Pay higher MRT fares so more can own cars?

By Christopher Tan

WOULD you pay $5 to $10 for each pass of an electronic road pricing (ERP) gantry so that a neighbour who's earning a little less than you can afford to own a car? Put in a less altruistic way, would you accept those ERP charges so that car prices remain affordable to you when you next change your car?

Lower ownership costs = higher usage charges. Higher car population = higher usage charges. These are inescapable equations motorists in Singapore should be familiar with.

On an island where 12 per cent of available space is devoted to roads, and a car population that has grown by 32 per cent in the last decade, logic dictates that for the growth to speed up, something else has to give.

It's hard to say how much ERP charges will be in future, but a former minister of state for transport (it was then called communications) gave a hint four years ago. He revealed that if ERP were to be implemented islandwide - there are 43 locations now - the average daily charge might be $20. ERP rates currently hover between $0.50 and $2.50, largely unchanged since the scheme started in 1998.

But are higher ERP rates or wider ERP coverage the only solutions to congestion? Unlikely. While there are a large number of Singaporeans who buy a car because of status, there are those who depend on the car on a daily basis for commuting.

So an excellent public transport system can also become a powerful car demand management tool. Take Hong Kong for instance. Car ownership there is lower than Singapore's (despite lower prices), but it has twice the density of rail lines as Singapore. Of course it had a headstart in mass rapid transit.

Singapore is proud of its public transport system, having spent billions on it in recent years. Nevertheless, a feedback forum chaired by Professor K. Raguraman of the National University of Singapore recently found that Singaporeans wanted more money to be spent on buses and trains. Participants felt that the amount invested in public transport was not commensurate with the amount of revenue collected from road users. They also wanted more MRT lines to be built and built earlier.

A similar argument rages on and off in London. It's been a year since motorists entering central London have to pay a £5 (S$16) toll. The scheme has undoubtedly improved traffic flow. In the first six months alone, central London's traffic dropped 16 per cent, and average trip by car became 14 per cent quicker.

Although the ERP-style scheme worked well, there is some disenchantment over the public transport system - especially the subway. Londoners feel that the scheme would have been so much more effective if money had been spent on improving public transport before the toll was implemented. This way, those who do not wish to pay the toll could then have a better alternative.

In Singapore, where a relatively high percentage of trips are still made via private cars (going by average annual mileage of 18,000km to 20,000km per car), that's certainly something to think about. Especially if ERP charges are set to rise.

The catch here is that MRT lines, while they are the preferred and efficient mode of transit, are extremely costly. Building them without a sizeable commuter base would result in higher fares. Singapore, after all, has only about half the population of Hong Kong, for instance.

In that case, a twisted version of the question that began this article could be posed. Would you pay higher MRT fares so that you - or your neighbour - can aspire or continue to own a car?

I think it is better to tax the gas usage on cars and that the tax money should go to build MRTS and subvention the MRT-fare.

for instance.
gas price in Sweden is 9 Swedish krona / per L (litre) = 2.08 Singapore Dollar.

:)

Originally posted by drwho

I think it is better to tax the gas usage on cars and that the tax money should go to build MRTS and subvention the MRT-fare.

for instance.
gas price in Sweden is 9 Swedish krona / per L (litre) = 2.08 Singapore Dollar.

:) Hmm....I am not too sure about the cost of petrol here...anyone has any ideas?

dudes..whats the petrol price in Singapore?:)

Tax-break blues for drivers of 'green' cars

By Christopher Tan

SINGAPORE's maiden fleet of fuel cell-powered Mercedes-Benzes will go on the road soon. Details of the seven cars, along with who they will be assigned to, will be announced next week at an event at the Conrad Hotel. It's likely to be a glitzy affair, with the spin doctors proclaiming how this is a bold and visionary step for Singapore.

No doubt, it will be. Singapore's meteoric growth in the last four decades has largely been driven by its thirst for knowledge. Here, technologies such as those employed in electric, hybrid, or fuel cell vehicles are exciting not only because they are environmentally-correct, but also because of their potential economic spin-offs.

If Singapore gets a head start by being one of the few countries to 'test-bed' vehicles such as the fuel cell Mercedes A-class cars, it could gain an edge in the knowledge race. The strategy would directly benefit sectors such as electronics, chemicals and software solutions.

That would justify the millions in taxes Singapore will exempt these cars from. In the case of the fuel cell Mercs, the amount is substantial as each is estimated to cost more than $1.5 million - or what a Rolls-Royce limousine might fetch.

Two years ago, a fleet of 30 petrol-electric Honda Civics were granted similar tax exemptions. The fleet is used in a car sharing/rental scheme in the city centre and makes use of a satellite-based management system. Without tax breaks, which include certificate of entitlement (COE) exemption, each car would have cost $120,000 or more at the time.

The Honda scheme met with limited success until it teamed up recently with NTUC Income's car co-op. As for the seven fuel cell Mercs (out of a total of 60 produced), they will be assigned to private institutions and government bodies, including one for the National Environment Agency. All well and good, because, as mentioned, 'test-bedding' these cars will hopefully raise Singapore's knowledge quotient by a notch or two.

What's puzzling though is why we do not have an equal approach for private citizens who want to drive such new-tech vehicles. In December, the Government extended a three-year 'green rebate' programme for another two years. But the extension did little to address the chasm between the price of an alternative-energy vehicle and a conventional one.

Even with the rebate scheme, a car like the Toyota Prius - a petrol-electric hybrid - costs about $25,000 more than an equivalent model like the Corolla. The new Prius, incidentally, is technologically superior to the hybrid Civic used in the rental fleet that was accorded the generous tax exemptions. Not only does it have lower emissions, it has options like bluetooth communications, and an industry-first self-park system.

Can we address the anomaly between incentives granted for 'test-bed' vehicles and those accessible to ordinary consumers who want to go green? Should we?

It depends on who you believe. Car-makers at the forefront of alternative power research reckon the days of the internal combustion engine are dwindling. BMW believes that by 2020, half of all the new cars it sells will run on hydrogen. Toyota also states that the ultimate automotive energy source will be hydrogen, but hybrid engines are viable choices until hydrogen technology becomes commercially viable.

But if you ask the oil producers, you will get another view. ExxonMobil, for instance, reckons fossil fuel will remain the primary power source for decades to come. What they fail to point out is there will come a time when the cost of extracting oil (from currently economically-inaccessible places) will rise to a level which makes alternatives palatable.

Here, where petrol duty is both government revenue and part and parcel of a car-control policy, there could be an additional reluctance to facilitate a proliferation of alternative-power vehicles.

4 March 2004

Budget airline said it had accepted independent bus operator's offer, and wasn't aware permits not obtained

By Karamjit Kaur

BUDGET carrier AirAsia yesterday denied it was providing a bus service to ferry its passengers between Singapore and Senai Airport in Johor. An independent company is doing so, it said.

The airline also insisted it was not aware that the operators of the service do not have the necessary permits to run it.

Mr Tony Fernandes, chief executive of the Malaysian low-cost airline, said that the carrier had been approached by a Malaysian bus operator offering to provide the ser- vice.

AirAsia accepted its proposal and decided that as a service to its customers, it would not charge for the bus rides, which it has been advertising on its website until recently.

'We relied on the representatives of the bus company that all permits and insurance were in order and all necessary requirements fulfilled,' he said.

It is not clear whether AirAsia had asked to see the permits and why the airline's suspicions were not raised by the bus company's offer, as an earlier application to operate a bus link between Singapore and Senai was turned down by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) only in December.

AirAsia had tried for almost a year before that to get the LTA to approve a direct link between Changi Airport and Senai, which would have cut travel time for passengers from about two hours to one.

The unlicensed bus service started on Monday; on Tuesday, at about 5pm, LTA's enforcement officers impounded two buses at Lavender MRT station.

One was a Singapore vehicle registered to Luxury Coach Service, which was about to leave for Senai with about 20 passengers on board. The second was Malaysian-registered and had just arrived from Senai.

The Straits Times understands that the passengers on the Singapore bus ended up taking taxis to Senai.

Mr Fernandes said in a statement: 'We're still unclear why the bus was stopped and we hope the authorities will give a satisfactory reply.'

Meanwhile, the LTA has interviewed the drivers and owners of both buses and will decide later what action it will take against them, if any.

A spokesman said that both buses are authorised to carry tourists between Singapore and Malaysia. However, their licences do not allow them to operate scheduled services between Lavender MRT station and Senai.

The managing director of Luxury Coach Service, Mr Vincent Lee, 52, said he was shocked when he found out his bus had been impounded.

He claimed that the driver had not informed him he had entered into a private agreement with the Malaysian bus operator.

Mr Lee, who spent the morning at the LTA office in Sin Ming Road where his 45-seater bus is parked, said: 'Now, I can't get my bus back until the investigations are over. Every day it's parked I lose about $400.'

The company operates a fleet of 44 buses, which runs between Singapore and Malaysia.

The drivers of the two impounded buses and the boss of the Malaysian bus company could not be contacted.

