Fare Increase in Disguise

[Goh Meng Seng]

New Distance Fare System is Fare Hikes in Disguise

We are greatly disappointed by the new fare system that the PTC intended to implement on 3rd July 2010. Our recent research on SMRT as well as LTA Public Transport websites shows that almost all the MRT fares that we have checked from different lines have increased quite substantially.

Please refer to the following table for our findings: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_97gTacH4hNg/TCzcwSyXXmI/AAAAAAAAAb8/r_y80MiZrEk/s1600/mrt+fare+compare.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 144px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_97gTacH4hNg/TCzcwSyXXmI/AAAAAAAAAb8/r_y80MiZrEk/s400/mrt+fare+compare.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489004768092708450" /></a>








We are not able to do a complete table on the various fare comparisons for all possible rides but from our sample findings, it shows that fare increase resulted from the new Distance Fare system ranges from 3.75% to more than 7%.

The PTC has not made such straight forward indications when they try to convince Singaporeans that most of them will enjoy lower fares for their daily travels on public transport. The PTC should stop misleading Singaporeans with its assertion that most Singaporeans would benefit from this new fare system. PTC should be more truthful upfront by publishing the whole matrix of comparisons between fares for MRT rides between all possible combinations.

Any fare increase more than 2% in such simple straight forward MRT rides is totally unacceptable as wage increase for many of the lower wage earners who utilize public transport most do not have much increment on their wages.

Many Singaporeans rely on MRT for their travelling needs and there is little alternative to MRT rides without wasting great amount of time in interchanging between buses and being trapped in traffic jams. Such enormous outrageous hike in fares is totally unacceptable for a monopoly like SMRT.

On the other hand, it is impractical to expect bus commuters to waste time changing buses during peak hours just to “enjoy” any lower fares. Such “lower fares” may only be lower in comparison with the new long haul trunk services.

We believe that even with such “lower fares”, it will still be higher than the old fares for long haul rides. PTC should present to Singaporeans the comparison between NEW and OLD fare structures for some main trunk services.

We strongly condemn PTC for its attempt to implement such a fare system which is in fact an outrageous hike in fare in disguise.

Goh Meng Seng
Secretary General of the 13th CEC

 

[RonRon]

Oh no..GMS is going to embarrass himself again..shake head:o

 

[MIWIBDogRonRon]

Oh no..GMS is going to embarrass himself again..shake head:o

shake head? go shake ur lanjiao lah..pappy IB dog don't come here and embarrass ur master lah..

 

[Ramseth]

Goh Meng Seng
Secretary General of the 13th CEC

What kind of title sign-off is that? NSP has 13 coups since founding? Adolf Hitler of the 3rd Reich or Charles de Gaulle of the 5th Republic? I recommend you use this better:

Goh Meng Seng
Secretary-General NSP XIII

 

[Microsoft]

I m seriously 6king for alternatives such as dis...

Oni thing holding me bk ish finding a safe route so tat i dun get run down by a bus on day 3 leaving my aged parent n children 2 eat grass...

 

[Goh Meng Seng]

Oh no..GMS is going to embarrass himself again..shake head:o

Ron Ron, maybe you want to read the Zaobao report properly...

明起实施按车程收费新制度
车资增减要看 个人乘车习惯

（2010-07-02）
早报导读
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[中国罢工潮] 中国10省市上调最低工资

● 赵琬仪 报道

　　我国公共交通从明天开始将实施车资按车程收费的新制度，乘客在转车时将无需支付“转车费”，可转车的次数也从现在的三次增加到五次。

　　虽然按照车资计算方程式，未来一年的整体车资将下降2.5%，但这并不意味着多数乘客会支付比过去一年更低的车资。因为本地两大交通业者与乘客分享在财政预算案中所节省的成本，给予巴士与地铁车资3%优惠，这项为期15个月的优惠期将在今天结束。

