The time of the year

This is the time of the year when many people are clearing leave, taking leave to be with family, friends, etc.

So if you are one of the lucky (or unlucky) one like me to be working, there are somethings to look forward to as well.

This is the only time of the year when trains and buses are not that crowded during the peak hours. In fact, if you take a train, there might be a chance that you can get a seat when people alight at station before you.

This is the only time of the year when you feel less stress at work, because you know that people in your company, companies around your company, all companies has switched to holiday (aka relaxed) mode.

This is the only time of the year when you have a choice not to give 100% to work because you know that even if you give 100% things are not totally done because of the fact that people are simply not at their desk during this period.

This is the only time of the year where the weather is cooling that you actually enjoy your journey to work. never mind if the train or bus air con is not that strong.

So enjoy....(if you are at work today or this week)

Good Article on the review of our National Transportation System by Conraj Raj

A good article by Conrad Raj (Editor-at-large, TODAY Papers) on Nationalisation of our Transport System:

Here is the main page

Published Friday, December 23, 2011 TODAY Newspaper, page 22

And here are the contents:

Proposal: Cab sharing Beside Bus Stop for peak hours in Neighbourhood

With regards to the earlier post on my morning situation, I think I have the solution:

Why not we convert part of the bus stop into a small taxi stand for cab sharing? Say whoever want to take cab to the nearest MRT station can queue there and with 4 person to 1 taxi, each person cost is merely $1 which is almost the same as taking bus (single trip).

Benefits are:
1) Taxis have more motivation to be in neighborhood areas as they can earn from all these short trips. Thus, you will also find more taxis on the neighbourhood area

2) We can ease the overcrowding on the buses during the morning peak by offloading some to take cab
(I am sure not all want to take taxis as it is still cheaper to take the bus)

3) Commuters get to the MRT faster

4) No overcrowding of the bus stop

Actually, this can be done even when there is no regulations. Just start talking around the bus stop and convince 3 more people to do this with you. I am sure with 20-30 person at the bus stop, a few will agree .

I guess we people in Singapore need more have communication with each other.

Morning Situation

Every morning, when I arrived at the bus stop with the intention to take a feeder bus to my MRT station, I always see this scenario:

- Bus stop are filled with people
- Buses, when they arrived are filled with people, and on some occasions, people couldn't get up the bus because it is already full.
(considering the fact that my bus stop is 3 stops away from the MRT station, so when the buses arrived at my bus stop, it would have taken 7/8 of the passengers along its route)
- Empty Taxis pass by the bus stop

If I could get up the bus and I am running out of time, alternatives that I have:
- Take a taxi to work
- Take a taxi to MRT station
- Walk to the MRT station
- Wait for the next bus and risk being late for work

Take a taxi to work
Well the logic is that when you decide to take a taxi, you might as well take it all the way to work and forget about public transport.

However, with the peak surcharge, ERP cost, it could add up to $30 per trip which just didn't make sense.
What's more, the traffic condition is uncertain, which you might end up reaching later at your workplace.

Take taxi to MRT station
The most practical method but just that for a trip that I can wake, I need to pay $4-$5 for it just make me not want to do it.


Walk to the MRT station
Next best alternatives but will end up at the MRT station sweating, which will make you uncomfortable throughout the MRT ride and possibly the whole of that day.


Wait for the next bus
If you are early...okay...

What else more, SMRT?

TRAINS - SMRT screwed up their train services by not carrying out / carrying out enough maintenance.

BUSES (Ops) - SMRT screwed up their shuttle bus service by not instructing where the driver on the route. In the end, some drivers got lost.

BUSES (Planning) - Even with the planned disruption, SMRT screwed up by not having any buses until 7am when first bus is supposed to be out by 5.30am as promised

STATIONS - Even with the planned disruption, SMRT screwed up by not having directions / signage to advice people on where to go.

What else do you still want to screw up? Taxi next?

Interesting Comments in TODAY papers

Some interesting comments that people wrote into TODAY's papers.

Published Wednesday, December 21, 2011 TODAY Newspaper, page 24

I like the last comment best, CEO 's renumeration should be tied to the operator ability to meet or exceed service standards. To add, not only CEO but whole of the management renumeration should be tied. 

