Err. I wouldn't go all the way to say that you're wrong, but
both services do need more fleet adds, if not BSEP ones.
Firstly, there's a reason why Sv 10 also has something called Sv
10e since years ago yeah. Sv 12 on the other hand managed that peak
hour crowd daily for so many years without any shortworking trips,
much less any FFw trips.
Secondly, Sv 12 the number of buses in the fleet now is just
about right. But the number of SDs is seriously disproportionate to
the number of DDs it has considering the peak-hour demand. Many
many years ago, Sv 12 only had 2 SD slots of 2721R & 2723K, and
now look at the number of KUBs it has (7 in total). Well it's true
that when they added in the KUBs to replace some of the DD duties
years ago, it was meant to be that 1 DD = 2 KUBs. So theoretically
the load for Sv 12 would be spread out over more buses during the
Peak Hour stretch, something like what SMRT is trying to do with
its train services these days.
But with the people working at Bugis & along the route
growing, coupled with the schooling crowd, the KUBs for Sv 12 now
can barely manage the load. Plus the rapidly increasing population
in PSR, Tamp & Simei, it's making things worse. And that was a
reason why Sv 12 quietly converted 8205A's WSD duty into a WDD duty
done by 3131L last year. If the demand for DDs isn't there, what
for convert a SD into a DD?
And honestly, spare capacity for DDs wouldn't hurt. If Sv 43 that
kind of service with unstable loading can get that much DDs over
the past year, I don't see why Sv 12 can't do with increased
capacity of more DDs as well. And considering that Sv 12 is a route
with a much longer runtime & passes by more of the city areas,
I think it's high time they added more DDs as well. If they want to
keep the KUBs, then add in more buses for Sv 12, that's
logical.
And don't tell me too that what Sv 12 don't need more DDs because
the demand at Katong area is pathetic. People don't go to Katong
just to eat laksa these days yeah. There's offices around that area
& many people who work at Parkway Parade that board Sv 12
instead as an alternative to getting back to the East instead of
the SD-only Sv 15.
Thanks buddy for the detailed explanation. I would be wrong to
say they don't need fleet add. I totally agree that many of the
KUBs need to be replaced by DDs on svc 12. With svc 10, I am
surprised because during morning / evening peak there is 10E wth
DDs running to and from city. Ofcourse, both 10E and 10 DDs are
fully seated with 70-90 pax during peak hours.
I feel services 21 (with almost 50% SD fleet need more DDs), 59
(definitely need 2-3 DDs add for this service), 62 (had capacity
addition recently, but guess need 1-2 more SDs converted to DD
slots), 69 (during Temasek operating days, loading is over +100),
70 (need 1-2 more SDs converted to DD slot), 74 (I won't say
anything; lot has been already said), 87 (the BSEP Citaro addition
should be converted into DD slot), 88 (Definitely need 1-2 more
buses considering the load), 159A (much has been said about this
already), 186 (need 1-2 more DDs during morning peak hours, can
crossover to another service during evening peak), 268 (2 DDs would
have been good to start with). What do you think?
