A word can make a whole lot of difference
The article was on an email interview Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan had given with Chinese Daily Lianhe Zaobao on the issue of increasing service standards on buses.
Bus fares will be affordable if raised.
The Internet did a collective headscratch in regards to the headline.
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"Bus fares will be affordable if raised"
The Government bus contracting model will raise service standards but these improvements cannot be sustained without raising fares, said Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan.
But if fares were to rise, the Public Transport Council (PTC) will ensure that the fares remain affordable, he said.
His comments, given to Chinese daily - Lianhe Zaobao in an e-mail interview, were reported yesterday. The bus contracting model takes effect on Thursday.
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Transport Ministry: Bus Fares will Increase with New Contracting Model
Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan has said that bus fares will increase with the implementation of the new contracting model.
He said that the improvements from supposed raised service standards cannot be sustained without fare hikes.
Mr Khaw added that the Public Transport Council will ensure that fares remain affordable.
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Khaw Boon Wan: Bus fares will still be affordable if raised
The Government transport contracting model will raise administration norms yet these enhancements can’t be supported without raising passages, said Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan.
Yet, in the event that passages were to rise, the Public Transport Council (PTC) will guarantee that the charges stay moderate, he said.
Already have some people out there that cannot afford the current bus fares.
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KHAW'S LOGIC: RISE IN BUS FARE MAKES ITS MORE AFFORDABLE
According to this news reports, bus fares are set to rise very soon. Once again, Minister Khaw decided to khaw kee gong, khaw kee song again, ownself declaring that bus fares will be affordable if raised.
This is consistent with Khaw's logic that rise in major breakdowns as MRT gets more reliable. Khaw talks about Harakiri like he actually means it.
When Oil prices drop, fares actually increase. Before GE2015, fares drop. After GE, fares rise again! Zhai zhai one, same pattern see until don't want to see! If ministers were paid according to their actual performance standards, Khaw Boon Wan will probably owe all Singaporeans money.
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Khaw: Fare increments are necessary to sustain service improvements
In an email interview with Lianhe Zaobao yesterday (28 Aug), Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan said that the government’s Bus Contracting model – which comes into effect on Thursday – will raise service standards.
Under the new model, the government will own all operating assets – such as buses – which are leased out to operators. The revenue will be collected by the government and the operators will be paid by the LTA according to their tender bids.
Mr Khaw said that such a model will enable the government to respond to changing commuter needs while shorter contract period will make the industry more competitive.
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Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan: Bus fares will be raised and remain “affordable”
Responding to a media enquiry, Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan said that even if the public transport system has been nationalised, bus fares will still be raised. Without giving any explanation on the measurement of affordability, Minister Khaw Boon Wan claimed that the fare raise will remain “affordable”. However, given that the existing fares are already not affordable in the present, Minister Khaw’s fare increase will miraculously make it “affordable” somehow.
According to Khaw Boon Wan, the government’s Public Transport Council (PTC) will ensure the fares remain affordable and that the raised fare “is not an undue burden on the people”. There is however no mention when will the next fare raise be or how much increase will be imposed.
When questioned about the state of traffic congestion when the MRT lines expand by 360km by 2030, Minister Khaw Boon Wan said he doesn’t know and that it is hard to predict traffic conditions after 2030.
related: 2 Major Train Breakdowns in two days
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Minister Khaw educates us about public transport
Yesterday (29 Aug), Transport Minister suggested that bus service standards will be raised under the new bus contracting model. However, this boost will also mean that fares will be raise accordingly. Nonetheless, The Straits Times has assured us that “Bus fares will be affordable if raised“. Which basically means fares will go up.
But these more expensive fares will still be affordable? See, that seems a little confusing to us. We pick the brain of Minister Khaw, and attempt to predict some other things he seems to believe are logical:
- Bus fares will be affordable if raised
- Singapore will win gold medals if China
- Amos Yee will be good boy if jailed
- Car will be less with if more ERP
- Rubbish bin will be good if consult
- Ice cream will be bad if bread
- Haze will back if 11 month of clean air
- Preacher’s wife will make it in US if $$$
- Will make it on The Voice if Nathan Hartono
- Govt will give $1 mil if spend more than $1 mil
KHAW BOON WAN GIVES DURIAN TREAT TO MRT STAFF AFTER 300 DAYS OF NO DISRUPTION
I promised Downtown Line staff a durian treat if DTL crossed the 300-day disruption-free milestone. And they did, last week!
This is both significant and very inspiring for the other MRT lines. They will now shoot for the 400-day milestone.
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Khaw Boon Wan FB - Like This Page · 22 August
I promised Downtown Line staff a durian treat if DTL crossed the 300-day disruption-free milestone. And they did, last week! This is both significant and very inspiring for the other MRT lines. They will now shoot for the 400-day milestone. — with Boon Wan Khaw.
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Singapore’s transport system grinding to a halt
Under mounting pressure over transport inefficiencies and lack of transparency, former army general Chew Men Leong resigned from the Land Transport Authority (LTA) on August 6. His 22-month-long tenure as CEO was the shortest in the history of Singapore’s civil service.
“[In the coming months] I will be making a change of career over to the private sector,” commented Chew Men Leong on his decision, but it is believed that his departure from LTA had been sped up by frequent MRT failures and public dissatisfaction with increasing fares.
