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COME next Monday, prepare to fork out as much as 49 per cent more for a cab ride, now that ComfortDelgro, Singapore's biggest player, has unveiled its 'overhaul' of the current taxi fare structure. This follows what it says was an 'in-depth review' of the taxi industry to address commuters' concerns, simplify the fare structure and encourage call bookings 'to better match the demand and supply of taxis'. City Area Surcharge - Up First, to incentivise more cabbies to ply the Central Business District during peak hours, the city area surcharge, which is now $1, will be raised to $3 between 5pm and midnight from Mondays to Saturdays. The lack of taxis in the city at the end of office hours on weekday evenings is a frequent complaint from passengers, the company noted. For drivers who are afraid of paying Electronic Road Pricing charges to enter the city and risk not getting a passenger, ComfortDelgro says it will even pay an 'ERP rebate' to cabbies who cannot land a passenger within 15 minutes of entering an ERP zone. Late Night Surcharge - Up The late night surcharge between 12am and 5:59am daily will be revised back to 50 per cent of the metred fare - instead of the staggered 10 to 50 per cent surcharges now in effect. Will this revive the old problem of 'disappearing taxis' between 11pm to midnight? The company says no, 'given that the City Area Surcharge will be in force right till midnight, giving little reason for taxi drivers in the city to 'hide'.' Peak Period Surcharge - Up Instead of the standard $2 peak period surcharge now in effect between 7am and 9.30am on weekdays and 5pm to 8pm from Mondays to Saturdays, passengers will have to pay an added 35 per cent of their metered fare during those hours. A detailed breakdown of this extra 'premium fare' will be shown on each receipt 'to ensure transparency', the company says. Flag down, distance rate, waiting time - Changed As hinted earlier, the flag down fare will be raised by 30 cents from $2.50 to $2.80 for the first kilometre. But the distance rate and waiting time will also be adjusted to 'more accurately reflect the cost of travel', it added. So instead of upping fares by 10 cents for each set distance or waiitng time, this will soon go up by 20 cents each time. Specifically, every 385 metres for the second to 10th kilometres, and every 330 metres above 10 kilometres. The waiting time will also be raised from the current 10 cents for every 25 seconds to 20 cents for every 45 seconds. Call Booking Fee - Down Bucking the trend of the increases, call booking fees will be cut from $4 to $3.50 during prime time hours, which are 7am to 9.30am and 5pm to 11pm on weekdays. It stays at $2.50 for all other times. 10 to 49 per cent more in overall fares Under the new pricing structure, ComfortDelgro says, the bulk of its passengers who travel during off-peak hours will pay 10 per cent more in fares. All other passengers will be expected to pay between 18 per cent and 49 per cent more. The biggest jump in fares will affect those who take cabs out of the city from Mondays to Thursdays, between 8pm and midnight. Instead of $7.65 currently for an average 9km trip, they'll have to fork out $11.40. With all these changes factored in, ComfortDelgro explained, peak-hour cab fares in Singapore are about the same as Hong Kong's but still only half that of Sydney's. Local fares are also only about a quarter of London's. 'Better match supply and demand' Refering specifically to the current difficulty of getting cabs in the city during peak hours, ComfortDelgro's CEO (Taxi Business), Mr Yang Ban Seng, said: 'We think this fare revamp will better match supply and demand of taxis. Our aim is to try and ensure that more taxis will go to areas where they are needed most and at the times they are wanted most.' Mr Nah Tua Bah, president of the Comfort Taxi Operators' Association, added: "The higher city area surcharge will act an an incentive for drivers to make that trip back into town." Welcoming the increases, a joint statement by six taxi operators' associations called the latest fare adjustments 'fair and timely'. The associations said cab fares should 'reflect the operating cost of the taxi business' and that the primary consideration should be the 'income stability' of drivers. The group urged other taxi companies to follow ComfortDelgro's lead and also adjust their fares 'as soon as possible'. Summary of Fare Adjustments Basic Fare Current Revised Flag Down: $2.50 for 1st km* 1km to 10km: $0.1 for every 210m Above 10km: $0.1 for every 175m Waiting time: $0.1 for every 25sec Flag Down: $2.80 for 1st km* 1km to 10km: $0.2 for every 385m Above 10km: $0.2 for every 330m Waiting time: $0.2 for every 45sec Peak Period Premium $2 flat rate Mon-Fri, 7:00am-9:30am Mon-Sat, 5:00pm-8:00pm (not applicable on Public Holidays) 35% of metered fare Mon-Fri, 7:00am-9:30am Mon-Sat, 5:00pm-8:00pm (not applicable on Public Holidays) City Area Surcharge $1 Mon-Thu, 5pm-8pm Fri & Sat, 5pm-11:30pm $3 Mon-Sat, 5pm-midnight Late Night Surcharge 11:30pm-11:44pm 10% 11:45pm-11:59pm 20% 12:00am-12:59am 35% 01:00am-05:59am 50% Midnight-05:59am 50% of metered fare Current Booking Fee Prime Time: $4 Mon-Fri 7:00am-9:30am 5:00pm-11:00pm Non-Prime Time : $2.50 All other times including Sat, Sun & Public Holiday Prime Time: $3.50 Mon-Fri 7:00am-9:30am 5:00pm-11:00pm Non-Prime Time : $2.50 All other times including Sat, Sun & Public Holiday * For Toyota Crowns and Nissan Cedrics

