No, like i mentioned earlier, Batok isn't far off from WL,
provided you know the short cut, it's roughly the same time from WL
coming down to boon lay, so it should stay.
Side track a bit, If that's the case, then why 168 SLs doesnt
have to complain about the distance, all the way from AMK somemore
to start at WL, BN needless to say, because it's pretty near
Does common sense tell you that for 168 (and 161 previously), AM
was the closest place to WRI? Even if they find it long they cannot
complain - it's part of their job anyhow and off-servicing counts
under their payhour too.
171 is totally stupid to make it partially WL, that's because
both AM and WL drivers change shifts at Yishun and AM is
closer to MCT than WL.
965 should be totally under WL - AM drivers change shift at WRI
which makes it really stupid. That even though AM helps to do a few
morning trips from Sengkang.
And in fact if you look at it, making 857 WL is stupid too. I
don't care what historical reason there is about 857 but the fact
is that AM is closer to Suntec for downroute than WL.
I prefer BB under KJ though - it's faster than from WL. KJ is
closer to Boon Lay too. WL should take back Bukit Panjang even
though KJ is nearer.
So it's really not about the distance but the feasibility and
the part about common sense in planning that counts. Fuel is
precious and thus should not be wasted on such extra daily routine
routings. Even a mere 5 minutes more of journey per bus adds up to
alot of fuel wasted if you go by the masses.
Even SBST makes such wastings in their shift plannings though. A
very classic example is 9889U's slot on 166 -
both morning and afternoon S shifts start AND end at
Ang Mo Kio. So it is really a wastage of fuel to put it at BB
instead of AM.