It is not clear whether AirAsia had asked to see the permits and why the airline's suspicions were not raised by the bus company's offer, as an earlier application to operate a bus link between Singapore and Senai was turned down by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) only in December.Hmm.............;)

An interesting way to reduce the number of cars on the roads?

Surge in car-share scheme membership

By Christopher Tan

A FIRST-of-its-kind car-sharing scheme started two years ago has more than trebled its fleet and garnered 600 members. Honda Diracc, known as the Honda Intelligent Community Vehicle System when it was launched here in February 2002, started with 15 cars. It now has 50 petrol-electric Civics.

Each Diracc car has an orange-blue number plate, signifying that they are on a research and development grant - from the Economic Development Board - and thus exempted from hefty taxes. Honda Diracc director Gan Kok Seng said each car costs around $30,000, compared with about $100,000 for an equivalent Civic hybrid sold by authorised agent Kah Motor. 'This grant's not forever. It's only for three or four years,' he explained, adding that it would be reviewed.

The scheme's membership reached 200 last June, and trebled after that. Mr Gan said this was after Diracc was rebranded, the time-based charges reduced, and a tie-up formed with the NTUC Income car cooperative in December. No bookings are necessary to use Diracc cars. Through a sophisticated computer and satellite-tracking system, a user can check their availability at eight locations via SMS. He gets in the car using an ez-link card, keys in a PIN and drop-off point, and drives off.

The scheme was originally meant to maximise the use of cars and parking lots within the city but members had other ideas. Most cars were taken overnight, over weekends or on public holidays. So the charging format that penalised long-time usage was changed. To improve daytime use, Mr Gan is targeting corporations, which now make up 40 per cent of members. Diracc also aims to have three more locations and 600 more members in a year's time.

Though the firm is in deficit, it is planning a business model without a tax break. Honda plans to apply the system elsewhere too, with Japan, China and Europe as possible venues.

Originally posted by huaiwei

Hmm.............;)

I think they close one eye lah..hoping not to get caught;)

But I am impressed that the authorities were quick to detect something as innocent as boarding a coach:cheers:

Fee to convert off-peak car cut to $100

LTA: $700 reduction prompted by public feedback

By Christopher Tan

CAR owners can now convert a car from off-peak to normal usage for $100 instead of $800. Public feedback prompted the $700 cut, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said yesterday. The decision was taken after a recent review of the scheme, which was reported first by The Straits Times in January.

The change brings the fee in line with the existing charge levied for converting a normal car to an off-peak vehicle. 'The previous fee was pegged to the $800 discount on road tax off-peak cars enjoyed,' said an LTA spokesman. 'It was also thought to discourage frivolous conversions.'

The off-peak car scheme was introduced in 1994 to allow more people to own cars but not contribute to peak-hour congestion. Buyers paid lower taxes for such cars, but they could be driven only on evenings, weekends and public holidays.

The 1994 scheme was a revision of the 1991 weekend car scheme, which was found to favour buyers of large and expensive models. Since October 2000, they have been able to convert their cars, which bear red plates, to normal cars. About 1,000 were converted between 2001 and last year.

Owners pay the conversion fee, as well as a pro-rated amount of a normal car's taxes or certificate of entitlement (COE). Off-peak cars enjoy tax rebates of up to $17,000 (which can be used to offset COE premium or additional registration fee), and a yearly $800 discount on road tax.

The conversion option has boosted the popularity of the scheme. Fewer than 100 a year were registered in the late 1990s, but last year, the number surged to a record 920, partly fuelled by lower car prices. At the end of last year, there were 2,644 off-peak cars on the road - 0.65 per cent of the car population of about 405,000.

I wish the day will come when these cars take over the roads!! :D

Six 'green' Mercs heading here for test

Five parties agree to test hydrogen-powered cars, which will be shipped here from May; refuelling at BP station in Upper East Coast

By Christopher Tan

FIVE parties have agreed to be part of a multi-million-dollar programme to test a fleet of Mercedes-Benzes here that run on hydrogen-generated electricity. They are the National Environment Agency (NEA), oil company BP Singapore, Conrad Centennial Singapore hotel, tyre-maker Michelin and airline company Lufthansa.

Car company DaimlerChrysler, which is producing 60 of the environmentally-friendly fuel cell vehicles, will ship six here from May in a two-year Government-supported scheme to test-bed new technologies. The other 54 will be sent to Sacramento, Tokyo, Berlin and Stuttgart for similar trials. Each of the five Singapore partners will take delivery of one car. DaimlerChrysler's regional headquarters here will have the sixth.

The A-class Mercs are the world's first production fuel cell cars. The fuel is hydrogen, which undergoes an electrochemical reaction with oxygen in the air to produce electricity in a fuel cell stack to drive an electric motor. The only thing that comes out of the tailpipe is water.

The 'green' cars will refuel at a BP station in Upper East Coast Road. The pump can store 70kg of hydrogen, enough to fill up one of the fuel cell vehicles 35 times. The hydrogen will be produced on Jurong Island, using natural gas. During the trial period, the vehicles' consumption, performance and reliability will be collated. The data will be used in the development of future models.

DaimlerChrysler South-east Asia chief executive Frank Messer said that the experience gained from the trial is 'very important in resolving any outstanding issues regarding this technology. This is especially so, when all our partners are from different walks of life.'

All the various partners have their own reasons for supporting the programme. Michelin, for instance, spends an undisclosed amount on its annual Challenge Bibendum, a 'race' between cars with new technologies and environmental standards.

Lufthansa sees its involvement as part of its innovative spirit. Its regional director, Mr Arved von zur Muehlen, pointed out that the airline was the first to introduce onboard access to the Internet. He added: 'The airline has been able to reduce its fuel consumption by 27 per cent since 1991 to 4.5 litres per passenger per 100km. Our newest aircraft, the Airbus A340-600, actually uses only 3.6 litres.'

The NEA, which has had limited success in promoting environmentally-correct vehicles here, said the fuel cell Merc is a welcome addition to Singapore's small fleet of petrol-electric hybrids, electric, and natural gas-powered vehicles. The agency has a Volvo which runs on gas and petrol. Its director-general of environmental protection, Mr Loh Ah Tuan, noted that despite current tax breaks, 'green' cars are still too costly. The NEA will continue to push for more incentives. 'We've not given up,' he said.

Each fuel cell A-class Merc is said to cost $1.8 million, although DaimlerChrysler would not confirm this, saying the car is not for sale. The company has spent more than a billion euros (S$2.07 billion) on fuel cell development. It unveiled its first fuel cell vehicle in 1994, and by the end of this year will have more than 100 of them, mostly buses, on the road.

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2004-03-04/04cyber.jpg
Out of tailpipe comes... water. That's the environmentally-friendly "waste" that is generated by the A-class Merc, which is powered by hydrogen.

hydrogen-powered cars are cool. I know that Volvo and Saab has some prototypes on the roads here in Sweden.

But you know..when people attention goes to hydrogen-fuel..OPEC starts to whine ;)

:)

Originally posted by drwho

hydrogen-powered cars are cool. I know that Volvo and Saab has some prototypes on the roads here in Sweden.

But you know..when people attention goes to hydrogen-fuel..OPEC starts to whine ;)

:) Wahaha!! Maybe someone ought to remind them that their oil reserves will run out someday, and by diversifying our fuel sources, we are actually prolonging their "stinking" (in terms of environmental pollution) existence! :D

Seems that Singapore is a test-bed for these new cars, or are they for sale?

Steering towards 'green' gas stations

19 March 2004

Pact is inked to set up 10 natural gas stations when there's 'critical demand'; but gas-powered cabs cost more to run

By Sharmilpal Kaur

SOON, motorists may literally be able to step on the gas.

Over the next two years, as many as 10 re-fuelling stations for vehicles powered by natural gas are likely to be set up here, as new incentives kick in for taxi fleet operators to switch from diesel to gas.

But there must be demand before the stations are built, said Acting Permanent Secretary (Environment) Tan Yong Soon.

Gas Supply and SembGas, which buy natural gas from Indonesia, agreed on Wednesday to establish up to 10 stations once a 'critical mass' is reached.

Gas Supply told The Straits Times: 'For a start, we need at least six to seven stations to support a taxi fleet.

'We would like to work with taxi companies to have them commit to a long-term number of about 3,000 to 4,000 taxis within the next two years.'

Setting up the stations near the fleet bases will cost $40 to $50 million, it said.

SembGas, which runs the only natural gas station here on Jurong Island, had not responded by press time.

In Parliament on Monday, Environment Minister Lim Swee Say had announced new incentives to tempt taxi fleet operators to replace ageing diesel-powered taxis with gas-powered ones.

So, until October 2006, the additional registration fee (ARF) on new taxis that run on natural gas will be just 10 per cent, instead of the 110 per cent levied on diesel cabs.

These incentives also apply if taxi operators' fleets comply with the stringent Euro 4 emission standards by October 2006. The measure aims to curb air pollution from diesel-powered vehicles.

For diesel buses, the ARF is just 5 per cent and even that will be waived if fleet operators switch to buses that run on natural gas.

Two such buses are already being tried out on SBS Service 105 which plies between Orchard Road and Jurong.

