are we a bunch of silent but angry commuters?

[leetahbar]

A Political Price Must Be Paid
Posted by theonlinecitizen on December 16, 2011 29 Comments
15The following is a letter from a TOC reader:

–
Enough is enough!! The politicians must pay a price for the sorry state of public transportation in Singapore.

This includes the current Minister of Transportation, Mr Lui Tuck Yew, because even though he just got onto the job, he clearly toes the partyline (“it is the profit incentive of commercial enterprises that spurs efficiency and productivity improvements.”) – never mind the fact that the operators can retain too much of the those profits for high executive pay instead of reinvestment into their operations, and is in denial (“I do not know if these are isolated incidents or whether there are systemic and more serious underlying issues causing these breakdowns.”).

The main responsibility though should lie with the cabinet and the buck should specifically stop at the Prime Minister. It is the cabinet, headed by the Prime Minister that decided to corporatise the transportation system while requiring overly lax standards (a $700/- fine for service lapses anyone?) and it is the cabinet that knew to the last person what the population of the country will be and yet refused to invest in sufficient infrastructure.

Also responsible should be the LTA ivory-tower scholars and technocrats who seem to be educated beyond their emotional and intelligence quotient ie they have the smarts but little heart and littler common sense (remember the sudden seat belt rule that is now not enforced, the CBD taxi stand rule and the lack of consultation for the clearance of Bukit Brown?), who work hand-in-glove with the probably criminally negligent government to de-regulate and police the industry for the apparent sole benefit of the operators.

As for the Public Transport Commission, just forgetaboutit! It is merely a band-aid on a gaping wound and one that helps keep the wound bleeding at that.

I mean, how did the average commuter benefit from all these policies except to suffer ever poorer service and ever higher fares?

Why not ask for blood from the transport operators? Well, they’re protected by the current framework so let’s go for those who set up the framework instead.

We as citizens must speak up and stand up to take back our rights and make those responsible pay politically. Only then, will real change happen.

Should we wait till the next election? Remember, we are the frog in slowly boiling water. If we act too late, we will end up as frog soup!

So, we should all write in to the media and to our MPs and demand that they implement the below suggested measures:

Publicly replace the senior executives of the LTA.
Replace the Transport Minister with someone who is not afraid to speak up against unethical and unfair policies. We need someone who finally speaks for the public first and foremost, and not for the party/government or for the so-called commercial enterprises (why is a public servant speaking up for commercial entreprises anyway?).
The cabinet, especially the Prime Minister, to issue a public admission of gross negligence and not merely incompetence. This should ideally include relevant past cabinet members but if they’re now private citizens, I’ll leave it to their conscience.
The immediate repeal of governmental policies that protect the monopoly of the public transport operators.
The immediate increase of penalties to public transport operators to levels determined by an independent commission of and preferably, local and leading overseas experts.
The immediate revision of Quality of Service standards of public transport operators to meaningful levels that are determined by a similar commission as above but one that also has a majority of everyday commuters and average Singaporeans. Policies passed must require unanimous decisions to prevent dominance by any one group.
The legislated meaningful compensation for commuters inconvenienced by the transport operators that go beyond mere refunds but that which also compensates for the consequences of their service lapses and make these compensations easy to claim.
The devil is in the details but let’s grab the devil by its horns and get concrete solutions for once. I shall stop here as I don’t presume to have all the answers.

 

[leetahbar]

minitoots were voted in to serve the voters. instead it seem that they are mostly siding with entities that goof and leech on the voters by defending and shielding them.

what's next? :(

 

[Perspective]

I do not think people are quiet this time. The noise was extensive.

Whose head will roll, that is another question.

 

[leetahbar]

I do not think people are quiet this time. The noise was extensive.

Whose head will roll, that is another question.

they issue fine. then what? smrt eventually would increase fare and have every pennies they paid as fine back.

instead of fine, maybe a reduction in fare in proportionate to their goof-ups. each goofup costs them a 3c deduction in the fare. then smrt would start to kan cheong.

 

[Narong Wongwan]

if you want to blame somebody then blame the 60.1%

 

[leetahbar]

hurting the pockets is the only tyranic way the pap administration is best good at. now why don't they apply to smrt but in a more drastic way. a few 10 or 100 thousands dollars fine to smrt is chicken feet and doesn't even singe a bit.

issue a 3c fare reduction to every commuter with a duration of maybe 1 to 3 mths. if goofups occur again, then extend the period of fare deduction.

that should be fairer since goofup in smrt causes great inconveniences and economic losses. now let them taste their own medicine in the same bitter pill way.