Well, in school, one of the values is always to be responsible. And if something like a major situation happens, solving it is one thing, taking responsibility should be the first thing. And show it by action.

Saw's move to say that she won't quit at a time like this didn't impress me. It seems more to me that she is paying lip services, waiting for the whole thing to blow down.

We bought a Zoo

Not often you see this, especially GV

It is the Gala premier to the movie we bought a Zoo.

Caught the movie, nice story....not a bad show.

SMRT should train their drivers

With all the extensive reports and extensive checks on the train, SMRT seems to overlook one thing - their train drivers.

Unlike the NE line and the Circle line which the train is fully automated and driverless, for the NS/EW lines, someone IS at the front to drive the train. And looking at their train-driving skills, it is little wonder to understand why the trains and the tracks wear out sooner than expected.

Let me quote an experience on a rainy morning sometime ago before all these disruptions saga take place:

Scenario 1: It was raining, tracks (elevated) are wet, trains are ful of passengers due to the morning peak.

Here's how the driver drive the train: Door closed, ready to go, full throttle on a wet track, wheels skidded, traction control kicks in. You can feel that the power is applied but the train is not really moving and your hear some sound of skidding from underneath. Throttle is not released until train reaches optimal speed.

Scenario 2 (still in the same train): Still raining, track still wet, train still full of passenger.

Before reaching station, hard brakes and ABS kicks in, wheels skids again but controlled by ABS. Managed to stop in position but passengers are not happy at all.

Scenario 2 happened not only to the particular train I am talking about on that day but also on several other occasions.

While the North South / East West line cannot be fully automated, the drivers can be trained to handle the trains in a more professional way. Audits have to be conducted to check on the driving behaviour of the driver to ensure a smooth ride, not only for the passengers comfort but also to ensure the tracks and trains are not damaged due to absurd driving skills.

I think the bus drivers are more professional in this respect. Most of them.

Absolutely Funny - Hilter Informed of NS / EW Lines disruption

LOL

i was talking to one taxi driver (driving New Toyota Wish Transcab)

He mentioned something which I sort of know but I didn't realize that it was the case until i really thought about it.

He told me that for the cheapest cab rental, it is the Nissan Cedric $60+, older Crown about $80, average Wish, Sonata about $110, limo cab - $130 for Mercedes Cab and$150 for Chrysler.

From driving the wish, and driving alone, he makes about $1500 to $2000.

What he made me realise is rental for an average cab (not even talk about limo kind of more luxurious cab) is already twice the amount compared to an old Cedar

He also mentioned which I believe it is true, that some drivers can just drive the morning peak hours and  for the rest of the day.

Actually it is possible - for a daily rental of conservative $70, shared by 2 shift, each shift is $35. Add another $15 maybe for diesel (on a drive less pay less basis too), your cost is $50. Take one passenger from your house to town, e.g.Jurong to town, it is already $30, come back for another one, it is another $30, so 60, already in the black after first 2 trips. rest of the trip is profit / salary.

Same goes for evening peak.

That's why you will only see Cedric taxi parked like this at night either went home to sleep or to rest for a while  while the other counterparts Sonata and Wish are busy plying the roads, hungry for customers

The person who broke the glass window being hailed a hero (and a stupid advisory from SMRT)

This is the whole article:

Published Saturday, December 17, 2011 The Straits Times, Prime News Section

Clearer version of the article

and 

This is a man whom at the risk of being charged by SMRT for damaging property, still went ahead to break the window to ensure the survival of people on the train including himself and his wife. 

He deserved to be called a hero. I salute him.

But what do you call SMRT who seems to be more concerned on their property rather than people safety? 

Published Saturday, December 17, 2011 The Straits Times, Prime News Section

"If you are stuck in the MRT, never break the window or force the doors open."

(they forget to mention that if you are running out of air, don't break the window either)

"Stay calm and wait for help." (i think typo, stay calm and wait to die) 

"He should not have done so but considering the situation, he will not be penalised. "

(much as we, SMRT, would like him to compensate our loss because we will still have heavy fines to pay)

"Sn VP for Comms and Services, Goh Chee Kong said that in the event of power failure, there will be a backup system that will activate emergency light within the carriage and provide ventilation."

(but he forget that the backup system runs on battery and battery will go dry)

(he also seems to forget that a crowded train will mean that more people are breathing, so can his so called ventilation system support that?)

