BEST PAID Govt Cannot Provide Decent Public Transport

[makapaaa]

Can afford to lose Sporns' CPeeF $ by the HUNDREDS of BILLIONS, but No $ for public transport after 40 years of 1-Familee Rule. How long more u U Want this to continue? What are u voting for?



Feb 27, 2010

Public transport should cover remote areas too

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ON THE way home from my holiday in Bali, I read a report about secondary schools organising their own transport so students would not be late for school ('Punctual students get a reward', Feb 18).
Apparently, the public buses were too often overcrowded, and too many students could not make it to class on time in the morning.
I thought to myself: 'So we farmers at the Kranji countryside are not the only ones who have to take matters into our own hands.'
Farmers in Kranji like my husband and I now bear the entire cost of ferrying their employees to work, because transport operators do not deem a bus service to the Kranji countryside necessary because it is not viable.
So if one is blind, deaf, dumb or otherwise challenged, but could actually be employed by farmers, one would be unable to get to work.
Transport is key to moving an economy. Ms Saw Phaik Hwa, chief executive officer of SMRT, said it herself in The Business Times a few weeks ago ('Joint effort by one and all', Feb 8).
It therefore amazes me that Singapore's public transport system, so often toted as 'excellent', can have such gaping holes.
Ivy Singh-Lim (Mrs)
President
Kranji Farmers Association

 

[makapaaa]

Feb 27, 2010

Buses still off the mark in scheduling

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HOW often do buses not arrive at the bus stop or bus interchange when they should?
What is the use of digital screens or LCD TVs displaying arrival times when buses do not arrive near those times?
On Thursday evening, I was at Clementi Bus Interchange waiting for feeder service 282. Seeing a 282 bus leave the interchange, I looked at one of the LCD screens for the next arrival time. The time was 8.01pm; the next arrival time for 282 was 8.12pm and for 175, it was 8.04pm. Even though 282 would take me nearer my home in Clementi West Street 2, I could take 175 and walk a little farther to reach home earlier.
To my dismay, a 'delayed' sign appeared beside 175, which came only at 8.09pm when it should have arrived at 8.04pm. Thinking the 282 would arrive just three minutes later now, I walked towards the 282 queue, forgoing the 175.
Only when I had missed the 175 did the 'delayed' sign appear again on the LCD screen, but now it was beside the 282. A few moments later, the arrival time was changed to 8.23pm. Many people were wondering what was happening. Moments later, we saw a 282 approach but turn to park. Next, the 'delayed' sign appeared again. Twice delayed? And the arrival time was changed to 8.34pm. I had been at the interchange since 8.01pm.
By 8.30pm, there were at least two 282 buses parked at the interchange, yet none was deployed to pick up the restless passengers who had been waiting in vain. My bus finally arrived at about 8.34pm. I had waited more than half an hour for my feeder bus.
This is where I question SBS Transit service standards.
How are arrival times determined? If they are based on historical records, then SBS needs to revise its analysis.
Why does SBS display arrival times? To provide better service to customers? Or to show it has the technology?
There is no point in displaying information when bus drivers do not stick closely to arrival times.
If anyone were to argue that service does fail at times, why is there no service recovery by SBS? There is a PA system in place. Why can't SBS broadcast an apology or give an explanation?
Justin Yeo