Written Reply by Minister for Transport Khaw Boon Wan to Parliamentary Question on Rationale for Pricing of Polytechnic Students Concessionary Passes

Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked the Minister for Transport

a.     what is the rationale for pricing the concessionary passes for polytechnic students at $27.50 for bus, $25 for trains and $51 for hybrid of bus and trains; and

b.     whether the pricing is reasonable for polytechnic students who need to take trains for the main journey but need only a short bus ride to reach the destination having to pay almost double for the hybrid pass.

Reply by Minister for Transport Khaw Boon Wan:

1.     Single-mode passes are special concessions for students and national servicemen who take only buses or only trains for their travel. The reference point for hybrid passes should not be the prices of single-mode passes, but the prices of Monthly Concession Passes for other commuter groups. In this regard, the price of a hybrid pass for polytechnic students is set to be the same as that for secondary, ITE, and junior college students, and is less than half the price of an Adult Monthly Travel Pass.