66%: No problem as long as we got coolie rice to eat! *hee*hee*
Fare increase
'Commuters won't quibble if services are up to mark. The question is whether they have improved.' MR SEOW CHWEE GUAN: 'I refer to Saturday's report, 'Bus and MRT fares to go up from Oct 1'. Generally, commuters won't quibble over increases if services are up to mark. The question is whether they have improved since the last public transport survey. Judging from the grouses in the various newspapers on the long wait, overcrowding, bunching (two or more of the same bus services arriving at about the same time) and even leaky buses on rainy days, it appears that some of these problems have yet to be fixed. To be fair, commuters are partly to blame for refusing to move to the rear of the buses to allow others to board, giving the impression that the buses are packed to capacity. The existing premium buses, launched to discourage motorists to drive to work, cater for only a certain segment of commuters. The vast majority still travel by ordinary buses. Given that there are only two major public transport operators (PTOs) running the buses throughout the island, is lack of competition the cause of poor bus services? It is not archaic to compare the current situation with the bygone days when there was competition. Commuters who were dissatisfied with the services of the now-defunct Singapore Traction Company had other options. They could board buses of companies such as Tay Koh Yat, Hock Lee Bus, Green Bus and Changi Bus to name a few. Commuters who rely solely on public buses to reach their destinations have no alternatives now. Do not for a moment underestimate the capabilities of other PTOs. Some of them are currently running modern fleets of buses providing transport to workers in outlying areas. They should be encouraged to take up the challenge to provide an efficient bus transportation system and give SBS Transit and SMRT a run for their money.'
Fare increase
'Commuters won't quibble if services are up to mark. The question is whether they have improved.' MR SEOW CHWEE GUAN: 'I refer to Saturday's report, 'Bus and MRT fares to go up from Oct 1'. Generally, commuters won't quibble over increases if services are up to mark. The question is whether they have improved since the last public transport survey. Judging from the grouses in the various newspapers on the long wait, overcrowding, bunching (two or more of the same bus services arriving at about the same time) and even leaky buses on rainy days, it appears that some of these problems have yet to be fixed. To be fair, commuters are partly to blame for refusing to move to the rear of the buses to allow others to board, giving the impression that the buses are packed to capacity. The existing premium buses, launched to discourage motorists to drive to work, cater for only a certain segment of commuters. The vast majority still travel by ordinary buses. Given that there are only two major public transport operators (PTOs) running the buses throughout the island, is lack of competition the cause of poor bus services? It is not archaic to compare the current situation with the bygone days when there was competition. Commuters who were dissatisfied with the services of the now-defunct Singapore Traction Company had other options. They could board buses of companies such as Tay Koh Yat, Hock Lee Bus, Green Bus and Changi Bus to name a few. Commuters who rely solely on public buses to reach their destinations have no alternatives now. Do not for a moment underestimate the capabilities of other PTOs. Some of them are currently running modern fleets of buses providing transport to workers in outlying areas. They should be encouraged to take up the challenge to provide an efficient bus transportation system and give SBS Transit and SMRT a run for their money.'