These new moves to clean up the air are aimed specifically at reducing the number of airborne particles no larger than 2.5 microns, which are mainly emitted by diesel vehicles. They can cause bronchitis, asthma and other respiratory problems.

Just one-twentieth the thickness of a human hair, they are also given off when electricity is generated, and through natural sources such as sea spray.

In Singapore, the level of such particles exceeds that of US cities such as Boston and New York.

But it won't be easy convincing taxi operators to gas up.

ComfortDelgro, which has 16,500 taxis, has been trying out nine natural gas taxis for a year.

But drivers can travel only 240km on a full tank of natural gas, compared with 500km on diesel, said its group corporate communications officer Tammy Tan.

This means an extra trip to Jurong Island each day to fuel up. The gas-powered cabs also have smaller boots, and this makes it inconvenient when passengers have luggage.

Then there's the issue of costs.

Said Ms Tan: 'Based on initial calculations, we find that even with the incentives, operating costs will be significantly higher than currently.'

Based on quotes that the company has received, she said, 'they cost as much as 80 per cent more than the basic cost of a diesel taxi'.

Review security of public transport system

FOLLOWING the tragic events in Spain where three explosions ripped a train during rush hour last Thursday, killing 200 commuters and injuring about 1,000, it is timely to review the safety of Singapore's public transportation, especially its extensive MRT network.

Since Sept 11, 2001, the Government has beefed up security at many places. However, it seems that the same vigilance has not been extended to the MRT stations and trains. The security of the MRT seems to have been left in the hands of the train operators.

There is also little public education to make commuters more alert to suspicious objects or persons, or to prepare them to handle emergencies.

I would like to suggest that the following measures be taken to safeguard public transport from terrorist attacks:

- Set up a Transportation Police Branch - different from the Traffic Police - comprising both police officers and rail workers trained by police, to boost the security of public transportation networks. These officers will patrol MRT stations, trains and also bus interchanges.

- Review areas of potential vulnerability.

- Conduct an extensive public-education programme to inform commuters how to react in the event of a disaster.

I am sure that many people using the MRT are ignorant of the steps to take should there be a terrorist attack.

LIEW KAI KHIUN
London,
United Kingdom


MY SYMPATHY goes out to Spain and its people for having to endure the intolerable crime committed by terrorists. We were reminded by Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng in Parliament that Singapore remains a prime target for international terrorists.

Being a user of public transport, I can't help but be concerned about the security of the system. Public transport seems to be a popular target of terrorists.

I would like to know how our public-transport system is secured and how, as a member of the public, I can help in its security.

WONG WENG FAI

The fares are affordable, really

Have bus and MRT fares risen faster than wages? This is an edited transcript of Transport Minister Yeo Cheow Tong's replies to MPs in Parliament last week.

PUBLIC transport fare revisions, no matter how small, never fail to ignite extensive and emotionally charged public debates. The Public Transport Council (PTC) is responsible for assessing fare revision applications by the public transport operators... It is a very delicate balance between safeguarding the commuter interests and ensuring the financial viability of the public transport operators.

It is a difficult and very unenviable task, but it is a very important one. And I am indeed glad that the PTC members have carried out this very difficult task in an outstanding manner. The PTC is currently guided by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) + X formula. The formula sets the cap for fare increases each year, and was first implemented in 1998. The value of X takes into consideration cost increases and discounts for productivity. I think this latter part is very important because if the operators do not gain from the productivity improvements, then really there's no reason for them to look into improving their productivity.

The PTC has safeguarded commuters' interests very well under the CPI+X framework. Since the adoption of the formula six years ago, public transport fares have increased by a total of about 5 per cent. This is much lower than the cap of 15 per cent allowed under the CPI+X formula, and certainly much lower than the 20 per cent increase in average wages over the last six years.

Although the CPI+X formulation has worked out well, it is timely to review the fare review framework, and to see how it can be further improved. And I think this is especially so because the current value of X in the formula will expire next year.

I am therefore very happy to inform this House that I intend to appoint Mr Chay Wai Chuen (Tanjong Pagar GRC) as chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Transport, to form a committee to undertake this review. The review committee will study and propose improvements to the framework for the annual fare review exercise, including the CPI+X formulation. The outcome of the review should be a framework that continues to achieve a good balance between affordable fares and sustainable public transport operations.

I look forward to the committee completing its work within a year. My ministry and the PTC will support the secretariat and the other support for the work of the committee. I hope Mr Chay will be kind enough to undertake this very challenging assignment.

WRONG PERCEPTION

MANY people appear to have the perception that public transport costs have gone up significantly over the years. It is therefore important for me to assure members of the House as well as the public that this is not so.

Between 1987 and 2002, average wages went up by 136 per cent. But for an average 8km trip, bus fares went up by only 14 per cent, from 90 cents to $1.03 and train fares by 30 per cent, from 80 cents to $1.04. Therefore, we should commend the operators for having done a good job of providing a service that is even more affordable today compared to 17 years ago relative to average wages. Members will also be happy to know that SBS Transit has indicated it would not be applying for a fare adjustment this year and I think this is indeed good news for commuters.

Moving forward, we will continue to work with the operators to help them lower costs.

The perception that transport fares have been going up and going up rapidly, and therefore becoming unaffordable, is very much a misplaced one. Fares have gone up much less than the average wage increases over the last 17 years. Public transport expenditure as a proportion of household expenditure has decreased from 5.1 per cent in 1988 to 4 per cent in 1998. In 1988, the household income was $642 for the 20th percentile. And 10 years later in 1998, the 20th percentile income had gone up, had more than doubled, to $1,368.

What this means is that with regard to the lowest 20th percentile, the impact on them has been that fares have become a lot more affordable.

It's no go for these road studs

THESE blinking lights do a good job of warning motorists of the twists and turns of Eng Neo Avenue, off Dunearn Road. But you won't see these solar-powered Intelligent Road Studs on other roads any time soon.

A two-year trial that ended last year concluded that the studs, which light up only when it is dark, are just too expensive. They cost the Land Transport Authority (LTA) $30,000 to install, seven times more than regular reflectors, which the LTA reckons are adequate, since local roads are lit well enough. But the studs will continue to serve Eng Neo Avenue.

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2004-03-18/H7_0318.jpg

Originally posted by huaiwei

It's no go for these road studs

THESE blinking lights do a good job of warning motorists of the twists and turns of Eng Neo Avenue, off Dunearn Road. But you won't see these solar-powered Intelligent Road Studs on other roads any time soon.

A two-year trial that ended last year concluded that the studs, which light up only when it is dark, are just too expensive. They cost the Land Transport Authority (LTA) $30,000 to install, seven times more than regular reflectors, which the LTA reckons are adequate, since local roads are lit well enough. But the studs will continue to serve Eng Neo Avenue.

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2004-03-18/H7_0318.jpg

so expensive! :eek2:

Originally posted by RafflesCity

so expensive! :eek2: But very pretty effect!! :D What a pity. ;)

Originally posted by RafflesCity

Yup I saw those and I feel they add a visible sense of security.

I think marshals on MRT trains sounds ridiculous I mean I feel really safe on the MRT, but perhaps it is better to take all measures you never can be too safe...

yea.....I agree.....actually having visible guards on the MRT is kinda a good idea to deter would-be-terrorist. In fact having seen guards at every BKK's Skytrain station......I think these terrorist would think twice before going about on their errants. ;)

And having extra personnel would mean that there are extra eyes to spot suspicious-looking packages or bags that could contain nerve agents or bombs.

It might looked a bit strange and awkward having security personnels around but it is better to be safe........ :) .... At least it could deter pick-pockets or snatch thives too! :D

Originally posted by huaiwei

But very pretty effect!! :D What a pity. ;)


yea I really like the effects! ;) .....there's a pretty long stretch coming down from Genting Highlands that have these........I love em! Drivin on em seems like you're landing your 'car' on the airport runway! :D .......and they come in multiple colours! :lol:

Originally posted by szehoong

yea I really like the effects! ;) .....there's a pretty long stretch coming down from Genting Highlands that have these........I love em! Drivin on em seems like you're landing your 'car' on the airport runway! :D .......and they come in multiple colours! :lol: Wah...and how much does it cost for such a long stretch? :eek: That stretch on the road here is only a few hundred metres or so! :D

This is very belated, but helps to answer drwho's earlier qn about pump prices? :D

Dearer crude oil ups pump prices

WITH crude oil prices at their highest in over a decade, road users will have to get used to higher pump prices.

From today, diesel at American oil giant ExxonMobil's 77 stations will cost an extra three cents a litre. The increase - the third since December - brings the diesel price to 76.2 cents a litre. With today's increase, the price has now risen by nine cents a litre since December.

Even so, industry sources insist, pump rates still lag behind product prices. Brent crude for instance, has gone up by about US$8 (S$13) a barrel since last June to US$34.

'A US$1 per barrel increase in product price roughly translates to a one-cent increase in pump price here,' one source said. Between December and last month, petrol prices rose by 10 cents a litre; and diesel, by six cents a litre.

