Transport Woes...

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Forum: Long wait at taxi bay as drivers eye booking fee​

Apr 12, 2022

I was waiting at a taxi bay near Holland Village at around 6.30pm on Friday. There was an elderly man with a walking stick ahead of me. He told me that he had been trying to get a taxi for half an hour.
While I was at the bay, three taxis dropped passengers off and almost immediately changed their light to "hired". Three others stopped at the bay but told the man that they were not going in his direction.
I realised that neither of us was going to get a taxi any time soon, and decided to book a taxi. When it arrived, the elderly man was still waiting for a taxi.
This makes me wonder if the taxi booking surcharge needs to be reviewed. As a taxi driver, getting an additional $3 or more through a booking is enough of an incentive to ignore people waiting at taxi stands or by the roadside.
The elderly man's parting words to me struck a chord: "When I visited other countries, taxis queued to pick up passengers. Here, I need to queue for an hour or more, especially during peak hours."

Danny Yeo

 

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Can any moderator help Dot to change the title of this thread? Thanks

Forum: Solution to getting more to cycle to work is not more shared paths​

Apr 12, 2022

As a cyclist in Singapore since 2004, I have been both thrilled and dismayed by the ever-increasing number of cyclists on the road, and the unfortunate failure of Singapore's roads to keep up with this trend (So many leisure cyclists. What will nudge more to cycle to work?, April 8).
Despite the best intentions of all parties, cyclists, motorists and pedestrians do not mix well together.
The solution is not more shared paths, but devoted cycling lanes where people can enjoy their ride without fear of being hit by cars or hitting pedestrians.
The best (and possibly only) example of this is in Tanah Merah Coast Road, where the dedicated cycling lane is one of the best travelled on our island.
An example of what can go wrong is the newly opened Changi Bay Park Connector where cyclists and pedestrians must compete for space with sometimes unfortunate results.
Many places smaller than Singapore (Manhattan and Amsterdam come to mind) have dedicated cycling lanes, so I don't think limited space is enough of a reason to rule them out.
For everyone's health and safety, a dedicated round-the-island cycling lane is the best option.

Eric Rosenkranz

 

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Forum: Problem with ez-link cards as a tourist​

Apr 16, 2022

I had not been able to visit Singapore for two years due to the pandemic, but returned as a tourist recently.
I brought with me two ez-link cards that I had bought and topped up with reasonable sums on previous visits.
When boarding a bus, I was embarrassed and disappointed to find that my two cards could not work and were now "out of date".
Fortunately, my bank card and some helpful advice from the bus driver allowed me to continue my journey.
I later called the TransitLink ticket office in Raffles Place and was told I would need to buy new ez-link cards to access the value stored in the old cards. It is like being charged to access my own money.
It should not be beyond the card issuer's technical abilities to work out which cards have not been used for 24 months and to extend their operating life.
The Singapore Tourism Board should also look into this as part of its push to revive the tourism sector in Singapore.

D. Sayers-Mensley

 

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50 commuters were stuck in stalled TEL train for over 1.5 hours during morning disruption​

Free regular bus and bridging services between the stations are available. PHOTO: SEANBAY6/TWITTER

Syarafana Shafeeq

Apr 27, 2022

SINGAPORE - About 50 commuters were stuck in a train for more than 1.5 hours on Wednesday (April 27) morning owing to a train fault in the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL).
In a Facebook update at about 9am, rail operator SMRT said the fault between Woodlands and Woodlands South stations occurred at 6.30am.
The passengers were able to disembark at the Woodlands station at about 8.10am, SMRT added, noting that there was full lighting and ventilation in the stalled train.
“Our engineers were immediately activated... to rectify the fault,” it added.
Train services between Woodlands North and Caldecott stations were slower as a result of the incident. In an earlier update on Twitter at 7.31am, SMRT said: “Due to a track signal fault, trains are moving slower between Woodlands North and Caldecott in both directions.”
It later updated that the cause of the incident was due to a train fault.
Free regular bus and bridging services between the stations were made available.

Commuters were unable to get into the Woodlands North station at 8.45am as the gantries were closed. A sign directed commuters to take the free bus service to Caldecott station instead and advised them to add 25 minutes to their travelling time.
A commuter told The Straits Times that she took 30 minutes to get from Woodlands to Woodlands North station, a journey that normally takes two minutes.
At 9.01am, SMRT said on Twitter that train services were progressively recovering.
It updated at 9.09am that services had resumed.


“We are sorry for affecting your commute,” SMRT said in a tweet and Facebook.
When ST visited Woodlands station at 9.10am, train services had resumed.
Mr R. Kumar, 40, who arrived at the station at 8.45am, said he was told by staff that bridging bus services were available. However, even after half an hour, the bus did not come.
The public servant said: “I think the staff did what they could, they guided people on where to go and how to find alternative transport.
“But when there’s a train breakdown, the bridging bus usually comes more often. The bus did not come at all, so we took the train in the end.”
As a result of the delay, Mr Kumar boarded the train at 9.20am and was late for a meeting with clients at his workplace in Upper Thomson.
Another commuter, who wanted to be known only as Ms Tan, 27, said: “I can understand the situation, it’s not the first train breakdown I have heard of.”
The quantity surveyor in a construction firm added: “But I was surprised because the Thomson-East Coast Line is a new line.”
Train services between Woodlands North and Caldecott stations on the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) were slower on Wednesday morning (April 27) due to a track signal fault.
"Due to a track signal fault, trains are moving slower between Woodlands North and Caldecott in both directions," rail operator SMRT said on Twitter at 7.31am.
Free regular bus and bridging services between the stations are available.
Commuters were unable to get into the Woodlands North station at 8.45am as the gantries were closed.
A sign at the station directed commuters to take the free bus service to Caldecott station instead and advised them to add 25 minutes to their travelling time.
A commuter told The Straits Times that she took 30 minutes to get from Woodlands to Woodlands North station, a journey that normally takes two minutes.
At 9.01am, SMRT said on Twitter that train services are progressively recovering.
It updated at 9.09am that train services have resumed.
SMRT said on Facebook that the train fault occurred between Woodlands and Woodlands South stations at around 6.30am.
“Our engineers were immediately activated and working to rectify the fault,” it added.
Around 50 commuters were stuck in a stalled train between the stations. They alighted safely at Woodlands station at about 8.10am, SMRT said, adding that there were full lighting and ventilation in the stalled train while the commuters were on board.
“We are sorry for affecting your commute,” SMRT said in a tweet and Facebook post.

