Employers need to promote flexi-working hours for SMRT early bird discounts to work, experts say

A 30 cents fare discount to encourage MRT commuters to travel before the morning rush hour has seen limited impact.

Since SMRT started offering a higher fare discount in October, it found that among passengers who usually travel between 745 and 815am, 1.2 per cent of them are now going to work earlier, between 7 and 745am.

Train fares for these early birds who travel before 745am on the North-South and East-West MRT lines as well as the Bukit Panjang LRT are 30 cents cheaper.

But SMRT said this has not eased traffic as train ridership grew by six per cent between 7 and 8.15am.

Experts believe the key to the scheme's success lies on employers.

Associate Professor Lee Der-Horng from the Department of Civil Engineering at the National University of Singapore said: "Even if I'm willing to wake up early to respond to this kind of incentive, why should I take up all these sacrifices to report early to work if my office is not opened when I arrive at my workplace.

"... Are employers really willing to exercise and practise more flexible working hours? In the end, with this interaction together, it would be more likely for us to respond to this system. This kind of scheme will then be more sustainable in the future."

In order to diversify the crowded peak hours, the Transport Ministry will set up an inter-departmental working group, focused on promoting flexible working hours and flexible travel habits.

ORIGINAL SOURCE
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