From the way he speaks, I can tell that he is another typical guy who doesn't take MRT frequently or perhaps he is just living in his perfect world.

Here's what happened on the 15th Dec 2011 train disruption incident

 

Published Saturday, December 17, 2011 The Straits Times, Prime News Section

I was on train #3 but guess it was train #4 people who suffered the most. 1 hour plus trapped.

The fault that caused the trains to stall on 15 Dec 2011?

Here is a good illustration from the ST to show what might cause the trains to stall on 15 Dec 2011.

Published Saturday, December 17, 2011 The Straits Times, Prime News Section

ACTUAL FOOTAGE AT ORCHARD STATION RIGHT AFTER THE INCIDENT

ACTUAL FOOTAGE INSIDE THE TRAINS

Part 1 

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

My (and The) black evening 15 Dec 2011

15 Dec 2011 is just like any typical day of my life, wake up, go to work,  lunch, get off work....

Get off work....time for me to take some rest, I suppose. So, took the train, which is supposed to be the fastest and most convenient mode of transport on to my house. Left office about 6.35pm and boarded the train about 6.45pm (Times are estimated as I didn't see my watch most of the time)

So off the train goes from toward my house....Tired but relax.

PART 1 - TRAIN STUCK!

Then suddenly, there was a loud, unusual loud sound after the train that I was in departed from Somerset station. It sounded like the train hit something, then after that, it just slowed down and stop completely. There was some mechanic sound of the train as the driver tried to move the train but unable to do so. Several times, once the brakes are released, the train rolled backward. I reckon that we are on a slope. The train that I was in had no forward drive at all.

After a while, there was an announcement from the driver that there is a technical fault and the driver is trying his best to rectify the problem. So waiting is everybody's only option. To make matter worse, the air con stopped working and ventilation was weak (perhaps a feature in the train design in the event of power failure, aircon stops working and ventilation minimal to use as little as electricity from battery as possible)

We were trapped in for about 45 minutes before another train tow or push us to orchard station before all stranded passenger got out.

Found out later that in another cabin, someone used the fire extinguisher to break the glass to let the air in. Why did anyone think of that in my cabin??

Thinking back

Thankful, this is in December where there are lesser commuters than usual. The train, although it is crowded, people are not packed like sardine, unlike other months of the year.

If you have experience taking train from city hall to orchard, you will know how packed it can get, especially after city hall until Orchard.

No train services from Marina Bay to Braddell

PART 2 - BRIDGING BUSES ...

I stay in Orchard for a while in hope that the crowd from the affected trains ease off before I leave. Also took the chance to walk around and do some window shopping. I left at around 9pm.

So, since there are no train till AMK, the next alternative is to take a bus, be it public bus or the free MRT Shuttle that runs along the affected station (Marina Bay to AMK).

I opted for the MRT Shuttle, partly for reasons that I want to see how efficient is SMRT doing recovery services,

While waiting, there was a few buses that I skip to observe the situation. At the time when I reached the bus stop to the time the first bus arrives, it is about 5 minutes. Not bad, I thought. Unfortunately, it is single deck (not those bendy bus) which I thought should be the case, especially you are dealing with mass crowd. 2nd and 3rd  single deck came in 2 mins and 4th which was a bendy bus came in another 2 minutes. Not bad in service recovery, I thought.

I didn't board any of the buses. Wait a while more, I thought.

Then SMRT true colour shows. The next bus didn't arrive until another 20 mins and it is so full (single deck) that it didn't stop. The next bus came in another 10 mins or so which I boarded. Quite full and I think only less 10 person managed to board the bus and I was one of the lucky one.

Took about 50 minutes to AMK.

The Bus Captain on the bus which I was in, who was driving a trunk service in north west / west Singapore, was deployed after he was off duty to help out in the shuttle service. Problem is the having driving the bus service in the west, he was not familiar with the road in the central / north already and needed to ask the passenger which way to go. Some passengers fortunately knew and guided the buses to the correct route.

Thinking Back

I know the road because I drives and take public transport at the same time. What if I was not on the bus and no one knows the roads around? Wont it be another saga on a 2 hours joy ride by public bus driver again?

