More than 150,000 applications received for Public Transport Vouchers

1.     More than 150,000 applications have been received for this year’s Public Transport Voucher Exercise at the 108 community centres/clubs (CCs) island-wide, as at 12 December 2018, after the exercise started on 12 November 2018.

2.     To help needy families cope with the fare adjustment, which will take effect on 29 December 2018, the Government has drawn $9 million from the Public Transport Fund to make available the largest number of Public Transport Vouchers in a single exercise – 300,000 Public Transport Vouchers worth $30 each.

3.     Grassroots leaders have reached out to needy residents during regular house visits and community events, to share about the Public Transport Voucher Exercise and assist them with the application. Mdm Selina Goh, 58, shared that the vouchers would be helpful in defraying part of her transportation cost. The part-time childcare relief teacher stays with her husband who works odd jobs, and takes trains or buses to her workplace or the wet market about five times a week. She said “I do not enjoy the benefits of the Senior Citizen Concession Card as I am not 60 yet. As such, these vouchers from the government will be useful and help lower the transport cost for me.”

4.     Eligible households who meet the same income criteria as that for the ComCare Fund (i.e. household income of $1,900 or below, or per capital income of not more than $650) may apply for the Public Transport Voucher throughout the exercise, which ends on 31 October 2019. Upon successful application, each household will receive one Public Transport Voucher. Households that require more help can apply for additional vouchers through the CCs. The Citizens’ Consultative Committees (CCCs) assess each application, and have the discretion to help deserving cases who marginally miss these criteria, or provide additional Public Transport Vouchers to households whom they deem to need more help.

5.     Residents may approach their local CCs if they have any queries.