Is lack of competition the cause of poor bus services?

• dragg

  2 Dec 05, 10:11

  extracted from St forum.
  
  i refer to the report 'Top bus woes: Long wait and overcrowding' (Sunday Times Nov 27).
  
  The survey result comes as no surprise. It appears that the Public Transport Council (PTC) attributes these woes to motorists who occupy bus lanes during peak hours.
  
  Aside from this, has the PTC ascertained why bunching (two or more same service buses arriving at about the same time) takes place often even though traffic conditions are normal?
  
  To be fair, commuters are partly to blame for refusing to move to the rear of the buses to allow others to board, giving the impression that the buses are packed to capacity.
  
  Compared to the bygone days when there was competition, commuters who were dissatisfied with the services of the defunct Singapore Traction Company have other options. They could board the buses of companies such as Tay Koh Yat, Green Bus, Changi Bus, to name a few. Commuters who rely solely on public buses to get to their destinations have no alternative now.
  
  Many commuters do not mind the fare increases. However, they expect the public transport operators to match this with a reasonable standard of service.
  
  Andrew Seow Chwee Guan
  
• sbst275

  2 Dec 05, 10:12

  Read today's ST Home page
  
  "21 new SBS services introduced this year"
• dragg

  2 Dec 05, 10:13

  but they did not say how many services they removed.
  
  
• sbst275

  2 Dec 05, 10:14

  Originally posted by dragg:

  but they did not say how many services they removed.
  
  

  So far this year, 2, all feeder svs due to the starting of Punggol East and Sengkang West LRT service
  
  1 sv was extended... Sv 183 from Jurong East - NUS to Science Pk II