 

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5 passengers in hospital after 2 accidents each involving bus and another vehicle​

Two bus passengers were injured after a Tower Transit bus collided with a private hire car in Yishun on April 27, 2022. PHOTO: SHIN MIN DAILY NEWS

Ang Qing

Apr 28, 2022

SINGAPORE - Two accidents each involving a bus and another vehicle on Wednesday (April 27) landed five bus passengers in hospital.
On Wednesday night, four passengers in a Tower Transit bus were injured after the vehicle collided with a private hire car in Yishun.
In response to queries from The Straits Times, a Tower Transit spokesman said its bus service 858 was involved in an accident with a private vehicle at the junction of Gambas Avenue and Sembawang Road at about 8.30pm.
Two bus passengers, aged 69 and 71, were taken to hospital while they were conscious, said the police.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said they were taken to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.
The Tower Transit spokesman said an emergency response team was on the ground shortly after the accident occurred and found four passengers with injuries. The company has contacted them to check on their condition and offered help, he said.
He said: "The bus captain involved in the accident has been suspended while an investigation is being carried out."

Earlier on Wednesday, three bus passengers, aged 30 and 66, were taken to hospital while conscious after another accident, said the police.
The accident involving a bus and a truck at the junction of Pasir Ris Drive 1 and Loyang Avenue occurred at around 3.20pm.
The three passengers were taken to Changi General Hospital, said SCDF.
Another two people had been assessed to have suffered minor injuries but they refused to be taken to hospital, SCDF added.
The police are investigating both bus accidents.
More people were killed or injured in road accidents last year as more vehicles plied the roads following the easing of Covid-19 restrictions, according to annual statistics released by the Traffic Police in February.
The number of fatal accidents rose by 25 per cent to 100 cases last year from 80 cases in 2020, while another 7,184 people were injured in 2021, up from 6,669 in 2020.
The police said then that motorcyclists and elderly pedestrians remain groups of concern as they continue to account for a high number of traffic accidents resulting in injury or death.

 

[shittypore]

 

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Frustrations as taxi and ride-hailing fares surge, and bookings are rejected​

The sudden spike in demand for rides has resulted in sharp increases of peak-hour ride-hailing fares. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
Clement Yong, Ning Chionh and Faith Pang

PUBLISHED

May 2, 2022

SINGAPORE - Retiree Tony Lee, 73, was trying to get a ride from Joo Seng to Jalan Besar two Fridays ago. An hour after his search began at 6pm, he was still pacing the streets.
"I went on all the apps – Grab, Gojek, ComfortDelGro. But no one would accept my booking," he said. "The taxi stand in the area also had a really long queue so I had to walk around to try to flag down a cab."
At 7pm, he chanced upon a taxi driver on a restroom break at a nearby petrol kiosk and persuaded him to take him as a passenger. The metered ride cost $11, less than half the $20-plus fares quoted to him on the various ride-hailing apps.
As Singapore drops most of its Covid-19 restrictions, Mr Lee's experience is becoming an increasingly common one, prompting growing unhappiness among passengers.
After more than two years of low ridership, more people are returning to the workplace, staying out late and, in general, going out, and the sudden spike in demand for rides has pushed peak-hour ride-hailing fares to two or even three times of what they were just last year.
Bookings made have also repeatedly been cancelled by drivers, prompting some people to already plan to end their nights out earlier, even as restaurants, bars and clubs are hoping for a rebound in nightlife.
"It is harder to get a ride now, and drivers cancel bookings a lot," said 19-year-old student Angel Chong. For her, a ride from the Hillview area to town used to cost $13 to $14. This is now $20 to $25 during non-peak hours and $35 after 11pm.

Front-desk worker at a tuition centre Paulie Teo, 24, said fares have surged since March. "I recently (spent a long time trying) to book a ride so I just gave up and took the MRT. I kept booking on the train but still couldn't get any cars," she added.
Strides Taxi driver Charles Ban, 51, said a trip from Bugis Junction to Bukit Batok at midnight on Friday can now be $50 to $60, attributing this to many night shift drivers dropping out of the industry in the past two years.
Replacing them is not something that can be done overnight, with those who drive in the day either unable or unwilling to make the switch in working hours that they are now used to.

Some, like Mr Ban, cannot see well at night. Another taxi driver, 52-year-old Henry Tay, said the higher chance of getting drunken passengers who vomit in the back seat or run off without paying puts him off.
But Mr Ban said drivers are also declining bookings at night from town to heartland areas that are farther out to avoid returning to the nightlife spots without passengers.
"Petrol cost is quite high now, so they would rather do short trips in the centre of Singapore. That makes more sense for them," he added.
In the past two years, the number of taxi and private-hire drivers has steadily fallen, with drivers finding it hard to break even with ridership below 80 per cent of what it was pre-pandemic.
Amid the circuit breaker in May 2020, taxi and private-hire vehicle ridership was 26 per cent of that in 2019. In that same year, HDT Singapore Taxi folded, leading to 90 drivers being let go.

