Train operators get fined when their trains break down ("2 major MRT lines down for over 2 hours"; Wednesday).

Perhaps the money collected could be used to compensate commuters. Take the amount and divide it by the number of travel cards the public hold, and credit the same amount to each card.

The recent exercise that saw seniors get $50 top-ups to their travel cards shows that this could be easily implemented.

The distributed amount may be small, but it would show that the Government is using the system to help ordinary citizens, and that the fines imposed are not just a means to collect more revenue.

Ronald Paul Ng