Earn transport rebates with everyday essentials: New scheme helps commuters save more

If you realised your favourite chicken rice is now more expensive, you’re not alone. Global food price surge, higher fuel costs and other economic factors have led to rising prices in Singapore. 

As part of the Ride for Free with DBS/POSB Debit Cards initiative, which was launched in September to help Singaporeans with rising transport costs, DBS/POSB is offering a monthly transport rebate of up to $20 for 100,000 people every month. The initiative, which runs from now until end January 2024, is open to DBS/POSB debit card cardmembers.

While a minimum spend is required to qualify for the transport rebates, those with a monthly income of $2,500 or less will not have any spending requirements and will automatically qualify for the rebates upon registering for the initiative. 

Announced in August, the Ride for Free initiative is part of DBS/POSB's $40 million commitment to intensify efforts to help Singaporeans and residents ease cost-of-living pressures. These have been progressively introduced since February, to help DBS/POSB customers cover their everyday expenses, reduce mortgage payments and bolster savings.

The Ride for Free with DBS/POSB Debit Cards initiative comes on the back of the 5 Million Hawker Meals scheme launched earlier in February this year, and was widely well-received. The scheme offered meal subsidies in the form of cashback of up to $3 per payment made through the DBS PayLah! app. The scheme was offered at more than 11,600 food stalls with SGQR codes islandwide. 

Mr Ng Peng Leng, a compliance and ethics supervisor at a logistics company, started registering for the Ride for Free with DBS/POSB Debit Cards programme at the end of October. As he started paying for groceries with his POSB Debit Card every week, he meets his spend goal after about two grocery trips.

"I then use the transfer card to take the train and bus. The transportation rebate is automatically credited to my bank account next month. I have already received a $20 transportation rebate,” says Mr Ng. “My brother-in-law was the one who told me about this scheme, and he has received rebates for two consecutive months. We also plan to sign up for the last round of rebate offers."

To qualify for the transport rebates, DBS/POSB debit cardmembers must ensure that their salaries are credited into their DBS/POSB account and register for the Ride for Free initiative on the DBS PayLah! app every month, then accumulate sufficient grocery and shopping expenses on their DBS/POSB Debit Cards to meet their personalised spend goal. Once met, they will be entitled to up to $20 off on public transport trips on the buses and trains, as long as they tap the card reader using their DBS/POSB Debit Card via SimplyGo. This will be credited to their last active card account.

Purchases at department stores, apparel shops, e-commerce marketplaces, electronic appliance stores, bookshops, cosmetic boutiques, home furnishing stores and all major supermarkets are recognised as qualifying expenses towards the spend goal.