3rd phase of Bus Rationalisation Exercise (Due to NEL) Soon.
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It's coming soon (in Dec I think) and so which bus routes can we expect to see affected?
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are they terminating, re-routing current services or adding new services?
this whole NEL thingy is getting on my nerves....
fare is more ex....the nearest station to me is not opened and i have to take a feeder to the next nearest station (which cost me more!)
i can understand why they wanna remove 85.....but why they chop 501 and 502?
damn troublesome for the Northeastern ppl to get to suntec area and jurong/west side ......transfer train until the cows come home sia........
okok im just ranting...........
it's either a 30min ride to work on NEL or a 1 hour sit-until-butt-pain bus ride......the 1 hour bus ride cost less somemore
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Some people would like to save time, while some want to save money. During this 3rd phase of rationalization, I guess it's both, re-routing and withdrawing, with more re-routing in the process.Originally posted by FireIce:are they terminating, re-routing current services or adding new services?
this whole NEL thingy is getting on my nerves....
fare is more ex....the nearest station to me is not opened and i have to take a feeder to the next nearest station (which cost me more!)
i can understand why they wanna remove 85.....but why they chop 501 and 502?
damn troublesome for the Northeastern ppl to get to suntec area and jurong/west side ......transfer train until the cows come home sia........
okok im just ranting...........
it's either a 30min ride to work on NEL or a 1 hour sit-until-butt-pain bus ride......the 1 hour bus ride cost less somemore
Actually I've boarded service 85 the day before it was withdrawn. Almost all the buses are packed to the brim for journeys from Sengkang / Serangoon to Orchard. It seems that even though after NEL has commenced operations then, many of the commuters (especially students) would rather take buses than train, as many have monthly concession e-stamps. SBST had to divert these commuters to NEL, to break even the costs they had put into the test and implementation of the system. Of course, they had provided alternatives, for example services 65 and 147 along Jalan Besar. But to me, with services 97, 106 and 111 cut back to Marina Centre and with service 81 to Serangoon, this is simply too much to bear. Also, express services like 501, 502, 511 and 512 are in direct compeition to NEL. So now Sengkang to Suntec? NEL to Dhoby Ghaut and transfer 1 stop to City Hall and walk via City Link. No comments about to Jurong East/West. All I can say is that SK - Chinatown - JE/JW would be much faster than buses, although more expensive. I like EW line as the whole trip from City to East or West takes only 30 mins.
The results of maximising resources may not be visible now, as running both buses and trains in Singapore together on the same stretch may eventually lead to higher fares as SBST may have to put in money for both buses and trains of NE Corridor. SBST also have to take care of the interests of the passengers by not making fares too high and therefore cuts are inevitable. Of course, as a bus lover, I hope services like 81 and 85 stays.
Rationalization exercises are not new, it happened with the NS and EW lines of SMRT opened. However, I must agree this NEL exercise might be a little to extreme.
Even SBST had withdrawn services and re-route some, the daily ridership for NEL is still far below expectations, 170,000 compared to the expected 250,000. With Woodleigh and Buangkok closed, this is a measure to save cost. Many are asking, "Why Buangkok station still closed?!", Well, SBST had their own reasons for doing this.
With SBST making losses, that is why Transport Minister and SMRT Corp would not put away the possibility of transferring NEL to SMRT Corp to reduce the overheads. This proves that their idea of "competition" had failed on train services.
In businesses, although many passengers are affected, sometimes bus companies have no choice but to make changes that will prove profitable in the long run. The number 1 rule in businesses is to make profits ( a bit of irony, just mentioned that they have to protect interests of commuters by not having ridiculously high fares, but reality is reality ).
Now we can only sit and wait, waiting for the exercise to begin.
As many have predicted, service 103 would be one of the services affected. Let's wait and see if this is correct.
This post is BY NO MEANS representing the stand and decision of SBS Transit. It is my own personal views. Comments are welcomed. -
Originally posted by off_service:
tamazde!!!!!! my prata oso wanna deprive me......................
