"Borderline" Fare Stages
-
Good read:
http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/top/story/0,4136,50223,00.html?
TNP 4th Feb 20032 buses, 1 route, but different fares
Service 51 also has another section that has the same "problem". That is between Joo Chiat Complex and Bras Basah Complex. 51's trip is 7.5 stages, but 7's and 2's trips are only 7 stages.
By Annabella Ng
SBS buses 51 and 186 ply the same roads part of the way. To get from Queenstown MRT station to Concorde Hotel, you can take either bus. For commuters travelling down this stretch, one bus is just as good as the other.
Perfect substitutes?
That's what hotline caller Mr James Dass thought, until he discovered otherwise.
The 35-year-old copywriter has been taking the buses for two years, thinking them no different, only to realise last Monday he's been shortchanged all this time.
Of 20 cents, to be precise.
The same journey costs 83 cents on bus Service 51 but only 63 cents on Service 186.
Said Mr Dass: 'I discovered it only by accident. I've been taking the buses to work for more than two years, but that day, I was on 51 when I happened to glance at the electronic reader. That was when I realised that (taking) 51 costs 83 cents and not 63 cents like I always thought it did.'
Even the bus operator, SBS Transit, seemed to be unaware of the difference.
Mr Dass said his colleagues - who, like him, take the buses to work at King's Centre - were astonished when he told them of his discovery.
The New Paper spoke to 10 other commuters who use that route regularly, and all were unaware of the fare difference.
Madam Quek, a 50-year-old housewife who takes either bus when she goes to a temple to pray, said: 'I tap my card when I get off the bus but I don't note the value.'
The New Paper went down to take both buses. At Queenstown station, the fare stages were 20 for bus number 51, and 14 for number 186.
Where we alighted (the bus stop opposite the Concorde Hotel), the fare stage was 24.5 for Service 51, and 18 for Service 186.
So for the same distance, the number of fare stages travelled by number 51 is 4.5, while that for number 186 is 4.
Why this difference?
Some commuters are peeved. Sales executive Francis Lee, 34, said: 'I have been taking these two buses every day for more than five years. Paying 20 cents more each time adds up to a lot over the years.'
SBS LOWERS BUS 51 FARE
THE fare for Service 51 will be lowered to 63 cents to bring it in line with Service 186, said SBS Transit executive vice-president Woon Chio Chong.
He said SBS Transit was not aware of the fare discrepancy until The New Paper contacted them.
He cited historical reasons for the fare discrepancy.
'Service 51 is a very old route and the fare stages were calculated a long time ago. Service 186 was introduced in 1993 and the calculations were done by another officer who could have decided to peg the distance at stage 4.'
The journey from Queenstown station to Concorde Hotel is pegged at different fare stages because it is what Mr Woon calls a 'borderline case'.
Fare stages are pegged at about 0.8km, using bus stops as reference points. So for stage 4, the distance covered would be 3.2km. The next stage will be 4km. Anything between forms a half-stage.
With our route, the distance is 3.4km.
Mr Woon says a 'difference in judgment call' could have resulted in one officer pegging the journey at stage 4, and another at stage 4.5. -
Excuses...
Wait til other buses with fares discrepencies appear. -
For your info all 3 services use a different route to get from Joo Chiat Complex to Bras Basah. Hence, the fare stage calculation will be different.Originally posted by Yusry:Service 51 also has another section that has the same "problem". That is between Joo Chiat Complex and Bras Basah Complex. 51's trip is 7.5 stages, but 7's and 2's trips are only 7 stages.
The reason for the difference in the fare stages for the 51 186 case is the bus stops along Ganges Ave. This applies only in the direction towards the city. The other direction doesnt have any problems. -
Also if you take from TPY to Macpherson Road, 8 is cheaper as in a sense fare stage does not jump very fast.
Things like this even SBS themselve dosen't know. -
Other problem cases would include:
MacPherson to PIE. 154 is about 1 or 1.5 farestages lower than 151.
From NP to Dunearn Road. 154 is 0.5 farestages lower than 74 and 151.
The most obnoxious move made by SBST due to the closure of Kallang Bahru entrance to Jurong-bound PIE
From Geylang Bahru to Serangoon Road. 26 and 107 is about 1 or 1.5 farestages more than 61. Granted these are by different bus companies, but there should not be any discrepancies between services using the same fare scale as decided by PTC.
Correct me if I'm wrong. I'm recalling these from memory.
To service_238: I know. Anyway, let's change the subject matter from Kallang Road to Bras Basah - Service 7 vs 51. -
Noted that for very long already. It's very sickening especially along the entire macpherson rd stretch where 8 and 90 ply together.Originally posted by th1988:Also if you take from TPY to Macpherson Road, 8 is cheaper as in a sense fare stage does not jump very fast.
Things like this even SBS themselve dosen't know. -
Originally posted by Yusry:
7 vs 51 is the same for the stretch in question.
From Geylang Bahru to Serangoon Road. 26 and 107 is about 1 or 1.5 farestages more than 61. Granted these are by different bus companies, but there should not be any discrepancies between services using the same fare scale as decided by PTC.
Correct me if I'm wrong. I'm recalling these from memory.