Oil companies have also cut back on the discounts they offer at selected sites, from about 13 per cent in the latter half of last year, to just 6 per cent early this year.

Meanwhile, transport operator ComfortDelGro has been charging its cabbies 36 per cent more for diesel since last June. But its rates are still slightly lower than what oil companies charge, even with discounts of 15 to 18 per cent.

612 jobs lost in Comfort-DelGro merger

By Christopher Tan

A TOTAL of 612 jobs were trimmed after taxi operator Comfort Group merged with bus company DelGro Corp last April.

The redundancies made up 4 per cent of the merged group's staff strength of about 15,000, of which more than 10,000 are Singapore-based.

In the group's inaugural annual report which was released to the press yesterday, group chairman Lim Jit Poh said: 'In all, 612 staff members left us and were not replaced. The cost of this was about $19 million.'

However, he said the group would save $27 million a year on staff costs from the leaner workforce.

The group refused to say how many of the 612 employees were retrenched, but Mr Lim said those who left included those 'who could not cope with the added responsibilities' of the merger.

He also revealed that there were layoffs as a result of changes such as the introduction of the North-East MRT line, 'which affected the bus business'.

'There were also retrenchments because we had become complacent and had an excessive head count,' he said.

He added that some of this pertained to overseas units.

Finally, Mr Lim said 'some retrenchments consequent to the merger were inevitable'.

When contacted, the chairman said that overall, the year-old merger had been positive, as the market capitalisation of ComfortDelGro was now 'almost double' that of the two companies before they came together.

ComfortDelGro is now worth $2.39 billion on the stock market.

This compares with a combined worth of $1.24 billion before the merger.

Shareholders should be glad, he said.

The group's biggest shareholder is the Singapore Labour Foundation, with an 18.43 per cent stake.

No sign of let-up in scrapping of cars

Number of vehicles deregistered in this year's first quarter 14% higher than last year's; 300,000 shipped out since 1998

By Christopher Tan

THEY predicted it would stop in 2002; it did not. Then they said it would end for sure by 2003. Again, it did not. So when motor traders claimed the phenomenon of scrapping cars prematurely would definitely taper off come 2004, no one paid much attention.

Rightfully too. Deregistrations in the first quarter hit a high of 30,025, with an average of 10,000 vehicles scrapped each month, or more than 300 per day.

This was 14 per cent higher than the same quarter last year.

From 1998, the year the practice started to escalate, to last month , more than half a million vehicles have been deregistered in Singapore.

About 330,000 of them were cars, and an estimated 250,000 were five years old or newer.

The trend has created a new industry in Singapore: vehicle export.

Those in the trade estimate Singapore exported up to 300,000 vehicles in the last five years. That is more than what an up-and-coming car-producing country like Thailand managed in the last two years.

'This has become a big business, and it will become even bigger,' predicted a partner of car-exporter Prime Leasing, Mr Neo Nam Heng.

The Land Transport Authority assigned four zones for export-processing a year ago. Deregistered vehicles are kept there until overseas buyers are found for them.

Located in Jurong (two zones), Tuas and Kranji, each zone holds between 450 and 800 cars.

But space is running out fast. This week, the operators got permission to expand their lots.

So far, two of the zone operators have spread out. Prime Leasing can now take in at least 1,800 cars, double its limit, while Forward Motors has raised capacity from 500 to 900 cars.

Forward's managing director, Mr Lee Choon Khim, said that even this 'will be filled up very soon' as the operators are collecting more than they are selling.

He said cars exported from Singapore - in demand because they are well-kept, well-equipped and have low mileages - are already 'creating a little impact' on a traditional used-car exporter like Japan.

The cars are exported to places like Cyprus, Sri Lanka, Trinidad, Thailand and New Zealand.

He predicts premature de- registration will slow down once certificate of entitlement prices climb. Car COEs are now $3,000 higher on average than they were six months ago.

But private exporter Jerry Low reckons the trend will continue for some time because the Government has said it will lower the upfront cost of owning a car.

Who would you believe?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SELL OR EXPORT?

DON'T know whether to sell or to export? Here's a guide.

Generally, if your car was bought with a high COE, a high loan interest rate and has a high scrap rebate, it should be deregistered and exported.

To find out how much rebate it gets, log on to www.onemotoring.com.sg and go to the top frequently asked question, 'How much is the Parf/COE rebate upon deregistration?'. Then click the icon in Step 3.

And to find out how much your car will fetch abroad, here are four exporters to call: Forward Motors (6367-3878/6465-4466), Prime Leasing (6863-2252), Export Processing Zone (6262-6033) and Sembawang Kimtrans (6210-2129/6210-2164).

If the sum of the rebate and export value is higher than what the car is worth on the resale market here (check against rates in The Straits Times Classifieds), deregister it for export.

By Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE: Transport operator SMRT has decided not to raise its train and bus fares this year.

SMRT made known its decision on Friday, the eve of the deadline to apply to the Public Transport Council for any fare hike.

There has been widespread speculation that SMRT is heading that way.

Fares were last raised two years ago amidst much controversy and unhappiness.

ComfortDelgro and SBS Transit assured commuters early on they won't raise fares this year.

But as the May 1 deadline to apply for fare increases loomed, speculation was rife that SMRT might take a different track.

For SMRT, which hasn't raised fares for two years and which has been facing higher cost pressures due to SARS, GST absorption and the start of North East Line, the pressure has been to at least ask for something.

But after mulling over the figures and fares for two months, SMRT decided to back down from asking for any increase.

The reason: times are still tough.

"We've never come out to say that we are (raising fares). We are mindful of the fact that the economic situation is recovering but it is still uncertain in the near future and there are a lot of commuters who have hardships," said SMRT president Saw Phaik Hwa.

SMRT added that to ease the financial burden of commuters, it will continue to absorb the one percentage point increase in Goods and Services Tax (GST).

But were there other forces keeping fares at current levels?

"There are always pressures because nobody likes fare increases. We look forward to a time when there is a formula where increases are given in small steps, not painful and not a political situation," Ms Saw said. - CNA

The car repo man is busier than ever

Bigger yards are needed for recovered cars - many fairly new; sources reckon repossessions easily top 10,000 a year

By Christopher Tan

THE repo man is back. And he is busier than ever, judging by the bigger car yards that repossessed cars are being parked in, and that these pounds are now in plain view.

Take the example of the converted carpark outside Haw Par Villa in Pasir Panjang. It has about 200 repossessed cars lined up, many of them belonging to credit company SDL Leasing.

Previously, repo men were quite covert in their operations, and kept repossessed vehicles in obscure spots well hidden from the public eye. Fenced-up industrial areas were a favourite choice.

The move to more open areas 'shows that other discreet places are filled up', a consumer bank officer said.

The growth of car repossession companies is another hint that business is brisk.

For example, established player Hwa Keat Vehicle Repossession Service has more than trebled its storage capacity from five years ago.

'Now, we have space for 700 cars,' said Mr Kelvin Teo, a manager at Hwa Keat. 'I would say we're one of three biggest companies here. We have 20-plus people.'

Though there are no official figures, industry sources reckon there are easily over 10,000 repossessions a year here. The police, which have to be informed of each repossession, do not collate figures for public consumption.

Banking sources said the deregulated vehicle-financing market has contributed to more cars being repossessed. With almost no down payment required in some cases, many people who can't quite afford to own a car are tempted into buying one anyway.

Thus, lenders are faced with many new clients - and so are more conservative when they miss instalment payments. Under the law, the lender has a right to repossess if the car owner fails to make good his late payment within 14 days of receiving a notice from the lender. But in practice, lenders tend to give repeat customers some leeway.

Repossessed cars are kept in a pound until dues are paid. If the borrower cannot pay up, the vehicle is put up for sale, usually via auction.

Also, the repossessed vehicles are much newer. 'More than 60 per cent are new cars,' said Hwa Keat's Mr Teo. Mr Jerry See of repo firm J.S. Recovery concurred. 'Many are two to three years old. Sometimes we see cars that are just a few months old,' he said.

The repo men are not complaining. Mr See, a veteran with over 10 years of experience, said more are going into the business now because 'the economy is not so good'.

Many are just one-man operations.

Mr See has a team of six today. He said he recovers about 200 cars a month, and is paid $200-$250 per car by the bank or finance company.

'If the car has been driven to Malaysia or even Thailand, the price will be higher, of course. And if the car owner is nasty or a gangster type, the price will be different too.'

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2004-04-26/h5.jpg
Over 200 repossessed cars are parked in the converted carpark near Haw Par Villa. -- WONG KWAI CHOW

Income's car co-op plans overseas tie-up

By Ho Ka Wei

CAR sharing is getting so popular that NTUC Income , which runs the largest car co-operative here, is shifting gears to drive the idea farther to places like Malaysia and Hong Kong within a year.

Income's chief executive Tan Kin Lian told The Straits Times yesterday that the Car Co-op is working with partners, and that the idea may be realised 'within a year'.

As a measure of its popularity, the subsidiary of NTUC Income has more than 4,000 members now, up from the 50 it started with in 1997.