As many have predicted, service 103 would be one of the services affected.[/b] -
Just a prediction. Don't worry. Even if the service 103 is affected, most likely the 2 services there, services 378 and 379 would be extended to Sengkang.Originally posted by FireIce:tamazde!!!!!! my prata oso wanna deprive me......................
FireIce, relax man, now we just wait for SBST to annouce their plans. No use getting worried over the predictions =) -
i'm still pissed off at having to take a bus to the MRT station and taking a train to SimLim when i used to just take a direct bus there..
still wondering about the driverless system.. is that an accident waiting to happen? or have they ironed out the bugs completely?
it's worrying, any malfunction or if there is a blue-screen-of-death in the systems, would safety be affected? -
Actually to Sim Lim, you can take a bus there from NE corridor, but have to make multiple transfers. Service 147 is available at Hougang and Serangoon Station, while services 23 and 65 are available at Jalan Besar (along NE Corridor).Originally posted by the Bear:i'm still pissed off at having to take a bus to the MRT station and taking a train to SimLim when i used to just take a direct bus there..
still wondering about the driverless system.. is that an accident waiting to happen? or have they ironed out the bugs completely?
it's worrying, any malfunction or if there is a blue-screen-of-death in the systems, would safety be affected?
Regarding your question about the driverless system and the sudden blue screens in system, I think you can post the question to them. They might just tell you they have emergency plans, but not exactly how.
Your question on safety is very good, I have not thought of this problem before. Perhaps when any system is down, they would cut off power and manual override the trains to make them stop? -
I predict service 103 will become a Jln Kayu - Serangoon service. I don't think services 378 and 379 will be extended to Sengkang in the near future.Originally posted by off_service:Just a prediction. Don't worry. Even if the service 103 is affected, most likely the 2 services there, services 378 and 379 would be extended to Sengkang.
FireIce, relax man, now we just wait for SBST to annouce their plans. No use getting worried over the predictions =) -
This is my predictions:Originally posted by foxtrot1985:It's coming soon (in Dec I think) and so which bus routes can we expect to see affected?
82 (Hougang to Boon Keng), 103 (Serangoon to Dhoby Ghaut), 133 (Serangoon to Boon Keng), 147 (Serangoon to Dhoby Ghaut), 857 (Boon Keng to Dhoby Ghaut) -
i used to take 97 from the west.. a leisurely ride through the world trade centre, to raffles place then up to selegie where i can just wander through albert street to simlim
now i gotta go to Clementi MRT station and take the train to bugis, where i gotta walk through the bugis market... or take the 197 to the same location...
oh well...
as for the Blue Screens, there are times when it happens and everything on my computer goes mad.. the printer starts up and the external CD writer and scanner suddenly turns on.. if that happens to the system in the trains, i can foresee a train hurtling to its fiery doom...Originally posted by off_service:Actually to Sim Lim, you can take a bus there from NE corridor, but have to make multiple transfers. Service 147 is available at Hougang and Serangoon Station, while services 23 and 65 are available at Jalan Besar (along NE Corridor).
Regarding your question about the driverless system and the sudden blue screens in system, I think you can post the question to them. They might just tell you they have emergency plans, but not exactly how.
Your question on safety is very good, I have not thought of this problem before. Perhaps when any system is down, they would cut off power and manual override the trains to make them stop? -
the NEL juz gets on my nerves...
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You can take services 147 or 166 from Clementi.Originally posted by the Bear:i used to take 97 from the west.. a leisurely ride through the world trade centre, to raffles place then up to selegie where i can just wander through albert street to simlim
now i gotta go to Clementi MRT station and take the train to bugis, where i gotta walk through the bugis market... or take the 197 to the same location...
oh well...
