http://www.petitiononline.com/tvmobile/petition.html

Hong Kong bus commuters are not afraid of asking bus passengers to remove bags etc from empty seat.

Had seen some cases of passengers rushing hard and fast to catch buses about to move off from bus stops. On some occassions, would be passengers knock at the entrances of buses, but drivers totally ignored them. Imagined how these students and workers felt.

Recently, me got into similar situation with SBS Service 5 at East Point Bus Stop. I saw a double decker Registration Number SBS 9661 without Service Number at the rear, at said Bus Stop, hoping that it was a Service 5, I rushed towards it and found that it was. It was about to pull out of the Bus Stop when I reached its’ entrance and knock few times at the glass panel with my knuckles, but the Driver totally ignored me. It was about 1920hrs. This incident was on Friday 12 Sept 2008.

On Saturday, I was onboard SBS Service 17, near the Tampines Round Market, a young couple rushed down from the upper deck and asked the Driver if they could alight, as the Bus pulled of the Bus Bay(bus stop). Due to traffic Light head in red and heavy traffic, the Bus waited within the Bus Bay but refused to allow the young couple to alight. The next bus stop is way off at Changi Hospital.

WHY ARE BUS DRIVERS SO HARD HEARTED? How not to be flabbergasted!

patriot

On Saturday

Check this website out. Compilation of ugly Bus passengers in Singapore.

Whilst I agree that the state of public transport clearly leaves much to be desired, some of the aforementioned demerits are clearly overstated. Many of the problems lie in the behaviour of the commuters and not in the transport company itself.

However, there are also a few areas in which standards could clearly be improved and where responsibility clearly lies with the transport company.

1) Level of cleanliness.
2) Frequency of trips
3) Number of buses
4) Quality of bus ride

Some of the points are obvious. As a pub transport user, I have witnessed numerous times buses of the same route-number arriving at the bus stop at the same time. This is frustrating – it indicates poor planning, poor frequency and longer wait for commuters thereafter.

The pool, and I would say even the size, of buses needs to be enlarged. Of course, I am well aware of the limitations including the acute shortage of bus drivers. Less and less people are willing to take up this job and this is a valid concern.

The state of the buses also falls short of reasonable standard. Faulty air conditioning, dirty floors and even handrails. The quality is clearly declining.

In this regard therefore, the onus is really on public transport to spend more. First and foremost, remunerations should be improved to attract people to work as bus drivers. It is a lowly paid job with very long working hours, few off days and bad working conditions. Secondly, more should be done to improve the state of the buses i.e repair whatever faults that needs to be repaired, clean up whatever that needs to be cleaned up Thirdly, more and bigger buses should be provided. With the burgeoning amount of people taking to public transport as their primary means of travel, this is really a neccessary step. Lastly, improve the planning system i.e frequency. Its a waste of resources to see buses of the same route-number crowed together in the same bus stop, while commuters thereafter have to wait a longer period of time.

Of course, why these have yet to achieved is due to the profit-driven nature of public transport. To maintain a high margin, they choose to scrimp on the neccessary and at the same time raise prices continuously. They can afford to do so because of the tight political control in singapore, and also they face no competition. Competition should be introduced because it would force them to adopt the aforementioned measures and become inefficient. Till then, it will always remain so – inefficient, self serving and unilateral in its actions and policies.

There is stomp but I suggest Youtube is very fair and you or your friends should use the power of Video and Internet youtube or Facebook to show the jam conditions. Record the time, route and day. Keep uploading these videos and maybe they can see it for themselves. Remember, when main roads are expensive, the small roads gets more cars plying these roads causing jams. Traffic lights have timings which should be monitored how the timing and traffic lights are coordinated. I recommend a study on these and collect statistics on these.

Some people work can start very late and goes home very early so they never see the problem. Others are simply too loaded with money and seldom need to top up their cash card which has stored value of $1000 or more. To them, its called PEANUTS. To rich, more ERP is good. It shows how rich they are. But i caution this can divide a tiny town into a rich-poor categories. society may become more Elitist.

Before we go ranting about the Asos and Ah Peks. Let’s put a fixed and have a consensus on what are the 3 most important performance measures for the bus company form the public’s eye …other than safety, that a given.

If someone can do a definitive survey. we can take it from there.

If any one from PTC is reading this, hope you can respond. In the last national transport plan, there were a lot of journalistic style reports on surveys done.

Nothing seems definitive. Definitely did not see a statement from the Transport Moghuls that they agree to, or subscribe to any new standards. If they did at their meeting with PTC, No concrete action plans to achieve these were published…other than aspirational statement in their annual reports.

As companies granted a public charter. I think this they must do…Make this public, transparent, put their salaries and bonuses on it . Open themselves to periodic public scrutiny.

You want to take home a million dollars…ask the Singapore Commuters.

People complained, million-dollar minister downplay it saying that it is the same elsewhere with their selective example to boost their claims.

Complain to bus driver, bus driver says no choice, nothing he can do. Complain to bus management. Wayang king, says take into account, but nothing change.

Let him experience first hand how “great” it is!!

What say you?

The environment can shape people’s behaviour. When “seats” become a rare “commodity”, it’s human to become more selfish, taking into consideration the discomfort involve.

I stopped taking public transport for some years already. It’s a very painful experience …
Even driving is now a painful experience … 99% jam on expressways after 630pm weekdays.
Not pro-family at all.

More and more FT and expats and tourists and PRs . What do you expect? Surely more crowded!

If ask them to increase frequency, they may have ‘profitability’ constraints?

I have never seen a company as profitable as these.

well done singapore, without your undying support, there is no operators.

best citizens in the world.

1. There are 2-3 bus companies competing for the same routes. Thus each company try to outdo each other by giving better service and riding experience.

2. When SARS hit us, and economy was bad, the bus companies actually requested the govt that they REDUCE their fares, so that more people take buses.

3. When bus companies wanted to increase rates, they opened up the debate to consumer councils, bus unions etc, and everyone decided it’s not good to increase fees. The govt then stepped in and said no increase in fees, but the govt will help supporting the rising costs. For the current inflation situation, the govt gave tax breaks and subsidies to the bus companies.

the crux of all this is that whatever that drives govt decisions, consumers come first. in singapore, unfortunately, business comes first.

If not, lets start a campaign, If not lets start to just our conscience and give others a seat and reduce our noise pollution. Come on Singaporeans. Lets do it for each other. Lets be considerate and share the joy of being Singaporean with each other. No fines, no compaigns, just consideration and love for each other.