As at November 2021, Land Transport Authority statistics showed there were 15,048 taxi drivers, compared with 2019's 18,542.
The number of private-hire car drivers also dipped, from 77,141 to 68,091, in the same period.
The dropout rate comes despite more than $1 billion having been disbursed by the Government to taxi and private-hire drivers since the pandemic struck, and the recent fare increases that operators have announced to help drivers defray higher fuel cost.
Taxi and private-hire car operators said they are monitoring the situation closely.
Largest taxi operator ComfortDelGro has been encouraging night relief drivers to drive more. It is trying to better match them with taxis that are currently used by only a single day driver, although it is not yet offering financial incentives to spur the shift.
MORE ON THIS TOPIC
ComfortDelGro to raise cab fares by around 8% in March
Other taxi firms in S'pore to follow ComfortDelGro in raising fares
Grab declined to comment, while Gojek pointed to existing schemes and incentives it offers that already seek to make driving at night more attractive, including bonus points per trip from midnight to 2.59am on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.
Mr Yeow How Pheng, head of SMRT's Strides mobility services, said Strides is actively recruiting more drivers, adding: "It takes some time for the situation to stabilise."
Associate Professor Walter Theseira of the Singapore University of Social Sciences said there is an understandable reluctance for operators to rush into increasing fleet sizes, given that past reopening decisions have been reversed.
Drivers and operators cannot survive on just one or two hours of surge fares a day alone and have to make their assessments based on the total income available to drivers.

Fewer drivers and high fuel costs are also contributing to the problem. PHOTO: ST FILE
"The total income available throughout the day, or the week, needs to be large enough to cover the required wage for the driver and the operating and capital costs of the vehicle," Prof Theseira said.
"As the market platforms and operators become more convinced that the resurgence in demand is here to stay, they will continue to ramp up their plans to attract drivers back. In the short term, the platforms and drivers are happy to earn higher commissions and fares."
Meanwhile, passengers will have to pay the higher fares for the private car rides - a premium transport option that is also looking to attract workers in a tight labour market.
Prof Theseira added: "Driving is not an easy job, so why should we think that drivers owe us a cheap and easily available ride?"

 

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Cabbies, private-hire drivers continue to avoid Changi Airport; longer wait for travellers​

As ridership gradually increases, Changi Airport is finding it harder to attract drivers. PHOTO: SHIN MIN DAILY NEWS

Clement Yong

May 2, 2022

SINGAPORE - Taxi drivers are still reluctant to return to queue at Changi Airport, despite March recording 1.14 million travellers, the first time it has crossed the one million mark since the Covid-19 pandemic.
With fuel costs high, and more money to be made in the Central Business District and at night, drivers The Straits Times spoke to said they find that there is no reason to go all the way there for passengers, where they risk long periods of waiting with engines switched on.
“It is not worth the time,” said Grab driver Anamullah Hamidullah. “The wait for passengers can be up to 40 minutes long.”
The 63-year-old added: “There still aren’t enough travellers. There may be more passengers past midnight when many planes are landing, but I will have to go there with an empty car.”
As ridership gradually increases – to the point where passengers now find it difficult to get a ride at certain times of the day – Changi Airport is finding it harder to attract drivers, which is integral to providing a seamless travelling experience for travellers.
In April, Changi Airport Group launched an incentive programme where drivers were given a reward of $10 for each day they made a minimum of three trips to the airport in three time windows – 6am to 10am, noon to 1pm and 4pm to 7pm.

It also gave out free coffee to drivers in the morning, but measures are still inadequate.

Mr Koh, an airport worker who wanted to be known only by his last name, said taxi queues are at about 40 per cent of what it was pre-pandemic, but taxis available at the airport have remained at a fifth of what it was.
The 52-year-old said the problem is especially bad in the early morning when there are the most flights, with waits of up to 45 minutes on one Sunday.
He dreads when travellers get irritated during the long wait.
“When that happens, we don’t know what to do either,” he said. “We hope more taxi drivers come back to help us with our job.”

 

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Crowd Builds At Bishan MRT As Commuters Heading To Circle Line Told To Take The Stairs​

FEATURED LATEST NEWS TRANSPORT
Commuters were told to take the stairs down to the Circle Line platform.
By Sarah Kamal - 10 May 2022

Crowd Forms At Bishan MRT As Commuters Told To Use Stairs​

While travelling to work or school, the last thing we want is for our morning commute to be disrupted. Unfortunately, this was what happened to numerous people at Bishan MRT.
On Tuesday (11 May), huge crowds formed at Bishan MRT when commuters were told to use the stairs when the station’s escalators changed directions.

Source: @ToxicConsort on Twitter
Inconvenienced by the incident, many were left wondering what exactly happened.

Crowd forms at Bishan MRT​

According to pictures sent in by an MS News reader, there was major congestion at the Circle Line (CCL) platform of Bishan MRT station on Tuesday (11 May) morning.

Image courtesy of MS News reader
At around 8.30am, huge crowds had already formed, and commuters were stuck at the platform, unable to move from the North-South Line (NSL).

Source: Twitter
Another commuter shared on Twitter that the four escalators leading commuters down to the CCL platform were all changed to move upwards. From the footage, it seems that commuters coming from the NSL to CCL were diverted to the stairs on the left, slowing them down.


On the other hand, commuters leaving the platform to go upstairs could use the escalators as they were functioning normally.

More pictures of the masses of people gathering at the platform soon surfaced on social media.

Source: Facebook
One commuter, who was on the way to Kent Ridge, shared that he heard an announcement at 8.30am,

Due to an incident, train departures are delayed. We seek your understanding and patience.

When MS News arrived at the platform at around 9.20am, the crowds had dispersed. However, the station manager declined to comment on the situation.
We’ve also reached out to SMRT for comments and will update the article once they get back.

Hope everyone could reach their destinations safely​

This situation must have been stressful for everyone involved as nobody wishes for such a disruption during peak hours.
We urge everyone to be understanding to the SMRT staff, who were also trying their best to help commuters travel safely.
Hopefully, the inconveniences caused were minimal and those affected weren’t too late in getting to work or school.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at [email protected].
Featured image adapted from Facebook.