Hi guys. Wanted to ask, what are the usual air fares for long distance travels for children? To Europe for example? When i take budget airlines (to perth and thailand) so far, the fares are usually discounted. Was looking at the SQ promo to UK today, unfortunately air fares for kids are not discounted. Full fares. Was wondering if this is standard practice in longer flights? Both my kids are above 2 and so will occupy a full seat.

4.6% REDUCTION IN BUS & TRAIN FARES FROM 1 APRIL 2009

Here we go again & the spin doctors are hard at it doing window dressing; http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/from-april-a-2-8-hike-in/1605426.html SINGAPORE: There will be an overall increase of 2.8 per cent to public transport fares following the conclusion of the 2014 Fare Review Exercise, the Public Transport Council (PTC) announced on Wednesday (Jan 21). How the 2.8 per cent figure was calculated: By aggregating the 3.4 per cent fare adjustment quantum carried over from the 2013 Fare Review Exercise with the -0.6 per cent figure from 2014, the PTC said. But fares for senior citizen, and existing monthly travel concession prices will not rise, said the PTC. The Transport Ministry separately announced on Wednesday that fares for lower-wage workers and persons with disabilities will not increase, while the monthly concession pass for persons with disabilities will remain at S$60 per month. “In total, more than 1.1 million commuters will see their fares unchanged,” the PTC said in a press release. FARE CHANGES FROM APRIL From Apr 5 this year, adult card fares for buses and trains will increase by 2 to 5 cents, while student concessionary fares will increase by 1 cent, the PTC announced. Cash fares for adult bus and train rides will increase by 10 cents, while senior and student cash fares will remain unchanged. The prices of all monthly concession passes for adults, National Servicemen and senior citizens will remain the same, it reiterated. The PTC said bus and train fares will continue to be affordable, even for lower-income groups, as household income growth has generally outpaced household expenditure in public transport. For instance, in 2013, the second quintile (the 21st to 40th income percentile) and second decile (11th to 20th income percentile) of households in Singapore spent 2.2 per cent and 3.1 per cent of their monthly income on public transport, respectively. These were down from the 3.2 per cent and 4.6 percent, respectively, in 2003, it said. Said PTC Chairman Richard Magnus: “In approving the fare increase and deciding on the quantum, the Council made a concerted effort to minimise the impact on commuters, even to the extent of insulating some from the increase altogether. Overall, the fare adjustments for the 2014 fare exercise are lower than last year’s adjustments.” IMPACT ON OPERATORS With the fare increments, the PTC said the two public transport operators – SBS Transit and SMRT – will have to contribute S$5.5 million and S$8 million, respectively, to the Public Transport Fund. The total of S$13.5 million is S$2 million more than their contribution last year, according to the press release. The Government will utilise the Public Transport Fund to provide Public Transport Vouchers to lower-income households to mitigate the increase in their travel expenditure, it added. “I am always very concerned not only with making transport fares affordable, but making sure that our low-income families who need more assistance will be looked after,” Mr Magnus said. “The contributions to the Public Transport Fund by the operators will help defray the travel expenditure of these needy families.” "PLEASED" VULNERABLE GROUPS NOT AFFECTED BY HIKES: LUI Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew said on Facebook that he was "pleased" that more than 1.1 million commuters, particularly more vulnerable groups like senior citizens and persons with disabilities, will not experience a fare increase. "Looking at the overall outcome of this year’s fare adjustment exercise, I believe the Public Transport Council has achieved a good balance between keeping fares affordable for Singaporeans and maintaining the viability and sustainability of our public transport system," he wrote. He added that the 250,000 public transport vouchers of S$30 will be provided to needy commuters, and the ministry aims to simplify the application process further. "We also have other plans on the meaningful use of the Public Transport Fund and I will share these with you when we are ready," the minister said.