Commuters get chance to win 400 yuan in transportation card credit

The company that runs Shanghai's public transportation card system will award 400 yuan ($65.36) worth of credit to 2,500 frequent commuters, local media reported Monday.

Shanghai Public Transportation Card Co Ltd will select the winners by inviting 10 residents to randomly choose 2,500 transportation card numbers from its registry Sunday, according to a report on the news website eastday.com.

The lottery, which will take place on National Car Free Day, aims to encourage residents to use public transportation more often, said a company marketing manager surnamed Ma.

Still, the lottery will be limited to people who used their cards more than 400 times from September 1, 2012 to August 31, 2013, according to the report.

The company will publish the winning transportation card numbers on its website, www.sptcc.com, and in the Xinmin Evening News, Ma said.

Shanghai Public Transportation Card Co Ltd has issued more than 49 million transportation cards since 1999, according to a press release from the company.

However, only several millions cards are in regular use. Companies and government agencies often give away the cards, so some people possess multiples.

Shanghai Public Transportation Card Co Ltd advises residents to turn in extra cards for a refund, according to a report on the local news website eastday.com.