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Double Standards in Transportation Fees for Tertiary Students

The conversation below is with one of the blog readers who had a serious complain about double standards for transport fees for tertiary students between polytechnic students and ITE, ‘A’ – Level students.

Guest has joined.

me: hihi

Guest: Good morning Simon, my name is John

me: hi John

Guest: I am a student from [censored] poly

me: hihi welcome to my blog

Guest: I want to voice out something regarding the transport fees for tertiary students

me: ok please do tell me more about it

Guest: i don’t understand how come poly students need to pay adult fare for bus and MRTJC, ITE students enjoy the luxury of paying student fares but for us poly students, we have to pay adult fares we are also students and just because we don’t have a uniform, is not fair for us to pay the full fare

me: that’s quite true

Guest: we are all students without an income and we are feeling the hike in fares too

me: this may be a sensitive topic but probably i can do a write up on that but hor

Guest: we hope that someone can help us to fight for this

me: the danger of the solution may be something bad

Guest: we only want to enjoy what other JC, ITE students pay for their fare

me: one solution is to wear student badge on plain clothes or some kind to represent themselves as student which i think nobody in poly wants, i think the problem faced by transport people is they cannot identify you as students the only way they can is through your student card.

Guest: we have our tertiary pass also

me: which may be troublesome to check every passenger who pay student fares for the card that is the problem, one way is to wear student uniform but that again is problematic hmmmi understand your plight as i am poly student once before let me think of a solution first hehehe

Guest: ok we have a tertiary pass which cost $45 and $97 depending on the mode of travel

me: probably got a simply yet effective way to solve this problem ohh

Guest: for example bus, train or both

me: ic

Guest: but JC, ITE pass cost $25 so tell me what’s wrong with the picture
me: they treat students as adults which is totally wrong

Guest: yes, i chose the poly route but that doesn’t mean I have to pay adult fares hope you can help us think of something. Thanks, hope to chat with you again, I have to run !thanks for listening

Guest has left.me: kk

- This issue is a common one that should be taken out in public to discuss about it ASAP as the pressure on cost of living not only affects the working adults but also the non-working students living in Singapore.

This problem probably had been vigorously debated upon and probably left many poly-students fuming mad about being charged more expensive than students in ITE or A-Level that are of the same age and status.

The current problem for the public transport operators are unable to differentiate between plain clothes poly students and an ordinary adult out there in the public and the fear of fare cheats probably the reason why poly students are charged more then other students wearing uniforms.

Some older generation ex-poly students might not fight for the current generation as they had “gone through it as well” and comes out fine however we have to remind everyone that the current economic situation are totally different and there could be student living with relatively low income family that cannot afford to continue their current studies due to higher cost of living.

I myself was unable to afford to study overseas when the local university don’t take me in and it’s very unfair for the public transportation service providers to have a bias or “discrimination” against polytechnic students as they are of the same age with zero income.

How many students will be forced to come out to work earlier due to bad economy and unable to support their daily transportation expenses? 100? 1000? 10,000?

Imagine the loss of education standard in Singapore due to greedy public transport service providers…hmm

Problems:

  1. Public transport operators cannot identify polytechnic students and ordinary adults
  2. Public transport operators are afraid of fare cheats
  3. Students paying more then they should for public transport.

Proposed Solutions

  1. Jog or cycle to school 3 hours in advance (Crazy idea…!!)
  2. Learn how to collect aluminum soda cans (learn in advance haha)
  3. Seek other ways to earn some spare cash like blogging (Google Adsense)
  4. Send in a (xxx) thousands of signatures to LTA to push down the public transport fees for Polytechnic students.
  5. Quit school and apply for license to drive a cab or school bus for polytechnic students.
  6. Share A TAXI – POLY STUDENT program to gather poly students who live nearby to share a cab to the same polytechnic.
  7. Book a van or bus daily for more students to share the cost.
  8. Hong Lim Park Protest….wooot.
  9. Wear Uniform? Wear polytechnic arm band to identify themselves as polytechnic.
  10. SIMPLY PUT A PHOTO ON THE BLOODY EZLINK HAHAHAHA…Go Go Go!
  11. Sign the Nationwide National Petition for Fairer Transportation Fares for Polytechnic/ Tertiary Students to collect between 30,000 to 100,000 actual signatures of support.