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/sin...1241420/1/.html SINGAPORE: Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew said on Thursday public transport fare adjustments, due next year, will take into account the need to raise bus drivers' wages. Mr Lui was speaking for the first time in the aftermath of the illegal strike by bus drivers from China last week, and said public transport cost increases over the years have outpaced fare adjustments. He was trying out the route of a new service on Thursday under the government's billion-dollar Bus Service Enhancement Programme. Mr Lui said the 34 Chinese bus drivers out of work from SMRT due to the strike make up only about 0.5 per cent of the total pool of 8,000-odd drivers. Therefore, the impact on bus enhancements should be minimal. What's of concern, however, is the lingering effect of the strike on recruitment and retention of bus drivers, and Mr Lui said the government is watching this carefully. Looking at public transport fare adjustments of past years, Mr Lui said while fares have increased by 0.3 per cent, costs in fuel and wages for instance have gone up by 30 per cent. He said the fare review committee recognises this "significant mismatch". Mr Lui said: "Any fare adjustment will allow the two operators to have more resources, in time to come, to make further salary adjustments to their drivers. We recognise that the drivers need to be paid more. (The) question is, where is that money coming from? "So we need to see the relationship between any fare adjustment, wage increase, and any other forms of government support that we might be required to give to the operators." Mr Lui said it is difficult to wean dependence off foreign bus drivers as Singaporeans may not want to take up the job. So salary adjustments, at least, will make the occupation more attractive to locals. He said previous salary adjustments have helped to increase the recruitment of drivers, both local and foreign. When asked whether SMRT should face any penalty as a result of the strike, Mr Lui said the operator will be evaluated according to quality of service standards. Impact on bus services as a result of the two-day strike will be taken into account. Mr Lui said he also spoke to SMRT's Chief Executive Desmond Kuek on the strike, and said the organisation needs to improve in many areas. He said Mr Kuek needs to be given time to turn things around. From December 16, two new SBS Transit bus services will start plying under the Bus Service Enhancement Programme. Service 50, which will start service on December 16, will cover Ang Mo Kio, Yio Chu Kang, Sengkang and Punggol. Express Service 513 will start on December 17, connecting residents of Tampines to the Central Business District. This service only runs during the morning and evening peak period on weekdays. In addition, four new bus services will be added to the bus network in the first quarter of 2013. Three of them come under the government's enhancement programme, while the other is a trunk service by SBS Transit at its own cost.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/sin...1145164/1/.html Fares for buses and trains to go up Posted: 05 August 2011 1018 hrs SINGAPORE: Public transport fares will increase from October 8 - concurrent with the full opening of the Circle Line. The Public Transport Council (PTC) has decided to grant an overall adjustment of one per cent. The amount is significantly less than the maximum fare adjustment of 2.8 per cent the public transport operators (SBS Transit and SMRT) wanted. Adults using ezlink cards for buses and trains will see a two cents increase per journey. Fares for senior concession card holders will increase by one cent per journey. But concession hours for senior citizens will be extended to the full-day throughout the week. Their fares on the North East Line and Circle Line will also be adjusted downwards. An estimated four in 10 senior citizens will see fare savings. There will be no change to child or student concession card fares. As for those paying in cash, adult commuters will see their fares increase by 10 cents per trip across the board. There will be no change to senior citizen and child or student cash fares. Overall, the average increase translates to about 15 cents more, per week, for the 85 per cent of commuters who will be affected. - CNA/cc Just as everyone guess, PTC is just another toothless tiger. on one hand try to please the public, on the other try to support the private operators....

