A balanced approach to fare revisions: How much of the cost should commuters really bear?

Commuters are bracing themselves for a fare hike of up to 7 per cent this year, as prescribed by the Public Transport Council's fare formula. One reason is higher operating costs, driving rail operations into a loss. But how much of the cost should commuters really bear?

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The latest public transport fare adjustment exercise is in motion. While fare revisions are annual, routine affairs, this year's exercise is somewhat different.

Primarily, this has to do with a well-publicised preamble from various quarters, including Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan, which shines the spotlight on losses incurred by operators.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on September 17, 2019, with the headline A balanced approach to fare revisions: How much of the cost should commuters really bear?. Subscribe