was reached, the trial ended in january 1997.
Download the Primeur Card leaflet. [pdf, opens in a new window]
Usage
Wayfarer equipment was installed in 18 buses. The passenger received a paper ticket with the text "Hermes", which was the name of the bus company.
When using the Primeur Card for the first time 150 guilders was deducted from the customer's bank account. When the amount of money on the card wasn't sufficient for a payment another 150 guilders was transferred to the card.
Research
Research showed that most passengers found the Primeur Card more convienent than the strip ticket. Some passengers even indicated that they traveled more by bus thanks to the Primeur Card.
| numbers | |
|---|---|
| cards issued | 500 |
| cards used | 400 |
| card holders who applied for bus functionality | 126 |
| card holders who used the Primeur Card on the bus | 90 |
| card holders who used the Primeur Card more than 20 times on the bus | 35 |