Hi all, recently i was talking to a taxi uncle and he told me that though taxi companies protect their drivers, there are also some protection for passengers too. You can refuse to pay for the full fare if : 1. Driver is talking on the phone for more then half the journey. 2. Dangerous driving (speeding and weaving in & out of traffic). These are the 2 that he told me. I am not sure if it is true or how to justify this kinda actions. Just sharing with you guys. If it is wrong pls dun flame me and if it is true, i hope people don't abuse it....haha

The question is Are you paying for the distance between your start and end destination or the distance of the route? For example only Woodlands to Changi Airport a)Assume distance between the two places is 10 km. b)If I take bus 858 (direct route by TPE) distance is about 12 km by road. c)If I take MRT, distance is 20 km since transfer at city hall. So by distance based fare, do I pay for the distance between the two destinations a) or do I pay for the distance travelled b) and c) Cos if a) then definitely save money. If b) and c) then potentially spend more because sometimes, indirect route might be faster or offer more opportunities to rest. The if u throw in feeder and the feeder goes a roundabout route to ur place, u spend more also because the fare is on distance travelled and not the physical distance between your bus stop and the terminal. Can anyone educate me on how distance fare works?

Mmmmm dont know can trust PTC or not? U decide Old and new bus fares compared It's not only long-distance commuters who have to pay more under the new fares in Singapore. So do many others if you compare the old fares with the new. Here's how the so-called "distance-based" new bus fares compare with the old fares, which were based on how many "stages" one travelled. I am comparing only the adult fares payable by EZ-Link cards on air-conditioned buses. http://www.pressrun.net/weblog/2010/07/old...s-compared.html

http://www.asiaone.com/Motoring/News/Story...205-119761.html By Christopher Tan, Senioir Correspondent SMALLER taxi operators want taxi fares lowered amid the deepening economic slowdown that has already seen a number of cabbies giving up driving. Following last week's news that bus and train operators will lower fares, Mr Lim Chong Boo, managing director of Premier Taxis, suggests lowering the $2.80 flag-down fare during non-peak hours. Mr Johnny Harjantho, managing director of Smart Taxis, however, reckoned that peak-hour fares - where a 35 per cent surcharge applies - should also be reviewed. Peak hours are from 7am to 9.30am on weekdays and 5pm to 8pm from Mondays to Saturdays. "But it is difficult for a small company like us to move prices," Mr Harjantho said. "We have to wait for Comfort." ComfortDelGro, which has 15,000 of the 24,300 cabs in Singapore, was mum when approached. "We never comment on fares until we have an announcement to make," its spokesman said. The smaller players had other suggestions to lower costs for cabbies, including getting a tax disparity fixed. "Today, a two-litre diesel passenger car attracts far lower tax than a taxi of the same engine capacity," Premier's Mr Lim said of the $2,400 difference in taxes. "If the diesel tax can be lowered, we can pass the cost savings to our drivers." Another idea from Mr Neo Nam Heng, head of Prime Taxis, was to allow firms to use second-hand cars as taxis. Two years ago, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) allowed used car dealers to convert unsold stock to private hire vehicles. Mr Neo argued that the same principle could apply for taxis. Such vehicles will cost less to buy than brand new taxis. Cab operators could then charge cabbies lower rentals, which now range from $65 to $120 a day. In turn, fares can be lowered for passengers. According to the LTA, taxi ridership between July and November last year averaged 900,420 a day, 4.1 per cent lower than the same period in 2007. Fewer taxis are being rented out to drivers as well. Between July and November last year, unhired taxis averaged 1,377 a month, nearly 30 per cent more than the same period in 2007. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- see the enlarge fonts - seem that even though we have quite a no of taxi operators around to prevent monopoly of taxi trade... seems that the small fishes still must wait for the big fish to act first.. so much for free market!

