ALMOST 400 commuters are caught cheating on their bus fares every day, and it appears that thousands more get away with daylight robbery.

SBS Transit, which runs the majority of bus services here, said it detects about 10,000 cases of cheating every month - which works out to more than 330 cases a day.

'Fare evasion is a serious problem for us,' said its spokesman Tammy Tan.

SMRT, meanwhile, said it had about 1,470 cases every month last year - almost 50 cases a day.

According to statistics in 2005, cheats cost the bus companies $9 million in fares each year.

To help stem the losses, the Public Transport Council announced that from July 1, commuters caught for not paying or under-paying their bus fares will have to pay a $20 penalty.

Those who use a concession card they are not eligible for will have to pay $50.

Among those caught cheating by SBS Transit, half paid less than what they should by tapping their EZ-link cards at the exit way before they are due to alight from the bus.

One in three caught were misusing concession cards, while one in four did not pay their fares at all, added SBS Transit.

Read the full story in Tuesday's edition of The Straits Times.