 

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Surcharge for taxi rides from Changi Airport to be raised by $3 from May 19​

CAG had launched an incentive programme in April to get taxis back to the airport. PHOTO: ST FILE

Kok Yufeng
Transport Correspondent

May 12, 2022

SINGAPORE - The surcharge for taxi trips starting from Changi Airport will be raised by $3 from next Thursday (May 19) until June 30, in a move to increase the supply of cabs for passengers there.
With the increased surcharge, trips starting from Changi will cost an additional $8 every day from 5pm to 11.59pm, and an additional $6 at all other times.
The current surcharge is $5 on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 5pm to 11.59pm, and $3 at all other times.
The move, announced by Changi Airport Group (CAG) in a Facebook post on Thursday (May 12), comes amid a reluctance from cabbies to go to the airport to pick up passengers despite a revival in international air travel.
According to a Facebook post by ComfortDelGro Taxi, the largest taxi operator in Singapore, the increased surcharges will also apply to trips starting from Changi Air Freight Centre, the Airport Police Station and the Airport Logistics Park of Singapore.
The surcharge hike will kick in from midnight on May 19 and end at 11.59pm on June 30.
In March, about 1.14 million travellers passed through Changi, the first time passenger volumes there crossed the one million mark since the Covid-19 pandemic began more than two years ago.

​

Passenger traffic at Changi Airport more than doubled last month from March, approaching 40 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.
This takes take Singapore to touching distance of achieving its target to restore passenger volumes at the airport to at least 50 per cent of pre-Covid-19 levels by the end of the year.
The higher number of passengers, coupled with a lower supply of taxis, has led to long queues of people waiting for cabs at the airport.


In a report by The Straits Times earlier this month, taxi drivers had said that more money could be made in the Central Business District and at night.
Coupled with high fuel costs, they told ST that they found no reason to go all the way to the airport, where they risk long periods of waiting with engines switched on.
CAG had launched an incentive programme last month to get taxis back to the airport, offering cabbies a reward of $10 for each day they made a minimum of three trips to the airport in three time windows - 6am to 10am, noon to 1pm and 4pm to 7pm.
It also gave out free coffee to drivers in the morning, but the measures were inadequate.
In response to queries, a CAG spokesman said the five taxi companies here had discussed the taxi shortage at the airport with CAG before the firms lodged plans to revise the location surcharge with the Public Transport Council (PTC).
CAG said that its own incentive programme, which was originally slated to end on April 30, will also run until May 16.
From May 17 to June 30, there will be a new scheme, in which cabbies can earn the $10 reward if they make a minimum of three trips to the airport from 6am to 9am and from 3pm to 9pm.
A PTC spokesman said the council had been informed of the taxi operators’ intention to raise the taxi location surcharge and reminded them to apprise commuters about the new fares.
It did not say when the plans to raise the surcharges were lodged.
Under a regulatory framework that took effect in October 2020, taxi operators here are required to lodge plans to change their fares at least 28 days before making the changes.
They also need to publicise the changes at least seven days beforehand.
Ms Yeo Wan Ling, adviser to the National Taxi Association (NTA), said tourist spending has traditionally been an important component of cabby earnings.
But with the new norm, drivers are still getting used to new flight timings and airport terminal arrangements, she said.
Beyond increasing the location surcharge, Ms Yeo said CAG, the taxi companies and the NTA have also coordinated to inform cabbies about flight timings in real time to ensure wait times are balanced between drivers and passengers.
The MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC added: “Our drivers understand the important role that taxis play as transportation providers to and from the airport, and remain committed to providing safe and efficient rides for departing and arriving passengers.”
When ST visited the airport on Thursday afternoon, it was a mixed picture.
The wait at the taxi stand at Terminal 1 was about 10 minutes at about 4pm, but at about 4.40pm, there were quite a number of cabs lined up and passengers were able to board them almost immediately.
It was the reverse at Terminal 3, where more than five taxis were waiting for passengers at about 5.30pm, but by about 5.50pm, there were no taxis.
For ComfortDelGro cabby Robert Yeo, the plan to raise the surcharge for trips from Changi Airport is not enough to entice him to make the journey east.
The 62-year-old said he would not go to the airport unless he has to, as the surcharge hike cannot cover the cost of petrol. “If I drive an empty car there, it is not worth it. Only if I’m already taking someone there, then I’ll go,” he added.

 

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Taxi drivers back at Changi, but say extra $3 in surcharge does not make up for long wait, petrol costs​

Some taxi drivers are drawn to the airport as they are assured of getting a passenger, but are wary of long wait times. PHOTO: ST FILE
Elijah Wong and See Yi Ro

MAY 20, 2022

SINGAPORE - There was a long line of cabs waiting for fares at the airport taxi ranks on Friday (May 20), the first day a new increase of $3 in surcharge kicked in for rides from Changi Airport.
This is a change from reports of long queues of people over the past weeks waiting for cabs at Changi amid a rise in number of passengers as international air travel picks up, coupled with a lower supply of taxis.
But there remains a challenge in keeping the cabbies going to the airport. Nearly all the 13 drivers The Straits Times spoke to said that the increased surcharge, which will be in place until June 30, still does not make up for the petrol costs and the long wait of sometimes up to an hour for a fare.
Until June 30, taxi trips starting from the airport cost an additional $8 from 5pm to 11.59pm daily, and an additional $6 at all other times. The usual surcharge is $5 on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 5pm to 11.59pm, and $3 at all other times.
When The Straits Times visited Changi Airport Terminal 3 on Friday afternoon, there was a line of passengers at the pick-up point as a flight had just landed. But it took only about five minutes to clear them, before the taxi ranks grew and were left waiting.
Mr Chua Ee Lye, 66, who has been a taxi driver for 36 years, said he could earn more by picking up more passengers in other places.
He said even after he drops a passenger off at the airport, he would join the queue only if the call for taxi sign is on. It was on when ST visited.

