SINGAPORE — Commuters caught not paying or underpaying their fares on public buses and train services will be charged with higher fines — more than double the current penalty — starting next week, announced the Public Transport Council (PTC), after a 30.6 per cent jump in the number of such cases last year.

In a press release detailing its tougher measures to deter bus and rail fare evasion, the PTC said such fare evaders will have to pay a fine of S$50 from Monday (Feb 29) onwards. The current penalty fee is S$20.

Commuters who misuse concession tickets will be subjected to the same penalty fee of S$50, the PTC said. 

There were 8,945 cases of fare evasion on bus and train services last year, compared with 6,851 in 2014 and 6,384 in 2013. 

Calling fare evasion a “dishonest act”, PTC chief executive Alvin Chia said: “The tougher measures are intended as a strong deterrence against the evasion of public-transport fares, and hence minimise free-riding behaviour.”

“This is only fair to the large majority of our commuters who pay the correct fares for their journeys,”  he added.

In response to queries, the PTC also noted that the penalty quantum had been unchanged since the regime was introduced in 2008. With the increase in cases, the review was “timely”, it added.

Under the new set of measures, enforcement action can now be taken against commuters who try to cheat on their fares, such as by tail-gating at MRT fare gates. Currently, action can only be taken against commuters after they have travelled a distance.

According to its website, only appointed public-transport officials, such as ticket inspectors and station masters, can lawfully enforce the penalty fee. They are required to carry and show their authorisation card when performing enforcement work.