Last time got this news already, just a reminder,
tomorrow is the first day implementing...
So those early bird TD, don't be surprise a sudden drop
on pax before 0745am...
A YEAR-LONG trial offering free travel before peak hours will not
apply to students and national servicemen who buy monthly
concession passes, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA).
Holders of such passes can make up to four train trips a day and
will not be able to make an additional “free” trip beyond the four
under the scheme, said an LTA spokesman.
The trial, which begins on Monday, allows commuters to travel for
free if they exit from 16 stations in the city before 7.45am on
weekdays, said the LTA in a statement yesterday to explain the
details. Passengers who get off at those stations between 7.45am
and 8am will get a 50-cent discount on their fare.
To travel, they have to use their stored-value ez-link cards.
An LTA spokesman said under the train concession scheme,
card-holders would have paid $45 to $50 a month to cap their
monthly travel expenditure.
She said: “There is no easy way to extend the scheme to
(concession) holders and it would entail complex changes to the
scheme and the fare system.”
Those on concession passes would have to decide if it is more
worthwhile to buy a stored-value card instead to enjoy the pre-peak
free rides or discounts, she added.
The free travel trial is funded by the Government as part of its
efforts to ease morning peak hour crowding on trains.
Currently, there are about 59,000 passengers exiting the 16
stations between 8.30am and 9am, 29,500 from 7.45am to 8.15am, and
about 18,000 in the half hour before 7.45am.
Asked if commuters would still be eligible for free travel if a
train delay caused them to leave a station after 7.45am, the LTA
spokesman said eligibility will have to depend on the exit time to
keep the scheme simple.
She said it would be difficult to assess a waiver under a wide
variety of scenarios and advised commuters to plan their journeys
and travel earlier.
She said: “In fairness to all commuters, everyone will need to
abide by the cut-off time.”
Those who start their journeys from any of the 16 stations will not
get the free or discounted train rides.
The LTA spokesman said the trial aims to reduce the demand for
morning peak hour travel along the most crowded stretches of the
network, largely starting from outside the city and going towards
it.
Lawyer Kenneth Chow, 42, plans to use the free rides two or three
times a week.
He said: “The train won’t be so crowded. I might go to the gym,
since I have a gym membership.”