Click here to JOIN the facebook Online petition against high fares for Poly Students!!

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Categories: Complaints - Singapore
Tags: - -
28 October 2008 at 14:30 - Comments
  • Daniel Ling
    Hi Simon, i recall in my poly days, when there was this er… BUS STAMP thing, tat u buy and stick on Bus Card to ride Bus for free.

    So in my school there was this CO OP shop tat actually sells tiertary BUS STAMP which i believe was just slightly higher than JC or ITE.

    Maybe can consider 1 way would be for the practice again, for these CO OP shops (If they still exist) to carry Tiertary EZ LINK which only last for a month? And 1 student card can only buy 1? Troublesome but worth it for the student.
  • Simon Tay
    The problem comes when the students pass these Tertiary EZ Link Card to their family members who is not a student.

    I think the problems lies with lack of trust by the transport operators.

    One way may be more costly is to implement airport system with a separate gantry for poly students.

    These poly students need to go through a thumb print scanner to authenticate the user is really what is registered by the ezlink…

    e.g. The poly student goes into the first EZ Link Gantry (ti!) then hor he go straight to the 2nd gantry to put thumbprint like in the airport…(ti) then the door open!!

    Well, this may be troublesome but this ensure there are no passing of cheaper Tertiary EZ Link Card to their family members who are not Poly students.

    Other then this….probably the manual way is to show NRIC or student card to an operator on the way in before tapping Ezlink like back in the bus stamp era.

    Another way is the evil way…insert the RFID chip into your skin…arhhhh NOOooooOOoo
  • Desmond Lim
    i think it is crappy the way the transport operators do things. if you are talking about identification, then what about the school holidays when nobody wears a uniform?

    this is just blatant discrimination because they can do it, plan and simple, there is no issue because any reasons you can bring up (i.e. cannot identify, trust…) can all be debunked.

    each student gets just 1 student bus pass, it would be so easy to just deactivate it if that student is not a student anymore or if it gets lost. furthermore, of all the reasons stated why there is none for poly students, is so full of holes. as i’ve mentioned, how about the school holidays? what makes a JC student in plan clothes (after school, weekends, school holidays) different from a poly student? if trust is the real issue, shouldn’t we allow the use of student passes only on school days? and school terms?
  • Simon Tay
    well place argument there!! I totally didn’t see holiday part of the equation.

    Hmmm

    That’s true the transport operators cannot discriminate poly students…just give the poly students equal prices on bus stamps and probably a more cheaper MRT Ezlink card with registration with the school instead and this way it should be done asap.

    what exactly is the LTA is thinking? Or what is SMRT or SBS thinking?

    Well, if by changing now…probably will mean losing more “profit” margins for them and their well paid CEO and shareholders.

    Probably it’s time to make the amendments.
  • Daniel Ling
    Hi Simon,

    Actually the “Special” EZ Link can come with photograph. The old time Bus Card also got… So can’t run. If photo faded, need to replace can’t use de. It’s a rule.

    Of coz the photo should be updated. So it’s pretty no horse run already. But OF COZ I DOUBT IT WILL HAPPEN LA…

    Coz Poly LPPL need to go school anyway. Either, private or public transport. So make u pay Adult = more earning. Y not.

