A father of a young child took to social media on Tuesday (June 9) to air his grievances about having to tap out of the gantry at an MRT station before he could pass his daughter to his in-laws.
In an open letter addressed to Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow, user Daniel Chow, 33, said he and his wife sometimes have to work on Saturday mornings and he would take the train and pass his child over to his in-laws.
While most SMRT station staff would grant his request to open the side gate beside the gantry so that he can push his pram through, one station manager would insist that he tap out and exit the gantry.
“Fertility rate is dropping. Cost of living is rising. And I have to waste $2 each time? Imagine a single parent who has to seek the parents’ help on a daily basis, it will cost an additional $80 a month,” wrote the fitness specialist.
Chow’s Instagram post has garnered nearly 10,000 likes and almost 3,000 reposts, sparking discussion and debate online.Â
In an online statement on Friday, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) acknowledged Chow’s frustration but reiterated that its rules are applied “judiciously and with compassion”.
“We understand the commuter’s frustration – managing work, childcare, and a young child on the move isn’t easy.
“There are rules and regulations on the MRT for reasons such as safety, security, passenger comfort, fairness, etc. Our public transport workers apply these rules judiciously and with compassion,” said the authority on Facebook.
“Similarly, our public transport workers have been assisting families by applying the rules with kindness most of the time and opening the fare gate to facilitate such transfers. There is also an existing solution that can help – children who qualify for free travel can apply for a child concession card which allows them to tap in and out easily, for free,” added LTA.
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