Correct, SGP operators don't yet think it's that affordable for
them to ply the 2nd Link route, unless they charge higher than
their current fares, the tolls are reduced & more passenger
base can be assured, which wouldn't seem likely till i'll say 2020
when Bandar Nusajaya is fully ready ! Maybe they can start planning
when in a few years time the Johor administration capital is
re-located to Nusajaya, resulting in another Putrajaya in JB.
However, the long term economic potential of 2nd Link should not be
overlooked due to shorter term cost issues.
Re: tolls issue, as i've reasoned in my previous post, i don't find
any real differences whether or not LTA would have bothered if they
have or have not started operations.
This road tax, remains a nonsense item to me, especially since the
existence of the COE & ERP in Singapore. More stupid when they
assess it by engine capacity for cars & by GVW (not cc) for
commercial vehicles !! When i say 'concessions' i take a broad
overall view which not merely covers this stupid road tax, but also
instruments like COE, import duties, ARF etc.
Fortunately the stupid road tax for buses is NOT by cc, as
otherwise imagine how much more tax be payable for say an M-B OH
1627 L (as used by SJE) with its 15068 cc V8 engine compared to a
9600 cc used on the Volvo B10M !
Same too for the vans & mini-buses here.
Public service vehicles here are known to get exemption from COE,
ARF (deservedly so !), import duties etc. so as to minimise any
cost 'exggerations' so that operators can afford a better grade of
vehicle for a same given absolute cost outlay. Therefore even if
SBST buses are charged some road tax, they get exemptions in the
other types of taxes such that overall, they still pay much less
taxes than private operators using the same grade of vehicle.
This to me explains why most private operators here use lousier
buses than say SBST, SMRT(TIBS) or SJE !! Their overall purchasing
costs can be quite close but more of the money wasted in the taxes
instead of being used to acquire a bus of higher OMV, which more
often than not, would also mean a higher grade of bus. Endup they
pay almost as much, but get a lousier grade/specification of bus.
Same too with ambulances i observe here. The SCDF gets top class
ultra-modern (high OMV almost same as M-B E-Class cars !) M-B
Sprinter van-based ambulances but most companies in the private
sector end up with lousier Japanese or Korean vans only for not
very different prices because their money get swallowed up via the
taxes here !
So overall, vehicle tax concessions do exist for public service
vehicles (like public buses) here.