I don't blame the driver as he is just doing his job. He is actually quite polite and friendly the whole journey driving his MAN bus. I blame the management. How could they NOT leave any instructions to the driver and just thrown their bus captain salvage the situation? In such sensitive situation, with 2 impact-able train disruptions in 2 days, i cannot image how happen if any one of the drivers of the 84 buses deployed get lost somewhere.

My minimum is they should at least have a route guide on where to go, where to turn to proceed to the next nearest station. You mean they can't even write and photocopy or print the routes on a piece of paper and disseminate to the drivers?

One of the bridging buses at Orchard Station

PART 3 - HALFWAY THERE

At AMK, very tired, from being trapped in the disruption to standing squeeze 50 minutes on the shuttle, finally got to get onto a train and head home. One train left when I stepped onto the platform level, the next train took about 5 minutes to arrive but did not leave till the train was packed (as good as the crowded when the train was in town) which is about 10 to 15 minutes later.

Thinking Back

Cant think at that time, very tired and disgrunted that SMRT is done this. Maybe they  And yes, after causing so much inconvenience, they still  charged me from AMK to my MRT Station.

PART 4 - IS THAT ALL?

Finally reached my MRT and walking toward the bus interchange for feeder bus. Relaxed as got out of the train network and also in my own area. Able to get home even without any transport, I can simply just walk. When things are about to end, at the interchange, I heard that bus service for a certain bus is delayed due to a massive jam at CTE and City hall.

Thinking Back

Although that doesn't affect me, I was thinking: If the trains are down, the bridging buses fully packed, you can't call or flag a cab, buses and cars are also jammed, then how does people even get home? Walk or bicycle? Will there be a day where after a tired day or work, you want to go home and realized that the public transport network is done and you are stuck in your office area? Think about it. We almost hit that point.

Some many things to post, so little time

Well, I have consolidated a few things to post here but had limited time - need to work.

Here are some of the things that you can expect, mainly on the transportation of Singapore

1) My black evening of 15 Dec 2011, and many other people's too
2) SMRT Major disruptions on the evening of 15 Dec 2011 (shd have several posts on this)
3) Interesting conversation that I have on with a taxi drivers on taxi
4) Some observation on MRT rides and the quality of the trains.
5) On trunk services and why they are important

Stay tuned...

"AN EVEN BETTER WAY TO WASH DOWN A BURGER IS WITH ANOTHER BURGER."

WTH / WTF / SMLJ? 

Do I not catch it or it is just meaningless? 

If it is meaningless, then why even have that on the cup? 

Circle line 8th disruption this year

Published Wednesday, December 15, 2011 TODAY Newspaper, headlines

Published Wednesday, December 15, 2011 TODAY Newspaper, page 4

SMRT circle line was disrupted for the 8th time this year, counting only the major disruption that lasted more than 10 minutes. so that equate to a more than 8 number include all disruptions is counted.

Despite LTA monitoring the situation imposing fines, the disruptions saga continues. 

Some observations and comments that I have:

1) Be Honest and let people make the decision 

Inside the article, there was this researcher who mentioned that s/he hear 3 announcements that the train is arriving in 5 to 10 minutes but in the end s/he waited for at least 25 minutes. 

This reminds me of a same experience before, which just pissed me off.  Well, if you make an announcement, you jolly make sure that it is a fact and not something that you hope it to be. If the announcement says that the train is coming in 5 to 10 minutes, then it better arrive in less than 10 minutes. That is the maximum tolerance that I can take.

I would rather SMRT tell me honestly that the next train will arrive in 30 minutes rather than saying the train will arrive in 5 minutes and didn't come. I would rather they under promise and over deliver than to over promise and under deliver. Perhaps what they actually meant is"the train will (hopefully) arrive in 5 minutes."  

If the train is arriving in 30 minutes I, and I believe many other people will,make alternative transport routes or plans. If you are needed to take the train for one or two stops, especially in town, then I believe it may be faster if one get out of the station and takes a bus instead of waiting 30 minutes for the train. In other situation where alternative transport isn't feasible, at least I could better use the time to perhaps do some banking, shopping rather than just standing there and letting my anger escalates.

2) Compensate the people who are affected

The people who are really affected, other than the train operator, are really the commuters.