    If u can gather 10k student at Hong Lim maybe can make a diff? =D

    PS: Sincerely, i Do Not think it’s very diffcult either to ve special EZ Link with photo. I think currently those Secondary and Primary already has this right? So it’s just adding another group which will be tiertary. Poly, JC, ITE can be group tgt…

    PS2: Another counter arguement is alot of Part Timers in Poly which are adults. But this can be easily countered by the sales counter personnel as I believe Part Time Student dun ve student card. Even if got, can easily differentiate base on the status of the card.
  • johnboy
    hey Simon, okay, the thing about drivers not being able to see/make out whether we’re adults or poly students can be clearly resolved as when our student pass are tapped on the EZ-link reader, the difference in beeps can help justify that. y’know? like student cards has two beeps when it is read, whereas, adults have only one.

    and you said that the cards can be passed to family members who are not students. hmm, lets say, POLY STUDENT A passes his card to FAMILY MEMBER B, and B is older than A and can clearly be seen. wont you think the driver will realise that B is not the actual holder of the card? and drivers can clear uncertainties by asking B to show the driver his/her card?
  • Simon Tay
    As I had realized my mistake in the comments section..I had added the last solution in the main article of this post hehe

    ADD a photo to the ezlink just in case the bus driver or the MRT officer can spot check if necessary.

    Problem solved
  • huiyi
    I feel the fare for poly students are fair. Poly students time are more flexible compare to JC or ITE as they are not bounded by the Mon-Fri must go school rules. They are able to use the free time to find part time job and this will give them a better income status. Unlike us, we do not have free time to do that and by the time we reach home ,is close to dinner time.
  • Simon Tay
    Trust me, being in poly is not really free and easy…

    Being in poly before previously, we usually stay in library to study or goes to project room to do the project that represent our grade.

    Most of the time the schedules are very tightly together and only have like 1 hour or 2 break in between…

    Sometimes the polytechnic is so huge that we need to run around the compound. haha.
  • Daniel Ling
    Will i get credit for the solution? Lol

    Anyway sincerely, this solution is already implemented in Sec and Pri Sch EZ Link which also doubles as a Student Card right?

    Any Sec, Pri Students holding this card can verify? Or any Parents whose kids has can verify?

    To JohnBoy

    Sound identification will easily be missed due to the noise factor. As for recognition base on the age vs face, have u notice that there’s a lot pple who dun look their age?

    To huiyi

    Simon has replyed on ur comment. And i can verify, during my poly days i had to work PT as my family is seriously poor. And it’s no fun at all…

    As for those flexible timings, IF u fail some modules in YR1 then you have to retake them in YR2, so if there’s conflicts then you have to planned accordingly which usually results in more FREE TIME. But if u follow the normal time line, (Passing every module every year) there won’t be so much free time, at least not during my time.
  • Jimmoo
    Hi Daniel, this is a grey area for tertiary students and I am glad that you guys raised it up and from the news, one of the opposition MP has already highlighted this issue to the government. I think this will not be resolved so quickly because if the government does not have a solution, they will keep slient.

    Another concern is university students. Aren’t they students too? Do they get subsidised rate for transport? What about students from SIM, SMU, aren’t they paying adult rates too ? Instead of just polytechnic students, why not get university students involved in petition and fight for what is right.

    That brings me to another question regarding elderly people. What is the age that one is consider elderly 50? 55 ? or 60? So how do you check if they are really elderly? Some people may look older than their age and if they do not bring their IC out, then how?
  • Daniel Ling
    Hi jimmoo,

    Actually all these issue can be easily iron out just by having special EZ Link Cards. Which I believe already exist currently.

    If buying special EZ Link which can be classified as
    - Primary, Secondary
    - Tiertiary (ITE, JC, Poly, Uni)
    - Senior Citizens

    At the same time, the schools can also assist by regulating the Student Cards which are issue by stating Full Time student (Eglible for Special EZ Link) and Part Time Students (Not Eglible as likely working Full Time)

    For senior citizen, just need to er… see wat age the Gov determines as senior.

    Then with Photo on the Ez Link, u can’t just pass the card on except maybe to ur twin. But tat’s the extreme already.

