This is in response to feedback and concerns from commuters who wish to continue checking their card balances on readers installed at bus and MRT stations.
Singapore’s Ministry of Transport (MOT) and Land Transport Authority (LTA) have decided to temporarily suspend the migration to SimplyGo cards.
Transport Minister Choi Hong Tat said this was in response to feedback and concerns from commuters who wanted to continue checking their card balances on readers installed on buses and MRT stations.
In a Facebook post today (22 January 2024), Minister Chee apologized on behalf of LTA and MOT for the delays caused by commuters trying to switch to their existing EZ-Link cards.
“We have decided to extend the use of the current CBT (card-based ticketing) system for adult commuters and not phase it out in 2024 as originally planned,” he said.
Minister Chee added that the government will spend an additional S$40 million to enable commuters to use EZ-Link cards and NETS Flashpay cards if they wish.
In a follow-up Facebook post, LTA shared that its existing adult CBT system will run alongside the current SimplyGo system.
Here are some things commuters should be aware of:
Minister Chee said that under the LTA, commuters who purchased or switched to a SimplyGo card between 9 January 2024 and today (22 January 2024) will be able to switch back to a CBT card at no additional charge. guaranteed.
Additionally, discount cardholders with SimplyGo cards issued or converted before January 22, 2024, including senior citizens and students, can also avail the discount.
Excerpt from Minister Chee’s post:
“Account-based ticketing (ABT) cards like SimplyGo and bank cards (such as credit and debit cards) have advantages. Even if a commuter misplaces their registered ABT stored value card, the value remains with the user. Your balance is protected because it’s stored in your account.” If you lose your CBT card, you lose the value stored on it, but you can buy an ABT Stored Value Card for your family and use the SimplyGo app. Some people find it more convenient to replenish their value by doing so. ABT cards have grown in popularity as they enable commuters to pay for public transport using bank cards or mobile wallets, with around 40% of adult commuters now using bank cards or mobile wallets. I am using a wallet (see attached infographic).
“However, ABT cards do not store fare or card balance data on the card itself, so it takes several seconds to retrieve the information from the back-end system and display it at the turnstile or bus card reader. This slows down the flow. The number of commuters increases, leading to long queues, especially during peak hours. Unfortunately, there is currently no technical solution to this. This is also the case in other regions, for example in London and Hong Kong. ABT cards also do not show fare deductions or card balances. Unlike CBT cards, there is no fare gate.
“I have asked LTA to research ways to enhance the functionality of the ABT Card and improve the user experience, in particular possible solutions for the ABT Card to display fare deductions and stored value card balances at ticket gates and bus card readers. I asked you to do so.”
See the full post here.
Read more: Frequently asked questions about Singapore’s SimplyGo initiative
Lead image / Chee Hon Tat Minister of Transport Facebook