- even try pushing for a upward change). I doubt they will be willing to lower the fares themselves.
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“By making travel affordable,
this will stimulate travel and, in turn, economic activity,” said
Professor Fan, who also suggested a fixed-price pass — available in
some European cities — that would spur commuters to make multiple trips
within a short time frame.
Can PTC call for further reduction?
While both operators have decided not to apply for fare adjustments, the PTC will, nonetheless, still convene later this year.
Mr Ee said it would have to
eliminate the “transfer penalty” as part of a move towards
distance-based throughfares – where commuters pay just for the distance
travelled, able to choose the fastest way to get to their destination
without the extra charge of changing between services.
During the fare revision
exercise last year, the penalty was partially eliminated when the
transfer rebate was increased from 25 cents to 40 cents. In all,
although fares went up by 4 cents, due to the higher rebates 4 in 10
commuters actually ended up paying the same as before, or even less.
Would the PTC intervene to
require operators to cut fares further, should economic conditions
worsen? Mr Ee said it was “still premature” to say.
Member of Parliament Ong Kian
Min – who chaired the committee on the fare review mechanism in 2005 –
noted that the PTC has the flexibility to vary any annual fare
adjustment or to reject it in “extenuating circumstances”, such as
adverse economic conditions.
“What PTC has done now is to
not wait for the usual fare adjustment cycle which would take months,
but move towards an interim measure,” said Mr Ong.
For now, the PTC will be
keeping a close eye on commuters’ behaviour and feedback. “We will have
to monitor each month as it unfolds,” said Mr Ee. “Right now, it is a
pleasant surprise that operators have decided to share the savings, and
we take this chapter first."