SINGAPORE – The SimplyGo app became less responsive and users were unable to use some of its features on Jan 10, a day after the authorities announced that older adult ez-link cards must be upgraded to the SimplyGo platform for fare payments from June.
Updated versions of the app became available for download on the evening of Jan 10.
In response to questions from The Straits Times, a spokesperson for the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said late on Jan 10: “The surge in transaction volume resulted in the app becoming less responsive. TransitLink is working to resolve this and has enhanced the app further to address the issues. The new updated app can now be downloaded from the Apple and Android app stores.
“We apologise for the inconvenience.”
TransitLink, an LTA subsidiary, is listed as the developer of the SimplyGo app.
On Jan 10, some users also faced difficulties in upgrading their ez-link cards to the SimplyGo system at SimplyGo ticket offices and ticketing machines at MRT stations and bus interchanges.
The problem persisted into Jan 11, with the SimplyGo Facebook page continuing to draw complaints from those who failed to upgrade their cards.
The LTA spokesperson told ST on Jan 11 that it has been working with its vendors to improve its backend systems to handle more upgrades.
“Commuters who were unsuccessful in upgrading their cards can approach SimplyGo ticket offices or ticketing service centres for assistance,” said the spokesperson.
From June 1, passengers will not be able to use older ez-link cards that are not compatible with SimplyGo or Nets FlashPay cards to pay for their fares on public buses and trains.
Passengers have until Aug 31 to upgrade their older ez-link cards at SimplyGo ticket offices, ticketing service centres and ticketing machines at rail stations and bus interchanges, LTA announced on Jan 9.
As early as the morning of Jan 10, users took to SimplyGo’s Facebook page with complaints about issues they faced in registering for an account, resetting passwords or accessing other features on the app.
As at 7pm on Jan 11, there were more than 150 comments on SimplyGo’s Facebook post.
The SimplyGo app lets users top up their cards, receive notifications on their fares and balances, and block further transactions if the cards are misplaced.
With SimplyGo, fares charged are not displayed on the fare reader.
After repeated tries on the afternoon of Jan 10, ST could not access the app or sign in to the SimplyGo website.
The app issue was resolved after downloading the updated software at 11.30pm, although the app and SimplyGo website still carried a message advising users that functions may be affected because of the “overwhelming” number of app downloads. This advisory was no longer there by the afternoon of Jan 11.
Over at rail stations and bus interchanges, the surge in passengers upgrading their cards at ticketing machines had caused the machines to be less responsive, said LTA.
Automotive industry consultant Say Kwee Neng said he managed to upgrade his ez-link card on Jan 10 at Upper Thomson MRT station after switching to a second ticketing machine, as the screen on the first machine he used froze before the upgrading process could be completed.
The 57-year-old added that it took more than five minutes to get his ez-link card upgraded. ST, however, managed to upgrade an ez-link card in less than a minute at around 10.50pm on Jan 10 at Stevens MRT station.
Facility management purchaser Toh Yong Soon, 48, started using a SimplyGo-compatible ez-link card and the app six months ago.
He said the app was unresponsive on Jan 10, and he did not get notifications on his fare transactions.
“I’ve been travelling blind the whole day, not knowing the fare,” Mr Toh said.
He added that when he was at Bugis MRT station at noon on Jan 10, he saw two men walk away from the ticketing machine after they failed to upgrade their ez-link cards.
As at December 2023, there were 2.6 million adult fare transactions done on SimplyGo daily, compared with 1.5 million such transactions made using ez-link and Nets FlashPay cards.
Commuters no longer need to switch to SimplyGo as LTA U-turns on move to replace older ticketing system
• Commuters who bought or converted to SimplyGo cards between Jan 9 and 22 can switch back to an EZ-Link card for free
• The older EZ-Link system allows commuters to see their fare deductions and card balances at fare gates and bus card readers
• "I apologise on behalf of MOT and LTA for the delays commuters experienced when they tried to convert their existing EZ Link cards," says Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat
SINGAPORE: Commuters will no longer be made to switch to the SimplyGo payment platform for public transport, as the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has reversed a decision to phase out the older ticketing system following complaints.