[b]To service_238: I know. Anyway, let's change the subject matter from Kallang Road to Bras Basah - Service 7 vs 51.[/b]
As for geylang bahru to serangoon rd, svc 26 takes a fare stage from geylang bahru to bendemeer rd, one more from bendemeer rd to serangoon rd. I havent check up on 26 but i think it's like that. -
Also if i board svs 21 from bedok rsvr rd(b12 opp prison sch)to changi rd(mdis bldg) the fares will be 83cents compared to svs 60 to jln turi which is only 63cents.(extra 1 bus stop)
-
Nope. It's still 3 vs 3.5 stages. Anyway I got burnt taking 51 before, so I've personally remember that.Originally posted by service_238:7 vs 51 is the same for the stretch in question. -
I think its time for the transport companies to review the fare stage system.
-
Sv. 147 has this same problem at Serangoon Rd. Zonal fare system is so much better.
-
Another one is 151 and 154 besides the 2 TPY services
From Opp POSB and take 154 to Trellis Twr is 3.5 FS, fare is $0.63
151, same dist is 5 FS, fare is $0.83
Reason: From Sgn Rd (10.5), FS at Opp St Andrew (12), jump by 1.5
As for TPY Sv, problem is at POSB (6), Opp Gulab Bldg (7), Bef Shell (7.5), Opp Happy Gdn (
, Photo Finish (9) while 8 jumps 0.5 FS in between. -
For sv 90, the fast jumping is due to PLAB area as BS are closed to each other.
As for 151, jumping 1.5 FS is unreasonable. -
Another example that I took out
6 & 89
If you take 6 from Int, you would notice the $0.63 band is up to MOE Ad Ctr while 89 from MRT Stn goes up to Opp Loyang Valeey.
Reason: The FS at Downtown East is at 2 for Sv 6 while it is 15 for 89 from 14.5 at the MRT stn. -
If i'm not wrong all services from PSR to DTE is 2 stages.Originally posted by th1988:Another example that I took out
6 & 89
If you take 6 from Int, you would notice the $0.63 band is up to MOE Ad Ctr while 89 from MRT Stn goes up to Opp Loyang Valeey.
Reason: The FS at Downtown East is at 2 for Sv 6 while it is 15 for 89 from 14.5 at the MRT stn. -
Bus 7:
Penang Road (Winsland Hse) to Holland V -> $1.03
Bus 77:
Penang ROad (Winsland Hse) to Holland V -> $0.83
Bus 106:
Penang Road(Winsland Hse) to Holland Ave (op HV) -> $0.83
It pays to read the bus guide at bus stops. And commuters should pressured bus companies to put up bus guide at all bus stops.
Imagine what if there isn't any bus guide at Penang ROad (Winsland Hse) bus stops? I will not have taken notice in the fare difference. HOwever I prefer to keep quiet. TIBS might take cue from SSBST. -
It seems like SBST is eating the commuters money.Originally posted by iamgoondu:Bus 7:
Penang Road (Winsland Hse) to Holland V -> $1.03
Bus 77:
Penang ROad (Winsland Hse) to Holland V -> $0.83
Bus 106:
Penang Road(Winsland Hse) to Holland Ave (op HV) -> $0.83
It pays to read the bus guide at bus stops. And commuters should pressured bus companies to put up bus guide at all bus stops.
Imagine what if there isn't any bus guide at Penang ROad (Winsland Hse) bus stops? I will not have taken notice in the fare difference. HOwever I prefer to keep quiet. TIBS might take cue from SSBST. -
SBST are experts at this type of con job.Originally posted by service_238:It seems like SBST is eating the commuters money. -
Not true. 21 starts from 1.5
-
all the more the new SBS transhit slogan is Making Singaporeans pay More...also disconencting singapore still applies.
i still want my 147 to JE back...dammit SBS. learn
now with all that 101s 112s and 113s coming soon. hougang residents will start complaining about fare increases. wish SBS would go back to STEP fare charging like 1980s
STEP fare is basically zonal charging and not dist travelled.
ZYX -
Zonal charging is still the best. Like that noone can complain unless the boundaries are unclear.Originally posted by xin1jun2:all the more the new SBS transhit slogan is Making Singaporeans pay More...also disconencting singapore still applies.
i still want my 147 to JE back...dammit SBS. learn
now with all that 101s 112s and 113s coming soon. hougang residents will start complaining about fare increases. wish SBS would go back to STEP fare charging like 1980s
STEP fare is basically zonal charging and not dist travelled.
ZYX -
Another report on TNP today, Sat 7 Feb
It was revealed on 3 gps, 26 & 31, 105 & 132, 7 & 36.
Read it, as I am not going to write too much.
SBS also confirmed that there are others cases like 151 & 154, 8 & 90 along Macpherson Road/ Jalan Toa Payoh and they will fine tune it when there are chances. -
In fact, they claimed that there are more undercharging than overcharging.
Not true, look at 151. -
SBST most likely would not have done a thing provided it was not publicised.
-
its a very very queer senario... how come they can always take note of losses they made, but they never know they are over charging people... or do they actually know but keep mum about it??? 
so overcharging just say sorry can liao? good business to do leh...