 

[streetsmart73]

hi there


1. aiyoh!
2. it is the state-controlled media that silent the noise.
3. just take a good look at shittytimes today.
4. headlines read: "Passengers not worried despite Thursday's MRT breakdown"
5. it did not even bother to challenge the smrt on its exact sop for an emergency & crowd management!
6. it just wallpainted everything!

 

[leetahbar]

if you want to blame somebody then blame the 60.1%

smrt, public buses and many others vital publiic services are all monopolistic. the gov cannot lax and simply issue fines. these fines in the end would be leech back many folds from the citizens.

deduction of the fare for a certain duration of months would be more appropriate. if more goof ups, then the fare deduction is prolonged. that should appease the dissatisfaction of many.

 

[leetahbar]

hi there


1. aiyoh!
2. it is the state-controlled media that silent the noise.
3. just take a good look at shittytimes today.
4. headlines read: "Passengers not worried despite Thursday's MRT breakdown"
5. it did not even bother to challenge the smrt on its exact sop for an emergency & crowd management!
6. it just wallpainted everything!

must agreed that the MSM is very subtle to report citizens' frustrations but always exaggerate on good little points.

the letter to TOC is probably a reject fr shittimes but got highlighted in TOC instead.

 

[leetahbar]

gov should check on the safety and remedial action in the case of a REAL terrorist attack unless it just all a talk only but wait long long it never happen issue, smrt seemed completely lost and couldn't handle efficiently such simple breakdowns.

there seem to be a "structural flaw" in the management and the handling of emergency. they lack readiness, preparation and practicality. what happen should there be an unforeseen terrorist attack like they always remind and highlighting to us? sure mati man!!

 

[Perspective]

they issue fine. then what? smrt eventually would increase fare and have every pennies they paid as fine back.

instead of fine, maybe a reduction in fare in proportionate to their goof-ups. each goofup costs them a 3c deduction in the fare. then smrt would start to kan cheong.

That's my point. Whose head will roll and how late will it be.

 

[leetahbar]

if head rolls solve the problem, it would be a plus point.

let's be practical. since they cannot give the kind of service appropriately to their price increase, there should be a temproray fare deduction. that would benefit every commuter.

 

[leetahbar]

smrt's apologies are like sing songs - hear now, forget later.

SMRT apologises for the inconvenience caused
Posted by theonlinecitizen on December 16, 2011 16 Comments
7the following is a media release by SMRT:

–
2nd UPDATE – SMRT STATEMENT: SERVICE DISRUPTION ON NORTH-SOUTH LINE (NORTHBOUND): MARINA BAY STATION TO BISHAN STATION

Train service resumed at 11.40pm.

The disruption is caused by a damaged third rail between Dhoby Ghaut and City Hall MRT stations. The faulty third rail damaged the collector shoes of four trains, which caused all of them to stall:

One train at Braddell station
One train before Orchard station
Two trains at Dhoby Ghaut station
Our engineers immediately went onsite to attend to the fault and repaired the third rail by 9.52pm, and thereafter conducted a full inspection of it.

One train was stopped between Dhoby Ghaut and City Hall stations. Passengers in the train were detrained on the track to exit at Dhoby Ghaut. Traction power was switched off to facilitate the detrainment and our investigation. After power to affected trains was cut off, emergency train lighting and ventilation came on. Lighting and ventilation in the tunnels remained switched on throughout.

We activated a two-way bus bridging service at 7.33pm between Marina Bay and Bishan stations, and extended the service at 8.23pm to Ang Mo Kio station. We also ran a dedicated one-way bus bridging service from Bishan to Ang Mo Kio stations to provide alternative transport to passengers. Average frequencies were 5 minutes. As at 11.40pm, 87 buses were deployed for bus bridging.

SMRT issued travel advisories through radio stations and our website to inform passengers of the disruption and bus bridging service as well as advise them to make alternative transport arrangements. Commuters were also advised to leave congested areas and stations. Public announcements were made in stations and trains, and signs were displayed in all stations.

SMRT activated about 300 staff on the ground to assist passengers and resolve the fault.

Passengers who were unable to complete their journeys due to the disruption can file a claim for refund at the Passenger Service Centre in any of the 68 SMRT stations.