On radio 938 today... Public Transport Fare adjustment=0.5XCPI + 0.5XWage index. No wonder fares go up when fuel prices are down lah...The wages keep going up for the MIWs no matter what the price of oil...fares how to go down. So even if oil is FREE, based on this calculation, since MIWs pay go up by 30% or so, expect transport fare to up at least 15% hor!

oh my god http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/singapor...nt.jsp?id=37754

Bus and train fares up on 1 October Posted: 12 September 2008 1032 hrs Photos 1 of 1 SINGAPORE - Most bus and train journeys except those for children, students and national servicemen, will see fare changes from 1 October 2008. The Public Transport Council (PTC) has given the green light for an overall net fare adjustment that will result in fare changes that will range from a 7-cent reduction to a 4-cent increase per journey. Adult EZ-Link fares on buses and trains and the senior citizen concession EZ-Link fare, will see a flat increase of 4 cents per ride. However, this will be offset by the 15-cent increase in transfer rebate from the current 25 cents to 40 cents. Public transport operators have also decided that they will bear 10 cents out of the 15-cent increase in the transfer rebate. Therefore, fares for most adult or senior citizen concession journeys will see a range of adjustments, from an increase of 4 cents for a direct journey with no transfer, to a reduction of 7 cents for a journey with one transfer. According to the PTC, journeys with more transfers will see a greater fare reduction, ranging from 18 cents for a journey with two transfers and 29 cents if there are two transfers. To fund the higher transfer rebate, transport operators will give up more than $30 million in fare revenues annually. As for the remaining 5-cent increase in the transfer rebate, the PTC said it will be redistributed amongst commuters, as they will benefit from it. Chairman of the PTC, Gerard Ee said "by raising the transfer rebate this year and making the operators absorb a larger part of the cost, we managed to strike a balance and keep the overall net fare adjustment to just 0.7%, much lower than the fare cap of 3%."

Was wondering with the decrease of petrol and diesel prices recently......how come mrt and bus fares still wanna increases........??? Is the bus drivers salary or wages going to increase????? It's doesn't make sense when they are encouraging people to take public transport......

PTC tweaks formula for adjusting public transport fares By Imelda Saad, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 10 July 2008 1609 hrs Photos 1 of 1 Related News

Fares for premium bus service to go up due to higher fuel costs COMMUTERS on premium bus services will soon have to pay more in bus fares, with bus operators here hit by higher fuel prices. SBS Transit, which runs the majority of premium bus services, has been given the go-ahead by the Public Transport Council (PTC) to raise fares by 30 to 60 cents on its 40 premium services, up to a maximum of $3.60 per trip. Details on when the fare hike will kick in are being worked out. Currently, SBS Transit's premium bus services charge $2.70 to $3.60 per trip. The operator's premium services make up more than half of 76 such services islandwide. Fuel costs for SBS Transit have risen by more than 52 per cent in the first quarter of this year, compared to last year, said a company spokesman. Its rival SMRT has also raised fares for premium service 531 from $3 to $4. Fares on its remaining five services, and three others operated by its subsidiary Bus-Plus, remain the same. Besides the two transport giants, smaller players in the premium service market have also applied to raise fares. Among them are the Singapore School Transport Association (SSTA), which runs five premium services at $2.50 per trip, and Bus Hub, which operates two services charging $4 and $5 respectively. Both hope to raise their fares by 50 cents to a dollar. The PTC, which approves bus fare increases, said guidelines require premium bus fares to be at least 1.5 times the equivalent fare of basic public transport services. Once these guidelines are met, the PTC 'generally would not object to changes in premium bus services fares as operators make their own commerical assessments and risks to adjust their service pricing,' said the council. Commuters, while acknowledging higher fuel costs, said they will consider other travel options if fares become too costly. The premium bus service market has grown steadily over the past few months as part of a Government push to get more Singaporeans to switch from driving to public transport. SBS Transit said ridership on its premium services has been growing gradually and most of the seats are full on some services. It will roll out six new premium services on Monday.

