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Mar 20, 2010
TRANSPORT SQUEEZE
Commuter discipline lacking
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THE photo that accompanied the report, 'The crowded, slow ride from Bukit Panjang' (March10), reflected what many commuters face on public transport. Passengers rush to board trains and buses when they arrive, giving the impression they are too crowded to board.
One may be quick to blame the public transport operators, but commuters are also to blame for how crowded public transport can get.
Many commuters board buses in a haphazard manner. There is little order, with all trying to board at the same time. In the process, scant regard is shown for fellow commuters. This contrasts sharply with the way people in other societies board buses.
In Taipei, for instance, commuters form neat queues. These lines allow quicker and safer boarding of buses, ensuring that bus services remain punctual.
Trains and buses may be crowded because of the sheer number of passengers, but commuters are to blame for making them more crowded than it should be.
Many people often crowd around the doors of buses and trains to ensure an easy exit. That leaves the back end of buses and the centre of train cars relatively empty. The area around the doors is often so packed that safety may be compromised.
For instance, a bus driver's view of his left rear-view mirror may be blocked when commuters pack the front of the bus. Appeals by bus drivers and train officials for passengers to cooperate elicit nothing more than a little foot-shuffling.
The Land Transport Authority's goal of 70 per cent of morning-peak journeys on public transport by 2020 can be achieved only if public transport operators and commuters work together. In this instance, operators can help by getting their customer service officers to persuade people who behave ungraciously to correct their behaviour.
Soon Ren Jun
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TRANSPORT SQUEEZE
Commuter discipline lacking
<!-- by line --><!-- end by line -->
<!-- end left side bar --><!-- story content : start -->
THE photo that accompanied the report, 'The crowded, slow ride from Bukit Panjang' (March10), reflected what many commuters face on public transport. Passengers rush to board trains and buses when they arrive, giving the impression they are too crowded to board.
One may be quick to blame the public transport operators, but commuters are also to blame for how crowded public transport can get.
Many commuters board buses in a haphazard manner. There is little order, with all trying to board at the same time. In the process, scant regard is shown for fellow commuters. This contrasts sharply with the way people in other societies board buses.
In Taipei, for instance, commuters form neat queues. These lines allow quicker and safer boarding of buses, ensuring that bus services remain punctual.
Trains and buses may be crowded because of the sheer number of passengers, but commuters are to blame for making them more crowded than it should be.
Many people often crowd around the doors of buses and trains to ensure an easy exit. That leaves the back end of buses and the centre of train cars relatively empty. The area around the doors is often so packed that safety may be compromised.
For instance, a bus driver's view of his left rear-view mirror may be blocked when commuters pack the front of the bus. Appeals by bus drivers and train officials for passengers to cooperate elicit nothing more than a little foot-shuffling.
The Land Transport Authority's goal of 70 per cent of morning-peak journeys on public transport by 2020 can be achieved only if public transport operators and commuters work together. In this instance, operators can help by getting their customer service officers to persuade people who behave ungraciously to correct their behaviour.
Soon Ren Jun
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