"The $6 surcharge is not enough... unless I want to rest, then I can come here and queue," he added.
Mr Chan Chee Hung, 49, said he would not go to the airport because of the surcharge, although the extra $3 played a part in getting him to join the queue after he had dropped off a fare at the airport.
"It's just an extra $3 only," he said, adding that it would cost more than $3 in petrol for the drive to the airport from his home without a fare.
For Mr Zuhairi Sapie, 48, the long wait times weigh on his mind as he finds himself working longer hours just to make the same amount of money as before due to higher petrol costs.
If he does head to the airport, the veteran cabby of 18 years uses an app that allows him to get real-time flight information so that the wait time for a fare is shorter.
With passenger traffic averaging above 40 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, Transport Minister S. Iswaran said on Wednesday that Singapore will be reassessing its year-end target of 50 per cent after an expected wave of travellers in June.
Some of the taxi drivers interviewed said they are drawn to the airport as they are assured of getting a passenger, but are wary of long waiting times. With the reopening of borders, they expect shorter waiting times ahead with more flights coming into Singapore.

 

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Train fault disrupts service along Bukit Panjang LRT line for nearly 3 hours​

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SMRT first tweeted about the train fault on the Bukit Panjang LRT at 9.21am. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: ST FILE

Gena Soh

May 24, 2022

SINGAPORE - A stalled train near Keat Hong station on Tuesday (May 24) disrupted commutes along a stretch of the Bukit Panjang LRT line for close to three hours.
Operator SMRT first tweeted about the train fault at 9.21am, and later said commuters could take free bus services along the affected stretch between Bukit Panjang and Choa Chu Kang stations.
When The Straits Times arrived at the Bukit Panjang LRT station at 10.15am, two SMRT staff were at the train platform directing commuters to Bukit Panjang bus interchange to take buses to Choa Chu Kang bus interchange.
ITE student Abdul Hakim, 21, said he did not know about the disruption until SMRT staff at Bukit Panjang station told him to go to the bus interchange instead.
Mr Hakim, who was on his way to school, said: "Even if I'm late, I have a valid reason that teachers can understand."
SMRT tweeted at 12.05pm that normal train service is being restored, and that free bus services had stopped.
The rail operator had to deploy another train to push out the train that stalled along the LRT track between Keat Hong and South View stations.

Tuesday's incident followed that on May 12, when a stalled train disrupted service between Choa Chu Kang and Bukit Panjang LRT stations for 20 minutes.
SMRT said commuters affected by the delay can download an e-Travel Chit as proof at this website.

• Additional reporting by Varun Karthik

 

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Bukit Batok bus collision: Former Tower Transit driver jailed six weeks​

Loo Eng Chai was also disqualified from driving for five years for causing the accident at Bukit Batok Bus Interchange that saw another bus ending up on its side. ST PHOTOS: KELVIN CHNG, KUA CHEE SIONG
Samuel Devaraj

May 31, 2022

SINGAPORE - A Tower Transit bus driver who caused 14 people to be injured after driving his vehicle into another bus at Bukit Batok Bus Interchange was jailed six weeks on Tuesday (May 31).
Singapore permanent resident Loo Eng Chai, 66, was also disqualified from driving for five years after he pleaded guilty to one charge of causing grievous hurt to six people by committing a negligent act during the incident which happened on July 11 last year.
Among those who were grievously hurt was the driver of the other bus, Mr Mohammed Salleh Mian, 65, and Mr Alias Mokson, 57, a bus captain who was taking a break in the interchange when the incident happened.
Another charge of causing hurt to eight passengers in Mr Salleh's bus by committing a negligent act was taken into consideration during his sentencing.
The incident last July saw the bus driven by Mr Mohammed Salleh end up on its side following the collision.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Chee Ee Ling told the court on Tuesday that Loo, who had been working as a bus driver since 2000, failed to stop at a stop line and turned right without keeping a proper lookout for oncoming vehicles.

He collided into the right side of Mr Salleh's bus, which had the right of way. The collision caused Mr Salleh's bus to topple and fall onto a slope.

All 14 victims - including 13 in Mr Salleh's bus - were taken to hospital following the incident.
DPP Chee asked that Loo be jailed for six to eight weeks and be disqualified from driving for five years.
Loo, who was unrepresented, said in mitigation that he is currently working as a cleaner and needed to support his family, who are living in Johor Baru, Malaysia.
Tower Transit had said previously that he had been dismissed from his job.
For causing grievous hurt by committing a negligent act, Loo could have been jailed for up to two years, fined up to $5,000, or both.
For causing hurt by committing a negligent act, he could have been jailed for up to six months, fined up to $2,500, or both.

 

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Forum: Proper terminal for long-distance buses is sorely needed​

JUN 18, 2022

In the last 15 years or so, Changi Airport has added a third and fourth terminal and has begun work on a fifth one. The Marina Bay Cruise Centre was also developed, and the HarbourFront Centre and Tanah Merah ferry terminals revamped.
Our air and sea ports are world class. Yet there seems to be no thought given to the land routes. There is no long-distance tourist bus centre yet.
Currently, taking a tourist bus to Malaysia or southern Thailand usually requires a trip to Golden Mile Complex, where many tourist bus companies operate.
There are also pick-up and drop-off points scattered across the island.
Golden Mile Complex recently successfully underwent a collective sale. It is still unknown whether the new developer will retain the bus operations.
I hope the Land Transport Authority and the Singapore Tourism Board can develop a plan to construct a long-distance tourist bus centre.
Perhaps space can be set aside at Woodlands Checkpoint as part of the announced expansion, or near the Second Link at Tuas.

