Newspaper articles/forum letters, press and public
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The New Paper, 2/3/2006.
This bus driver was no captain
According to The New Paper Speak Up Section (PG 17):
Bus In Question: SBS 1985 C Me!!!!!
Service In Qestion: 30 -Cameo, SBS 1985 C is perm on Service 28.
I liked SBS 1985 C due to its whistleing sound and the speedy driver of SBS 1985 C. Hope that does not change.
I boarded SBS Svc 30 of SBS1985C from Bedok Int at about 6.40am on 24 Feb. After stopping at 3 bus stops, the driver suddenly stepped on the accelerator. I thought that he was trying to beat the red lights.
As he approached at the junction, the light turned red and he jammed the brakes. This caused a teenage girl to fall and she slid almost to the front of the bus.
She was clearly hurt and in great pain, yet the driver ignored her and continued with the journey.
This driver does not deserve to be called captain. He did not display leadership qualities that morning.
-Suhaimi Suroso
SBS 1985 C is the BEST hehe....
A scan of the article.
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Bus driver of SBS1985C didn't see teenager fall
(TNP, 4/4/06)
[font=Arial]The bus captain of SBS1985C said he had braked hard to avoid an elderly woman who was crossing the road when the traffic light was still green.
As in her previous letter, the bus captain ignored the teenage passenger in the bus who fell and that he continued with the journey.
However, according to the driver, he was focused on ensuring that the old woman had crossed the road safely and did not notice that one of the passengers had fallen.
But before he moved on, he checked on his passengers by looking into his rear view mirror. He said he did not see anyone falling as a result of the braking action; neither did any passenger notify him of the girl's fall.
Nonetheless, we have been in touch with the teenage girl's teacher and have told her to ask her student to submit her medical claim, but we have yet to receive it.
We advise our passengers to notify bus captains of any extraordinary incident on board, including passengers getting hurt or suspicious behaviour by anyone.
We have warned the bus captain and counselled him to perform more thorough checks on passengers in future.
(Reply by SBS Transit)
Referring article dated 2/3/2006: -
Tuesday April 18, 2:18 PM
Public transport fare revision exercise deferred by three months
SINGAPORE : Any public transport fare increases this year will only be effected in October, instead of in July.
This is because the Public Transport Council has deferred the annual fare revision exercise by three months.
The deadline for public transport operators to submit their applications for fare revision was to have been May 2.
Any fare adjustment, if approved, would then be effected on July 1.
But the council has decided to defer this year's exercise.
It says this is to give it time to implement changes to the PTC (Amendment) Act 2006, which came into effect on April 3.
Under the amended act, new licensing and regulatory regimes, which include the bus service operator licensing scheme and ticket payment services licensing framework have been placed under the purview of the council.
Its Chairman, Mr Gerard Ee, says over the next few months, the council will need to work closely with the Land Transport Authority to prepare for the implementation of these new licensing regimes, and issue the necessary licences to bus service operators and ticket payment service providers in July.
Along with the new bus service operator licences, the council will also introduce a new set of Quality of Service standards to better regulate bus services.
In the light of the changes in the public transport industry, the council says it has to focus its priority and resources to ensure that commuters' interests are safeguarded ... and had decided to defer this year's fare revision exercise by three months.
The new deadline for applications will be August 1, and any fare adjustment, if approved, will take effect from October 1. - CNA/de -
SBS surprises with 12% increase in Q1 profit despite higher fuel prices
SBS Transit has surprised with a 12 percent increase in first quarter profit to S$14.6 million.
This was achieved on the back of a 5 percent rise in revenue to S$152 million, due mainly to higher bus and rail fare revenue following a fare hike in July.
The improved bottomline comes despite a relentless surge in fuel prices, which has hit other transport companies like SIA.
Going forward, it hopes to expand its bus network to boost revenues.
Rail ridership revenue is also expected to grow as the Sengkang and Punggol New Towns get more populated.
SBS's parent, ComfortDelgro, has also reported higher earnings for the three months to March.
But the increase is more moderate - a marginal 1.3 percent to S$55 million.
Overseas earnings accounted for 40 percent of turnover.
A decision on another hike in Singapore fares will be made in August.
- CNA -
LTA seals drains on bus stops ahead of mosquitoes' peak breeding period
Bus stops will no longer be built with drains on their roofs.
This, after it was found that the drains can be breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
The Land Transport Authority will also be sealing the drains on all 623 bus stops by next month ahead of the Aedes mosquitoes' peak breeding period.
By installing plastic covers before waterproofing them, it is hoping to prevent the 10-centimetre deep drains from getting clogged by fallen leaves and gathering water.
It costs about $400 to seal a drain, compared to $10,000 to have it removed.
Even after the drains are sealed, it said it will continue to check the bus stops once a week for mosquitoes.
The LTA was fined by the National Environment Agency (NEA) last year after two bus stops were found to be breeding sites for mosquitoes.
Since the beginning of the year, NEA found Aedes mosquitoes at six bus stops.
More mosquitoes breed between June and August when the weather gets warmer, and over the last three years, this has caused the incidence of dengue fever to increase by 35 percent. - CNA -
ST Forums, Monday 22nd May 2006
Long Waits For New Bus Service
THANKS to Bukit Panjang MP-elect teo Ho Pin for his effort in launching new bus service 922. My family & other residents in the isolated neighbourhood of Segar Road are excited and grateful for its new benefits.
However, we tried to take the bus but were disappointed. A waiting time of 30 minutes is too long. It is discouraging when you see a number of LRT trains pass by and you are still waiting for the miserable bus to arrive.
Another sad experience: My mother lives in Petir Road. For me to reach there, I have to take service 922 to Bukit panjang bus itnerchange, then another bus service. it takes me almost 45 minutes. If I take the LRT, it takes 20 minutes at most.
How about adding a bus route to Bangkit Road via Pending Road, Petir Road and bukit Panjang bus interchange? After all, Bukit Panjang is just a small estate-why is it so diffcult to get around?
If these problems continue, residents will soon avoid taking service 922. Will this be an excuse for SMRT to terminate this long awaited bus service, so we are forced to use the LRT instead?
So, was wondering what comments do you have for the above forum?
{The above can be found in the ST forums page dated 22nd May 200}[i] -
SMRT new management is screwed up! I personally feel that when wants to do something, you should give the best, and not those "half plus six" standard! Feeder service of freq 30 mins??? what message it wants to show the Bt Panjang's residents? Not happy, then take LRT la!
Same to the bloody services 960 and 190! Being it peak hours and non peak, it is always damned crowded!
Tonight I experienced that the last bus service 960 departs from Marina Square is damned crowded and afraid that some may not even get the chances to board! (TIB1088!) Last bus timing is 2330hrs.
Rather unfair for the Bt Panjang's residents!!!!!
If this is run by SBST, the lastest departure I can say is at least 0045hrs, based my observation for most SBST buses last departure timings!
So whose fault is it to give the sole operating rights to SMRT????
LTA ? PTC? or Govt?