Singapore
The public transport operator sees revenues plunge as it copes with increasing operating expenses.
File photo of an SMRT train. (Photo: AFP/Roslan Rahman)
SINGAPORE: SMRT earned S$26 million in after-tax profits in 2017, a stark contrast to the S$81 million reported the previous year.
According to the latest group review report released on its website on Tuesday (Mar 27), the public transport operator also recorded a fall in revenue of S$791 million for 2017 as compared to S$811 million in the previous year, citing “lower average fare”.
Meanwhile, SMRT’s earnings before interest and tax for the financial year of 2017 was recorded as S$27 million after it recorded S$97 million in the previous year.
The fall in earnings was in light of increasing operating expenses, SMRT said. This is due to “higher maintenance-related expenses for the ageing network” as well as “preparation for operating Tuas West Extension”, it added. The Tuas West extension to the East-West Line officially opened in June 2016.
Details of operating data revealed in the review showed an increase in average weekday ridership from 756 million in 2016 to 768 million in 2017.
Meanwhile, total distance travelled by passengers decreased from 8,322 million kilometres in 2016 to 8,271 million kilometres in 2017.
