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2019 Public Transport Fare Subsidy

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  1. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by East_coast:
    Yes....

    There are many things that can be done to make public transport even more effective (although HK has extremely good public transport). The current model has not changed since the 1970's when guaranteed longer income through contracted out monopolies allowed the bus companies to invest heavily without direct subsidy. Now there is a stable market it is surely time to start to change the model to allow innovation rather than just operational efficiency. Unfortunately the franchise licence owners have a large number of votes for the Legco seat so they get what they want not what the public needs. I did read somewhere average commute times are up 35% over the last 20 years as congestion worsens and the lower paid get pushed further and further out.

    The first step for lawmakers should always be to change laws that prevent solutions that are for the good of society being developed. Only after these should subsidies be considered.
    I did say "if you want to subsidise". Personally I don't see the need for a general subsidy in Hong Kong.

  2. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by JAherbert:
    its time-limited

    and the locations seem to be limited to bus stations

    its designed not be easy
    There are over 242 points of collection within the MTR as well as 7/11, Wellcome supermarkets and a host of other places that use Octopus and all you have to do is tap a card. How much simpler and easier could it be? Hand delivered in bed before breakfast?

    It is not the same as lowering the price, this is only for regular users above a certain amount which targets the people that likely need it the most. Wealthier people tend to use more taxis and/or have their own car. Far better than many of their other cashback schemes which gives money to all.

  3. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by Golem:
    There are over 242 points of collection within the MTR as well as 7/11, Wellcome supermarkets and a host of other places that use Octopus and all you have to do is tap a card. How much simpler and easier could it be? Hand delivered in bed before breakfast?

    It is not the same as lowering the price, this is only for regular users above a certain amount which targets the people that likely need it the most. Wealthier people tend to use more taxis and/or have their own car. Far better than many of their other cashback schemes which gives money to all.
    The other option to use a bit of code and automatically offer a rebate when the right expenditure over the right time frame was not possible for obvious reasons.

  4. #14

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    Just got rebate via the Octopus Android app. Almost $120 back on a transport spend of $873 which is a low spend for me but welcome the rebate.


  5. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by East_coast:
    The other option to use a bit of code and automatically offer a rebate when the right expenditure over the right time frame was not possible for obvious reasons.
    How do you know what is feasible or not and how easy it would be? Were you part of the discussions? The method has to be agreed upon by the transport companies/Octopus shareholders and the government. Perhaps you would prefer that the government dictates terms to them? Perhaps the decision was also made so that those not really needing it would not bother making the very small extra effort which is also a good thing in my opinion.

  6. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by Golem:
    There are over 242 points of collection within the MTR as well as 7/11, Wellcome supermarkets and a host of other places that use Octopus and all you have to do is tap a card. How much simpler and easier could it be? Hand delivered in bed before breakfast?
    I was quoting from the Govt. website but I stand corrected, RTHK reports today, there 1,800 points, including MTR, 7/11 as you said.
    East_coast likes this.

  7. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by Golem:
    How do you know what is feasible or not and how easy it would be? Were you part of the discussions? The method has to be agreed upon by the transport companies/Octopus shareholders and the government. Perhaps you would prefer that the government dictates terms to them?
    Yes. Lawmakers should make laws. They should set the criteria out clearly so any payment provider can offer the rebate. It is not the job of government to administer such schemes when the private sector is perfectly capable of doing it if mandated to do it.

    Quote Originally Posted by Golem:
    Perhaps the decision was also made so that those not really needing it would not bother making the very small extra effort which is also a good thing in my opinion.
    That would suggest it is a terrible scheme and also the poor people's time is somehow less important.

  8. #18

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    Quote Originally Posted by bdw:
    A trick if you want to scam the government, if you currently use a monthly pass, is to only use a monthly pass every second month and use regular tickets every second month. Since you get the monthly pass 7 days before the month begins, it means all your transport costs are paid every second month and therefore you can get a higher subsidy. This is what my local mates are doing now
    Genuinely curious …how do you get a higher subsidy this way. Thought it's just a flat 25 percent over 400 spent? Unless they need to do that just to reach 400? My ferry pass is 597 so I will qualify every month but maybe their monthly passes are under 400?
    Elegiaque likes this.

  9. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by East_coast:
    Yes. Lawmakers should make laws. They should set the criteria out clearly so any payment provider can offer the rebate. It is not the job of government to administer such schemes when the private sector is perfectly capable of doing it if mandated to do it.


    That would suggest it is a terrible scheme and also the poor people's time is somehow less important.
    You mean forced right? When you are down to criticizing how the government decides to hand out money and a less than 1 minute procedure is somehow too difficult and complicated then it's pretty clear that you have a humongous chip on your shoulder against the government

  10. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by Golem:
    You mean forced right? When you are down to criticizing how the government decides to hand out money and a less than 1 minute procedure is somehow too difficult and complicated then it's pretty clear that you have a humongous chip on your shoulder against the government
    The system looks unnecessarily complicated and restrictive at the same time. I suspect it is probably quite expensive to administer also.

    I am one of the few posters who regularly posts points that I believe are good policy.