Q1.What is the purpose of the public transport vouchers?

A1: The government and the public transport operators SBS Transit and SMRT Corporation have contributed $3 million in public transport vouchers to help families with financial difficulties cope with this year’s public transport fare increase.

Q2. How much is set aside in public transport vouchers?

A2: The government and the public transport operators have contributed $3 million which will be disbursed in $30 vouchers. Up to 100,000 needy households may benefit from the vouchers. The 84 Citizens’ Consultative Committees (CCCs) will help disburse these vouchers to needy households while the National Trades Union Congress will disburse them to needy union members.

Q3. How are the public transport vouchers funded?

A3: The public transport operators are contributing $0.6 million this year to help families with financial difficulties cope with the public transport fare increase. The government will draw down $2.4 million from the government’s Public Transport Fund.

This $30 public transport voucher will help cushion the impact of the fare increase.

Q4. Who are eligible for the public transport vouchers?

Union member who has:

1. Total gross household monthly income of $1,500 or below, or;
2. Per capita income of not more than $450.

Q5. What will each successful household receive?

A5: Each successful household will receive one $30 voucher which can be used to purchase or top-up their EZ-Link cards or purchase monthly concession passes.

Q6. Are unions allocated with a fixed number of vouchers?

A6: We encourage our unions to issue the vouchers to worthy applicants requiring help and also for our members to know that being eligible based on the criteria, does not necessarily mean that they will receive the voucher. They must be in some form of hardship.

For ease of administration, unions will be allocated based on a percentage of membership size and previous utilization rate. This allocation is a guide to facilitate unions in their processing of the applications. Unions that require more vouchers can request from the common pool but success will depend on availability of vouchers.

Q7. When is the application period?

A7: The application period will open from 17 September to 16 October 2007. Unions will process the applications and issue vouchers to the successful applicants starting from early November 2007.

Q8. How will applicants know the outcome of their applications?

A8: Applicants will be informed of the outcome by the respective Unions/NTUC Customer Service Centre and each will receive a $30 Transport voucher directly from the Unions/NTUC Customer Service Centre.

Q9. Is the use of the vouchers limited to only one family member?

A9: No, the $30 value of the voucher can be encoded into one or more EZ-Link cards of the family members residing in the same household.

Q10. Is the use of the vouchers restricted to only public transport?

A10: The vouchers have to be redeemed at the 42 TransitLink Offices or six TransitLink Card Replacement Offices where they can be used to top up or purchase ez-Link cards and monthly concession passes. List of offices at Transit Link website: http://www.transitlink.com.sg. Please refer to Annex.

Q11. What is the validity period of the vouchers?

A11: The vouchers must be redeemed by 30 June 2008. Once the vouchers have been redeemed and the value encoded in the EZ-Link cards, it will not expire.

Q12. Will the scheme be extended after 30 June 2008?

A12: The scheme is a one-off assistance scheme to help the needy Singaporeans cope with this year’s fare increase and will not be extended once the vouchers have been given out.

Q13. How do successful applicants use these vouchers?  

A13: The vouchers are redeemable at the 42 TransitLink Ticket Offices or six TransitLink Card Replacement Offices for purchase or top up of ez-Link cards and monthly concession passes .

Q14. Can the vouchers be exchanged for cash?

A14: No.

Q15. Are the vouchers transferable?

A15: The vouchers are non-transferable as they are intended to help families in financial difficulties cope with the public transport fare increase. It is however not possible to stop individuals from passing the public transport vouchers to others.

Q16. What happens if the recipients lose the vouchers?

A16: Lost vouchers will not be replaced. Hence, vouchers should be kept safely once collected.

Q17. What happens if the vouchers are tampered with?

A17: Vouchers are printed with security features and serialised. Tampered vouchers will not be accepted by the TransitLink Ticket Offices and Card Replacement Offices.

Q18. Who can I contact if I need further information?

A18: OB members can contact their respective unions while GB members can contact the NTUC One-Stop Customer Service Centre at No. 1 Marina Boulevard, Basement, or call NTUC hotline at 6213 8008.