Woodlands Waterfront park visit

Been busy the past few days.

Visited the newly opened Woodlands Waterfront park on Vesak day. I can say it's a well and nicely designed waterfront park.

It offers good sunset & Causeway view. Not to mention Johor Bahru is just right across. Good riddance as it used to be the Royal Malaysian Navy TRACOM (KD Malaya) until it moved out in Dec 1997.

The naval base issue: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/cna/parliament/relations/annex2.htm

The only minus point is that the handphone signal could end up being routed to Malaysian line.

Counting down...

Been busy the past few weeks roaming around the island doing on - site bus stop operations. Generally the bus service standard is improving just some minor improvement is needed.

Time flies. It's left with 71 more days to National Day & 76 more days to Youth Olympic Game opening ceremony.

I'm quite happy that the KTM land and railway station issue is now settled. However it's till the railway operations is shifted to Woodlands Centre that would count.

Mmm. As it shifts, business at Woodlands Centre would improve and the need for SBS Sv 170 to town or to Kranji MRT Station.

MediaCorp Radio back online!

Yipee!

Now I can hear Live radio as I surf.

Details from CNA: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1054844/1/.html

Why SMRT can't perform well compared to SBS

No doubt SMRT is very successful in its push to increase it's revenue using the retail concept. However it seems in the midst of it, SMRT has forgotten who it's serving for - Singaporeans and foreigners who has helped in creating this nation we call home. It has also not been listening to commuters who uses its services daily.

1) Circle Line performance: It's quite sad even with system testing, the peak hour short working trip passenger information is ridiculed with errors such as SMRT proclaiming Paya Lebar MRT Int as MRT terminating pt 8. SMRT has really made a record, Circle Line's peak hour frequency is 7 mins - the longest waiting time ever. It's even less frequent than the SBS Sv 70 that duplicates with the CCL from Serangoon to Nicoll Highway sector.

Neither are they seem to be serious over the dwell time issue. Some stations have too short dwell time. For example in ageing estates like Macpherson or Dakota, the dwell time is only for a ridiculous 5 seconds.

It seems this came from the manual NSL/ EWL dwell time mode. It has become a habit for SMRT TOs to press for the 'door closing' buzzer immediately once they open the door. At times if they 'like' it, they will want to hurry commuters by continuing to press the 'warning' buzzer even though many has not alighted (needless to mention elderly)! Is SMRT wanting to create a stampede before such act ceases?

2) NSL & EWL frequency: It has become to my personal attention that even the NEL has a more stable and more frequent MRT frequency during the rush hours. In fact I think overall SMRT's service standard of the MRT is really lagging behind Taipei MRT.

3) SMRT Bus operations: This is the weakest link of SMRT.

SMRT lacks in technology investment compared to SBS with the latter launching IRIS in Feb 2007.

SMRT lacks efficiency in planning bus schedules. It's no surprising why SMRT buses are speeding at 80kph that's way above the legal speed limit and yet unable to keep up with the allocated schedule. Needless to mention over issues such as beating red lights or unable to stop safely to pick up passengers at bus stops.

I've ever feedback to SMRT before, but no one cares. Only the bus driver gets punished, yet the roots is not erradicated. Is it SMRT must wait till accidents occur before anything would change?

It's a utter disgrace to the Singapore icon especially SMRT has always been used by our government as an 'role model' to China as a good transport operator.

The Singapore I knew was a foreward looking, well planned, efficient country. Yet it seems in the view of profits, everything is erroded. We're no more trailblazers anymore.

How is Singapore going to be able to survive with such service level is beyond me.

NTU public bus services to shift to new Boon Lay Int

Finally although it's kinda expected.

SBS will shift Svs 179 & 199 into the new Boon Lay Int on 8 May 2010. The move coincides with the ending of NTU's Acad Yr for 2009/ 2010.

SBS will resume Sv 179A's operation when NTU commences AY 2010/ 2011 on 30 Aug 2010.

SBS's official press release: http://www.sbstransit.com.sg/download/Svc179_179A_199_Relocate_to_new_BLI_300410.pdf

Marina Bay IR

Finally it's going to open in about some 15 hours time as I'm typing this post.

Did took a bus ride pass this evening. Apparently the Marina Bay IR staff are grateful that SBS & SMRT are diverting Sv 97, 97e, 106, 133, 502 & 518 into the IR.

In fact Sv 97 has been designated to serve commuters who would soon start working at the soon to be completed Marina Bay Financial Centre. Hence hopefully commuters who have been affected being unable to have a direct bus journey to Fullerton would be able to benefit should their companies/ organisation move over.

NTU bus services' shift to new Boon Lay Interchange

SBS recently put up the poster informing commuters (NTU students and staff in particular) of the intended shift of Sv 179, 179A & 199 to the new Boon Lay Interchange in May 2010.

As far as I know the decision to shift the services in May instead of March as planned is due to the current ongoing NTU academic year and the upcoming NTU acad yr end exams. Hence the NTU bound SBS svs would only move in after acad yr 2009/ 2010 ends in 7 May 2010.

Oh wells, I would get to enjoy waiting for Sv 179 in an aircon environment when I head to NTU for my pre - marticulation medical checkup on 25 May 2010 (46 more days to go).

mmm.. It's another 136 more days before disrupting for studies.