SMRT apologises for the inconvenience caused.

 

[leetahbar]

Re: smrt's apologies are like sing songs - hear now, forget later.

Passengers who were unable to complete their journeys due to the disruption can file a claim for refund at the Passenger Service Centre in any of the 68 SMRT stations.

the claims are sometime very negligible but the damage that the mrt breakdown had caused to affected commuters's lives could be catastrophic. eg. someone along the way to a very important interview but due to the breakdown failed to turn up. that could be the rare chance he was waiting all the while when he was unemployed.

many lives would be adversely affected by this evitable mrt breakdown. obviously, smrt is very lax in maintaining a smooth working vital lifeline of the nation :(

 

[zeddy]

if head rolls solve the problem, it would be a plus point.
.

Sacrificial heads will roll within the SMRT, but all these would be done in a hush hush affair... And I'm sure the head of Saw Phaik Hwa will still remain intact after this saga is over.. I'm sure comes next year she would still be running SMRT..

 

[kopiuncle]

sorry it occurs. very sorry it happens. this is very serious. we will get to the bottom of this very serious matter....so sorry.....

 

[leetahbar]

The article above highlights both the intransigence of a corporation serving a public need to make substantive improvement to its services & the inconsequential regulatory penalties that fail to both be a deterrent to failure or an incentive to make changes. In its wake, punitive penalties should be considered to galvanize senior management to take critical action.

First, service disruptions. As these disruptions impact productivity & economic output, any substantive penalty should consider 3 factors:

~S$60,000 annual per capita GDP (http://www.singstat.gov.sg/stats/themes/economy/hist/gdp.html)
Inconvenienced passengers. In this fiasco, we’ll assume 5,570 affected (Oct 18 disruption, same morning window, same direction) instead of the 1,400 stranded.
Disruption time till full service restored. In the latest case, 5 hours. Full disruption time is measured to motivate this public corporation to either find a permanent fix to their issues or funnel critical resources for a faster temporary fix till a more permanent solution is found.
In this scenario, assuming a 44-hour, 50-week work year for the average Singaporean, the economic cost of this disruption would be ~S$760,000. And we should emulate IRAS’ excellent model in imposing a penalty of 3x the cost. Therefore the penalty for the latest circus should be S$2.28 million.

The 20th September disruptions affecting 26,500 commuters over 4 hours would have attracted a penalty of ~S$8.67 million & these cumulative penalties might just have made a dent to SMRT’s 2011 forecast S$161 million profit. Hopefully, these substantial financial penalties would have ignited key institutional shareholders to overcome management inertia.

Second, security breach. As much as SMRT replays its Mumbai attacks PSA ad-nauseum on their platform screens, it seems the message is lost on its own senior management. To rectify such a lackadaisical attitude, 2 factors should be considered:

Passengers at risk. ~1.776 million daily ridership (http://www.smrt.com.sg/investors/documents/key_operating_data_mrt/trains_FY2006_Fy2010.pdf)
Cost of insurance: S$22 per adult, 1-3 days, group plan. (http://www.income.com.sg/insurance/Travel/premium.asp)
Therefore the cost of these security breaches unnecessarily putting innocent commuters at risk of death should be ~S$39 million & the penalty would be ~S$117 million. These would go a long way to compensate irreplaceable life & limb in some way to the inevitably horrific casualties that we would have suffered if SMRT’s own message of vigilance is disregarded by its very own security apparatus.

I’ve said my piece, knowing none of these would be implemented in this little facade of meritocracy.

 

[leetahbar]

maybe mrt breakdown is a cohort with taxis?

just when they ve increased cab fare, mrt broke down. could it be a conspiracy to force commuters to helplessly switch over to taxis which could be running empty most of the times?

the 2 events are dreadfully too co-incidental and very timely.

 

[Jah_rastafar_I]

Re: maybe mrt breakdown is a cohort with taxis?

 

[leetahbar]

Re: maybe mrt breakdown is a cohort with taxis?

what i m looking forward now is how paps mps would exploit this matter to outshine themselves in parleement. anticipating 3 groups.

1 from wp should be obvious crying FOUL PLAY and demanding blood.

1 from mps gang pretending to cry foul play.

1 from mps gang defending backside lui and hence defending smrt at the same time.

which is your take? in the end, it's back to normal - like nothing has ever happened :( reference: MAS SELAMAT HANDY BOOKLET.