Public Transport Council rolls out fare review exercise

Fare changes will be revealed in 1Q15.

The Public Transport Council (PTC) yesterday revealed that it has started its annual fare review exercise.

Public transport operators may submit their applications for fare review to the PTC for consideration by 19 December 2014. The Council’s decision on applications will be announced in the first quarter of 2015.

The PTC noted that there is a need to ensure a good balance between meeting the needs of the commuting public and keeping the public transport system financially sustainable.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew stated that fares should be kept affordable for more vulnerable groups of commuters, such as senior citizens. 

“I hope that the Public Transport Council (PTC) will study if we can insulate vulnerable groups such as senior citizens from a fare increase, or at least mitigate the impact on them. In the same regard, the Ministry of Transport will also study how we can similarly enhance the concession schemes Government introduced for lower-wage workers and persons with disabilities earlier this year,” he noted.

Lui also encouraged the PTC to not raise the prices of travel concession passes that provide lower fares for certain commuters, particularly lower-wage workers, persons with disabilities, and Polytechnic students.