The Transport Department (TD) today (December 29) reminded members of the public that the Public Transport Fare Subsidy Scheme will be implemented with effect from January 1, 2019. The Scheme is non-means tested and commuters with monthly public transport expenses exceeding $400 are eligible for the public transport fare subsidy. The Government will provide a subsidy for 25 per cent of actual public transport expenses in excess of $400, subject to a maximum of $300 per month. In addition, commuters can continue to benefit from various public transport fare concession schemes provided by the Government and public transport operators under the Scheme.
"The Scheme covers the Mass Transit Railway (MTR), franchised buses, green minibuses, ferries and trams, as well as designated routes of red minibuses, kaitos, non-franchised buses providing residents' services and employees' services approved by the TD," a spokesman for the TD said. The logo of the Scheme will be displayed at a conspicuous location on vehicles or vessels and atop the Octopus readers of the routes of red minibuses, kaitos and non-franchised buses providing residents' services and employees' services that have been approved to join the Scheme (please refer to Annex 1).
The monthly subsidy is calculated on the basis of the actual monthly transport expenses recorded on each Octopus. Generally speaking, the everyday use of Octopus for payment of the fares of public transport services covered by the Scheme will be recorded automatically. Prior registration is not required. The expenses on designated transport tickets that are paid by Octopus or expenses on those designated transport tickets that are encoded in Octopus will also be recorded automatically. Commuters who purchase designated transport tickets by cash or any payment means other than Octopus can go through a simple registration to link up the relevant expenses with the Octopus record for the calculation of the total public transport expenses and subsidy amount under the Scheme.
For most designated transport tickets, registration can be completed simply by presenting the Octopus to the staff of the operators at the time of purchase. For commuters purchasing MTR City Saver, Tuen Mun – Nam Cheong Day Pass, Airport Express Round Trip Tickets, Airport Express Group Tickets, New World First Ferry Holiday Return Tickets and Hong Kong and Kowloon Ferry (including Islands Ferry Company Limited and Winnertex Limited) Monthly Tickets and Holiday Return Tickets, they can perform a simple registration themselves at the Designated Transport Ticket Self-registration Points (please refer to Annex 2) installed at the MTR stations, Light Rail Customer Service Centres and ferry piers selling the relevant transport tickets.
"Commuters will be able to collect the public transport fare subsidy for January 2019 starting from February 16, 2019. The method for subsidy collection is simple. Commuters can collect the public transport fare subsidy for the previous month by tapping their Octopus at the Subsidy Collection Points (please refer to Annex 3) installed at MTR stations, Light Rail Customer Service Centres and designated ferry piers, the Octopus readers at the cashier of any outlet of 7-Eleven and Circle K, as well as Wellcome supermarkets, the Octopus App or Octopus Service Points. The subsidy will then be credited to the Octopus. The subsidy for each month is valid for collection within three months. Thereafter, on and after the 16th of each month, commuters can collect the subsidy of the previous month through the same channels," the TD spokesman added.
Upon the implementation of the Scheme, commuters may check their record of public transport expenses and subsidy amount through the website of the Scheme (www.ptfss.gov.hk), the Octopus App and the hotline of the Scheme (2969 5500). Details of the Scheme are available at the website of the Scheme. For further queries, please call 1823.
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