43 organisations signed up for Travel Smart Network: Lui Tuck Yew

SINGAPORE — A total of 43 organisations have signed up to participate in the Travel Smart Network since its launch in July last year, and none of them have dropped out, said the Minister of Transport Mr Lui Tuck Yew today (March 3).

His response was in a written answer to Nominated Member of Parliament Lina Chiam’s parliamentary question about the number of employers who have signed up for the Travel Smart pilot under the Free Pre-Peak Travel Scheme since October 2012. Ms Chiam also asked what the take-up rate for free pre-peak travel was, and how effective it was in spreading the peak hour demand.

“In a survey of about 3,800 employees of the 12 pilot companies, about 12 per cent of respondents said that they had shifted their travel out of the morning peak period of 8.30am to 9.00am,” said Mr Lui.

The Transport Minister added that 7 to 8 per cent of commuters shifted their travel from the peak to the pre-peak period since the launch of free pre-peak travel on the MRT in June 2013.

“The ratio of morning peak commuters to pre-peak commuters heading to the city has been sustained at around 2.1, compared to 2.7 prior to the trial,” he said, adding that peak hour commuters who are unable to shift their travel times would also benefit from less crowded rides. CHANNEL NEWSASIA