Derrick Soh Say Peng

 

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Extra $3 surcharge for taxi rides from Changi Airport extended until end-2022​

Passengers boarding taxis at Changi Airport Terminal 3 on June 24, 2022. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY

Kok Yufeng
Transport Correspondent

June 24, 2022

SINGAPORE - Passengers taking a taxi from Changi Airport will continue to pay an additional $3 per trip until the end of the year, as the increase in the location surcharge will be extended by six months.
The increased surcharge - which Changi Airport Group (CAG) had earlier said was aimed at ensuring a better supply of cabs to the airport - kicked in on May 19 and was originally supposed to end on June 30.
This surcharge hike will now be extended until Dec 31, 11.59pm, said taxi operator Strides Taxi, a subsidiary of public transport company SMRT, in a Facebook post on Thursday (June 23).
ComfortDelGro, Prime Taxi and Premier Taxi published notices of the extension on Friday (June 24).
Under current regulations, taxi fares here are determined by the operators. Any changes must be lodged with the Public Transport Council in advance and publicised at least seven days beforehand.
With the increase, taxi rides starting from the airport, Changi Air Freight Centre, the Airport Police Station and the Airport Logistics Park of Singapore, will cost an additional $8 every day from 5pm to 11.59pm, and an additional $6 at all other times.
Before the fare hike, the airport surcharge was $5 on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 5pm to 11.59pm, and $3 at all other times.

The decision to raise the surcharge had come amid a reluctance from cabbies to go to the airport to pick up passengers despite a revival in international air travel, resulting in a shortage of cabs and long queues at the airport's taxi stands.
Increasing the surcharge drew more cabs back to Changi, but taxi drivers had told The Straits Times that it does not make up for petrol costs, which have risen by 30 to 40 per cent in the past six months, and the long wait of up to an hour for a fare.
Responding to ST’s queries, a CAG spokesman said the surcharge hike has improved the supply of taxis at Changi Airport, but did not provide more details.

When ST visited Changi Airport Terminal 3 on Friday morning, there were about 30 taxis queuing outside of the arrival hall and passengers were able to board a cab almost immediately.
Cabbies interviewed were not aware that the airport surcharge hike would be extended, but said they welcomed the move.
Mr Toh Cheng Chuan, 68, who has been a taxi driver for 17 years, said he enjoyed picking up fares from the airport because of the increased surcharge.
“I have been going to the airport more frequently. Aside from the surcharge, there are also more passengers because there are more flights,” he said.
Another cabby, Mr Lim Whay Yuan, said he is more attracted by CAG’s own incentive scheme, in which cabbies can earn a daily $10 reward if they make a minimum of three trips to the airport during specific time windows.
“I made an additional $150 in April thanks the incentive. It really adds up,” Mr Lim said.
The incentive scheme will end on June 30.
Asked about the surcharge hike, the 70-year-old added: “Maybe they’re trying to get more taxis to come because they’re trying to open up the airport. They say Changi is the best airport in the world, so how can there be no taxis?”
However, Mr Jovin Lim, 54, who drives a seven-seater cab and makes 10 to 12 trips to the airport daily, said that the surcharge has attracted a lot of smaller taxis to the airport, resulting in longer queues.
“The surcharge makes it difficult for bigger cabs. I waste a lot of time queuing,” he said.
During an announcement earlier this month (June 10) that Terminal 4 will reopen in September and operations at Terminal 2 will be increased to half by October, Transport Minister S. Iswaran had said that the response to the increased surcharge "has been good and generally managing well with demand".
But the minister also said that the situation at Changi is very dynamic.
"When passenger volume goes up, you have to basically see how flexibly we can respond. What we see now is the taxi services have caught up," he told reporters.
"But whether we need to do more, whether we need further adjustments, I think this is something that we are constantly monitoring because this is really a period of quite rapid changes," he added.

Taxis waiting outside Changi Airport Terminal 3 on June 24, 2022. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
Last month, 2.47 million passengers passed through Changi Airport - a 28 per cent increase from 1.93 million in April, and 14 times more than in May last year.
With travel restrictions easing globally, Changi Airport's handling capacity is expected to return to pre-Covid-19 levels of 70 million passengers per year by October.

Currently, only T1 and T3 are fully open. They have the capacity to handle 46 million passengers a year, two-thirds of 2019 volumes.
T2, which had been undergoing upgrading works for the past two years, will reopen in phases over the next two years.
The expansion of the terminal is expected to be completed by 2024.
Separately, Strides Taxi will also be raising the charter rates for its London taxis starting from July 1.
It will cost $75 to charter a London taxi for airport arrival transfers and $65 for airport departure transfers - up from the current rates of $55 and $50 respectively.
The point-to-point charter fare for Strides Taxi's London cabs and the hourly charter rate will also go up to $65, from $50 now.

 

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Forum: Tough to get private-hire car rides, even with steep surge pricing​

June 25, 2022

In recent months, I have noticed that the fares of private-hire car rides have risen significantly during peak hours and rainy days.
The surge in fares compared with during non-peak hours can be as much as $10 a trip to a nearby destination.
But even with prices being that high, I have found it more difficult lately to book rides.
I suspect that one reason for this could be that there are now fewer private-hire car drivers, so the demand is much higher than the supply of drivers.
The Land Transport Authority should consider setting up a committee to review the surge pricing framework and find a way to make supply match demand.
More incentives could be given to commuters and drivers to make fares more attractive for both parties.

Alan Chin

 

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Forum: Current fare structure in private-hire car ride industry needs to change​

JUN 29, 2022

Many comments have been made about the high fares from surge pricing during peak periods for private-hire car rides, and the difficulty in booking rides (Tough to get rides, even with steep surge pricing, June 25; $150 relief welcomed but not enough, say cabbies and private-hire drivers, June 22).
Allow me to share something from a driver's perspective.
Most full-time drivers spend between eight and 12 hours driving. Fares hit extremely high levels for only around two to three hours during this period. During non-peak periods, the fares are often lower than a metered taxi.
In an hour, a driver usually manages an average of two rides and makes an average of about $20 to $30. If you do the maths, after deducting rental of an average of $70 per day and petrol of $50 on average, a typical private-hire car driver takes home about $130 per day.
Divide that by the 10 hours of being on the road, and you get $13 an hour.
Many private-hire car drivers have families to support. How do you do that earning just $13 an hour - without benefits like Central Provident Fund contributions, medical leave and annual leave?
Many go for the incentives offered by the various platforms which can be quite attractive. In general, petrol and rental can be covered if a driver hits about 30 trips a day.

