Public Transport or Profit Transport?
Is the public transport in Singapore geared towards providing the public with affordable and cheap transport? The answer is no. Firstly, there is no competition of prices for both the operators. Secondly, unlike many other countries, there is no differentiation in prices for children and adult fares. Let me explain.
Competition between the two operators is insignificant to consumers. What the two operators in Singapore compete will be the routes each take. Competition to draw profits. Fares are not competitive at all, because both transport operators are allied in pricing under Transitlink. This is totally unfair to consumers. Prices are always going up but not down. Fuel prices do not increase all the time, it decreases as well, so why have they not decreased the fares?
When I go overseas, the public transport always differentiates children and adult fares. In Singapore however, only students in government schools are allowed to travel on concession. This is totally bullshit. How are other countries able to do it and the country with the world’s second largest land transport operator, the world’s most expensive place to own cars not able to do it?
Also, concessions are not given to all tetiary students. Not only does it upset the people, it may even cause the transport operators to lose a possible source of income. From an accountant’s point of view, it is an option which is definitely good for the companies. I do not understand why the transport operators are resisting the idea and causing unhappiness among the people. Every company would like to have money in their pockets even before they provide the service. Giving tetiary students concession is the best way to do so. Tetiary students pay the same fare as adults, except that they are allowed to buy concession passes which costs almost a hundred bucks, allowing them to have unlimited travelling on buses which is a fixed cost for transport operators. This way, everyone is happy. Stupid operators.