PTC To Reduce Bus & Train Fares By Up To 4 Cents From 27 Dec 2015

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The Public Transport Council (PTC) has concluded the 2015 Fare Review Exercise. Guided by the fare adjustment formula recommended by the Fare Review Mechanism Committee in 2013, the PTC has decided to grant the maximum allowable fare reduction of 1.9%.

Adult card fares will be lowered by 1 to 4 cents, depending on the travel distance. Students and senior citizen concessionary card fares will be reduced by 1 to 2 cents.

The prices of all monthly concession passes and monthly travel passes, as well as cash fares and single trip ticket fares, will remain unchanged.

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1. Public Transport Fares to be Reduced by 1.9% w.e.f. 27 December 2015
2. Public Transport Fare Affordability
3. Impact on Commuters Paying Card Fares
4. Monthly Concession Passes
5. Impact on Commuters Paying Cash Fares and Single Trip Ticket Fares
6. Public Transport Fund
7. Impact on Public Transport Operators

Public Transport Fares to be Reduced by 1.9% w.e.f. 27 December 2015

The Public Transport Council (PTC), in deciding the fare adjustment this year, was guided by the fare adjustment formula which yielded a maximum fare adjustment quantum of -1.9%.

The PTC has decided to effect the fare reduction of 1.9% with the opening of Downtown Line Stage 2 on 27 December 2015.

Public Transport Fare Affordability

To ensure that fares remain affordable, the Fare Review Mechanism Committee (FRMC) recommended that the affordability of public transport fares should be tracked by the PTC in deciding the fare adjustment. Fare affordability is tracked for the second quintile income group households representing the average public transport user, as well as the second decile income group households1.

Public transport fares continue to stay affordable on the back of general increase in wage levels. The indicators for the second quintile income group households and second decile income group households show similar downtrend from 2003 to 2014. In other words, these households have been spending proportionately less of their monthly income on public transport fares in recent years, and thereby making public transport fares more affordable for these groups.

Impact on Commuters Paying Card Fares

For adult commuters, their fares will be reduced by 1 to 4 cents per journey depending on the travel distance. Student and senior citizen concessionary card fares will be lowere by 1 to 2 cents per journey depending on the travel distance.

Eligible Lower-Wage Workers and Persons with Disabilities will also see reduction in their concessionary card fares under the Government-funded concession schemes.

All commuters using fare cards will see a fare reduction in this fare review exercise.

Monthly Concession Passes

The prices of all monthly concession passes and monthly travel passes will remain unchanged.

Impact on Commuters Paying Cash Fares and Single Trip Ticket Fares

There will be no change in cash fares and single trip ticket fares. Today, less than 3% of total daily trips are made using cash or single trip tickets on buses and trains.

Commuters are encouraged to use fare cards to enjoy greater convenience and lower fares.

Public Transport Fund

As fares will be reduced in the 2015 Fare Review Exercise, the public transport operators are not required to contribute to the Public Transport Fund.

Impact on Public Transport Operators

The overall 1.9% fare reduction translates to a fare revenue decrease of about $36.1 million a year for both public transport operators. The decrease in revenue for SBS Transit and SMRT is $15.7 million and $20.4 million, respectively.

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