More commuters are losing their travel concession cards, prompting card issuer TransitLink to set up more self-help kiosks to ease the replacement process.
TransitLink said that it replaced 99,730 lost concession cards last year - working out to an average of more than 270 cards misplaced every day. Last year's total was a 14 per cent increase from the 87,405 card replacements made two years ago, the company told The Straits Times recently.
About half of all replacements last year was for primary and secondary school concession cards. Senior citizen concession cards accounted for one-fifth of the replacements.
Another fifth comprised cards used by commuters such as tertiary and Institute of Technical Education students, along with national servicemen and adults on monthly concession schemes.
TransitLink chief executive Lee Yuen Hee said: "We urge concession card holders to take good care of their cards and not lose them, to prevent card misuse and incur unnecessary replacement fees."
The replacement fee for a lost PAssion or senior citizen concession card is $13. For all other concession cards, the charge is $18.
The growing number of lost cards has led TransitLink to put up posters at MRT stations to remind commuters to take care of their cards.
Starting in June, it will roll out 10 self-help kiosks where commuters can make lost card replacements. These will be placed at various "strategic locations", TransitLink said, adding that it is still working out the details. The terminals will be available for use round the clock and will also provide on-the-spot application and collection services for concession card replacements.
For immediate replacement, commuters may also visit any of the nine card replacement offices.
A pilot kiosk has been operating at Buona Vista MRT station since last May and has processed more than 800 card replacements so far.
Housewife Anizah Omar, 32, has had to replace her 14-year-old daughter's lost concession card four times through primary and secondary school. She said: "I'm going to get her to hang it around her neck."
