Today Sunday Times report about the new Scania and
Mercedes-Benz buses.
Copy and paste from website because I am lazy to type
whole article.
The new single-deck buses from SBS Transit and SMRT may look
nice but some commuters are unhappy with them.
One-third of 50 commuters - young and old - in a Sunday Times
poll said the rides could be better.
Their beef was over issues like seating (fewer seats than the
older buses) and design (the need to climb steps midway in the
bus).
The buses run by SBS are made by Swedish company Scania while
SMRT's are made by German firm Mercedes-Benz.
But there are advantages too. The new buses have low floors -
about the same height as the kerb - and there are no steps at the
doors. This is a plus for the elderly and less mobile passengers.
The buses also have wheelchair-friendly features such as
retractable ramps at the doors and two wheelchair lots.
SBS has rolled out 500 of these buses since November 2007 at a
cost of $180 million. By the end of this year, another 400 are
expected to hit the roads.
SMRT rolled out 67 new single- deck buses in May last year and
plans to buy 60 more. Each costs more than $360,000.
In the Sunday Times poll, many feel moving about in the bus is
not a breeze. Instead of a level platform from front to back, they
have to mount two steps midway to get to the back, and climb
another two steps to reach the rear-most seats.
Said retiree Teo Cher Muay, 64: 'The steps can be very dangerous
for the elderly, as they have little strength in their legs. I've
seen them trip.'
Even the young find the steps a challenge. 'I nearly fell the
first few times I took this new bus, as it started to move before I
sat down,' said student Goh Yee Hong, 22, who has ridden on both
Scania and Mercedes-Benz buses.
Read the full story in the Sunday Times
today.
The KUB's are the ones that have the problem. OC is like...very
high meh? Must be that GYH go up that time never hold railings de
then almost fall lah, so blame on the bus lor.