It takes roughly 15 hours to hit 30 trips a day. Do this for an extended period, and one risks developing many health issues.
Hence, many would prefer to get a full-time salaried job if possible.
From the above, it is quite clear that this industry cannot be sustained by fares alone. The profitability of the platforms also takes a hit as they have to keep giving incentives to make sure there are enough drivers to meet demand.
I have the luxury of not having to depend solely on being a private-hire car driver for income as I do this only part-time. My fellow drivers who are doing it full-time have to chase the incentives and dollars to make ends meet for their families.
Perhaps increasing the base fare and placing a cap on the high price surges during peak periods would help. This could lower the need for drivers to chase the price surge to cover the cost of low earnings from non-peak periods.
A huge portion of cost is the rental. Private-hire operators bid aggressively for certificates of entitlement and the costs are passed on to the driver. Perhaps something can be done for such corporate bidding.
Finally, the authorities could consider giving petrol rebates to drivers based on the monthly mileage they clock with an operator, to offset the fuel cost while on the job.

Edmund Loh Siew Kuan

 

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Train service along entire Thomson-East Coast Line disrupted by signal fault​

Commuters waiting at Caldecott station after a disruption on the Thomson-East Coast Line, on July 6, 2022. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG

Kok Yufeng
Transport Correspondent

July 6, 2022

SINGAPORE - A signal fault disrupted train service along the entire Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) in both directions on Wednesday (July 6) morning.
In a tweet at 8.40am, SMRT said there is no train service along the nine-station stretch between Woodlands North and Caldecott in both directions on Singapore's newest MRT line.
This was about 15 minutes after the rail operator had reported the signal fault, and said trains on the line were moving slower.
Free regular bus services and bridging bus services have been made available between Woodlands North and Caldecott, SMRT said in another tweet.
This is third signal fault on the TEL in recent months.
On April 27, 50 commuters were stuck in a stalled train between Woodlands and Woodlands South stations for more than an hour and a half due to a track signal fault that morning.
On May 19, SMRT said a signal fault caused trains to move slower in both directions across the entire TEL, resulting in an additional 10 minutes of waiting time for commuters.


The TEL was opened in stages, with the first stage between Woodlands North and Woodlands South opening in January 2020 and the second stage - comprising six stations between Springleaf and Caldecott - opening for passenger service in August last year.
TEL Stage 3, which will comprise 11 stations between Stevens and Gardens by the Bay, is set to open later this year.

 

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COE premium hits all-time high of $110,524 in Open category​

Lee Nian Tjoe
Senior Transport Correspondent

JUL 6, 2022


SINGAPORE - Certificate of entitlement (COE) premiums hit an all-time high of $110,524 in the Open category on Wednesday (July 6), reflecting market expectations that prices could rise further amid a projected decrease in supply.
The premium for Open category COE, which tends to be used to register larger cars, rose by 5.9 per cent from $104,400 at the last tender.
The previous record was $110,500, set in 1994 under a different classification, for cars above 2,000cc.
Premiums also rose across all other categories.
The COE premium for cars with engines smaller than 1,600cc and 130bhp, and fully electric vehicles (EVs) with up to 110 kilowatts of power, went up from $74,989 to $78,001 - a 4 per cent increase.
For cars with larger engines, as well as more powerful EVs, the premium was $107,800, up 1.7 per cent from $106,001.
The motorcycle COE premium rose from $10,302 to $10,889, an increase of 5.7 per cent.

The commercial vehicle COE premium went up by 1.9 per cent from $53,011 to $54,001.
The Straits Times had earlier reported that industry watchers expected to see record-breaking premiums due to projections that the three-month supply of COEs from August to October will be less than that of the current period.
Their projection was based on the low number of vehicles being taken off the road in the previous months. Deregistration figures recorded from April to June are the main determinant of the supply of COEs for the August to October period.

In Wednesday’s tender exercise, the Open category was the biggest mover among the types of COE.
Open COEs, which can be used to register any kind of vehicles other than motorcycles, have to be used within three months after they are secured.
Otherwise, the bidder will lose the $10,000 bid deposit. They are also transferable, so motor dealers can hold on to such COEs to use in the future.

Category	Current COE premium ($)	Previous COE premium ($)
A - Car (1,600cc & below)	78,001	74,989
B - Car (above 1,600cc)	107,800	106,001
C - Goods vehicle & bus	54,001	53,011
D - Motorcycle	10,889	10,302
E - Open	110,524	104,400

Mr Nicholas Wong, general manager of Kah Motor which distributes Honda cars, attributed the spike in the Open category COE premium partly to speculators.
Currently, the oldest stock of Open COEs that can still be used will be from April, and had cost nearly $100,000 a piece.
Traders hoping to profit from reselling the valid Open COEs at a future date would want premiums to keep rising, Mr Wong said.
Bidding for COEs in the large-car category was more muted than earlier, with 695 bids submitted, compared with 822 bids seen at the previous tender. This suggests that car companies have fewer orders this time than before.
There is still one more tender exercise in July before the new quota – expected to be announced next week – kicks in.
This gives dealers more urgency to secure their needed COEs at the latest tender, in anticipation of a bigger rush for COEs during tenders under the expected reduced quota.
One motor dealer said: “If there were dealers who needed a COE and was waiting for a cheaper COE at the next round, well, good luck to them.”

The record set in the Open category is the second type of COE premium to make history this year after the motorcycle COE premium hit $11,400 in March.
The previous record premium of $110,500 was set in December 1994 under different conditions.
Besides having more categories – seven instead of the current five – tenders were held once a month, not twice. It was also a closed tender system so bidders could not enter or revise their bids as the exercise proceeded.
COE prices fell in the months following the 1994 record as new government measures were introduced to curb speculation.
Dr Zafar Momin, a former adjunct professor at Nanyang Business School, said that in the current high COE premium environment, dealers will try to shift demand forward and push consumers to buy now, on the fear of prices rising later on.
What he expects is for rational car buyers to hold back on their purchase.
While the restrictive COE supply means that premiums will not fall dramatically, Dr Momin said that it may be possible to see premiums ease slightly and gradually.
This is not accounting for external factors – such as fleet operators needing to register more cars, which will drive up demand and hence COE prices – or the Government stepping in to curb premium increases, like it did in 1994.