The failing system - Since gaining independence in 1965, Singapore has undergone a rapid urbanisation. The island city-state’s total area measures only 274 square miles and it is currently inhabited by 5,7 million people, making it one of the most densely populated territories in the world.
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Circle Line Slump Enters 5th Day: Experts Warn of Possible Total Shutdown
In what appears to be a landmark disruption, the Circle Line’s slump in train service has continued into its fifth day.
SMRT says the problem lies in a fault with the signaling system and its technicians are working to fix it.
Since Monday morning, trains on the 5-year-old line have had to apply emergency braking several times a day as they intermittently lose signalling communication with the tracks.
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SMRT switch off mobile network in attempt to fix 5-day train breakdown
Still clueless about the problem of intermittent signalling issues, SMRT switched off the mobile network in four stations for two hours in an attempt to fix the 5-day old train breakdown issue. SMRT suspect that third-party signal may be the cause of the signalling issue and hence decided to turn off the mobile network at Kent Ridge, Haw Par Villa, Pasir Panjang and Labrador Park between 7pm to 9pm yesterday (Sep 3).
The Circle Line saw trains travelling as slow as 18km/h for 5 days straight as SMRT lack the expertise to fix the issue. Travelling time for a usual 15 minutes ride extend to over 40 minutes, with stations severely overcrowded.
No alternative transport is provided and fare charges remain as usual. Over the period, Singaporean commuters lodged barrage of complains over the lack of responsibility and accountability by SMRT and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) in handling the train breakdown. Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan disappeared into hiding and passed the ball over to his LTA officials and SMRT personnel to handle the outrage.
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4 days in a row as Mystery deepens over Circle Line
18km/h – this is how slow the Circle Line trains are going right now on manual mode. Commuters on Singapore’s Circle Line are yet frustrated again by SMRT and the Land Transport Authority (LTA)’s incompetency to fix the train speed.
Despite blaming the problem solely on the signalling system, SMRT and LTA said they were still unable to pinpoint the problem and are now seeking assistance from its France-based manufacturer, Alstom.
According to state media, the trains started seeing intermittent losses of connection between the train transceivers 4 days ago when SMRT upgraded the signalling system software. SMRT has since rolled back the new upgrade and installed the old software, but the problem persists. State media calls the problem “a mystery” while LTA and SMRT remain clueless and unable to deliver a response.
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Circle Line may be plagued by disruptions 4 days in a row
SMRT said that the problem is caused by “signal interference, causing intermittent loss of signal between trains and stations.”
It further added: “We are working round the clock to restore service levels. However, as the CCL runs underground, trackside checks and physical interventions can only take place after operating hours although backend system checks are being conducted throughout daylight hours.”
SMRT’s Vice-President of Corporate Information and Communications Patrick Nathan said yesterday (31 Aug) that initial investigations showed “possible signal interference in tunnels, causing loss of signal between the trains and stations” – which its engineers had yet to confirm – and that SMRT and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) are working with Alstom to rectify the fault “as quickly as possible.”
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Delays expected as signalling issues plague Circle Line for 4th straight day
Commuters were told to expect delays as signalling problems continued to plague the Circle Line for the 4th day in a row, according to a news release issued by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and SMRT early on Thursday (Sep 1).
Commuters should factor in extra travel time to get to their appointments on time, the release said.
"We have narrowed the problem to signal interference, causing intermittent loss of signal between trains & stations," LTA & SMRT said, adding that they are working with a team of experts from train manufacturer Alstom to resolve the issue.
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TWO MRT LINES BREAKDOWN ONE AFTER ANOTHER ON TUESDAY PEAK HOUR TRAVEL
Two train disruptions hit SMRT-operated train lines on Tuesday (30 August 2016) peak hour causing major delays for commuters.
The first delay hit the North South Line (NSL) at around 6:08 am and lasted for about an hour. Although SMRT announced that the fault was resolved at 6:23 am, train speeds between Choa Chu Kang and Bukit Gombak stations were slow.
This was followed by the Circle Line (CCL) which faced a similar track fault delay an hour later further compounding the transport woes faced by Singaporeans.
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Two major train delays in N-S Line and Circle Line frustrates commuters
The North-South MRT line was hit by major delays this morning due to a track fault. SMRT first alerted commuters to the track fault at about 6am this morning and said that it was shutting down train services from Yew Tee to Bukit Gombak MRT stations.
It took the public transport operator more than 3 hours to restore service completely.
SMRT’s the Circle Line was also delayed. The delay is the second day in a row after yesterday’s train signalling issues.
Several commuters took to social media to express their unhappiness over the major delays.
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North-South Line experienced track fault causing slower train service for 3 hours
This morning (30 August) at around 6.08 am, SMRT tweeted that its North-South Line (NSL) had no train service from the YewTee to Bukit Gombak MRT stations due to a track fault.
Around 20 minutes later, it said that the service had resume and free bus service is still available.
Then it said that the trains are moving at a slower speed between Choa Chu Kang and Bukit Gombak.
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related:
Rise in major breakdowns but MRT gets more reliable
Train disruptions under new Minister of Transport
Two SMRTstaff killed by an oncoming train
Train service disrupted on N-S, E-W Lines
Recap of recent Train service disruptions
Recent Train Disruptions
Transport Woes #2
Transport Woes #1
Burned by mystery liquid in trains and bus stop
SMRT subway trains recalled after defects found
From Chan Khaw Teo to Vivian
