When this reporter tried to upgrade an EZ-Link card, it took about two minutes before the machine said the upgrade failed.
The receipt said: “You may not be able to use your card as upgrading to SimplyGo was not completed. Please resume upgrading to SimplyGo or proceed to the TransitLink Ticket Office for assistance.”
The TransitLink Ticket Office had a queue of around eight people at the time, with only one staff member serving commuters. CNA approached several in the queue, but they said they were not seeking help to upgrade their cards to SimplyGo.
In response to CNA’s queries about the problems commuters have faced, LTA said there had been a surge in the number of commuters upgrading their cards at ticketing machines.
It added that more people also downloaded the SimplyGo app after its announcement earlier this week.
“The surge in transaction volume resulted in the app and ticketing machines becoming less responsive. TransitLink has made enhancements to their app to address the issue and existing app users will be prompted to update their app,” said an LTA spokesperson.
“LTA has also been working with our vendors to enhance our backend systems to handle more upgrades.
“We apologise for the inconvenience caused. We are monitoring the situation closely and will make further adjustments if needed to improve the transition process.”