　　有鉴于这一加一减的调整，个人的车资到底是增还是减，主要是看个人每个星期的乘车习惯，而不是根据个别一趟车程来计算。

　　据公共交通理事会，在新车资制度下，63%的乘客每星期能节省0.48元，而34%乘客的车资每星期则增加0.31元。

　　习惯一趟到底，或搭乘车程较长、中途不转车的乘客，如果不改变乘搭公车习惯，他们会发现车费增加了。乐龄人士最初接触公车主要是以巴士服务为主，后来有了地铁，但好些人仍习惯一趟车程从起点到目的地，中途不转车。他们当中有不少便对新车资制度有意见。

　　64岁的陈广荣受访时说：“我习惯乘车直接抵达目的地，不喜欢转车。”上个星期陆交局在文礼转换站举行按车程计算车资展览，他连续两天到场向解说员了解他的车资在新制度下到底是涨了还是减少。

　　他发现，就单程计算，从文礼搭乘地铁到后港，乐龄人士现在享有优惠车资0.71元，明天开始实施新制度后，车资增加到1.05元。从文礼搭乘地铁到樟宜机场，车资将从0.68 元增加到0.86元。

　　针对一些乐龄人士对新车资制度的困扰，公共交通理事会主席余福金受访时指出，乐龄人士和其他缴付成人车资的乘客一样，今后在转车时不多付转车费。与此同时，他们继续在平日早上9时后及周末全日享有优惠，即25%的成人车资折扣。乘搭远程的乐龄人士和学生一样，享有最高收费以7.2公里为顶限，超过7.2公里一概不必再多付钱。据2008年的数据，公共交通平均车程为9.7公里。

　　透过这些优惠，10 个乐龄人士当中有7人明天起每个星期的车费会比之前少。

缴付成人车费的乘客在比较新车资时，须先将公共交通业者给予3%车资优惠填补回去，然后再计算2.5%的回扣。这并不是简单明了的数学题。

　　余福金指出，车资制度改变后，要比较就应该往前看而不是拘泥于新旧制度的差异。

　　新车资结构取消了转车费，重新分配不同乘客之间的成本，并按照车程计算车资，纠正了过去车资结构令即使乘搭同样距离的路程，有转车的乘客费用比较高的偏差。

　　本地交通网络的连接性近年来不断地扩展、加强。人们的乘车习惯会随着交通网络的扩展而调整。目前，每三名乘客当中有两人付更少车资，一人付费更多是暂时情况。

　　在环线通车之前，公共交通理事会发布的数据是10人当中只有4人转车，而今年发布的数据则是10人当中将有6人在新车资制度下受惠。余福金认为，过去一年地铁环线车站陆续通车促使一些乘客调整车程，说明了交通网络扩大的效应。

　　尽管下来一年整体车资将下调2.5%，低收入家庭仍可向社理会和社区关怀基金申请援助。

 

[BusNo64]

aiya, they oredi increase start fare from 69 cts to 71 cts, furthermore they veri smart, now fare accordign to distance, so they can change route of the bus to travel further, so u pay more while going for longer bus ride without they increasing fare...smart right?

 

[BusNo64]

Ron Ron, maybe you want to read the Zaobao report properly...

aiya, dat lanjiao ron know lah, he is just stalking u here...

btw, any good health centre in tampines? me looking for one since my last favourite joint got raided..:o

 

[Glaringly]

I suggest for all those who took public transport, please contribute to this thread.

1. State your old fare and new fare ( no change in route ), and tell use the precise route.
2. If you take advantage of the transfer, tell us whether you pay less or more and any gain in time or loss.

I am skeptical of PTC conclusion that more will gain from this change?

 

[Goh Meng Seng]

I suggest for all those who took public transport, please contribute to this thread.

1. State your old fare and new fare ( no change in route ), and tell use the precise route.
2. If you take advantage of the transfer, tell us whether you pay less or more and any gain in time or loss.

I am skeptical of PTC conclusion that more will gain from this change?

