Off-Peak Car (OPC)

DEFINITION

A car that can be used during off-peak hours. The Mandarin name literally translates as “red plate car”, as this type of cars uses red car plates with white lettering.

ETYMOLOGY

• When the Off-Peak Car (OPC) Scheme was launched on 1 October 1994, its aim was to allow car owners to save on registration fee and road tax without causing traffic congestion. In order to differentiate vehicles under this scheme from other vehicles, OPCs are to use red plates with white lettering, hence the name “red plate cars”.
• The OPC Scheme was revised on 25 January 2010. Under the Revised Off-Peak Car (ROPC) Scheme, ROPCs are no longer restricted for use on Saturdays and the eves of five public holidays (New Year, Chinese New Year, Hari Raya Puasa, Deepavali and Christmas). Furthermore, ROPCs can receive a rebate on road tax.

SAMPLE SENTENCE

This year, Certificate of Entitlement (COE) prices for small and medium-sized vehicles dropped to an average of S$30,000, thus attracting more people to register their new vehicles as “Off-Peak cars”. The number of newly registered “Off-Peak cars” for the first 11 months this year has surpassed the total number registered last year by nearly 30%. (Lianhe Zaobao, 21/12/2018)