Learn From Chris, Dun Pay AssBAss if Service Fxxx Up!

[makapaaa]

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>Slow coach: 'It takes only 25 to 30 minutes to travel from the city to Pasir Ris by MRT, but we have to endure 30 minutes plus to wait for the feeder bus to get home'
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->LAST Friday at Pasir Ris Bud Interchange, I reached the queue for service No. 5 at 8.55pm and there were already five people in the queue. Service No. 5 (licence No. SBS 8295 P) finally started its journey at 9.25pm, which means a wait of at least 30 minutes.
When I boarded the bus, I asked the driver (without raising my voice) the reason for the delay. He mumbled an apology without giving any reason. Having decided something needed to be done, I told him I would not pay the fare without a reasonable explanation. Apparently, all buses are equipped with an intercom system which enables the driver to communicate with the supervisor in the office. The driver contacted his supervisor and explained the situation. There followed my conversation with the supervisor (which was on a microphone and thus heard by all other passengers on the bus) as follows:
Supervisor: What's your problem?
Me: Can you tell me why I have to wait for half an hour for this bus when it starts from this interchange itself?
Supervisor: I never asked you to wait. If you don't want, don't wait.
Me: My name is Chris. What's your name?
Supervisor: No response.
Me: This service starts from here, right? So why the delay? And why does this happen two to three times every week?
Supervisor: No response.
Me: Can you tell me what is the frequency supposed to be at this time?
Supervisor: No response. Instead talks to the driver in Chinese.
Me: Why don't you answer me? Please explain to me why the delay.
Supervisor: No response.
The supervisor continued talking to the driver in Chinese for some time, then went off the line. Then the driver said to me: 'My friend, sorry. Forget about it. Please take a seat. No need to pay.'
I responded by telling him it was not a small matter. It takes only 25 to 30 minutes to travel from the city to Pasir Ris by MRT but we have to endure 30 minutes plus to wait for the feeder bus to get home. To which he mumbled about a traffic jam in Bukit Merah, to which I pointed out that this bus was beginning its journey from this interchange and hence had nothing to do with a traffic jam in Bukit Merah.
Two points I would like to make.
First, is the response by the supervisor, 'I never asked you to wait. If you don't want, don't wait', acceptable? since this reply is from an SBS Transit supervisor, are we passengers to presume this is the response of the company itself?
Second, I think SBS Transit has some kind of system whereby only a certain number of buses of each service number are on the road at any given time. Hence, the driver's comments about a traffic jam in Bukit Merah and the reason for this can only be one thing - maximising profits by maximising the number of passengers per trip. The supervisors in the office at the interchange would have known what time the previous service No. 5 started and so were very much aware that passengers like me were enduring a long wait. but of course, the idea that they should start another bus to alleviate our wait was never considered as it would have been a waste of resources and a hit on the bottom line. Chris Sanghavi

 

[makapaaa]

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#000000 colSpan=2><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 width="100%" bgColor=#000000 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=font12w>Long wait for feeder buses </TD></TR><TR><TD class=font12w><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=font12w>September 12, 2008</TD><TD width=30> </TD><TD width=10> </TD><TD width=30> </TD><TD width=40> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=font12w></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2 height=0>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=rightline vAlign=top><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=3 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=font12 vAlign=top align=left>DOES it make sense that after taking 30 minutes to travel by MRT, one has to wait for close to the same period of time to board a feeder bus home, which is a journey of barely seven minutes?
I am a resident of Pasir Ris Street 21. From the Pasir Ris bus interchange, I have two options home: Service number 3 or service number 5.
Firstly, it does not help that the queue for these two services are at opposite ends of the interchange, which means that I cannot have the option of waiting at the same place to catch either bus.
<TABLE cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=0 width=300 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><IFRAME marginWidth=0 marginHeight=0 src="http://ads.asia1.com.sg/html.ng/site=tTNP&size=300X250" frameBorder=0 width=300 scrolling=no height=250 bordercolor="#000000"> <script language="JavaScript1.1" src="http://ads.asia1.com.sg/js.ng/Params.richmedia=yes&site=tTNP&size=300X250"></script> <noscript> </noscript> </IFRAME></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>I used to take service number 3, but after countless waits of 30 minutes or even more, I switched to taking service number 5 about three months ago. However, there is still no timely service.
We cannot even plan our journey since the buses do not run on a fixed timetable.
Is it too much to ask that the common man of this country, most of whom have been priced out of buying a car, at least have a reliable public transport system, never mind a so-called world class one?
Just a couple of days ago, there was an article about SBS Transit investing some $140 million on new buses. How about investing some of the money on improving service standards?
How about placing less emphasis on profitability (which is why frequencies are worse so as to maximise the number of passengers per trip) and more on service for the public?
FROM READER CHRIS SANGHAVI
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[eErotica69]

.....First, is the response by the supervisor, 'I never asked you to wait. If you don't want, don't wait', acceptable? since this reply is from an SBS Transit supervisor, are we passengers to presume this is the response of the company itself? ..........

This statement sum it all... SBS is Monoploy and you have no choice!!

Government should do something about competition in public transport!!

 

[mscitw]

Peasant Raj thinks he is living in a civilised part of Europe .... far from the truth as we read the alleged response from the lowly educated 'supervisor'.

He expects too much from local peasants.

 

[cass888]

Peasant Raj thinks he is living in a civilised part of Europe .... far from the truth as we read the alleged response from the lowly educated 'supervisor'.

He expects too much from local peasants.

If he were in an Ang Mo country, the bus may be scheduled to run only at hourly intervals.

 

[Cestbon]

Next time Chris should make a voice recording his conversation with bus captain and the Supervisor. Then go straight into AssBAss office make a report and bring the recording to Channel News Asia (also make a video recording). If they SBS/CNA reluctant to entertain him or take action. Them post it in the Youtube.
That will scare them to hell. Someone need to make a 1st move. That will teach them a lesson.

 

[JinGanKor]

'I never asked you to wait. If you don't want, don't wait' is the same as
'If you dont like the way the country is run, you can migrate.'

 

[Cestbon]

'I never asked you to wait. If you don't want, don't wait' is the same as
'If you dont like the way the country is run, you can migrate.'

Chris not to blame, he did nothing wrong. SBS is not follow their own rule or schedule. SBS should have follow the time schedule and all this will not happen.
So who fault Chris or SBS.