Reaction to new bus service
128
Commuters living in the North seem to be giving SBS Transit's
new basic bus service 128 service to the Central Business District
a miss, preferring to take the train.
The new bus service which started this morning runs, parallel to
half the North-South MRT line providing residents in the North with
an alternative means of public transport to get to work.
The service will have 4 trips each during the morning and
evening peak hours.
There were only 6 commuters travelling from Yio Chu Kang to the
city area on one of the four morning peak hour trips.
Most took the bus for its novelty.
Among them was student Tan (not real name), a self confessed
'bus enthusiast'.
"I like to try out new services and joy ride and understand the
demand of the service."
Another commuter was Zi Yun.
"This bus reaches my office, i just wanna try if it's faster or
the same time as the train."
By bus however, the length of the route takes almost thrice the
time compared to the train.
The MRT takes an estimated 26 minutes from Ang Mo Kio to Shenton
Way while the bus service takes 74.
Both modes of transport cost $1.39.
Ultimately, while most commuters might value their time over
comfort, some are willing to compromise.
"If it's slightly longer and i can sit down then i'm still fine
la but if it's maybe fifteen minutes more, i'll still prefer to
take the train"
"If i'm not in the rush of time i'll take the bus and since the
train along north south line is usually packed i will prefer to
take the bus as it promise me a seat. - 938Live
Well, the bus service demand is not there yet. But people would
soon know that taking 128 is more faster than what it would take to
take a Service 70 bus. I waited outside Apex Tower for the 1st PM
trip and a Service 70 VSO pass by, 5 mins before the 1st trip came.
A SBST official was there to check out the 1st PM trip down.
I rode till YMCA and there, I waited for the second trip. A few
bus enthusiasts were on it. I took the route till the ending point
at YCK MRT. The SAME SERVICE 70 VSO was just coming into
YCK Int. I hope people would realise this service. There comes the
truth; after Jubilee AMK, the bus fans had the whole bus to
themselves (except an SBST official noting the passenger density in
and out of the bus.) till YCK.
But overall, it duplicated part of Sv 162 route till Novena.
--edited--