The government will spend an additional S$40 million so that commuters can continue to use EZ-Link cards and NETS FlashPay cards if they wish to, Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat announced on Monday (Jan 22).
Those who have upgraded to a SimplyGo EZ-Link card may exchange it for the previous EZ-Link card for free if they prefer to use the older ticketing system.
Announcing the decision on Monday, Mr Chee acknowledged the concerns of commuters who want to see their fare deductions and card balances when they tap out at fare gates and bus card readers. They are currently not able to do so using SimplyGo cards.
Explaining why this is the case, LTA said on Jan 12 that while it is "technically possible", it would take a "few seconds" for fare gates and bus readers to obtain and display the card balance and deduction information from the backend system. This would, in turn, slow down the entry and exit for commuters.
"I have discussed your feedback and concerns with MOT (Ministry of Transport) and LTA," Mr Chee said in a Facebook post.
"We have decided to extend the use of the current CBT (card-based ticketing) system for adult commuters, and not to sunset the system in 2024 as originally planned.
"We will spend an additional S$40 million so that commuters can continue to use EZ Link cards and NETS FlashPay cards if they wish to."
FREE EXCHANGE OF CARDS
Adult commuters who have purchased a SimplyGo EZ-Link card, or converted their EZ-Link cards to SimplyGo EZ-Link cards between Jan 9 and Jan 22, now have the option to switch back to the previous card for free.
Concession cardholders who received a SimplyGo-compatible card or converted their cards to SimplyGo on or before Jan 22 can also exchange their card for free, if they do not wish to continue using SimplyGo cards.
This group includes seniors, students, Workfare Transport Concession cardholders and people with disabilities, said LTA.
More details on the card exchange will be available by the end of February.
"We seek commuters’ understanding that we require some time to prepare our operations for the card exchange, to minimise inconvenience to commuters," LTA added.
The SimplyGo platform was introduced in 2019, which enables commuters to use contactless bank cards as their travel card on public transport.
LTA had planned to phase out the older ticketing system from Jun 1 this year in favour of SimplyGo, noting that around two-thirds of adult public transport fares are currently paid through SimplyGo EZ-Link cards or bank cards.
The legacy card-based ticketing system for adult commuters is also nearing the end of its operational lifespan, LTA said earlier this month.
Mr Chee said on Monday that he has tasked LTA to study ways to enhance the features and improve the user experience for account-based ticketing cards – which include SimplyGo and bank cards.
He added that in particular, the authority will look at possible solutions for such cards to display fare deductions and stored value card balances at fare gates and bus card readers.
BENEFITS OF ACCOUNT-BASED TICKETING CARDS
Despite its shortcomings, account-based ticketing (ABT) cards like SimplyGo have their benefits, said the Transport Minister.
For instance, if a commuter misplaces the card, the balance can be protected because the value is stored in the user's account. "Whereas if they lose a card-based ticketing card, the value stored in the card will be lost," Mr Chee noted.
"Some people buy ABT stored value cards for their family members, so that they can top up the value more conveniently using the SimplyGo app," he added.
Such cards have become more popular, Mr Chee said, with about 40 per cent of adult commuters now using bank cards or mobile wallets.
The minister also apologised for the delays commuters experienced when they tried to convert their existing cards to SimplyGo ones.
In the days after LTA's initial announcement to phase out the legacy EZ-Link system, some commuters told CNA that they encountered hiccups in the upgrading process.
A surge in transaction volumes caused the SimplyGo app and ticketing machines to be less responsive, said LTA at the time.
Last Friday, a free exchange service for those looking to swap their NETS FlashPay cards for the NETS Prepaid Card was not available. The SimplyGo upgrade feature was also "temporarily unavailable" at some ticketing machines on Saturday.
“I apologise on behalf of MOT (the Ministry of Transport) and LTA for the delays commuters experienced when they tried to convert their existing EZ-Link cards. This could have been avoided with better preparation,” said Mr Chee.
"LTA has worked to address this issue. It has updated the SimplyGo app and speeded up the card conversion process."
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/simplygo-ezlink-card-lta-u-turn-free-exchange-40-million-4064446