Dear readers, I am appreciative that the government has introduced distance-based fares some years back.
With distance-based pricing, we pay for the total distance that we travel via public transport i.e. a subsequent trip made within an allowable interval (following the first public transport trip) will be accounted as a continuation of a trip, rather than a new trip (and prevent the need for commuter to pay more for a new trip).
However, I believe there is still one component of the distance-based fare implementation that can be improved.
If a commuter takes a bus service from destination A to destination B via a particular bus service number and returns to destination A from destination B with the same bus service number within the same allowable interval for distance-based fee computation, the return trip is counted as a new trip (hence commuter pays higher fee for a new trip rather than as continuation of a trip). Same goes if the commuter were to take the train for the above scenario.
I am sharing the above as at times, I found myself in the above scenario, paying 2 times new fees for a return trip between two same destinations within the allowable interval for distance-based fees. It will be good if the authorities are to look into the above as this will mean sustainable savings for those who are currently affected by this situation.