About NT$200,000 (US$6,300) in rebates introduced by Taichung Mass Rapid Transit Corp last year to reward frequent passengers expired before they could be claimed, the operator of the city’s metropolitan railway service said on Monday.
Since the introduction of the reward program on Sept. 1 last year, the total value of the rebates for passengers using electronic payment cards reached NT$3.01 million as of Friday last week, Taichung MRT said in a statement.
However, about 7 percent of the total rebate, or NT$200,000, expired before eligible passengers claimed their rewards within the six-month period allotted, the company said.
Photo: Chang Hsuan-che, Taipei Times
Under the reward program, passengers making 30 to 39 trips a month would recover 10 percent of their travel costs the following month. The rebate is automatically added to their payment card when they tap it at a ticketing machine at any station.
Passengers who make 40 to 49 trips a month receive 20 percent of the money they spent the previous month, while those making 50 to 59 trips receive 25 percent and passengers making 60 or more trips receive 30 percent.
Taichung MRT said that 91 percent of the unclaimed money belonged to passengers whose payment cards were not registered with the metro service operator’s app.
By installing the app and having their payment cards registered, passengers can check how many trips they make each month and receive a reminder when they can collect the reward, Taichung MRT said.
Similar situations have been reported by the Taipei MRT and New Taipei City’s light rail service operator since 2020, when Taipei MRT first introduced a reward program.
Passengers receive 10 percent for 11 to 20 journeys on the Taipei MRT and up to 30 percent for 51 journeys or more.
The issue was raised in October last year by a Taipei city councilor, who asked how Taipei MRT planned to deal with the unclaimed rewards of NT$12.99 million at that time.
Taipei MRT said that it had extended the claim period from six months to one year, and would seek other ways to increase awareness of the program.
It also said it would promote the use of its app, which sends reminders to passengers about unclaimed rewards.
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