Hail a Public Bus with Your App!

last SG · 2017-08-17T14:22:03+00:00

Honestly, is there a need for this on-demand option, when we can actually use the historical data to consolidate and optimise resources?

FireIce SG

tts why it's a trial

lemon1974 SG

tts why it's a trial

maybe have to waste few millions to have that trial....

FireIce SG

if u never try, u never know

lemon1974 SG

if u never try, u never know

mai lah.. save the money better.. . few million dollars can be use to run a trunk service for one year...

just run the buses at lesser frequency during off peak... if paxes are in hurry, they can take cab.. else, they can wait... even with this app, the bus also need to depart from the terminal to that particular bus stop... still have to standby buses at terminal also..

so no demand no trips needed, but BC/Bus still have to be at the terminal standby.. so cost are still there, except for the cost of moving the buses (i.e diesel cost only)...

and imagine if there are 2 paxes book the same bus but going different destination, then it will become like uberpool/grabshare like that.. pick up one pax, detour to another bus stop pick up 2nd pax, then go to first pax location to let the first pax alight and then finally go to the 2nd pax bus stop...

what if there are 3 or more paxes going different bus stops?

dupdup77 SG

mai lah.. save the money better.. . few million dollars can be use to run a trunk service for one year...

so no demand no trips needed, but BC/Bus still have to be at the terminal standby.. so cost are still there, except for the cost of moving the buses (i.e diesel cost only)...

what if there are 3 or more paxes going different bus stops?

Hi mr lemon1974, what I read somewhere is there will be still be buses running the original route albeit at lower frequencies. So this will solve those 3 or more paxes going different bus stops. Correct me if I am wrong. Cheers. Thanks.

Scopittabuses SG

if for example a person along 382's route and a peron from 84's route hail a bus at the same time, what will the bus serving these people be labelled as?

Also if a person hail a bus frm one of the return trip bustops of 84 still inside punggol rd end, the bus still needs to move all the way to the end to u turn so not much time saved?

lemon1974 SG

during the trial, the normal bus services are still running at lower frequencies.. but if really implement, i think the normal bus services wont be operating..

frankly speaking, you dun use a 40 seat bus to do all these... waste of resources...

1) reduce frequencies to around 30 mins during off peak...
2) make these services run during peak periods only.... or make 382 run one direction only during off peak.. or run alternative route covering 253/255/257 route or 400/402 during off peak.. eg 400M during off peak to go to garden by the bay, then cruise terminal back to shenton way...
3) reduce run time, thus less bus needed during off peak..

lemon1974 SG

if for example a person along 382's route and a peron from 84's route hail a bus at the same time, what will the bus serving these people be labelled as?

Also if a person hail a bus frm one of the return trip bustops of 84 still inside punggol rd end, the bus still needs to move all the way to the end to u turn so not much time saved?

regarding the second example, LTA's idea is that the bus will be parked at the interchange... so no one book the bus, the bus wont move.... so no fixed schedule. so if from 2pm to 3pm, no one book the sv84 bus, there wont be any trip.... if got ppl book, then there will be a trip..

array88 SG

Some thoughts...

1) Is this system intended for all bus services islandwide, or only during off-peak hours for services with low demand?

Imagine the chaos if all bus services need to be hailed... For example, from Teck Whye to Orchard, previously all I had to do is to go downstairs and a 190 will come in a 2-3 minutes. Now I have to hail the bus every day before work...

2) IMO demand for the selected services may be too low for the trial to be successfull, and people may actually choose Uber/Grab instead of learning how to use this new mobile app. I'd rather have the trial on svcs with moderate to low demand in areas with rather dense population, to see if more people are able to adapt to this new model. Examples: 18, 120, 122.

3) If all standby buses are parked at interchanges/terminals, will the terminals be large enough to accommodate them? Especially when our interchanges are already crowded and new ITHs keep getting smaller...

4) What about commuters who don't know (and possibly can hardly learn) how to use the app? Like the elderly and the disabled. Especially if LTA intend to suspend the normal bus services during off-peak in real implementation...

CZT SG

Was scrolling through the threads and i saw this one. Additionally, there is the introduction of the new Grabshuttle Plus in punggol as a pilot very recently, and i think it is really apt to discuss it here so why not?

Here are my views: While i have not personally tried out this Grabshuttle Plus, not any beeline or regular Grab Shuttles, this one here does cater to many of the concerns that are voiced out in previous posts in this thread: The bus does come within 5 to 10 mins aft request is being made, and if no bus arrive aft 30 mins, ur eticket purchase will be refunded. According to LTG, they stated that this allows ppl to go to places that are not served by regular public buses, such as punggol seventeenth ave, and the dorms in the punggol barat island (i think). This reminds me of the intended proj by LTA next year, but it is far frm the same. Who know's maybe Grab may co-op with GAS?

The prob i find is of course the sustainability problem. Drivers always need to be on standby, and essentially operation cost may potentially be high, but i think as only vans and minibuses are currently used on the current proj, cost may not skyrocket as much. Secondly, it is only within punggol, ppl will still prefer the cheaper and hassle free feeder buses compared to the book-and-ride buses.

In conclusion, i think this concept still needs more publicity. If not many ppl know abt it, the whole thing would be a lost eventually. However, if many ppl know abt it and makes use if it, the proj could potentially break even. (Im amused they picked punggol. Possibly becoz there are more young families there who are tech savvy?) Coming back to the LTA proj, i can forsee the potentials and setbacks it can have. What are ur views? Do share. Thanks! :)

For those who are confused with this Grabshuttle Plus and other book-and-ride apps, here are the comparisons:

Uber/Grab: Book, and they will pick u up within 5-10min and drop u off at ur desired place

Grab shuttle/Beeline: Crowdsourced. Either u book at least one day in advance or u vote for a route to be operated. The service would only serve the route and nowhere else

Grabshuttle Plus: Book, and they will pick u up within 5-10min. Note that the pick up and drop off place is the closest bus stop located where u intend to start and end ur trip

Guesser12 SG

it is not practical at all...

TPS Timothy Mok SG

Tampines will have GrabShuttle Plus bus service. Do stay tuned.

Not just book a bus from Tampines to Orchard/Chinatown/Little India.

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