In Parliament
Written Reply by Minister for Transport Khaw Boon Wan to Parliamentary Question on Cost Savings from E-payments Initiatives
19 February 2018
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Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for Transport what measures are being taken by the Ministry to nudge transport operators to reinvest the expected cost savings from going cashless towards improving the public transport customer experience.
Reply by Minister for Transport Khaw Boon Wan:
1. E-payments will bring greater convenience to commuters by eliminating the hassle of doing cash top-ups. It will also allow us to remove cash facilities at MRT stations and buses eventually, freeing up space, manpower and other resources that the Government and the Public Transport Operators (PTO) can dedicate towards enhancing our public transport system and commuter experience. For example, any cost savings from the streamlining of ticketing infrastructure can be channelled towards building of new transport infrastructure. Instead of handling cash transactions, PTO staff can better focus on managing rail operations.