In the first quarter of this year alone, 500 new members joined, compared with 200 in the same period last year.

Since 1997, the co-operative has also gone from having four cars and one pick-up point to 131 vehicles at 40 areas.

It plans to expand further by the end of the year - to 6,000 members, 160 cars and more than 50 pick-up locations.

With this growing interest in car sharing, said Mr Tan, it will mean that more cars - even premium ones - will be added to the co-operative's fleet.

For example, it added an Alfa Romeo 146 yesterday to its stable, which includes Mitsubishi, Toyota and Nissan sedans.

Car Co-op is one of five such outfits here. The others are CitySpeed, part of ComfortDelGro Corp, Honda Diracc, WhizzCar and Hertz.

Car Co-op general manager Lewis Chen said a trial to allow cross-sharing of cars with the latter two firms has started. This means another 46 cars could potentially be used by Income's members.

At the co-operative's first family day yesterday, which included a car rally to heritage spots in Singapore, Mr Tan, 55, told The Straits Times: 'People with small cars may also want to join, just to drive an Alfa or try other cars for the fun of it.

'If I were 30 years younger, I would want to rent a car like that and drive my girlfriend around.'

The chance to drive different cars is certainly a strong selling point for Mr Koh Choon Nguan, 50, and his family, who are all members of the scheme.

He and his wife, property agent June Sim, 49, scrapped their Hyundai last year and might not buy a replacement.

Joining the co-op means the family can sample different makes, he said, as well as avoid squabbles over who gets to use the family car.

READING ON THE JOB:

I was at Outram Park MRT station on April 22 at about 6.30pm to take the train to Tampines. As the train pulled into the station, I saw the driver had a book sitting snugly on the steering wheel. I had a good view of his cabin as I was at the front end of the platform.

It is all very well if nothing untoward happens. But can someone driving a train and reading a book at the same time spot potential hazards? And if he can, will he react in time to avert disaster?

CHRISTINA TIANG (MS)

:eek: :eek:

Train, bus fares unlikely to rise this year

TRAIN and bus fares are unlikely to go up this year.

SMRT Corporation, which runs the North-South and East-West MRT lines as well as Tibs buses, said yesterday that it will not apply to the Public Transport Council for a change.

Neither will SBS Transit, which runs SBS Transit buses and the North-East MRT Line.

It had said in March that it would not do so.

SMRT chief executive Saw Phaik Hwa said the company's revenue declined in the last financial year.

This was because of Sars, absorbing the goods and services tax (GST), the impact of the North-East Line and an overall increase in operating costs.

'However, we're mindful the economy is only starting to mend and commuters are still facing hardship,' she said.

She added that SMRT, which did not ask for any fare increase last year, will continue to absorb the one percentage point increase in GST made last year and again this year.

On Wednesday, the company reported a 24.2 per cent rise in net profit to $89.5 million, despite turnover dipping 2.7 per cent to $667.3 million.

However, commuters will eventually have to help share the cost of upcoming security measures for buses and trains with transport operators.

Traditionally, the approval of the Public Transport Council, for requests to raise fares, is based on an operator's performance in the previous year, not on projected increases in costs.

I hope they don't raise the price next year too.....:D

I hope they don't raise the price next year too.....:D
This year's promise usually means they have an excuse next year. We can only hope for the best....

This year's promise usually means they have an excuse next year. We can only hope for the best....

Actually sekali....after three months they'll raise it.....haha.....:D

Woah and the response from "the others" are "enormous"....haha....:D

Three months? Why three?

Three months? Why three?

Just came out of my mind....nothing statistical about it.....:D

MAY 6, 2004

That's what commuters waste in unclaimed refunds and underused cards, among other things

By Christopher Tan

PUBLIC transport commuters 'throw away' about $10 million each year in unused fares.

This is mainly in unclaimed refunds from the now defunct magnetic farecard, underused student concession cards, unreturned single-trip tickets, and lost cards.

SMRT Corp reported last week that its income in the past financial year had been boosted by unused fares amounting to nearly $10 million.

At SBS Transit, unused fares average $2.5 million a year.

In all, since 2000, the sums to both operators total about $40 million.

On top of that, The Straits Times understands, farecard company TransitLink is sitting on $10 million more in unclaimed refunds. The company, a joint venture between the two operators, was unable to comment.

Short of ringing a bell on every street corner, the operators have put in place refund avenues. For instance, TransitLink's website said refunds for magnetic farecards - now replaced by contactless ez-link cards - will be given at 10 designated ticket offices until the end of next month.

From July 1, refunds can be claimed only at the TransitLink head office at Buona Vista MRT station.

Refunds can be made on cards within four years from the day they were bought or last topped up.

The magnetic card was phased out by the end of 2002.

The Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) reckons more can be done.

'The present system of getting a refund is very cumbersome and many consumers do not have the time,' said Case president Yeo Guat Kwang.

'It may also be costly as consumers have to incur transport costs travelling to designated locations to get the refund.'

He suggested using post offices and banks as well.

Most commuters interviewed said they were either not aware of refund policies, or the amounts left on their cards were too small for them to bother.

Ms Ivy Ong, 38, a fashion merchandiser, said it is just 'laziness' that she hasn't claimed a refund.

'Maybe I should go look for them. I think I have a few lying around,' she said, expressing surprise that so much money was waiting to be claimed.

Marketing executive Quek Kar Lian, 27, was not aware she can get a refund.

'Anyway, my balances are negligible. Who knows? One day, I may be able to sell them as collectibles,' she said.

Mr Francis Tan, 43, who teaches in a private school, said he and his wife have three magnetic cards with a total balance of between $6 and $7.

'We'll keep them as souvenirs,' he said. 'It's a hassle to queue up for refunds. It requires time, effort and money.'

He is prepared to let the operators keep the money, unless the refund can be sent by post.

Civil servant Yip Pei Shang, 26, has 10 farecards. 'I used two of them regularly and maybe each still has $5 or so left. The rest are commemorative cards, with $2 on each.

'I'd go for refunds if the balance was high, like more than $10, and if it was convenient to do so. As it is, the amount is small to me and I don't mind it going to the transport companies so they can have better profits and maybe improve services.'

If the refunds are not claimed by 2006, the money will be booked into the operators' bottom line as unused fares.

Transport companies said income from other forms of unused fares is largely an accounting phenomenon.

A spokesman for SMRT Corp said: 'It's really accounting treatment. Most of it is from 'unused' trips in concession passes, which are actually subsidised by full-paying commuters.'

For instance, student concession passes - fixed-price cards that are topped up each month - allow for unlimited bus rides and a maximum of four train rides a day.

If the holder makes only two train trips a day, the other two are recognised as unused fares because the money was technically for four rides a day, the spokesman explained.

A secondary school student pays $27.50 a month for a bus concession pass, $25 for a train pass and $52.50 for a bus/train pass.

'Commuters will decide for themselves whether it is worthwhile to buy concession passes,' said the SMRT spokesman. 'Obviously, if they make fewer than two trips a day, they won't.'

Still, observers and users wonder if there can be a card which accumulates unused trips for later use.

Said polytechnic student Jasper Tan, 19, who buys a monthly $97 bus/train pass for tertiary students: 'There are days when I travel a lot and I think they compensate for my lighter days. But for days when I don't travel at all, I feel they should let me roll over my credit.'

MP Chay Wai Chuen, who heads the Government Parliamentary Committee for Transport, said: 'Perhaps we should find ways and means to link up to another stored value card so the unused fares are not wasted.'

Meanwhile, Case executive director Seah Seng Choon said one way to encourage people to turn in their farecards is to set up charity bins at train stations.

He said: 'As the total amount is large, one way would be for the Government to pass legislation to say that any amount unclaimed should be donated to charity.'


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright @ 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

10 million really isn't much. it's $2.50 per person which is quite... conceivable.

Cracy nut. They should be donated to charity!

The New Paper - 10 May 2004

By Azhar Ghani

RISING costs might put pressure on prices but when should the buck be passed to consumers?

There's never a good time for price hikes. But, going by past lessons, timing is everything.

Take the controversy over the 2002 transport-fare hike.

It was implemented while Singaporeans were still reeling from the country's worst recession since independence.

And it sparked a fiery parliamentary debate when East Coast GRC MP Tan Soo Khoon tabled a motion calling for a review of the hike.

Almost 20 MPs had supported his call, taking turns to hit out at the bad timing and big profits of public-transport companies.

But a U-turn from the Public Transport Council (PTC) was averted after Ang Mo Kio GRC MP Tan Boon Wan turned the motion around with his suggestion to drop the call for a review.

This was followed by an amendment proposed by Ayer Rajah MP Tan Cheng Bock, who called for the PTC to consider the 'state of the economy' and 'employment situation' in future fare reviews.

A few days after the debate, Mr Tan Soo Khoon noted in a press interview that the final version of the motion had reflected the sentiment among MPs, much of which revolved around the issue of timing.

BETTER TIMES

When costs can no longer be absorbed, would better times provide an opportunity for prices to be gradually raised?

It might, going by the explanation given for 2002's hike in certain public hospital fees.

