>The Public Transport Council (PTC) has decided to grant an overall net fare adjustment of 0.7 per cent, according to its press statement.
From October 1, 2008, the more you transfer, the more you will save. However, if you usually make a direct journey with no transfers, expect to pay more.
A journey with two transfers can see a reduction of 18 cents, and 29 cents if there are three transfers. This is due to the increment in the transfer rebate for the adult EZ-link fare, which will be raised by 15 cents to 40 cents, up from the current 25 cents. Public transport operators will bear the majority of the transfer rebate increase.
On the other hand, you will pay four cents more if you make a journey with no transfers. A four-cent increment will affect all adult EZ-link fares on buses and trains, including senior citizen concession journeys.
Commuters who take long-distance rides will also have to pay more. A new maximum EZ-link fare-band means such commuters will pay an additional five cents for buses and trains.
Cash-paying commuters will be affected as well. Cash fares are set to increase by 10 cents for adult bus and train rides.
SMRT absorbs rebate cost
SMRT's fare revenue will only increase by a marginal 0.6 per cent even though the Public Transport Council (PTC) has approved an overall net fare adjustment of? 0.7 per cent.
This is due to SMRT bearing two-thirds the cost of increase in transfer rebate, 10 cents out of the 15-cent increase, as the PTC lowers the transfer penalty to make travel more seamless for transfer passengers.
SMRT will also extend senior citizens' concessionary travel hours to include the evening peak hours from 4.30 pm to 7pm.
Low-income families gets help
In the wake of the announced fare increase, the government, together with the public transport operators, SMRT and SBST, have set aside $5.2 million in the form of 130,000 public transport vouchers to help low-income families to cope with the increase in transport fare.
The government will draw $4.75 million from the Public Transport Fund, which was set up in 2007 to provide help to lower-income households on public transport costs.The public transport operators, on their part, have set aside $0.45 million.
The 130,000 public transport vouchers will be delivered to the Citizens' Consultative Committees in late October. They will then distribute the vouchers to needy residents.