The other day I surfed around and I saw this website... Very good. and current.. Juz sharing... http://www.efxsoft.com/tripsum/main.html

Arul John Mon, Mar 24, 2008 The New Paper Can S'pore find a FARE SOLUTION PICTURE this: It's 6.30am. You tap your ez-link card on the reader and the window invites you to proceed - for free. No such thing as a free ride you say? Think again. From 31 Mar, passengers in Melbourne who arrive at their destination by 7am, from Mondays to Fridays, will travel for free. The move is aimed at reducing peak-hour congestion on the city's transportation network. It is an attempt to solve the same jam-packed train situation that is played out at stations every morning in Singapore. Could such an incentive system be implemented in Singapore? There are two camps - some ask 'why not?', others say 'cannot'. WHY NOT? The first camp feels it is possible, as a similar method has already been implemented, in a manner, on Singapore roads through staggered Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) charges. Under the ERP, you pay more during peak hours. The idea is to maintain a smooth flow of traffic. Such staggered charges have proven effective in easing peak-hour traffic congestion. So why not staggered train fares in Singapore (never mind free rides)? Transport policy expert Paul Barter, from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, told The New Paper that such a system would help distribute the heaviest traffic over a longer period instead of just during peak periods. He said: 'It gets more efficient use out of the existing system that was built at great expense - for example, filling up early-morning trains that would normally be empty.' In Melbourne, a trial on two train lines that began last October found that more than a quarter of passengers who travelled during peak hours altered their travel times to take advantage of the free rides, reported Australian newspapers. In Adelaide, too, public transport fares are 25 to 45 per cent cheaper between 9am and 3pm, compared to earlier and later peak periods. Ms Tammy Tan, spokesman for SBS Transit, which operates the North-East line, said a staggered-fare system is possible in Singapore. She declined to elaborate. But SMRT, which operates the North-South Line, said it prefers to cut congestion by increasing the frequency of train runs. Since last month, both train operators added an extra 93 trips to their rail lines during peak hours. An SMRT spokesman said granting travel concessions had to be done prudently as any concessionary or free travel would have to be cross-subsidised by full fare-paying passengers. She added that SMRT commuters already get a 10-cent discount if they travel before 7.30am on weekdays and on Saturdays, provided they begin their journey from outside the city area and alight within the city area. Staggered ERP charges have already spurred some Singaporeans to alter their driving habits to avoid paying more ERP charges. Will cheaper fares at certain times make train commuters do the same? Lawyer Sean Say, 35, believes so. 'Singaporeans are practical people. If they see that the fare discount is good enough, they may be willing to try a staggered-fare system,' he said. 'Many working parents often have time to kill after they send their kids to school and before they start work. 'Staggered fares may encourage them to go to work earlier and thus reduce overcrowding during peak periods.' Magazine editor Sheryl Han, who is in her 30s, agreed. 'Despite the increase in frequency, the trains are still very crowded from 8am to 9am.' CANNOT? But freelance marketing consultant Sean Kwok, 32, thinks staggered fares may not work. 'If the fare difference is only 10 or 20 cents (between different periods), most people may just pay a little more so they can sleep in a little longer.' Also, just as traffic on some non-ERP-priced roads has become heavier because of motorists trying to avoid ERP charges, a similar situation may occur on the trains under a staggered or free-ride system. Many people may take trains earlier to take advantage of the fare discounts, said Mr Kwok, and end up packing the trains earlier. Would it then become a situation where train congestion simply begins earlier, he wondered. Lawyer Gloria James, who is in her 30s, suggests the option of offering cheaper fares for those who travel to work later. She said: 'After all, the trains start operating at around 6am, which coincides with the peak travel time for schoolchildren. An hour or so later, it's the peak travel period for office workers.' But is it fair to make commuters pay more if they travel during peak hours? Dr Barter noted: 'It would have to be framed as a discount for off-peak travel, not a surcharge for peak travel. 'In Singapore, where public transport operators are expected to cover their own operating expenses, any off-peak discounts would probably need to be balanced by an increase in peak fares - and this would obviously be unpopular among many people.' While staggered fares would help ease overcrowding in trains, transport economist Michael Li from the Nanyang Business School said Singapore should not rush into it until the costs have been assessed. 'We have to mindful of 'at what cost' and 'who bears the cost',' he said. 'The Government would have to subsidise bus and MRT operators to enable free or cheaper public transport during non-peak periods. 'This is unlikely to happen.' SO HOW? Dr Barter said peak fares may not have to go up if off-peak discounts can help get more people onboard public transport. 'But these effects may be limited in Singapore now. So here, staggered fares would mean higher prices during the peak and lower prices off-peak. 'Unfortunately, there would be some winners but too many noisy losers for this to be a popular policy.' So, 'why not' or 'cannot'? The answer may lie again in the Melbourne example. Reason: There, the transit system is run by the state.