Mr Lim Hng Kiang, the Health Minister then, had said at the time: 'Our philosophy is - better to have small fee increases on a regular basis than bunch it up and have a big one once every few years.

'... For the review earlier this year, we decided to hold it over because we're just in the recovery phase of the recession. Now that the economy is on a reasonably firm basis, we've let the clusters and hospitals continue with their regular adjustments.'

Speaking to The New Paper On Sunday recently, Consumer Association of Singapore (Case) president Yeo Guat Kwang offered this observation: When times are good, consumers' tolerance levels will increase.

Said the Aljunied GRC MP, who's also a director with the National Trade Union Congress: 'A pick-up in the economy, if accompanied by wage increases, will make it easier for people to accept price increases.'

The Singapore economy is expected to breeze past the official 3.5 to 5.5 per cent growth forecast for the year.


And, although the Manpower Ministry's preliminary estimates for the unemployment rate in this year's first quarter showed that it remained at 4.5 per cent, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong had, in his May Day message, said that 'unemployment is likely to come down'.

Two weeks ago, the Monetary Authority of Singapore also said that workers' wages are expected to grow between 2 and 4 per cent this year.

Rising wages can lead to rising costs, if not accompanied by producitivity gains.

So what items on consumers' spending list are now facing cost pressures?

Already mentioned are impending hikes in property tax for HDB home-owners, and university fees. (See report on facing page.)

Tanjong Pagar GRC MP Chong Weng Chiew told The New Paper On Sunday: 'It doesn't mean that costs are reviewed just because things are getting better.

'There has to be constant reviews in order to reflect market realities, even if these involve subsidised goods and services.

'The HDB valuation is a long overdue revision that's part of its regular review.


'And I wouldn't call it a hike. It's a revision of the valuation, so the tax could have gone up or down.'

On why it's doing a review only now, after 14 years, Iras had said that it had held back 'in view of the difficult economic conditions in recent years'.

NOT EASY TO HOLD BACK

Holding back won't be easy generally for most goods and services providers.

Economists Suan Teck Kin of OCBC Bank and Song Seng Woon of brokerage G K Goh pointed to the upward pressure on prices of commodities like oil, raw materials for the chemical and construction industries, and newsprint for the publishing industry.

Mr Song said: 'Unless something drastic happens to the world economy, factors suggest that these costs will move up in the light of global demand. If they continue to firm up, the costs have to be passed on to consumers.

'So, even though the labour market still looks a bit fragile, I expect prices in general to move up.'

But, for this year at least, public transport fares will stay put.

The Public Transport Council's May deadline for operators to apply for fare revisions has lapsed quietly.

Rising oil prices haven't been enough to drive operators SMRT Corporation and SBS Transit to move for revisions.

Neither has talk that provisions for increased security may be necessary, in the light of the Madrid railway terrorist attack.

Case's Mr Yeo said: 'I don't think security arrangements should be borne totally by commuters.

'It's a national security issue. And there're also no other compelling reasons for public transport companies to raise fares.

'Several measures have helped them cut costs, like the 3-percentage-point cut in CPF contributions, which reduces a substantial chunk of their wage costs.

'The Government has also helped them lower costs through tax measures.'

POLITICAL COSTS

But, when hikes have to take place, the decision-makers would take into account all factors, including the political costs, added Dr Chong.

He didn't specifically say this, but Singapore is on the cusp of only its second leadership change, with Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong taking over from Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong before the year is out.

Singaporeans' unhappiness over impending bus fare hikes had been blamed as one of the factors which accounted for the ruling People's Action Party's defeat in the 1981 Anson by-election.

Dr Chong said: 'The decision-makers will fied, but also if the ground will take them well.

'We not only know whether the changes are justidon't implement changes mechanically, looking at dollars and cents alone.

'Painful changes aren't implemented as a single event. There are always accompanying measures to cushion the impact.'

Agreeing, Mr Yeo added that even when price hikes happen, Singaporeans shouldn't feel the squeeze.

Putting on his NTUC hat, he pointed to how the trusty familiar NTUC retail outlets patronised heavily by HDB heartlanders - supermarket FairPrice, Unity pharmacies and Foodfare food courts - have done their part to cushion the impact of unemployment, cuts in wages and CPF cuts for Singaporeans affected by slowdowns in the economy.

Mr Yeo said: 'Singapore is fortunate in that we've got the NTUC co-operatives well-established and poised to help workers out in bad times.

'These co-operatives help to moderate the cost of living by keeping prices of essential goods and services low.'

An example of how painful changes are handled with care was the GST hike from 3 per cent to 5 per cent announced in 2002, when the Government rolled out a $4.1 billion relief package.

age - to the tune of $17.6 NTUC also chipped in with its own pack To top it all, the hike - a critical cornermillion.

stone of the new tax regime - was made in two 1-percentage point increases over two years, instead of kicking in fully on January 2003 as originally planned.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RECENT MOVES


Property tax for HDB home-owners
The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (Iras) will be revising the annual value of Housing Board flats - for the first time in 14 years since 1990 - between July and December this year.

This will double the number of home-owners - an extra 400,000 - who have to pay property tax. Eventually, it will put an extra $40 million every year in the taxman's coffers, after the three-year exercise is fully phased in by 2007.

Why: Iras, which reviews the annual values of private property yearly, said it had held back in the case of HDB flats because of 'difficult economic conditions'.

Iras is now revising the annual values to bring them in line with market conditions.


University fee hike
During the Budget debate in March, Acting Education Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam announced the Government's plans to reduce its 75 per cent subsidy for undergraduate courses.

This will result in higher tuition fees.

Why: Mr Tharman highlighted that graduates - who are likely to earn more - enjoy course subsidies that are twice those of their peers in polytechnics or the Institute of Technical Education.

He indicated that it was 'neither desirable nor feasible' for university education's share of the budget to crowd out spending on other students.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 10 May 2004 1920 hrs

By Ken Teh, Channel NewsAsia

TIBS buses and taxis are getting a makeover as parent company SMRT gives the vehicles a new coat of paint and new corporate names.

The move will also effectively remove the TIBS brand from Singapore's roads.

SMRT is spending $2.5 million on the rebranding exercise - but will commuters end up footing the bill?

Four months ago, SMRT's frontline staff were given a new look: lilac shirts and orchid pink blouses.

Now their trains, buses and taxis - are going to be painting the town red.

For the public transport operator, it is all about creating that one consistent look and identity.

Over 800 TIBS buses, along with about 2,000 taxis and about 100 MRT and LRT trains are going for a makeover.

This is all part of SMRT's move to adopt a common brand but all this will come at a cost of $2.5 million.

However SMRT, the island's biggest train operator, says the cost is minimal and will not be passed to commuters.

Choo Chiau Beng, Chairman, SMRT Corporation, said; "$2.5m is only 0.2 percent of SMRT's revenue so we're doing it in a very low cost way. The amount of unity it can achieve, cost synergies it can achieve will more than make up for the small amount we're going to spend."

The buses will be repainted over two years, while it will take half that time to give the taxis and trains their new look. - CNA


Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd

Hmm...so that is what the huge profits are for eh? :D Making us remember they are from the same company!

Hmm...so that is what the huge profits are for eh? :D Making us remember they are from the same company!

There goes my tibs bus......it actually has an association with my life in JC....I should try to take a photo of it before it's gone.....!!!!!

i wouldn't consider something like 40 or 50 million to be huge profit for a company like SMRT...

Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 10 May 2004 2305 hrs

By Ken Teh, Channel NewsAsia

Transport group SMRT is offering consultancy services to Asian countries which are building their own mass rapid transit systems.

And while it is still too early to say, the company has not ruled out investing in these projects as well.

Choo Chiau Beng, Chairman, SMRT Corporation, said: "We are doing one job which currently is in progress but it's too premature to tell you, just that it's two of the most popular cities in Asia. We are working with parties there to see how we can leverage on our expertise and experience gained in Singapore and help them and also benefit ourselves."

And to further strengthen and leverage on its brand name abroad and in Singapore, SMRT has just unveiled a new rebranding exercise.

At a cost of $2.5 million, the company's TIBS buses and taxis, as well as its MRT and LRT trains will be rebranded under the SMRT name and given a makeover.

But SMRT says that this cost is minimal - less than 1 percent of its operating costs - and will not be passed on to commuters. - CNA

Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd

i wouldn't consider something like 40 or 50 million to be huge profit for a company like SMRT...
If you check out their previous profit margins...it isnt a small sum...

Heck..so it costs them "just" $2.5 million to do their makeover. That leaves them with a lot of cash left...

If you check out their previous profit margins...it isnt a small sum...

Heck..so it costs them "just" $2.5 million to do their makeover. That leaves them with a lot of cash left...

Since $2.5 million is a small sum to them....why don't they pass it to me??haha.......:D

They are planning to invest in the region....without good profits they won't be able to do so.....

please invest in more rail lines locally...