The only compensation that was offered according to the article is "passenger who are unable to complete their journey due to the disruption can file a claim for refund at the Passenger Service Centre...". This meant that the maximum amount that you can get back is the fare which you paid for the journey which is likely to be less than 2 SGD.

Perhaps the LTA can consider changing their policies that instead of imposing a penalty to the operator, make it a legislation to compensate all affected passengers for the mishap. Not to compensate on time loss, but at least something to 'smoothen the pain'. Maybe 2X to 3X of the fare amount or free rides on the trains for the next few trips, etc.

To the commuters, it smoothen their pain.

To the train operator, it is probably less than the amount of 'penalty' that they have to pay to LTA

To LTA, if this reduces disruptions, then it reflects well on them as policies makes. 

Furthermore, this also makes the train operator to be 'on the balls' especially during peak hours, so that the minimize to compensate to the maximum number of people possible be having disruption-free services, at least during the peak hours.

Win-win-win situation as I call it.

What a joke...Really Worldgrass service

Well, this is briefly what happened. Due to a jam, the bus driver for Service 52 was told to divert and the bus driver lost his way. Passengers in the bus, including a reporter, is trapped for almost 2 hours.

Here's the video:

Firstly, if it was me inside the bus, I would have pressed the emergency door control button and get off the bus. I am not as free as the aunties to say doesn't matter.

Secondly, I am still unable to figure out how in the world could the bus driver get lost in tiny Singapore and can get lost for as long as 2 hours. YES, 2 hours, enough time for me to go around Singapore 2 rounds.

I don't know about you but I do have experience with bus driver taking the wrong route but it is just limited to a u-turn (or several right /left turns to get back to the same route and continue the journey.

In the video, the news as reported that in bus captain (which I don't think this guy deserve the title of captain, unless you can link captain to captive or capture) refused passenger's help and had to rely on the directions of the control centre which is either sotong or very poor in giving director, likely both.

At the time of the video, the driver is driving a almost new SBS MB Citaro O530 bus. What if this driver is driving the older bus does not have the comms system? Cry lor...

COE Prices

COE Prices has been climbing and climbing upwards.

It has basically been doubled and tripled and quadruplet.


A few years ago S$50k can buy you a decent car complete with COE.

A few months ago S$50K can merely just buy you the paper without the car.

Now and soon, S$50K cannot even buy you the piece of paper.

WTF??

This Time of the Year

It is a fact, though rather unknown, that people tend to change their car at the end of the year, the time when they suddenly see a sum of funds called BONUS credited to them. So, as with human nature, me included, when there is a sum of excess money, the next most appropriate thing to is to spend it. 

So it is not surprising to see people who doesn't mind burning money (or in a better phrase, 'donate' money to the government) for a new ride / better ride, especially when the economy has done well considerably in Year 2011. Talk about saving for rainy day? Maybe. or maybe spend first, talk later. 

There was a good article posted by a Singaporean in Australia as below who argued that the 13th month bonus is, in the first place, part of your pay and NOT a bonus.

Full article:

http://asingaporeanson.blogspot.com/2011/10/coveted-13th-month-bonus-in-singapore.html?spref=fb

iCON i?

For the first few moments when I first saw the cover of this book at MPH bookstore, I freezed for that few moments. Why did they call the late Steve Jobs a con man?

If iPhone is a phone, iPad is a pad, and other like iTunes, iMail, iMovie, iCloud, with the word behind the 'i' describing the device or the Apps, then is iCON supposed to be a Con something, con job or con man or something?

Quite the opposite as great man, genius , talented are often used to describe Steve Jobs, usually.

Then I realized that I am supposed to read the whole word as it is, icon and not as iCON.
Hell a lot of difference with Cap on and Cap off.

Interestingly, I couldn't help but think of another old joke which goes like this:

When asked to punctuate this sentence below:

A woman without her man is nothing 

The men wrote: "A woman, without her man, is nothing"

And the women wrote: "A woman, without her, man is nothing"

Hell a lot of difference with where the 2 commas goes.

Just love this!!!

Taxi Fare Hike: Comments in Newspaper

Published Wednesday, December 7, 2011 TODAY Newspaper

How true...Comfort seems to be making the problem worse rather than better. 

One thing that makes me wonder is that while other taxi companies decision-makers would have thought of  discussing the fare hike FIRST with their fleets of drivers, it is a huge wonder why CDG didn't think of it?  

