37,000 people collect free travel cards after SimplyGo plan is shelved

Some 37,000 people, or about 13 per cent of adults eligible for a free travel card after the planned transition to a newer ticketing system was shelved, have picked up the cards as at June 30, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA).

- Therese Soh

That was the last day of a months-long exercise where eligible adults were given the option of collecting a free ez-link or Nets FlashPay card compatible with the older card-based ticketing system, which displays fare deductions and card balances on fare readers.

A total of 296,000 adults were eligible to pick up the free cards, LTA told The Straits Times on July 8.

To qualify, they must have converted their ez-link cards to SimplyGo – the newer account-based ticketing system – or bought a SimplyGo ez-link card between Jan 9 and 22.

Those who bought a SimplyGo-compatible Nets prepaid card in the same period could also pick up a free Nets FlashPay card that is compatible with the card-based system.

LTA on Jan 9 announced plans to phase out the older travel cards and have all adult passengers use SimplyGo from June 1, only to pull the plug on Jan 22 after an outcry.

The inability with SimplyGo to see fare data when tapping out of buses and MRT stations irked some passengers.