Hey raymond! You really need to work harder for your million dollar paycheck!!
Singapore's public transport lags behind Hong Kong's
THERE is no real competition in the public transport sector in Singapore, unlike in Hong Kong where the companies running bus, minibus and train services compete for the same pool of passengers.
Here are two of my concerns about the transport infrastructure here:
- Lack of efficiency and poor response to market demand. SBS Transit introduced premium services to cater to office workers in the Central Business District. The services were well received. In Ang Mo Kio, where I live, service 549 was introduced more than a year ago and soon became very popular. But service 549 continues to be serviced by a single-deck bus and the frequency remains unchanged.
Also, other than premier services, all other bus services still make too many stops. When will SBS Transit realise a point-to-point service is essential?
- Lack of comfort. While SBS Transit has renewed its fleet, it has reduced the level of comfort. For instance, I noted a new fleet of buses was added over the past year - but all were single-deck buses with fewer seats. Given that these buses replaced double-deckers, this means consumers now have less chance of a seat, even during off-peak hours.
It is no wonder that the car population continues to increase, despite rising petrol, Electronic Road Pricing and parking costs.
Liang Hien Fung
Singapore's public transport lags behind Hong Kong's
THERE is no real competition in the public transport sector in Singapore, unlike in Hong Kong where the companies running bus, minibus and train services compete for the same pool of passengers.
Here are two of my concerns about the transport infrastructure here:
- Lack of efficiency and poor response to market demand. SBS Transit introduced premium services to cater to office workers in the Central Business District. The services were well received. In Ang Mo Kio, where I live, service 549 was introduced more than a year ago and soon became very popular. But service 549 continues to be serviced by a single-deck bus and the frequency remains unchanged.
Also, other than premier services, all other bus services still make too many stops. When will SBS Transit realise a point-to-point service is essential?
- Lack of comfort. While SBS Transit has renewed its fleet, it has reduced the level of comfort. For instance, I noted a new fleet of buses was added over the past year - but all were single-deck buses with fewer seats. Given that these buses replaced double-deckers, this means consumers now have less chance of a seat, even during off-peak hours.
It is no wonder that the car population continues to increase, despite rising petrol, Electronic Road Pricing and parking costs.
Liang Hien Fung