Are lower train fares possible? Look to HK FOLLOWING the merger of Hong Kong's two major train operators, the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC) and the Mass Transit Railway Corporation, the territory's government has announced a reduction in fares. According to a press statement of the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region dated Nov 22 on its website, http://www.news.gov.hk/en/category/infrast...1122en06009.htm, 'About 2.8 million commuters will enjoy lower fares from Dec 2 when Hong Kong's two rail companies merge. Annual fare concessions are expected to reach HK$600 million. 'The Mass Transit Railway Corporation's Octopus smart-card users (Hong Kong's version of the ez-link card), will see fare reductions, with more than half enjoying a 5 per cent saving. All adult Octopus cardholders will pay 20 cents less per trip minimum, while long-distance fares at $12 or above will be cut by at least 10 per cent... 'With the removal of a second boarding charge, passengers interchanging between the Mass Transit Railway and Kowloon-Canton Railway networks will have fares cut by up to $7.' I have been using Hong Kong's railways at all hours for the past fortnight and I find that the frequency of trains ranges between one and three minutes. Although it is winter now (temperature between 19 and 25 deg C), the air-conditioning in the trains functions very well in spite of the heavy commuter traffic. In addition, the trains are relatively clean and well maintained and the images of the live programmes on mobile television installed in the KCR trains are always clear and smooth. In contrast, Singapore's trains arrive every five to eight minutes and the air-conditioning leaves much to be desired, especially for aboveground journeys in the afternoons. Yet, we have been told constantly by our transport operators and the Public Transport Council that fares have to go up annually because of higher oil prices, inflation and the higher cost of maintenance. Perhaps it is time for the Government and industry in Singapore to learn from Hong Kong. Liew Kai Khiun Hong Kong Well said,man!! When is Spore private companies be as efficient and effective as other country??? [thumbsdown]

Channel NewsAsia SINGAPORE: Both SBS Transit and SMRT have applied to the Public Transport Council to raise bus and train fares. The exact fare increment will be determined later, using a standard formula, in this annual fare revision exercise. Energy costs have been a big drain on the two big public transport operators. Both companies have quoted rises of between 20 and 26 percent in this area alone. SBS Transit said manpower costs