Yes, you’ve read it right.
Public transport fees are set to increase on from 28 December 2024.
The fare hike is part of the annual fare review exercise conducted by the Public Transport Council (PTC).
Here’s a summary of what you need to know.
Why There is an Increase
For 2024, fares could go up by 3.3% because of inflation and wage growth in 2023, but energy prices were lower than in 2022. However, since fare increases from previous years were delayed, the total possible fare increase for 2024 is 18.9%.
Yes, 18.9%.
Thankfully, To ease the burden on commuters, only a 6% fare increase was approved, which is less than a third of the 18.9%. The remaining 12.9% of the increase will be looked at in future reviews.
Chairperson Janet Ang emphasized that the PTC will continue to balance keeping transport affordable with ensuring the financial sustainability of the system
So, how much is the increase?
Summary of Changes
Adult commuters paying by fare card will see a 10-cent increase per journey on both buses and trains. This 10-cent hike applies regardless of distance traveled or number of transfers made.
There will be no change in fares for adult commuters who pay by cash. Monthly concession passes for adults will also see no price increase this round, but concession fares (for students, seniors, persons with disabilities, etc.) will increase by 4 cents per journey.
The PTC will extend the student concession validity period to 4 months after the end of the student’s course of study. This applies to students whose concession eligibility ends on or after the fare hike date.
The extension is expected to benefit around 75,000 graduating students annually as they transition between education stages or from school to the workforce.
To get the extension, this year’s graduating cohorts can tap their existing concession card at any MRT/LRT station or bus interchange ticketing machine between 1 October to 31 December 2024.
Support for Low-Income Residents
To help ease the impact of higher fares, the government announced several support measures. These include an extra $250 million in transport subsidies, in addition to over $2 billion in annual subsidies, and $900 million allocated for bus improvements over eight years.
The government is also increasing the value of Public Transport Vouchers (PTVs) for lower-income households from $50 to $60. Additionally, the monthly household income per person criterion for PTV eligibility will be raised from $1,600 to $1,800, benefiting 60,000 more households.
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