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Coffeeshop Chit Chat - Dataset error lead to bus overcharging! </TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=msgtable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="96%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msg vAlign=top><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgbfr1 width="1%"> </TD><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead vAlign=top><TD class=msgF width="1%" noWrap align=right>From: </TD><TD class=msgFname width="68%" noWrap>LauZoeTay <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>6:49 am </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT height=20 width="1%" noWrap align=right>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname width="68%" noWrap>ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (1 of 9) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>36200.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>So how to get refund? Or more importantly, how to compensate the wrongly overcharged? Or just say sorry, and move on?
Dataset error led to wrong charges: LTA
LTA now working with SBS, SMRT to check data
Jul 16, 2010
Today Exclusive
SINGAPORE - If not for an alert Today reader, bus commuters travelling along a stretch at Buona Vista may well still be over-charged for their rides. And the question now is if the error he uncovered is happening elsewhere.
Mr Dennis Puk Leung Kong had spotted that the distance in opposite directions between two bus-stops on North Buona Vista Road and Commonwealth Avenue differed on the public transport fare calculator website. On the eve of distance-based fares kicking in, he wrote in to highlight the "inconsistency".
MediaCorp posed the question to the authorities on July 6 and, yesterday, the Land Transport Authority confirmed there was indeed an error. The distance between the bus stops opposite Block 43, Commonwealth Avenue, and opposite Buona Vista MRT Station should be 0.3 kilometres, and not 0.6 km as originally computed.
The error has been rectified, said an LTA spokeswoman. "This was due to a dataset error, where the additional distance from an earlier temporary local route diversion was not reversed after the diversion was over," she said.
The number of commuters affected by this error is "likely to be small", she said, without giving an estimate. The LTA is now working with public transport operators SBS Transit and SMRT to confirm that there are no similar errors elsewhere.
The spokeswoman added that commuters affected between July 3 - when distance-based fares kicked in - and July 9 can make their claims via Transitlink's website (www.transitlink.com.sg), at its ticket offices or can call its hotline at 1800 225 5663. The bus services plying the two stops are 74, 91, 95, 191, 196, 198 and 200. All are SBS services.
Commuters at Buona Vista last night were forgiving of the error. "The area has been under construction for some time, so it can be quite messy," said undergraduate Ooi Shan Chin, 21. He will not be checking if he is eligible for any refund, as "it's too tedious for a few cents".
Another commuter, programmer Mr Kim, 39, said the error was acceptable as long as the authorities allowed for claims, and added that he would check.
MediaCorp was unable to reach Mr Puk by press time last night but, in his initial email, the National University of Singapore systems engineer noted that the "crux of distance fares lies in the distance dataset used to calculate the fares".
He added: "If the accuracy of the dataset is questionable, commuters may find themselves incorrectly charged ... Multiply this across a number of stops travelled and one could be unknowingly over-paying for distance not travelled."
Adult ez-link bus fares for air-con services increase by 1 to 10 cents between the different distance bands.
LTA said it is "carefully looking out for such teething issues" in the initial phase of the new fare system, and would be doing "immediate rectification whenever necessary".
"We apologise for any inconvenience caused," said its spokeswoman.
extracted from CNA forum.
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Dataset error led to wrong charges: LTA
LTA now working with SBS, SMRT to check data
Jul 16, 2010
Today Exclusive
SINGAPORE - If not for an alert Today reader, bus commuters travelling along a stretch at Buona Vista may well still be over-charged for their rides. And the question now is if the error he uncovered is happening elsewhere.
Mr Dennis Puk Leung Kong had spotted that the distance in opposite directions between two bus-stops on North Buona Vista Road and Commonwealth Avenue differed on the public transport fare calculator website. On the eve of distance-based fares kicking in, he wrote in to highlight the "inconsistency".
MediaCorp posed the question to the authorities on July 6 and, yesterday, the Land Transport Authority confirmed there was indeed an error. The distance between the bus stops opposite Block 43, Commonwealth Avenue, and opposite Buona Vista MRT Station should be 0.3 kilometres, and not 0.6 km as originally computed.
The error has been rectified, said an LTA spokeswoman. "This was due to a dataset error, where the additional distance from an earlier temporary local route diversion was not reversed after the diversion was over," she said.
The number of commuters affected by this error is "likely to be small", she said, without giving an estimate. The LTA is now working with public transport operators SBS Transit and SMRT to confirm that there are no similar errors elsewhere.
The spokeswoman added that commuters affected between July 3 - when distance-based fares kicked in - and July 9 can make their claims via Transitlink's website (www.transitlink.com.sg), at its ticket offices or can call its hotline at 1800 225 5663. The bus services plying the two stops are 74, 91, 95, 191, 196, 198 and 200. All are SBS services.
Commuters at Buona Vista last night were forgiving of the error. "The area has been under construction for some time, so it can be quite messy," said undergraduate Ooi Shan Chin, 21. He will not be checking if he is eligible for any refund, as "it's too tedious for a few cents".
Another commuter, programmer Mr Kim, 39, said the error was acceptable as long as the authorities allowed for claims, and added that he would check.
MediaCorp was unable to reach Mr Puk by press time last night but, in his initial email, the National University of Singapore systems engineer noted that the "crux of distance fares lies in the distance dataset used to calculate the fares".
He added: "If the accuracy of the dataset is questionable, commuters may find themselves incorrectly charged ... Multiply this across a number of stops travelled and one could be unknowingly over-paying for distance not travelled."
Adult ez-link bus fares for air-con services increase by 1 to 10 cents between the different distance bands.
LTA said it is "carefully looking out for such teething issues" in the initial phase of the new fare system, and would be doing "immediate rectification whenever necessary".
"We apologise for any inconvenience caused," said its spokeswoman.
extracted from CNA forum.
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