New service ensures always-sufficient funds in new ez-link cards for road tolls now and for car park payments in the near future
Issued By: EZ-Link Pte Ltd
SINGAPORE, 8 July 2009 – EZ-Link Pte Ltd unveils EZ-Reload, an auto top-up service for the new ez-link card, which is CEPAS-compliant, when they are used in the second generation In-vehicle Unit (2GIU). Rebranded from EZ-Link’s Auto Credit Card Top-Up facility, EZ-Reload will bring the same level of topping-up convenience and benefits enjoyed by commuters of Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and bus rides over the past six years, to motorists.
The presentation of this service follows the announcement by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) on 30 June 2009 that all new cars will be fitted with the 2GIU. Besides being the first in the market to offer cards compliant to the Specification for Contactless e-Purse Application, or CEPAS, EZ-Link is again first to introduce auto top-ups into the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) and Electronic Parking System (EPS) markets with EZ-Reload.
With EZ-Reload, motorists using the new IU will enjoy convenience and peace-of-mind as it ensures that they will always have sufficient value in their ez-link cards when they travel on the road. This means that their cards will be automatically re-loaded with value to pay for ERP charges with immediate effect and car park charges as EPS systems are progressively upgraded to support the new ez-link cards from October 2009.
New car owners with their vehicles fitted with the new IUs can immediately apply for this service at www.ezlink.com.sg and benefit from the convenience it brings when they use the new ez-link cards. With this move, existing users of the new ez-link card that is already linked to the Auto Credit Card Top-Up service can enjoy EZ-Reload with the new 2GIU immediately.
In fact there are already 17,300 vehicles fitted with the new IU to date, including 14,900 motorcycles and 2,400 taxis and other vehicles, and these owners can take advantage of this service by applying online at www.ezlink.com.sg.
The EZ-Reload service links the user’s new ez-link card to his or her debit or credit card account, thereby enabling a pre-selected top-up value to automatically be added to the card when the card balance is insufficient for the transaction value needed. With EZ-Reload, ez-link cardholders no longer need to join the queue but simply need to apply to have their ez-link card to be auto topped up with a credit or debit card.
In addition to convenience, the service offers cost-effectiveness as users only need to pay a nominal convenience fee when an auto top-up is made. Since the user can choose the amount of top-up value at the point of registration, he or she can determine an appropriate top-up amount that he or she is comfortable with.
Mr Nicholas Lee, Executive Director of EZ-Link Pte Ltd, said, “We are very happy to introduce EZ-Reload immediately after LTA’s launch of the new IU. Now we are the only one in the market with cards compliant to CEPAS that can be used not just for bus and MRT rides, but also for ERP and subsequently EPS payments. We are also the only one in the market to offer an auto top-up service with this level of convenience and cost-control. We are excited because we have made another significant step towards bringing consumers the convenience of having a single card for making transit, motoring and retail payments and we will definitely work towards rolling out more services for the ez-link card.”
The EZ-Reload service was launched at The Volvo Showroom, where a Volvo C70 became one of the first few cars in Singapore to be fitted with the new IU and utilising the new ez-link card.
“We are glad that EZ-Link has chosen to launch EZ-Reload service in a Volvo car as it is an important milestone in Singapore’s motoring industry. We believe that this service will be welcomed by our customers and motorists in general because it innovatively fulfils a day-to-day need,” commented Mr Victor Kwan, General Manager of SM Motors Pte Ltd.
Apart from the EZ-Reload service, EZ-Link has in place a wide selection of easily accessible top-up channels for the new ez-link cards, including the General Ticketing Machines (GTM), Add-Value Machines (AVM), DBS/POSB ATMs, selected 7-Eleven outlets and 200 D-Pay enable AXS Stations. Top-up facility for the new ez-link cards was made available at all DBS/POSB ATMs since the last week of June this year. By the end of 2009, all AXS stations island-wide will be equipped with top-up facilities for the new ez-link cards.
Since the launch of the new ez-link card in December 2008, over 3 million cards have been exchanged. Holders of the old ez-link cards are highly encouraged to have their cards exchanged for the new ones before 30 September 2009 to avoid last minute queues.
For more information, please visit EZ-Link’s website at www.ezlink.com.sg