Eventually, it leads to Comfort drivers slapping them back with reports of fears backlash of the move - less people will take cabs due to the higher price. At least for the time being.

See article below.

Published Wednesday, December 7, 2011 TODAY Newspaper

Man A22 Bus - UNIQUE

Soon, we will see on our streets more of these unconventional buses as SMRT has bought 200 of these MAN buses (yes, the same manufacturer for the 5-tonners for SAF)

Good looking yet unique.

Image taken from BUSES[IN]GAPORE. All rights and credits belong to the owner of the blog. http://busesingapore.blogspot.com/2011/09/smrt-buses-man-nl323f-a22-production.html

Tissue paper for you?

I know it is not always easy to stand along crowded places for long period of time monotonously to sell 3 packets for $1 tissue paper. Which is why, I have great respect for these people that the mere reason that they are doing this is for survival, mostly. Which is why I always buy from them.

Their 'sales' is not often due to demand and supply though the initial intention of this action of theirs is so. Well, by standing there, isn't it not to do business by filling up the need of those who need it and I can supply it - Basic demand and supply

However, the situation is such that many people buy from the person out of sympathy and not out of need. No need for it, but I still buy because I want to help the person. Kindness and willingness to help seems to be the main motivator for triggering the 'sales'.

However, one cannot deny that there is still this group of people who buy out of need and not out of sympathy (or at best, you can say killing 2 birds with one stone).

So my next question will be, to these group of people, does selling a higher quality tissue paper improves their 'sales' and turnover? I mean for tosthhose who buy out of sympathy, as long as it is tissue paper or rather even if it is not tissue paper, the 'sales' will still be effected.

However, for those who buy and will be using the tissue paper themselves, one tend to be more fussy and choosy about the quality, and given the standard market price of 3 for $1, be it any brand, good or otherwise, then will the good brands, given its better value-for-money be more sellable?

Non Tax resident pay 15% Income tax

Just realized that non tax resident pay 15% of their annual income for income tax Ö.

So on annual income about 30K, these people have to pay $4,500 worth of tax to IRAS!!

So don't complain the next time you are paying tax. Your tax rate is already very low.

Taxi Fare Hike: Interesting Comments

Recent post on: Comfort Delgro revised Taxi Fare Structure Upwards

See extract of the current and new structure below this post:

Comments on FB and other website generally shows commuter seeing red and fare hike unfair - most people cost will go up unless you are that kind who takes taxi during peak hours only.

Interesting highlights includes:

With the new structure, it has become:

6pm to midnight: 25% surcharge
Midnight to 6am: 50% surcharge
6am to 9.30am: 25% surcharge

Only the period between 9.31am to 4.59pm, there is confirmed NO surcharge. (and that is the period likely you are claiming company, so who cares...)

5pm to 6pm, there will be a $3 surcharge if you are in town, including Sun and PH.

With so many surcharge period, CDG might as well label 9.31am to 4.59pm period as the DISCOUNT period :=P

Taxi Fare Hike: CDG increase Taxi Fares

Recent news on: Comfort Delgro revised Taxi Fare Structure Upwards
(http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_741449.html)

Extract of current and revised fare structure

Current and Revised Flag Down - 1st km
$3.00 (Sonata) vs $3.20 (Sonata)
1km to 10km: $0.20 for every 385m vs $0.22 for every 400m
Above 10km: $0.20 for every 330m vs $0.22 for every 350m
Waiting time: $0.20 for every 45sec vs $0.22 for every 45 sec

Current and Revised Peak Period Surcharge
35% of metered fare vs 25% of metered fare (lowered)
Mon-Fri: 7.00am-9.30am vs 6.00am to 9.30am
Mon-Sat: 5.00pm-8.00pm vs 6pm to midnight (and include Sun and PH)

Current and Revised City Area Surcharge
$3.00
Mon-Sat: 5.00pm-Midnight vs 5.00pm-Midnight (and include Sun and PH)

Current and Revised Call Booking Fees
Current Booking
Peak Period: $3.50 vs $3.30 (lowered)
Mon-Fri: 7.00am-9.30am vs 6am to 9.30pm
5.00pm-11.00pm vs 6pm-Midnight (and include Sun and PH)

(Source: CNA website)

Well done, CDG!!