NSP advocates competition for our public transport system

[Rogue Trader]

More competition needed in public transport: NSP
<cite class="byline vcard" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: inherit; color: rgb(125, 125, 125); font-size: 11px; display: block; font-family: arial; vertical-align: middle; ">By Jeanette Tan | SingaporeScene – <abbr title="2011-07-27T14:01:32Z" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-variant: normal; ">11 hours ago</abbr></cite>

NSP secretary-general Hazel Poa speaks up on the party's views on public transport in Singapore. (Yahoo! file …

The National Solidarity Party (NSP) says more competition is needed in Singapore's public transportation system.

In a statement released Wednesday, the NSP's secretary-general Hazel Poa shared the party's views on public transport in Singapore.

She said, "Theoretically, we have two companies "competing" against each other in bus and MRT services. However, since there is no duplication in their area of service, commuters have no real alternatives. Thus we effectively have two monopolies."

Poa also explained why the People's Action Party (PAP) and Workers' Party (WP) positions fell short of commuters' needs.

"The Workers' Party proposes the nationalisation of public transport. The People's Action Party on the other hand advocates the status-quo. But it should be apparent that the status-quo is not working. The PAP needs to snap out of its complacency," she said.

She added that the WP's proposal to nationalise public transport however would not solve the problem of under-capacity.

It is unrealistic to expect state-run organisations, usually large and cumbersome, to be able to respond speedily to rapid changes in demand, noted Poa.

While explaining that it was not practical to expect full privatisation and competition in Mass Rapid Transit services due to the infrastructure and huge capital required, she called for partial competition to be introduced.

"The government can retain ownership of the major fixed assets — tracks, stations and trains - and sub-contract out the operations to private companies via tender," said Poa.

"SMRT and SBS Transit should not have certainty of operating rights, but rather would have to tender for the rights at regular intervals, in competition with each other and with other companies that may be set up by former employees or foreign operators," she added.

"This arrangement provides incentives for efficiency and cost control," Poa said, while acknowledging that the capacity of MRT trains cannot be increased fast enough to accommodate rising demand.

She also proposed that buses should be run by multiple private operators who will be able to respond more quickly to changes in demand by altering their supply accordingly.

"(These operators) are smaller, nimbler and profit-seeking, and will respond faster to changes in demand," said Poa. "If demand increases rapidly, profit-seeking entities will eagerly increase supply just as rapidly."

The party also suggested that bus routes should be managed by a central authority, and should be opened up to private operators, regardless of size, for licensing to run buses on any of them.

"Bus services may also duplicate MRT routes to provide indirect competition to MRT services, and to meet demand in excess of MRT capacity," Poa added.

In the statement, the party also mentioned the government's need to ensure that infrastructure and subsidies are in place to run non-profitable but essential routes, which it says can be funded by bus licensing fees.

In addition, it called on the government to continue to provide subsidies for lower-income commuters, full-time students, the elderly and the disabled.

 

[Zombie]

While explaining that it was not practical to expect full privatisation and competition in Mass Rapid Transit services due to the infrastructure and huge capital required, she called for partial competition to be introduced.

"The government can retain ownership of the major fixed assets — tracks, stations and trains - and sub-contract out the operations to private companies via tender," said Poa.

"SMRT and SBS Transit should not have certainty of operating rights, but rather would have to tender for the rights at regular intervals, in competition with each other and with other companies that may be set up by former employees or foreign operators," she added.

"This arrangement provides incentives for efficiency and cost control," Poa said, while acknowledging that the capacity of MRT trains cannot be increased fast enough to accommodate rising demand.

This Poa is joking. Her partial competition leads to the use of "cheap" labor and maintenance.

 

[Char_Azn]

They assume that the problem right now is with the service level of SMRT and SBS that is causing overcrowding. It's not, it's an infrastructural issue which was a screw up which means they should be blaming LTA.

And making SMRT and SBS or any other operators bid for management is a stupid idea. Here are a few potential issues with their plan
Problem with staffing. Operating the MRT lines requires A LOT OF manpower. Wanna take a guess what would happen when a company loss the bid to another one? Yeah these guys will lose their jobs, or get transferred to a winning company at lower pay. That's the issue we've been seeing with a lot of companies like Cleaner companies which is causing the salary levels to be depressed. Now they are going to do with in an even larger scale.

I agree with their point on not nationalizing the public transport system for the same reason. That is is unrealistic to expect state-run organisations, usually large and cumbersome to be able to respond speedily to rapid changes in demand. But then at the very next statement they want the government to be in charge of just about everything except the day to day running of the system. Did she even read her own script?

Seriously though for all the jokes made at GMS, he at least comes up with semi feasible solution.

 

[dankos]

fat ass the pap dog dare to blame lta but dun dare to blame pap. who is charge of lta huh. lol.

