Issued By: SMRT
The ez-link card has now become the most common mode of fare payment among public transport users. 83.2% of public transport rides are now paid for using ez-link Cards when the option of payment via Farecard and cash are still available. It is hence a clear signal to TransitLink to proceed with closing the curtain on the sale and revaluation of Farecards from 16 November 2002 as planned.
More than 8.7 million Farecards were in circulation before the ez-link card system was launched in April this year. Since then, about 3.3 million Farecards cards have been refunded. Despite the high rate of Farecard retention, many of which are kept for sentimental reasons or as collectors’ items, TransitLink believes that the high usage of ez-link card shows that the majority is comfortable with its use. The number of claims filed for not tapping the ez-link cards against the exit readers have also stabilized at about 1,300 cases for the past 2 months out of about 114 million rides made.
To date, about 3.2 million ez-link cards have been sold and issued. TransitLink reminds those who have yet to purchase an Adult ez-link Card with the lower $3 deposit to do so before 1 January 2003, where $5 card deposit will be charged thereafter. Singaporeans, Permanent Residents, holders of Employment Pass/ Work Permit/ Student Pass are eligible to purchase one each upon production of their original NRIC/Employment Pass/Work Permit/Student Pass.
Commuters can take their time to return their valid magnetic Farecards for a refund of the remaining value at any Ticket Office (TO). Refunds will still be available even after the system is fully ez-link operational from 1 December 2002. Farecards that are issued, revalued or replaced on or after 1 August 2000 are valid for refund for up to 4 years from the date of issue or last revaluation