Mountbatten MP 'horrified' at bus service standards...


melvin

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Jun 4, 2005
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New Mountbatten Member of Parliament (MP) Lim Biow Chuan says he was "horrified" at the bus service standards in his ward after conducting a spot check last Monday.

In particular, he questioned why three bus services -- 158, 12 and 197 -- took half an hour to arrive.
Accompanied by a Land Transport Authority officer, Mr Lim said his first check was made at Jalan Batu, near Tanjong Rhu HDB estate, and the second at the bus stop near Block 56, Cassia Crescent.

In a posting on his Facebook page on 16 May, he wrote, "I received complaints about the regularity of some bus services during the campaign period. This morning, I waited at the bus stop from 8am to 9am with LTA (Land Transport Authority) officer to do an audit and was horrified at the result. Will be writing to PTC (Public Transport Council) and LTA to lodge a formal complaint about the service standards of the bus services."

On Thursday, he posted the following Facebook update: "Was at bus stop next to Block 56 Cassia Crescent this morning for 2nd informal audit. Results are slightly better although there is room for improvement. For service 70, a total of 8 buses came within a period of 50 mins. Service 197 need to improve. Will feedback to PTC for their follow-up with SBS. Then monitor to see whether there are improvements."
"I know how bus companies work," he was later quoted as saying on Channel NewsAsia.

"They say there are traffic jams, breakdowns etc. I do empathise. But at the end of the day, bus commuters are frustrated and bus companies must know this."

He added that although he has made similar checks before, he decided to publicise his latest efforts on Facebook to be more visible to residents.

"I realise that when you do it quietly, people don't realise you've been doing it, and come elections, they say you've not been doing anything."

Mr Lim said he would continue to follow up with SBS Transit and the Public Transport Council and monitor the services for improvements.

Source
 

i am surprised by their "discovery" also. I heard such complaints of long waiting time for so many years and I myself experienced it for so many years...

few words come to my mind: complacent, disappointment, not in touch, poor performance
 

Maybe he is new didnt know about the complaints! He should ask the transport minister to do it together with him!
 

Maybe he is new didnt know about the complaints! He should ask the transport minister to do it together with him!

then he is dreaming really...
 

Seriously, what are the things that have been improved so far when it comes to MRT/Buses?
- Waiting time: no
- Service attitude and quality of bus drivers: no
- maintenance of public transport: no (we are still getting major breakdowns, old buses or broken air-conditioning)
- Bus stops designs and maintenance: yes (they have been outsourced to Clear Channel and JCDecaux to design, build and maintained)
- Public transport fee: yes and is still rising

Time for some checks and really improve things rather than "improving" the fees.
 

9V-Orion Images said:

As useful as a study that measures what proportion of men are happy with their wives, and then comes up with numbers and declares that Eskimos are happiest with their partners. :bsmilie: You can't compare apples to oranges. And the company itself declares that Copenhagen probably top as most people walk and bike. :)
 

Invite him to Jurong East MRT during peak hours. For an interesting experience.
Actually the LTA and SMRT did a good job.
The culprit who suddenly let in millions of FT into Singapore is the real root cause of the problem, as it drastically overloads the original correct design parameters of the MRT meant to cater to service our local population and some tourists.
 

Invite him to Jurong East MRT during peak hours. For an interesting experience.
Actually the LTA and SMRT did a good job.
The culprit who suddenly let in millions of FT into Singapore is the real root cause of the problem, as it drastically overloads the original correct design parameters of the MRT meant to cater to service our local population and some tourists.

Actually Jurong East is not REALLY bad, when the trains arrive at the super peak freq rate.

Take a look at the cut from peak to off peak (for eg 6.40pm period), where the train freq suddenly changes from 1.5-2 min to 5-6 min, but the human traffic merely just cuts down a little (people often buffer a bit and goes back late, not talking about those crazy careers which require you to stay till 10pm-12mn). WOW. Worst I have experienced is that I could not get on even after 4 trains.

In other countries like Taipei at the interchanges, this is actually quite the norm, but they do queue up very orderly (you'll be amazed if you haven't seen it). But the super off peak freq, even in say Shanghai, is amazing.

For us its always $$$/profit.
 

Ok put it this way, in HK/Taipei etc.... it is not that difficult to get a seat during off-peak. And I am talking about Blue Line say bt XMD and Housanpi.....not some ulu portion like Dansheui. Tried so many times already.
 

If it takes no time to arrive, then why should you pay more to get house/flat near MRT?
 

If it takes no time to arrive, then why should you pay more to get house/flat near MRT?

Because sitting at a bus stop or standing at the MRT platform is a lot more pleasurable than having to walk to these places? :bsmilie:
 

It looks like (MP) Lim Biow Chuan has either never took any public bus ride or the last one has been so long ago.

I have waited for more than 40 mins for a bus during the morning peak hour. To top it off, it is in the bus interchange with many bus driver around and buses parked. When I approached the "service" counter and ask why so long, the reply was traffic jam. o_O.
This is the time whereby I took a bus with so many people with such "black" faces. I can still remember clearly the sheepish look of the poor bus driver apologizing to everyone who boarded the bus. You can see how indifferent the people who are in-charged and can do something about it.
 

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Only shows 2 things.
#1 he has been sleeping all this time to be unaware of what is happening on the ground (since he has always been in heaven)
#2 this is just a wayang show to show more caring governance since this is not a day one problem

Same wayang given to me when I re-stayed with my parents for 1yr+, as they were helping me look after my baby daughter.
MP, Fatimah Lateef visited during a block visit and I made known to her about the poor bus service along Upper Aljunied Rd (bus# 135, 155, 100).
She quickly brought up that she was aware, and that LTA would be taking over the coordination and planning of the bus route "in a few months", etc, etc, so it be better.
Now, 1.5yrs later, my daughter already grown from baby in baby cot to pre-school toddler, still nothing done. :thumbsdown:
 

LTA should not more increase of bus and MRT fare for the next 3 years rather than making excuses oil price increasing, salary of bus driver and others nonsense excuse. :angry:
 

actually what really do passengers know about services and why they come about?

food for thought. i don't think SBS or SMRT Transit would actually create a new service just because one neighborhood's affected. they have to measure the costs, profits projected as well as where this bus would go. it's not easy work to do. plus... i think that you would need a bigger amount of people complaining, submitting a written petition to be able to make an influence on the outcome. i'll bet it's easier now since the PM said that "he'll listen" (a 70% fat chance i think)

even the frequency, they'll study road conditions, timings, whether putting an extra bus would cost more.

furthermore... with lesser locals wanting to drive buses.... where do you think they'll get them from? of course... from...FT Land! so.. then you'll have more of them in here.. and bring even more congestion.

voila. economics
 

Only shows 2 things.
#1 he has been sleeping all this time to be unaware of what is happening on the ground (since he has always been in heaven)
#2 this is just a wayang show to show more caring governance since this is not a day one problem

Same wayang given to me when I re-stayed with my parents for 1yr+, as they were helping me look after my baby daughter.
MP, Fatimah Lateef visited during a block visit and I made known to her about the poor bus service along Upper Aljunied Rd (bus# 135, 155, 100).
She quickly brought up that she was aware, and that LTA would be taking over the coordination and planning of the bus route "in a few months", etc, etc, so it be better.
Now, 1.5yrs later, my daughter already grown from baby in baby cot to pre-school toddler, still nothing done. :thumbsdown:

i think it is wayang again, but i pray i will be proven wrong!