 

[bryanlim1972]

the proposal on buses wouldn't work:

- it will increase the number of buses on the road leading to even more congestion
- unpopular routes will not be serviced, leaving residents stranded.

the proposal to tender out MRT services based on QoS and other factors seems workable. but PAP would never surrender a cash cow like the MRT to private enterprise.

 

[Char_Azn]

fat ass the pap dog dare to blame lta but dun dare to blame pap. who is charge of lta huh. lol.

Ur brains need checking or is too damn slow issit. U already said yourself, who is in charge of LTA. Blame that guy

 

[dankos]

Ur brains need checking or is too damn slow issit. U already said yourself, who is in charge of LTA. Blame that guy

fat ass,

i m saying u already know pap is the 1 to blame. but the pap dog nature in you only dare to blame the pap karkia which is lta. why u dun dare to blame lky or pap is it. fuck u lah.

 

[red amoeba]

overcrowding in MRTs - yes, SMRT is besotted with signalling, infrastructural problem that according to PM cannot be solved in one to two years time. Like he said, to fully upgrade the signalling system takes at least 5 years (gosh the next elections). Who is paying for this upgrade? SMRT or LTA? If LTA is footing this bill - SMRT has no grounds to ask for increment to cover "costs"

I stick to my principle - I am not against fare increase, but it must be shown and justified that SMRT & SBS has indeed shown improvement in performance, which evidently, there is none.

As for the best operating model - there is no best operating model - each model proposed has its flaws. To cope with overcrowding, there are 2 methods - either you increase the number of buses --> increase number of drivers or you raise bus fares sky high that most peasants have to walk. Or to increase productivity, you deploy a larger capacity bus or triple decker. So that one driver can drive more passengers - also increasing productivity.

Overcrowding in MRT - unfortunately, the infrastructure limitation is very real. With a fixed length of tracks available, there is only so many trains that can be running at one time at a certain speed. SMRT is unable to add more trains. Their talk of opening up more lines is talking rubbish - already we have the situation where, the NS, EW lines are overcrowded and the CCL is empty. Opening more lines at the wrong places is not addressing the problem although on paper you have more train trips.

I think opening up the bus sector to private sector to operate feeder service during peak hours is one plausible alternative. These operators may charge - ten or twenty cents higher and operate only during peak hours to supplement the capacity of SBS or TIBS - and a choice for passengers to pay for a slightly premium service but avoid crowds. We know SBS and TIBS offer some sort of such service but they can do more.

Public transport is at its core, an utility service - hence the emphasis on public service shld be higher than profitability. Here, in Singapore, it is always the reverse, its always profitability ahead of public service.

 

[dankos]

if the nsp plan is offer by some pap mps or ministers, fat ass char_azn pap dog will praise the same plan to the sky. not only that fat ass can also come out with a 10pointer as to why this plan can work. no choice lah. porlumpar for pap is in this fat ass' blood.

 

[bryanlim1972]

Ur brains need checking or is too damn slow issit. U already said yourself, who is in charge of LTA. Blame that guy

I blame the guy who put the LTA in-charge in his position or allowed the LTA guy into the position.

that would be the minister of transport.

 

[dankos]

I blame the guy who put the LTA in-charge in his position or allowed the LTA guy into the position.

that would be the minister of transport.

fat ass dun dare to put the blame on too high level pap guys. just like when mas selamat escape, he dare not blame wks but will put the blame on the camp commander or camp guards.

 

[bryanlim1972]

fat ass dun dare to put the blame on too high level pap guys. just like when mas selamat escape, he dare not blame wks but will put the blame on the camp commander or camp guards.

no i don't think its an issue of "scared," i just think he is mis-guided. he truly believes the buck stops at the low level "bosses". i would put this down to his lack of high level working experience, or a lack of critical thinking.

if he is more widely read, he'd realize its only in singapore that the buck stops at low level bosses while ministers get away scot-free from the blame game when things goes wrong.

but its not too late, this forum can still reform and re-educate the wrong thinking of Char-anz,

 

[Char_Azn]

I blame the guy who put the LTA in-charge in his position or allowed the LTA guy into the position.

that would be the minister of transport.

The Transport Minister is part of that equation. Ultimately it's the planners for the system at fault which includes the joker who approved it.

 

[bryanlim1972]

The Transport Minister is part of that equation. Ultimately it's the planners for the system at fault which includes the joker who approved it.

so you do acknowledge the fault of the PAP in screwing things up? you do know planners are not given a blank slate to plan on, but specific objectives to meet. objectives as defined by the PAP government.

thank you for seeing the light.

another soul saved.

 

[Char_Azn]

so you do acknowledge the fault of the PAP in screwing things up? you do know planners are not given a blank slate to plan on, but specific objectives to meet. objectives as defined by the PAP government.

thank you for seeing the light.

another soul saved.

