4/21/2010

A fare cut, a fare cut!

Public transport fare to go down by 2.5%, reported Today. Cheaper transport fare from July 3, reported mypaper. So we have a fare cut, a fare cut, or a fare hike! Which is which? I copied below extract from "Blowin' in the wind" blog for ease of comparison. The Straits Times reports public transport fares will dip by 2.5 per cent from July 3, but savings will vary from commuter to commuter. The fact is fares are going up --- appreciably for longer journeys. While the minimum fare for the first 3.2km on an airconditioned bus is going up by just two cents from 69 cents to 71 cents, commuters will have to pay up to 10 cents more for every kilometre after that. And it is going to make a difference. The longest trip now on an air-conditioned bus with an EZ-link card costs S$1.65 cents, according to the SBS Transit website. The same trip with the same card will cost S$1.94 from July 3, according to the Public Transport Council. So we have a fare cut for some and a fare hike for some. So, shall we call it a fare cut or a fare hike? Beats me really.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Shall we say it(fare adjustments) beats everyone that depends of public transports.

Crafty Lots.

patriot

Anonymous said...

Sorry Folks; my post should read 'Shall we say it(fare adjustments) beats everyone that depends on public transports'.

Crafty Lots.

My apology: patriot

Wally Buffet said...

In this country,every "cut" in this or that has got a hidden mousetrap. Always ask "what's the catch" or you'll be caught in the trap. Ah well, catch or no catch, have to take the bus hor. How come there's no pirate taxis nowadays?

Actually, they want to increase but so paiseh have to sweeten the shock with some double talk. I thought only the Americans and Wall Street were capable of such "finesse".

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

America is our role model. Everything they say and do we will dutifully learn and follow. Never go wrong.

Anonymous said...

EXACTLY...must read the fine prints.

Must give it to those LEEporter of State Times

Anonymous said...

What u expect when the grand old man is against "unnecessary travel" by lesser mortals

http://app.mfa.gov.sg/pr/read_content.asp?View,9332,

"...he is not in favour of subsidising transport 'because then you will have unnecessary travel'."

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

People moving around is like the blood in a human body. When the blood stops moving, the body is about to die. The veins and arteries are like our buses and MRTs. Block them, and kaput the system.

Anonymous said...

The catch is in the details. That is why everything is still so ambiguous. Exactly what are the fare stages and fares pegged to them?

I am not at all impressed by the fare 'cut'. Longer distance bus journeys will definitely be more expensive.

This is just another method to drive everyone to use the MRT.

Anonymous said...

>>When the blood stops moving, the body is about to die..

Hhm..that's explain his frequent overseas trips even at his age :)

Anonymous said...

Saw someone explained it with a straight face on tv, my stomach turned.

Luckily, the Guy is not member of my family and clans, otherwise I will feel too shameful. How can a man who knows he was telling half truth to the world expressed them liked he had no conscience?

Anonymous said...

Election coming for sure.

Even a fare increase is propagated as a fare cut. Ingenious.

Now lets see what are the good news we have so far besides the above.

1)We have a market upgrading for Potong Pasir at last.

2) A billion S$ for upgrading of HDB flats.

3) A long awaited announcement that sleaze in Joo Chiat has been cleaned up.

4) A reluctant admission that foreign workers policy needs to be looked into and tweaked.

I agree that all these are sweeteners before the election. Singaporeans, though sometimes dumb, have learnt to interpret all these with doubtful minds. What comes after the election is what really matters. Gain before the pain?

Anonymous said...

>>Now lets see what are the good news we have so far besides the above.

5)Suggestion of Employers'CPF contribution

and hopefully...

6)PROGRESS PACKAGE????

Anonymous said...

>>5)Suggestion of Employers'CPF contribution

Oops..rate restoration

Anonymous said...

How can it be interpreted as a cut when even the minimum fare is going to be increased by 2 cents. Just not logical argument.

In this country, people like me are getting seriously disorientated, when 'up means down'.

But what can I say or do when they can even do a song and dance to 'upturn the downturn'!

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Not logical? You cannot think like an ordinary man. You must think like demigods and immortals. Then it will be logical.

The immortals can draw a straight line to form a circle. You may think it is impossible. Not in the logic of immortals.

And any commuters who ended pay more, just keep telling yourself that you got a fare cut. After a while you will also believe in what you are believing.

Anonymous said...

Hmmm, the power of positive thinking. Or should I say positive propagating.

Anonymous said...

Only in 'Uniquely Singapore' do you have a transport system where the operators conned the public pay $5 for what is supposed to be a payment instrument. Now they try to tell us transport fares are going to be 'cheaper' when more than 35% of commuters are going to end up paying more, and waste more time commuting, because the greedy transport companies now want to break up 'long routes'?