Since $2.5 million is a small sum to them....why don't they pass it to me??haha.......:D

They are planning to invest in the region....without good profits they won't be able to do so.....
They should...soon u will have SMRT look alikes all over Asia....? :D

They should...soon u will have SMRT look alikes all over Asia....? :D

I don't think it will look alike cept it will be managed by SMRT....and i bet they will use a local name....... :)

But when HK's MTR invested in Delhe....they have the exact same train! :D

Heavier cars OK at HDB carparks

By Christopher Tan

THE larger Jaguars, Mercedes-Benzes, BMWs and other vehicles weighing up to 2,000kg can now park in the 670 HDB carparks.

The Housing Board has amended a decades-old weight limit rule which allowed only empty vehicles of up to 1,500kg to do so.

The problem: This barred up to one-fifth of Singapore's 406,000 passenger cars, which weigh more than that.

The HDB said the new weight limit, which came into force last Saturday, applies whether a vehicle is empty or fully occupied.

'They've finally done it,' Motor Traders Association vice-president Michael Wong said. 'The association has actually approached them on this a few times in recent months. At last they've revised the limit.'

An HDB spokesman said the change was made to 'take into account the increasing weight of vehicles arising from changes in industry standards'.

The new limit covers most vehicles on the road today, but there are still several models of cars which go beyond 2,000kg, such as the bigger sport-utility vehicles and fully-occupied multi-purpose vehicles. Some even weigh more than 2,500kg.

Meanwhile, the Traffic Police are still mulling over their weight limit for a Class 3 driving licence. This class allows you to drive cars and light commercial vehicles that do not weigh more than 2,500kg.

But according to the Land Transport Authority, about 60 passenger cars here exceed that limit. These include some Rolls-Royces and Bentleys.

But when HK's MTR invested in Delhe....they have the exact same train! :D

Really ah....haha.....perhaps thats why we might be different(from HK).....haha.....:D

Anyway, it still early to say as they are just in planning stage only......

Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 12 May 2004 1858 hrs

By Dominique Loh, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : A series of power trips disrupted the Bukit Panjang LRT three times on Wednesday.

SMRT said the first and longest delay happened just before noon, lasting nearly 40 minutes.

An hour later, the trains stopped again but resumed service after a quick repair, which took about 18 minutes.

But this was not enough to prevent a third stoppage just before 2pm.

Service was then stopped so that maintainance staff could conduct a thorough check and rectify the problem.

Full service resumed at 2:15 pm.

During the disruption, SMRT deployed some 16 buses to shuttle passengers along the entire LRT route.

SMRT engineers are investigating the cause of the power trip.

This is the first major service delay in about two years.

In October 2002, the LRT was crippled by technical problems when the train guide-wheel fell off and caused a major shutdown. - CNA

Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd

Yiap. :D Anyway now that we are on a new page, I wanna start some serious discussions about our public transport system.

What do you guys think of a privatised public transport industry as we have here today? Do you think it is better, or is it better for public transportation to be government owned and managed?

I expect at least 1000 words in each of your replies. :D

Yiap. :D Anyway now that we are on a new page, I wanna start some serious discussions about our public transport system.

What do you guys think of a privatised public transport industry as we have here today? Do you think it is better, or is it better for public transportation to be government owned and managed?

I expect at least 1000 words in each of your replies. :D

The question sound very similar to what I read in Toronto one.....haha....:D

I think each have its pros and cons.....If governemnt managed, the infrastructure won't be so nice loh....but the price might be cheaper....
If privatised, there will be more facilities but they will do things for profit, for example raising fares and opening a station only when there is enough crowds......

I guess it's a matter of preference......do you want cost savings or do you prefer aesthetics??? I think if a balance is strike(inexpensive yet clean etc...)....I won't mind if it's privatised.....

Yes....the toronto one makes me feel like budging in...but nvm. :D

I dont quite agree that government-run means less asthetics. More elaborations on this later....just waiting for more comments. :D

isnt the mrt government built, then privately managed? if its cash rich government built - it would much morelikely be nice.

i think private is better - competition always benefits the consumer and brings innovations.

Yes....the toronto one makes me feel like budging in...but nvm. :D

I dont quite agree that government-run means less asthetics. More elaborations on this later....just waiting for more comments. :D

"government-run means less asthetics".....maybe i too engross in the toronto one...haha....:D

Got any examples?? (you can give later after you see all the comments)

Yeah...perhaps...but is there really competition in public transport here?

Yeah...perhaps...but is there really competition in public transport here?

I don't think so.....I only got one MRT line to "choose" from from my place???

I don't think so.....I only got one MRT line to "choose" from from my place???
Haahaa.....try thinking on the national sense lah! :bash: :D

Haahaa.....try thinking on the national sense lah! :bash: :D

If it's on national sense, i think it's a "artificial" one loh.....anyway they's only two company.....how "big" can the competition be.....

...

But it's still an inconvenience, albeit a played-down one.... I' prefer to think that the LRT will work every time i need it, rather than that there's a back up in place.... prevention is better than cure, right?

...

But it's still an inconvenience, albeit a played-down one.... I' prefer to think that the LRT will work every time i need it, rather than that there's a back up in place.... prevention is better than cure, right?

Of course.....who would want a useless piece of crap that always give problems....maybe they should listen to Huai Wei....Destroy the whole thing.....haha....:D

Destroy? No lah... fix can liao... dun waste all that money for nothing...

Destroy? No lah... fix can liao... dun waste all that money for nothing...
They can keep the concrete pillars. Just rip up the whole damn bloody system (including the tracks. I wonder how wheels can fall out) and put in a better one! :D

This story was printed from TODAYonline

It can spend thousands on helping elderly rather than millions on projects of debatable value

Friday • May 14, 2004

SINGAPORE has a public transport system that can, in many ways, claim to be world class. Further, over the years, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has put thought and money into some extras designed to make motoring and commuting more convenient.

It's a pity that some of these projects turned out to be, shall we say, ill-advised.

For example, it spent $125 million on Emas, or the Expressway and Advisory System, meant, among other things, to provide estimates of the time needed to get from one point to another.

But last October, the LTA switched off this service without warning or explanation. When quizzed, it simply said the step was in response to motorists' feedback, not to save costs.

Then, there was the $40-million system to provide travel-time information at bus stops and interchanges. Announced in late 2000, it was canned early last year — after some $10 million had already been spent — because of software problems.

The greater pity is that a public agency that was ready to spend such large sums on projects of debatable value continues to count its pennies when it comes to little projects that would make the travel and transport needs of the aged, ill or handicapped people a bit easier.

In 2000, I had asked in a commentary why there was no escalator or lift at the Novena MRT Station to make it easier for the aged and the sick to get to the Tan Tock Seng Hospital. This was inspired by a reader's letter in a Chinese daily recounting how heart-wrenching it was to see an old lady with a twisted leg making her painful way up the 44 steps to the hospital.

This letter and the commentary helped trigger public demand for better access at MRT stations. In response, the LTA explained that when the MRT system was first built, it was "exempted from complying with the Code on Barrier-Free Accessibility in Buildings" (in other words, it didn't have to make arrangements for the aged and the handicapped).

But, it added, "as part of (a) move to make MRT stations more user-friendly, especially to the elderly, the LTA will be retro-fitting all existing stations with lifts".

So, life became easier for less mobile commuters to get from MRT stations to the ground. But after that?

In 2001, Mr Gurmit Singh wrote to the press to say that the overhead bridge connecting Outram MRT and the Singapore General Hospital was served by only two escalators, both going up. He wrote about how difficult it was for some to negotiate the bridge and asked for downward escalators to be installed.

Last September, Ms Karen Wong Ang Eng wrote to Today on the same issue. The LTA wrote back and promised to "look into the matter". Eight months of inaction later, an irritated Ms Wong wrote in again, this time advising the LTA to "do something quickly and not wait until a serious mishap occurs".

There may not have been any serious mishaps, but there have been minor accidents at this bridge. Mr Timothy Tang Nam Yen wrote about seeing "countless ... elderly men and women who had problems descending the stairs and needed to be helped by passers-by or family members" and how "an old man fell down while descending the stairs. Fortunately, passers-by rushed forward to help him up".

In the United States, the man or his relatives would have sued the LTA. Here, he just picked himself up and walked away.

On Wednesday, the LTA roused itself and wrote to Today saying it was too expensive to install downward escalators at the bridge, but it was working with the Singapore General Hospital to "provide more pick-up and drop-off points for the shuttle bus service" for those who have difficulty using the bridge.

Too expensive? A pair of escalators for a 10m high bridge, after including all the work — from waterproofing to the power connection — will cost perhaps $300,000.

Have we, or rather has the LTA, got its priorities a little mixed up? There's nothing glamorous or high-tech about escalators, but they would make life easier for the aged and sick who cannot afford cars or taxis and who have to use the bridge.

Spending time and money on little projects like this would make our public transport system truly world-class.

The writer is a freelance journalist.

Lee Han Shih

peccavi013@yahoo.com

Copyright MediaCorp Press Ltd. All rights reserved.

Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 16 May 2004 1943 hrs

By Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : Sengkang residents who have been facing constant traffic woes can now heave a sigh of relief with the recent completion of a four-way road interchange and flyover.

This has helped some residents shave up to 20 minutes off their travelling time at peak periods.