as for the Blue Screens, there are times when it happens and everything on my computer goes mad.. the printer starts up and the external CD writer and scanner suddenly turns on.. if that happens to the system in the trains, i can foresee a train hurtling to its fiery doom... -
You like taking one and a half hour journeys on Sv. 166 ah?Originally posted by tranquilice:You can take services 147 or 166 from Clementi. -
I hope 857 would not be affect. It is a vital link between Yishun and Suntec City, and fast too!! Same goes to 133 for AMK.Originally posted by tranquilice:This is my predictions:
82 (Hougang to Boon Keng), 103 (Serangoon to Dhoby Ghaut), 133 (Serangoon to Boon Keng), 147 (Serangoon to Dhoby Ghaut), 857 (Boon Keng to Dhoby Ghaut) -
maybe tts why we have to pay more than those commuters on the N-S-E-W line.....Originally posted by the Bear:as for the Blue Screens, there are times when it happens and everything on my computer goes mad.. the printer starts up and the external CD writer and scanner suddenly turns on.. if that happens to the system in the trains, i can foresee a train hurtling to its fiery doom...
computers are tricky and risky......... -
deja vu
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yah, but i'm on the AYE side... don't like the long walk to clementi...Originally posted by tranquilice:You can take services 147 or 166 from Clementi.
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You are right. The fully automated system is one of the reasons for higer fares, apart from the complex construction of the railway tunnel.Originally posted by FireIce:maybe tts why we have to pay more than those commuters on the N-S-E-W line.....
computers are tricky and risky.........
Machines are machines, no matter what. I don't like the way they justify why NEL is a driverless system, to save cost for the long run. I mean saving cost doesn't mean putting passengers lives in jeopardy. Also, like that time there's some glitches in NEL and the trains are driven by the CSO (Customer Service Officers) in the train. So why not just employ drivers for the train? -
as an eberyday commuter on NEL.....frequency is one thing....another thing is occassional delays.....
the worst ride was my first day to work somemore.......
packed like sardines oredi and it stops an average of 5mins at every station.....the longest halt was at potong pasir....almost 10mins..... doors remained open and i saw the LCD panels shut down (all blank) and later being sort of "rebooted".....gave me a scare.....
passenger traffic becomes cumulative and the train got more and more packed....
tts once in a blue moon but the intensity is bad enuf to dilute our confidence of the system as well as efficiency....... -
Nothing is perfect and they need time to adjust. I just hope there won't be re-enactment of Bt Panjang LRT system accident on the NEL. I always waited for a East Bound Train for 8 mins at JE.. I find it too long... 3 trains from Marina Bay reached JE.. not a single East Bound Train.Originally posted by FireIce:as an eberyday commuter on NEL.....frequency is one thing....another thing is occassional delays.....
the worst ride was my first day to work somemore.......
packed like sardines oredi and it stops an average of 5mins at every station.....the longest halt was at potong pasir....almost 10mins..... doors remained open and i saw the LCD panels shut down (all blank) and later being sort of "rebooted".....gave me a scare.....
passenger traffic becomes cumulative and the train got more and more packed....
tts once in a blue moon but the intensity is bad enuf to dilute our confidence of the system as well as efficiency....... -
Unlikely Sv. 857 would be forced to withdraw. It is quite popular especially on weekends.Originally posted by off_service:I hope 857 would not be affect. It is a vital link between Yishun and Suntec City, and fast too!! Same goes to 133 for AMK. -
Why not? I seldom take service 166. And the trip is 50 minutes from Clementi to Selegie I think.Originally posted by SBS9818A:You like taking one and a half hour journeys on Sv. 166 ah? -
Service 857 will not be withdrawn and will still operate between Yishun and Marina Centre, but I predict that the Bendemeer/Jln Besar stretch has a high chance of route amendment.Originally posted by off_service:I hope 857 would not be affect. It is a vital link between Yishun and Suntec City, and fast too!! Same goes to 133 for AMK.
Same for service 133 along the Bendemeer stretch. -
I grew up with sv 166. I always choose sv 166 over sv 74 and 165 which also go AMK.Originally posted by SBS9818A:You like taking one and a half hour journeys on Sv. 166 ah? -
But the route from MacRitchie to AMK for 165 and 166 are longer than 74's most of the time...