Transportation companies should not be privatised

shutupandplay

Member
1 Jun 2011
86
1
18
Like WTH seriously despite earning a profit of over $200 million our dear SRMT and BSB(I don't wanna be sued) are still appealing for an increase in fares. What's new? What's new is that the quality of train rides have deteriorated to a third-world level in such rapidity. The deplorable congestion in our transportation has paved way for an era wherein smelling armpits and odours that can replace pain-killers in hospitals, involuntary molestation of ugly people, forced grinding, excruciating boredom and what not, are a daily ritual for commoners like us. What's so horrble terrible and vegetable about that? To those of you who are so used to such an outright insult to our intelligence(like squeezing a nearly infinite amount of people into such a finite space while continually increasing fares) that you even need to ask why, let me give you a succinct elucidation.

Instead of increasing train frequency(I know numbskulls will be up in arms and say that they have alr done that), they hire ushers to ....... hmmm .....practically do nothing of value!!! And btw if you take the train enough you'll know that they don't really increase train frequency, especially after 8 am when there will still be a crowd comparable to the one before 8. That's besides the point. You need to understand that they love to divert your attention away from the problem. A perfect example follows.

Have you tried shifting your hands here and there in order not to touch someone's ass in a jam-packed train? Impossible unless you have no hands! Or if you raise your hand like some idiot and let anyone within your radius smell your lovely underarm olfactory mixture of sweat-drenched pubic-like hair, no-longer-recognisable perfume, and a tinge of pure disgust(depending on the owner of the armpit). Otherwise the back of your hands would most likely find it's way - or rather the other way round - to someone's stink-filled butt. Oh ugly or average-looking girls are really flattered and would misconstrue that butt-molesting incident as a proof of beauty and would love to flaunt one's victimhood and perceived beauty by telling the world. Sorry I've digressed. I forgot to talk about what our beloved transport company did to shift people's attention from this problem to a nonexistent problem. They posted huge signs that advocate women's rights and protection of oneself from molestion. What absolute nonsense. How can this fool anyone other than the ugly numbskulls and well, numbskulls?

Ok I don't wanna rant anymore but you guys get the point.
 

thecakeisalie

Well-Known Member
2 Jun 2011
607
78
73
There was once I stood in a heavily packed train, after some alighting/boarding of other passengers across several stations, I ended up IN THE MIDDLE of 3 banglas and 1 indian. I kept my face high up in an attempt to breathe better. When that didn't work, I F10EQ got off the train and boarded the next.
 

clan_NEt

Well-Known Member
4 Jun 2011
642
81
73
Quote from this article I just read

TAIPEI’S CITY Hall is so proud of its mass rapid transit (MRT) system that it runs a competition every year, asking people to send in poems about the MRT. I can see why. The MRT is clean and comfortable (in addition to chewing gum, the nasty habit of betel chewing nut has been banned). People queue up in a civilised fashion before boarding trains. And, when the doors open, they don’t barge in before passengers can exit.
*
Signs and announcements are in Chinese and English and all carriages have electronic displays showing which station is coming up next. Every carriage has special seats for old folks, pregnant women or people with disabilities. I’ve never seen fit, young people pretending to be asleep in these seats.
*
However, the best part about Taipei’s MRT is its frequency. According to Taipei Rapid Transit Corp (TRTC), the company that runs the system, trains arrive at two to four-minute intervals at peak hours. Off-peak, it is four to seven minutes.
To read the full article check out

http://www.theedgesingapore.com/blo...g/1254-why-taipeis-mrt-trumps-singapores.html
 

clan_NEt

Well-Known Member
4 Jun 2011
642
81
73
I have been to taipei and boy am I amazed at the way the people queues up in a one file row. No pushing or squeezing!
 

shutupandplay

Member
1 Jun 2011
86
1
18
Here's a good comment I've found on the recent yahoo news about the netizens' outrage and all about transport fare hike :

First of all, I'll like to thank those minorities within PAP who spoke up against the fare hike proposal and rationalising against it, such as Ms Denise Phua who talk about 'third alternative' in the form of hybrid systems. If there's a system which can work 'win-win' for both commuters and service providers, why not?

And by the way, Mr Lui, I wonder why you're outdone by an MP without a ministerial portfolio. If Ms Phua can at least put herself in the shoes of the people, I don't understand why you can't. And the irony is, because of your portfolio and official capacity, you're indeed in the right position to help us the people. Remember, we're the people who you should serve. So please get this clear: you don't serve the service providers. Your job is to ensure that these public transport companies provide affordable and universal public transport services to the people. Your grand plan in the national public transportation system is supposed to be commuter-centric. We need not say more here.

Commuters should come first in a public transportation system for the very reason that it's supposed to be publicly universal and affordable. If Singapore wishes to encourage citizens to take public transport so as to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate the traffic jams here (well, it's getting from bad to worse here and sooner or later, our traffic jams will be like the 'macet' in Jakarta for instance), one of the first things to entice more commuters to take and enjoy public transport should be affordability.

Sadly, here in Singapore, the service providers come first and the last which follows are us the poor commuters who've to put up with their monopolies, without alternatives to choose from in a free market system, and in the end? Overcrowding, technical breakdowns, safety risks compromised, fare hikes for commuters. On the the other hand, those management staffs in those companies are happily counting dollars and cents from us commuters and taking home their fat salaries and bonuses, while they don't have to take public transport.

Commuters should always come first in whatever system it is for public welfare services such as public transport. Be it nationalised scheme, privatised scheme or hybrid scheme. The fundamentals are the same: commuter-centric. We need not elaborate more, since Yahoo polls have been most telling in the ground sentiments and hopefully the authorities take note.

And it's not just the netizens who're expressing their discontent against the fare hike proposal. Those who're not internet-savvy, such as the older generations, are likely against it. I'll suggest some independent work to poll the folks on the streets in the traditional way. By combining this real 'ground' survey with the internet one, the picture will be clearer and even more robust as a case to show our displeasure and concern towards this absurd proposal by SMRT and SBS.

Just my two cents' worth of thought to share
 

shutupandplay

Member
1 Jun 2011
86
1
18
STOMP - Singapore Seen - Utter chaos at Bishan, 1 hour wait for bus at Woodlands and other real-life horror stories

I just found this article regarding 1-hour waits, and it's NOT from temasek review.
Biased or photoshopped - you decide for yourself.
Oh please I've encountered so many 30 to 45 minute waits before. Once I waited for 2 hours for a bus to go to Woodlands Causeway at Marsiling when it's supposed to come at most every 15 minutes or sth. Beat that!