Please don't be surprised by what I'm gonna post.
On Friday, 3rd July 2015, I was at Yio Chu Kang Rd (first stop
after YCK Link towards AMK/Hougang) from 1745 hrs to around 1800
hrs. I took note of loading on some buses, although I didn't take
note of the time:
43M DD: upper deck full, lower deck at least 12 standees
43 DD: average 5-8 standees on lower deck, upper deck full (even
when only 2 mins after 43M)
147 DD: average 7-10 standees on lower deck, upper deck full
103: average 1-2 standees
109 SD: average 5-10 standees (some buses are quite packed)
116: 80% seated (exclusive of the bus I took, which is
elaborated below)
156: average 2-5 standees (some buses are quite packed)
Then I took 116 to Hougang Ctrl Int, which reached AMK Ave 3 at
1805 hrs. General loading:
Before Serangoon North: 3-5 standees, seats full
Serangoon North: first stop 80% alighted, 6-7 boarded, 15-20 pax
onboard; second bus stop few alighted/boarded
Hougang 1 Mall: around 15 pax alighted, 5 boarded, less than 10
pax onboard
After Hougang 1 Mall: 1-2 pax alight at every bus stop, 0 pax
when reaching interchange
Loading of 116 buses in opposite direction along the way:
Before AMK Ave 3: opposite bus 5-10 standees
Before Hougang Ave 1: opposite bus 6-7 pax onboard
Before Hougang Ctrl Int: opposite bus 3-5 standees
Miscellaneous:
- At 1824 hrs, 324 reached interchange with at least 10
standees
- At 1827, 116 departed interchange with 4 standees
- At 1837, 324 departed fully seated
- At 1840, 116 departed with 39 pax
I can say 116 is at least not a waste of resources... Loading is
growing and is better than 20 pax last time. And who says Serangoon
North residents are not taking 116?
IMO, loading pattern on 116 during PM is: Serangoon ->
Serangoon North, Hougang -> Hougang Ave 4/9, Serangoon North
-> Serangoon
Svc 324's loading is also growing... I was totally surprised
when I saw the bus with 10 standees. Both 116 and 324 can also form
long queues at HCI already (not mentioning those who sit on the
stairs nearby waiting for buses). Maybe it's because their berths
are closer to MRT Exit A.