do u all think tibs bus have longer waiting time thn sbstra

last SG · 2003-12-02T00:03:09+00:00

From what i experienced by going home late at night, especially after 10pm, I've never waited for a SBST service for more than 15 minutes. If it's more than...

service_238 SG

I remembered in 2002 when Svc 232 and 237 integrated, there're a lot of people taking Svc 238 home in the evening peak. This caused a lot of overloaded buses and the frequency gets higher sometimes. Hence, an SBST inspector was deployed at the Svc 238 berth to make sure that the bus is either not FULLY overloaded or it has adequate number of people in the bus before it leaves the int.

That was in 2002 and early-mid 2003. The frequency during peak hours now is 4 minutes and the passenger load is not over 100% Smile

SBS9818A SG

Yes, Sv. 238 is notorious for overloading. This year things have improved markedly, how many buses does Sv. 238 have currently?

service_238 SG

5 Buses bet 0515 - 0542
8 Buses during Morning Peak
7 Buses during Daytime Off Peak
9 Buses during Evening Peak
6 Buses bet 1944 - 2223
5 Buses bet 2228 - 2353
4 Buses bet 2353 - 0045

SBS9818A SG

OK. The journey time is about 30 minutes, plus 7 minutes rest break, so just nice for a 4 minute frequency.

service_238 SG

I have some of the driver's timetables. Journey Time varies from 23 min to 30 min. Rest Times varies from 5 min to 10 min (except 25min meal breaks)

Evening Peak freq is 4 min, journey time is 28 min. The only reason why SBST deploys a 9th bus is because one of the buses is having a meal break between 1818 - 1842. The 9th bus is deployed at around 1818 hrs.

Note: The 9th Bus is the crossover bus from Svc 26.
Link: http://buses.sgforums.com/?action=thread_display&thread_id=62607&page=0

SBS9818A SG

Oh I see, so only 8 buses will operate at any one time.

service_238 SG

That's only when that bus is having its meal break. The others had their meal breaks before 1800. After the meal break, that bus goes back into operation and 9 buses are operating from 1842 - 1923. After that one of the buses in the peak hour shift returns to BRAM for the day, leaving 8. At 1946, another peak hour bus returns, leaving 7. At 1952, the 9th bus aka crossover bus returns to the depot for the night, leaving 6 Buses in operation after that.

I have the full weekday schedule of Svc 238. If you'd like to know more about its timing + timetable, I can send them to you. Smile

SBS9818A SG

[quote]Originally posted by service_238:

That's only when that bus is having its meal break. The others had their meal breaks before 1800. After the meal break, that bus goes back into operation and 9 buses are operating from 1842 - 1923. After that one of the buses in the peak hour shift returns to BRAM for the day, leaving 8. At 1946, another peak hour bus returns, leaving 7. At 1952, the 9th bus aka crossover bus returns to the depot for the night, leaving 6 Buses in operation after that.

I have the full weekday schedule of Svc 238. If you'd like to know more about its timing + timetable, I can send them to you. [/quote

Yes please do. How did you get the timesheets? I thought drivers can't give them out freely?

service_238 SG

Simple. Sit behind the driver's seat and copy the timesheet using a handphone. If you're lucky, the timesheet is displayed on the pane above the driver. If not, it's on the dashboard where it's very hard to take down the timings. In addition to that, I've analysed the timings of the buses for 11 hours in late November. Smile

SBS9818A SG

Haha I thought you literally took the sheet of paper off. I would love to do so but my pencilbox is too heavy. Razz

service_238 SG

I'm tempted to do to those that have their timesheets on the dashboard! lolz..

SBS9818A SG

It's SBST property so can't take. An alternative is taking a sheet of paper and copying down everything exactly.

service_238 SG

I did that exactly. Razz If paper wasnt around, my handphone would be the alternative. How's the timesheet?

SBS9818A SG

Not bad, thanks for the intensive research!

iamgoondu SG

Yes, I would feel that I had to wait much longer for TIBS buses. It is not uncommon for one to wait for 20~30 minutes for TIBS 970 and 61.

However I would feel that TIBS buses travel at a much faster speed. Thus I enjoy TIBS ride rather than SBST ride. I took TIBS 61, 106 and 75 very often, the buses may travel at top speed along HOlland Road. On the other hand, SBST 7 travel at usual slow speed even during off-peak hour along a little traffic Holland ROad.

I had reported an incidence to SBST regarding SBST 198. I had commented the irregular arrival time at Commonwealth Ave towards North Buona VIsta. I waited for SBST 198 at bus stop at 0745 on most week day. As the bus stop at Commmonwealth Ave was only a few bus stops from Bukit Merah Interchange, I had expected the bus to arrive with little fluctuations. At times I waited for 30 minutes for SBST 198. I wrote to SBST and query how is it possible for me to wait for 30 minutes when the peak frequency was 8 minutes and the ride from Bukit Merah Interchange to Commonwealth Ave was a short and smooth one?

And after that query, though SBST 198 was pretty punctual, however I feel that it was not travel as fast as what I have been used to. That SBST 198 never speed along AYE towards Jurong.

Anyway, that incident happened 2 years back. And I vow never to report any long waiting time to SBST. Despite long waiting time, I prefer a much faster travelling speed.

Yusry SG

Generally, I find that TIBS (at least in the context of service 61) to be rather prompt with their frequencies as long you board them at or near the Interchange (approximately within 20 mins radius).

TIBS drivers tend to have uneven driving speeds and thus may cause a wide difference in frequencies when you are waiting for them mid-route.

For example, 2 weeks back, I was waiting for service 61 at Holland Avenue on the way back to Eunos. It only arrived after waiting for about 30 minutes. In fact, two 970s had come and gone. However, at Eunos Interchange, I find that service 61 has an average departing frequency of about 10 - 12 minutes, which is very acceptable by my standards.

SBS9818A SG

Yes, TIBS drivers are very punctual, they leave on time from interchanges, unlike SBST, even 5 minutes after scheduled departure time they are not even out yet!

service_238 SG

Which SBST service is like that? From what I see SBST drivers take their own sweet time in getting out of the interchange.

off_service SG

On average, most trunk services will have frequencies of between 8 to 15 mins.

Also interesting to note that most newly introduced services will have peak headways of 12 mins and non peak headways at 15 mins.

If the bus proved to have high demands, for example services 168 and 969, the headway would be cut short to around 8 and 10 minutes.

Note: 8 to 10 mins for services 168 and 969 are for Saturdays only. However, I find that their peak hour headways have improved too.

iamgoondu SG

What does it means by headways? Is it same as frequency? The frequency for TIBS 61 is 9~14 minutes, and I had waited for 17 minutes for TIBS 61 on a Friday night. Or rather I just missed TIBS 61 (saw it went off), and waited for 17 minutes for another TIBS 61 arrived. Is it acceptable by 9~14 minutes standard?

For Frequency 9~14 minutes, does it mean at most I need to wait for 14 minutes for that bus?

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