Yes, the berth was never used for boarding before the 811 shift,
but also it was rarely used for alighting as it was too far away
for passengers. The railings was built specially for the service
too.
Anyway, residents taking 811 usually do not walk all the way to
the berth (if coming from northpoint/yishun mrt or not as near)
just to board but instead wait for the bus at the stop beside
northpoint. Don't think 812 passengers does that, do they?
People usually don't wait at the NorthPoint bus stop because in the
past some drivers dis-allowed boarding there, saying that they
should go inside the INT to take the bus. I've only seen thrice
where people boarded at that bus stop, and that is after persuading
the driver to let them board. Even now when rules were more
flexible, I hardly see anyone boarding the buses outside
NorthPoint. I believe most of the folks at Yishun take it that the
bus stop outside NorthPoint has become an only-alighting bus stop
instead.
Most passengers coming out from NorthPoint or Yishun MRT walk to
the interchange to board buses. (: