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31 Dec 2018  (300 Views) 
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Ministry of Transport


Reduce fares for short tips
I am familiar with the integrated fare structure for public transport. It is displayed at the bus stops. I have seen the fare table many times. I have been taking public transport for over two years.

I am also familiar with the concept of transfer from one service to another. The passenger pays the difference in fare.

I do not agree with the steep fare charged for short distances. I share the fare table below.




My complaint is the steep charge for short distance. An adult has to pay 83 cents just to ride for one stop. Yes, this fare applies for 3.2 km (about 8 stops) but why charge so much for just 1, 2 or 3 stops?

I like to see the fares being "fairer", i.e. lower, for short trips.

The steep fare for short trips work to the disadvantage of MRT services. Many people take a bus to the nearby train station. They fare for the first leg is quite high, i.e. 83 cents.

The fare for the second leg is penalized. So, the MRT gets less revenue, because the bulk of the fare is taken by the first leg. No wonder, our MRT services are operating at a loss.

I do not understand the rationale for this fare structure. I accept that the fare for short trips should be steeper (per km) that for long trips, but it does not have to be so steep.

I know that eventually, all the fares will go to the govt agency and that the bus or train operators will get the awarded charges that they tendered for the operation. This will take some time to come into operation. But it still does not justify the steep fare for short trips.

Some people think that I am not familiar with the fare structure or the transfer system. They even criticized me for being ignorant.

These people should be more circumspect. They should show respect for other people. By being rude, it only shows their own shallowness and arrogance.

They know the fare structure, but do they apply critical thinking and question the structure? Is it correct to have such a steep structure? Should the short trip passengers pay a larger share of the cost to subsidize the long trip passengers?

I have a senior citizen card which allows me to travel at a discount. The figures that I quoted in previous postings are for senior citizens. The same feature still applies to adult travelers who pay the full fare.

In case some people, who likes to support the current structure, want me to justify a lower fare for short trips, I like to ask them to justify the current fare for short trips first. I do not think that the actual cost justify such a steep fare structure.

I like to see the fare structure being changed to give lower fares for short trips, while maintaining the same fare for long trips. It will not affect the fares payable for long trips.

Tan Kin Lian


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