    This should esstientially solve the issue right?

    Anything else tat may fall through the web?
  • Daniel Ling
    http://theonlinecitizen.com/2008/11/poly-students-want-fairer-transport-fares/

    Hi just to update tat TOC has taken up this topic also. =D But i think u were earlier.
  • Anonymous
    Obama boleh !
  • entrydenied
    Universities do issue ezlink cards that have photographs. And they are labeled as tertiary cards so I don’t see any problems with identification. One just have to make sure they carry their matriculation card or student pass for identification purposes.
    The monthly concession, i believe, is slightly more expensive than those for poly students.
  • Simon Tay
    Great, let’s the ball start rolling.

    Let’s compare the prices of these tertiary concession cards.

    Anyone got information, kindly put your comments here for comparison :)

    Things should be interesting :)
  • Anonymous
    The school fees are lower for Poly students compare to JC. Is fair for them to pay a higher transport rate instead.
  • Daniel Ling
    Hi, here’s the link to the prices.

    http://www.petition4fairtransport.org/the-petition/
  • kit goh
    Is the blog owner just want us to post our comments in order to get a higher popularity rating for his blog?
  • Simon Tay
    Noticed that I had include the petition link at one of the options! :)

    Ok the prices is listed at the petition site!

    Go sign it as recommended by Daniel Ling
  • Daniel Ling
    To Kit Goh,

    Err, regardless of the Agenda of the Blog Owner. Sincerely by writing articles in some form of disagreeing current system + allowing comments of such nature, his already putting himself at risk.

    And, power of Internet = Linking + Easy Circulation. Thus wat’s wrong with allowing comments? =D
  • lingling
    News article to encourage those who are fighting for cancer.

    http://www.asiaone.com/Just%2BWoman/News/Celebrities/Story/A1Story20081113-100336.html

    Dongfang Billy faces death head-on

    MANY of his loyal fans were heartbroken two months ago when it was reported that former radio DJ Billy Wang’s leukaemia was back.

    The disease is now in the third stage. Better known as Dongfang Billy, the Taiwanese has been a strong advocate for healthy living after winning his first battle with cancer 15 years ago.

    Sporting a newly-shaven head and looking noticeably thinner, Billy, 45, was nevertheless optimistic at a press briefing yesterday. He spoke candidly about the documentary DIE-logues, which was produced by the Lien Foundation’s Life Before Death campaign.

    He will host the Chinese-language version of the documentary, which deals with public perceptions of end-of-life issues. It will air on television in March next year.

    Billy told reporters that he is undergoing chemotherapy and has to fly back to Taiwan for treatment every week. Talking about his relapse, he said with steely determination: “I’m just taking things as they come, but I’m definitely not giving up.”

    Billy believes that preparation for death is important. “When someone dies abruptly, we are left with unresolved emotional and financial issues in the aftermath,” he said.

    But he admits he was terrified by the diagnosis. Still, he asserts, “it cannot determine my death. I can choose to die with dignity and with no regrets”.

    To that end, Billy has filmed a video for his wake, where he will deliver his last words to family and friends. He updates it every three months. He has also almost finished paying his housing mortgages.

    Also present at the press conference was Mr Gerard Ee, 59, chairman of the National Kidney Foundation and Public Transport Council. He was diagnosed with colon cancer last November and is now “in the clear” after completing chemotherapy in June.

    “A lot of things are out of your control,” Mr Ee said. “But you can take control of your own life in spite of what happens.”

    Most importantly, he added, “Be well-prepared. Don’t leave behind burdens for your family members.”

    joyfang@sph.com.sg

    For more details about DIE-logues, visit http://www.lifebeforedeath.sg
  • Anonymous
    Is Dongfang Billy a polytechnic student as well ?
  • lingling
    Maybe he’s a friend of Simon Tay.
  • don
    I am a fan of Billy ! How do you get to know him Simon.