The argument here is if Yew Tee or CCK is managed by SBST, would
YT and CCK residents be able to enjoy better and more bus
services.
I am not a resident in YT or CCK, thus I am not able to justify the
need of more buses in that area.
However my recent trip has found out that CCK stadium in YT is
served by 1 bus service, or rather the whole of YT is accessible
only by 1 shuttle bus service.
Since the taking over of BB and CCK from SBST, how many new bus
services TIBS or SMRT has come out with with? Other than those
previously owned bus services by SBST, TIBS/SMRT has not come out
with many new services.
I did post the same question to TIBS, and was told that it was not
true. They had come with SMRT970. Of course I am quick to rebut
them that SMRT970 was to compensate the withdrawal of TIBS5 which
has caused many unhapiness then.
Looking at Punggol and Seng Kang, changes in bus routes are more
dynamic and new services are still being introduced despite the
running of NEL.
It is not true that the SMRT train is everything, it's true that
all parts of Singapore is accessible by SMRT train, however it may
not be the quickest and most comfortable rides. If that's so, why
is there still a need for SBST to come out City Buzz, Chinatown
rides, Park Rides and Fast Forward?
Let's don't argue on the viability of these new initiatives. Do you
think CCK is more indeed of Chinatown Rides than Clementi? Perhaps
SMRT190her can have some branches to serve residents in YT, and
perhaps Fast Forward (by SMRT) services for other services plying
in CCK.
However, do you think SMRT is motivated to implement such new
initiatives? Why would I implement FF106 or FF77 or FF75? Why would
I drawn passengers from my SMRT trains? Will such initiatives
generate more revenues?
The answer is obvious.
That's explain SMRT introduction of 950.
Without the SMRT trains or NEL, it is alright to have 2 bus
companies to complement each other. Where both bus companies have
their own turf to work on.
However with SMRT trains and NEL, and with SMRT trains covers all
parts of Singapore, it is logical that SMRT would provide minimal
bus services to complement her train services. And for those
staying in the North-West, they are penalised for minimal bus
services for their bus operator own the train services as
well!
Why are there still so many bus services in Boon Lay? Despite it's
a terminal SMRT train station? Do we still need those SBST bus
services (other than Jurong Industrial Bus Services), if SMRT
trains can access to all parts of Singapore?
I pity especially those staying in YT and Sembawang, as long as
SMRT still the only bus operator in their area, they could only
expect minimal bus services. As for those in BB and Woodlands, they
may count themselves lucky for SBST had earlier well developed the
bus networks in those areas.
So it will be a hard job for Mr Gan (Mp for Zhenghua) to improve
the bus services in BP. Unless bus services is a public social
service and unless bus companies are not public listed companies,
his chance of getting SMRT to implement more bus services is slim.
Perhaps he should try getting SBST to ply new routes into (and not
terminating) his estates.
Likewise for SBST, why he ignore the changes to SBST198 or SBST196,
to allow the bus services to ply along Commonwealth Ave and
Alexandra (Ikea) instead? Again SBST has little motivation to make
that change, she has SBST195 to ply the exclusive route, why would
I bother to make change to SBST198 to grab from the same pool of
passenger (and worse lose revenues to those passenger who after
change need not have to make change to SBST195).
Unless there is real competition between bus companies, it may not
be easy to have better bus services.