That Mr. Ee has given it away! How could majority of people enjoy better fare when the overall fare (collected) decrease is just 2.5%? And he subtly says that oh, we cannot compare new fare to old fare.... You decide for yourself what he is actually trying to say...

Goh Meng Seng

 

[Unrepented]

Passengers who chose to take MRT intend to travel long distances.

But sinkies only care about the impact on their own pockets with myopic views, but not whether the principle or rationale are correct, and how it will impact in the long term.

Either they dont know, dont bother to find out, dont care.

 

[RonRon]

A GS taking on ikan billis issue at manager level..sigh..

扶不起的阿斗...

 

[cass888]

Meng Seng

I am very disappointed in you. I thought such deception, disinformation and propaganda is only befitting the MONGREL who bit his masters' hands LOUDHAILER chee soon juan!

Your table presupposes that most of Singaporeans only have to travel from one MRT station to another. This is usually not the case, as most will have to take a bus to the MRT station and possibly another one from the MRT station. These people will save money from the new fares.

For your information, the lower income people are less likely to be living near the MRT stations as those flats will be more expensive.

You should learn a thing or two from your ex-boss, Mr Low. Do your research before hitting out.

New Distance Fare System is Fare Hikes in Disguise

 

[Unrepented]

Yeah, some millonaire ministars talk about lokang and dont yet dont make sense.

A GS taking on ikan billis issue at manager level..sigh..

扶不起的阿斗...

 

[cass888]

What kind of title sign-off is that? NSP has 13 coups since founding? Adolf Hitler of the 3rd Reich or Charles de Gaulle of the 5th Republic? I recommend you use this better:

Goh Meng Seng
Secretary-General NSP XIII

In fairness to GMS, it means that this is the 13th CEC to be elected. Even if an identical CEC is elected at the next elections, it will become the 14th CEC.

 

[Ramseth]

A GS taking on ikan billis issue at manager level..sigh..

扶不起的阿斗...

Ironically, this applies better to Lee Hsien Loong. Goh Meng Seng is no rich man's son or powerful man's son. There's nothing to 扶 with him. He may hit or he may miss, that's all. It's L.H.L. who needs SM and MM to 扶。

 

[MIWIBDogRonRon]

A GS taking on ikan billis issue at manager level..sigh..

even ikan billis issue like flooding also cannot handle, take million $ salary for wat?

 

[saratogas]

TS should know after staying in Sinkapore for so long, where got prices come down one? Only my salary can come down, the rest expenses all keeps going up.

LTA only promise that this New way of Charging-Distance Based Fare System, benefit those who does Transfering, remove Transfer Penalty. No Discount, No Sales and No Extras.

Want cheaper transportation - Vote a new Government. Public Transport company is to first, make profit for their investors! The rest... got extra $$$ then say.

 

[cass888]

Want cheaper transportation - Vote a new Government. Public Transport company is to first, make profit for their investors! The rest... got extra $$$ then say.

Yeah, right. Vote in the likes of the MONGREL who bit his masters' hands LOUDHAILER chee soon juan who will bankrupt the country.

 

[Goh Meng Seng]

Dear Cass,

If each and every rides are increased in fare, tell me how do you end up paying lesser than previously?

Yeah, they say, you can keep changing bus or trains.. BUT look, if I live in Tampines and work in City Hall, why should I keep changing buses or trains to waste my time during peak hours just to get "lower" fare? No.. that is NOT "Lower Fare" at all, it may be lower than the new direct fare but NOT Necessarily lower to the old fare.

Goh Meng Seng

Meng Seng

I am very disappointed in you. I thought such deception, disinformation and propaganda is only befitting the MONGREL who bit his masters' hands LOUDHAILER chee soon juan!

Your table presupposes that most of Singaporeans only have to travel from one MRT station to another. This is usually not the case, as most will have to take a bus to the MRT station and possibly another one from the MRT station. These people will save money from the new fares.

For your information, the lower income people are less likely to be living near the MRT stations as those flats will be more expensive.

You should learn a thing or two from your ex-boss, Mr Low. Do your research before hitting out.