Kopitime: I'm tired of fare hikes
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As a regular commuter, the recent announcement of yet another fare hike, effective Dec 28, feels like a slap in the face.
Ten cents here, four cents there – it all adds up, especially when these increases seem to coincide with or even precede worsening service reliability.
Minister Chee Hong Tat says fares shouldn't be tied to service levels. He says other measures are in place.
But what measures?
We’re hit with delays and disruptions seemingly every other week.
Just this December alone, we’ve seen disruptions on the East-West Line and multiple incidents on the Circle Line. Remember the massive six-day disruption on the East-West Line in September? Three million trips affected.
And what do we get? A fare hike a few months later.
It’s a bitter pill to swallow when we’re told fares must rise to keep pace with operating costs and maintain financial sustainability. While I understand the need for a functional and well-maintained system, I struggle to see how consistently increasing fares while service reliability seems to be declining is justifiable.
Are these fare hikes truly translating into tangible improvements? Or are we, the commuters, simply footing the bill for inefficiencies and mismanagement?
The argument that without fare increases, taxpayers would have to shoulder a heavier burden through subsidies doesn’t hold water. We are the taxpayers! We’re already paying more for a service that isn’t consistently delivering. It feels like we’re being punished twice.
I’m tired of being told to be patient, to understand the complexities of running a public transport network.
I’m tired of experiencing delays, disruptions, and packed trains.
And I’m certainly tired of paying more for the privilege.
We deserve a public transport system that is reliable, efficient, and affordable.
We deserve transparency and accountability.
We deserve better than this constant cycle of fare hikes and disruptions.
Perhaps it’s time to seriously rethink the current model and prioritise the needs of the commuters, the very people who keep the system running.
Until then, I, along with many other Singaporeans, will continue to grumble with every ten-cent increase.
A Tired Sinkie
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