 

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Five suggestions to improve COE system​

The industry says sellers have an interest to keep COE prices low, as spikes often entail costly subsidies on their part. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG

Christopher Tan
Senior Transport Correspondent

Jul 22, 2022

SINGAPORE - Amid record certificate of entitlement (COE) prices, there have been calls for the vehicle quota system to be tweaked, with changes ranging from banning car dealers from bidding to requiring bidders to pay what they bid for.
These suggestions are not entirely new, and have been made over the course of the 32-year-old auction system.
The Straits Times examines the merits of five popular suggestions.

1. Pay as you bid​

Successful bidders currently pay the price of the lowest successful bid, which some say encourages a degree of recklessness.
Requiring bidders to pay exactly what they bid is not a new suggestion. Mr Gerard Ee made that call when he was Automobile Association of Singapore head in 1997.
But a Government-appointed review committee rejected that in 1999, saying such a system could become "an additional source of discontent among bidders".
The call was repeated in earnest in 2013, by a review group led by transport researcher Lee Der-Horng. Again, it was rejected by the Government, which said such a system - also called the Dutch auction system - could result in even higher prices.

Dr Lee, an Academy of Engineering Singapore fellow, said he is still in favour of a pay-as-you-bid system.
"This will make bidders be more cautious when bidding," he added.

2. Banning car sellers from bidding​

Ever since the system started in 1990, motor dealers have dominated bidding.

Today, practically all bids are made by dealers. Some observers say this promotes aggressive bidding, and have called repeatedly for sellers to be banned from bidding.
The motor industry, however, points out that the majority of buyers require a loan when buying a car, and the loan is packaged with COE.
Separating the two will prove challenging for some consumers. They add that individuals may not have the financial ability to bid for COEs, which for a start, requires a $10,000 deposit.
The industry also says sellers have an interest to keep COE prices low, as spikes often entail costly subsidies on their part.
MORE ON THIS TOPIC
COE prices rise across the board, with Open category reaching new high of $114k
Speculative bidding fuels COE price spiral
The call to ban dealers from bidding was part of the 2013 review. It was also rejected.
Dr Lee said: "Motor traders give a lot of reasons for not supporting this idea, but I think they can be overcome without much difficulty. People here are now more tech-savvy, for instance.
"The car price should be for the car itself, rather than containing the COE element. This will make it more transparent for buyers who walk in with a COE in hand."

3. Removing taxis from bidding​

The taxi population was sizeable and could influence prices whenever fleet owners had to renew their vehicles. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
There have been calls since the early days of the quota system for taxis to be removed from COE bidding, since the taxi population was sizeable and could influence prices whenever fleet owners had to renew their vehicles.
In 2012, when Mr Lui Tuck Yew was Transport Minister, the call was heeded.
But soon after, private-hire players started flooding the market. These players are de facto taxi operators, and their combined fleet size is now treble the taxi fleet size.
Industry watchers say these too should likewise be removed from bidding. Instead, their fleet size should be capped, and they should, like taxi firms, pay the prevailing quota premium - a three-month moving average - instead of competing with car buyers for fresh COEs. The Government has yet to respond to this call.
Dr Zafar Momin, a former automotive expert at Boston Consulting Group who has since retired, said: "Private-hire cars are used for business purposes and having them compete in the same pool as car buyers does not make sense. They should be treated separately."

4. Dropping the Open category​

COEs in the Open category can theoretically be used for any vehicle type except motorcycles. But in reality, they end up almost exclusively for bigger cars.
And unlike other car COE categories, Open certificates are transferable, which creates a secondary market for them, that in turn fuels speculative bidding.
In recent years, Mr Neo Nam Heng, chairman of diversified motor group Prime, has been calling for the Open category to be removed, and its COEs redistributed to the other respective categories.
He reasons that the Open category has outlived its usefulness as a "safety valve" because tenders are now conducted twice a month, instead of once a month in the early years.

Removing the Open category takes away the element of speculation, and should ease prices. The Government has yet to respond to this proposal.
Dr Momin, who also sits on the Petronas Chemicals Group board, is in favour of removing the Open category and redistributing its certificates.
He said that Category B should also be split into two parts, so as to separate "the very expensive luxury cars from mass market cars with engines above 1.6 litres".
"Currently, they are all lumped together, and the price-insensitive buyers of luxury cars drive up the prices out of reach for other buyers."
MORE ON THIS TOPIC
5 takeaways: Youth opinions on car ownership in Singapore
COE breaching $100,000 can be a good thing

5. Having a separate category for EVs​

Since electric cars started becoming more widely available here five years ago, it has been pointed out that most fall into Category B, which is for bigger and more powerful cars, and is now significantly costlier than Category A (for smaller cars).
The price gap between categories A and B (and Open) is around $30,000 now - one of the widest it has been since the 1990s.
There had been calls from various parties for a separate COE category for electric vehicles (EVs).
But this was rejected because it would result in smaller categories all round, which will lead to higher prices. Also, it is difficult to formulate a quota size for EVs since the availability is still growing.
But from May this year, Transport Minister S. Iswaran tweaked the system to allow EVs with up to 110kW of power to come under Category A, as opposed to the previous blanket power cap of 97kW. This has moved a few more models over to Category A, but the bulk remains in Category B.
Dr Momin, who is also a former adjunct professor at Nanyang Business School, reckons that if Category B could be split into two, EVs of a certain power rating - say, below 170kW - could be placed together with mass market cars with above 1,600cc engines.
"Leaving them in a broad Category B category makes them very expensive," he added.