Thoughts Of The Month

Sunday, April 26, 2015

Recently, it was reported that both SMRT and SBSTransit received a bonus from the Singapore Government for improving transport services. It makes me really wonder if it is a case of LTA being too lenient in their assessment. The obvious is that there were more buses and it is a little better than before. I am about to relate a trip really tell you how bad it still is.

Last week, I have to work till after 7pm and thinking that I could just don't make so many transfers and just wait for the bus that goes direct home. Waited for 171 at the stop just after Yishun MRT.
The usual thing was to check with the Apps for the next arrival - it said 3 minutes, but after about 4 minutes, the apps start giving a different timing first 5 minutes then 15 minutes.
So was damn frustrated by this inaccurate Apps timing - this is only one stop away from the terminal. The wait lasted until about 8:05pm and finally one 171 bus came along nearly 3/4 packed.
The usual things happened in a crowded bus, no one move to the back and that Indian bus captain was also in a bad mood, and he started shouting and threatened to go slow if now body move in.
I could imagined if everyone start to share their anger, then we all will not get home. I have waited for more than 50 minutes.

So to cut it short, a journey that takes about 30 to 35 minutes, ended in a total time of 1 hour 50 minutes.

Learning from here means I don't take 171 home for now and I also decided to send to PTC a short email to share my unhappiness and not about the bus captain but the bus being so late. Nearly one hour of waiting time, I believe if someone fail to turn out for work, there must be plan to adjust and not let commuters be the one who feel all the pains and bus company get rewards for service improvement on paper.

It is a fail mission to "Moving People, Enhancing Lives" when you bring them 1 hours late and miss the important moments of lives. Luckily, I don't have anything that day.--- Never trust the bus if you don't have 2 to 3 hours to spare.

Somethings would not change over night.or over the years..............

Tan Ming Song written at :10:47 AM