Does PAP plan the MRT route? No. LTA plans it. MOT approves it so if we are to blame anyone then we blame the minister of Transport, and the guys at LTA. I didn't say ministry of transport coz it includes air and sea transport.

If not by your logic if you make a mistake at work we should be blaming your boss, his boss, his boss's boss, the CEO and the entire board of directors. So we should sack the entire board of directors coz U made a mistake that was approved by your boss and his boss. That's just idiotic

 

[bryanlim1972]

Does PAP plan the MRT route? No. LTA plans it. MOT approves it so if we are to blame anyone then we blame the minister of Transport, and the guys at LTA. I didn't say ministry of transport coz it includes air and sea transport.

If not by your logic if you make a mistake at work we should be blaming your boss, his boss, his boss's boss, the CEO and the entire board of directors. So we should sack the entire board of directors coz U made a mistake that was approved by your boss and his boss. That's just idiotic

of course the PAP does not plan the routes. its the government, formed by the PAP, that plans the routes. you make it sound like the LTA is an independent body that makes it own decisions. HA!

how high the blame goes, depends on how big the mistakes.

so you are saying Cameron and his government are idiots for holding murdoch to blame for the phone hacking?

goodness, you truly are deluded and under-exposed to the real world. i suggest you stop depending on SPH/mediacorp as the only source of news and information.

and if you go tandem skydiving and your chute failed to deploy, do you think your family will only sue the instructor strapped to you? p/s you look nothing like your avatar.

obviously you have not been placed in high levels of responsibility before. come revisit this topic when u become a boss and your minions screw up.

 

[Char_Azn]

of course the PAP does not plan the routes. its the government, formed by the PAP, that plans the routes. you make it sound like the LTA is an independent body that makes it own decisions. HA!

how high the blame goes, depends on how big the mistakes.

so you are saying Cameron and his government are idiots for holding murdoch to blame for the phone hacking?

goodness, you truly are deluded and under-exposed to the real world. i suggest you stop depending on SPH/mediacorp as the only source of news and information.

and if you go tandem skydiving and your chute failed to deploy, do you think your family will only sue the instructor strapped to you? p/s you look nothing like your avatar.

obviously you have not been placed in high levels of responsibility before. come revisit this topic when u become a boss and your minions screw up.

U mean to tell me Tin Pei Ling was involved in designing the MRT System? OMG

Please lah. U want to blame, blame the right parties involved. LTA design the transport system, Minister of Transport approve the system. That's where you should be blaming. Blaming everyone in the government is ridiculous. Chiam and Low were also part of Government when this was implemented, should we also blame them for not saying anything? Of coz not.

And it depends on Murdoch's involvement in the Phone Hacking, did he know about it and approve of it? If not then yes he should not be blamed I thought it was stupid in the first place to question him. They should be checking on the pple below to assess his involvement before charging him.

If I went tandem Skydiving(which I didn't, I wasn't strapped to any instructor for the dive) and the chute failed to deployed the pple to look for is obviously the guys who pack the chute since I'm assuming the instructor is dead. U think they will blame the pilot of the plane that took us up meh?

When pple reporting to me screws up. Or pple under them screws up, I get scolded/punished coz it's under my responsibility. U think they should sack the CEO, CTO, COO or board of directors coz one of my guys screw up? Of Coz not!!!

Your stupid logic is LTA screw up = so Transport ministry = Transport minister screws up and coz he is part of PAP that means PAP screws up which is stupid. By this kind of stupid definition I can also say Opposition party screw up coz no one stop them and all the voters screw up coz we voted them in.

The blame stops somewhere. Obviously the blame has to stop with pple who are actually involved in the entire process.

 

[dankos]

of course the PAP does not plan the routes. its the government, formed by the PAP, that plans the routes. you make it sound like the LTA is an independent body that makes it own decisions. HA!

how high the blame goes, depends on how big the mistakes.

so you are saying Cameron and his government are idiots for holding murdoch to blame for the phone hacking?

goodness, you truly are deluded and under-exposed to the real world. i suggest you stop depending on SPH/mediacorp as the only source of news and information.

and if you go tandem skydiving and your chute failed to deploy, do you think your family will only sue the instructor strapped to you? p/s you look nothing like your avatar.

obviously you have not been placed in high levels of responsibility before. come revisit this topic when u become a boss and your minions screw up.

see i told u fat ass char_azn dog is a very loyal pap dog. now he even try to drag low n chiam into the blame game. how stupid can he can i really dunno.

this pap dog will bite any1 that dare to find fault with his pap masters.

 

[sirus]

Ar...I see, a PAP philosophy. That's why WKS no need to resign.

 

[Char_Azn]

Ar...I see, a PAP philosophy. That's why WKS no need to resign.

Again never use brain. I say must track back to pple who have direct involvement. WKS was Home minister who was directly in charge of the ISD who were the ones who screw up. Whether he should resign or not is up for debate but he is part of the list of pple who can be faulted