As a new town, Sengkang had initially faced a number of traffic woes as road access tried to grow in tandem with the number of residents moving in.

With some intense lobbying, a S$23 million programme saw various road openings in the last two years to improve access to Sengkang and Punggol.

With the completion of the interchange -- the last slip road was opened just last month -- residents can now avoid the congested Ponggol Road and have an alternative route to the TPE, which will basically feed them into the city and other parts of Singapore.

This was certainly something to celebrate for the many residents who gathered at a community event.

"Formerly, the jam would start at Punggol Road before Rivervale Plaza -- that was heavily jammed. It would take me 20 to 25 minutes before I could exit to TPE. With this new opening, it saves me a lot of time on traffic jams," said resident Gimmy Yeo.

And with motorists headed elsewhere, public transport users face an easier time too.

"An alternative route is opened up; motorists use it. Public transport still uses the old Punggol Road. There is less traffic so public transport is very fast," said Tan Jong Aik a resident.

Another new development is a pedestrian bridge linking Sengkang and Punggol towns.

As for the yet-to-be opened Buangkok MRT Station, the plan is to build more flats around it to make it viable.

"Two thousand units over the next two to three years in Punggol town. For the Sengkang part of it, most of the building is around Buangkok. The aim is to get Buangkok open as soon as possible," said Dr Michael Lim, MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC.

Meanwhile, the Sengkang West loop of the LRT is also not due to open anytime soon due to lack of developments around the area.

Tenders for the Punggol Seafood Village will also be called later this year, to add more life to the area. - CNA


Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd

Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 24 May 2004 1648 hrs

By Johnson Choo, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE: Singapore's Transport Minister has defended the Land Transport Authority's safety record in front of an international audience of tunnelling experts from more than 50 countries who are here for the World Tunnel Congress.

Mr Yeo Cheow Tong told the more than 800 tunnelling professionals that despite the Nicoll Highway cave-in, LTA has had fewer accidents than the industry average.

Last year, there were 2.4 accidents for every one million man hours worked at LTA's worksites compared to the industry average of 2.7.

Mr Yeo said: "Over time, the public will know that what happened here is not something that takes place all the time, the Nicoll Highway incident is not something that happens all the time, and that LTA's safety record is one that's commendable."

The international experts at the congress said the Nicoll Highway cave-in was the first major tunnelling accident this year.

There were three such accidents in 1998 in Brazil, Germany and Britain, and one last year in China.

But Andre Assis, the president of the International Tunnelling Association, agreed that LTA's safety record is above average.

He said: "The level of accidents in tunnels, compared to all the other industries, even the building construction industry, is very, very low. The problem is the impact on the media. When you have one accident in the tunnel, everybody wants to talk about that."

As more and more facilities for storage, entertainment and recreation, transport and sewage are going to be built underground, tunnelling is going to continue to be part of Singapore's development.

That is why the authorities are insisting on maintaining a high safety standard for tunnelling works.

The Government is reviewing worksite safety standards across the board.

And, there are now million-dollar incentives to keep worksites accident-free.

But Mr Yeo said the renewed focus on safety does not mean building projects will become more expensive.

He said: "The safety requirements have always been there, and the contractors have to take all these requirements into consideration when they make a bid. So there's not going to be a change in the safety consideration, so I don't see why it should impact on the cost of the projects." - CNA

Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd

excuse me but what are transperth buses doing in singapore!!!!

http://dolphinairlines.bravehost.com/Buses/CNG1854_8.JPG

This story was printed from TODAYonline

Tuesday • June 8, 2004

SINGAPORE resident senior citizens enjoy concessionary travel on public transport only during selected hours — much like Cinderella's magic coach, which reverts to being a pumpkin at the stroke of midnight.

After many years, the only additional concession is that "happy hours" for local senior citizens start at 10 am on Saturdays, instead of the previous 2 pm start.

I wonder if there is anybody who can still remember the rationale for this strange ruling which goes back 30 years and if it is still relevant today?

Narayana Narayana

Copyright MediaCorp Press Ltd. All rights reserved.

Strange...can't find this on English press....but this article is relevant to thread #178. It says that taxi operators feel that the standards for safety by the LTA were far too strict.

新闻：新加坡 2004-06-08

四大德士公司安全水平不合格业者认为安全标准太苛刻

● 谢仲贤

　　4家主要德士公司的安全水平达不到标准，在受评估的7个月里，平均有6个月“不合格”。

　　陆路交通管理局自去年1月对德士公司实行新的服务准则，昨天首次公布评估结果，康福、城市、黄顶和SMRT的安全记录都不理想，车祸率超出当局设定的标准。

　　陆交局已给业者多两个月宽限期，到了8月底如果情况没有改善，德士公司可被罚款最高10万元。

　　不过，业者认为当局设定的标准过于苛刻，吁请当局检讨。

　　根据标准，整个德士车队每行驶1000万公里，车祸总数不能超过两起。按照业者粗略计算，意味着每个德士司机32年里只许发生一起车祸。

　　康福德高企业发言人说，陆交局把“意外”定义为导致有人受伤或公物受损的事件，但公物受损包括花坛(flower bed)，这样的定义过于严格了。

　　康福德高集团管理的康福、城市和黄顶德士超过1万6000辆。发言人说：“作为公共交通服务业者，我们理解及欢迎当局实施服务素质标准，确保乘客和公路使用者的安全。尽管如此，我们吁请陆交局检讨苛刻的徳士车祸率标准。”

　　SMRT德士公司同样认为车祸率标准苛刻。发言人说：“德士司机长时间在路上奔波，有些车祸事件不能归咎于他们或不是由他们直接造成的。当局的标准意味着我们每个月不能有超过5起意外，这太严格了。”

　　不过陆交局说，他们是根据私人车辆车祸率制定德士的安全标准。私人车辆车祸率是每行驶1000万公里发生5起车祸。陆交局说：“德士扮演公共服务角色，所以我们把车祸率标准设得比私人车辆严格。”

平均每月70起车祸

　　陆交局资料显示，过去7个月，4家德士公司平均每月有70起车祸，频率是每1000万公里2.8起，超出不到两起的规定。

　　尽管陆交局和业者对车祸率标准是否过于严格意见不同，不过业者还是努力达到标准，所采取的措施包括为司机提供辅导、培训及奖励。

　　陆交局也为德士公司在繁忙时间的电召服务和顾客满意程度评分。业者在这方面的整体表现良好，不过SMRT德士在调派德士方面差强人意，好几个月无法取得90%成绩。这项标准要求业者每10次有9次能为乘客分配到德士。

　　陆交局去年实施新的德士服务准则，划一评估标准，确保业者自由竞争的同时，仍能维持高素质服务水平。当局目前也在评估另外3家新公司的表现。　　

JUNE 15, 2004
New homes bring hope of Buangkok MRT station opening earlier

THE release of a plot of land for homes just a five-minute walk from the Buangkok MRT station is giving renewed hope that the opening of the North-East Line (NEL) station is getting closer.

The 21,985.3 sq m site is by the junction of Sengkang Central and Buangkok Drive. Property consultants said it would add 530 condominium units to the neighbourhood.

They estimate that the 99-year leasehold site could attract bids of between $160 million and $190 million.

Yesterday, the Singapore Land Authority said the site will be put under the Government's reserve list system, meaning at least one developer must submit a bid that meets the reserve price before the site is put up for tender.

Colliers International managing director Dennis Yeo said the site, although not in a prime district, will be attractive to would-be home owners because it's near an MRT station.

Chesterton International director Nicholas Mak said condominium units there could sell for $430 to $470 psf, a price that will attract Housing Board upgraders.

'If the site is sold by year-end, it should be ready for occupancy by 2007 or 2008. There should be enough people living around the area for the MRT station to open by then,' he said.

NEL operator SBS Transit kept the Buangkok station shut last year, saying that not enough people live close by.

But recent public housing sales in the area have been encouraging. This April, HDB received 1,779 applications for 760 four-room flats to be sited beside the station.

Copyright @ 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

JUNE 16, 2004
Transport
No fare hike this year despite extra security
BUS and train fares will not be raised this year despite the extra cost involved in deploying security guards at MRT stations and bus interchanges.

By Rebecca Lee

Minister of State (Transport and Health) Balaji Sadasivan gave the assurance yesterday, but did not rule out future fare hikes arising from higher security costs as 'security is a shared responsibility'.

His reply to a question by MP Wang Kai Yuen (Bukit Timah) sparked off a debate on whether the burden of providing security for public land transport was similar to that for airports.

Dr Balaji explained that security at the airport is borne by three parties - the State, the airport terminal operator and commuters.

The State bears the cost of the security patrol by policemen and army personnel, as well as the guarding of key installations such as the VIP complex.

The airport terminal operator pays for security in areas such as the screening of passengers before they board a plane.

Users also bear part of the burden. Of the $21 passengers pay to use the airport, $6 is for a passenger security service charge.

Applying this principle of shared cost, the provision of security in the land transport system will have to be paid for by all three parties, Dr Balaji said.

Currently, the cost of providing uniformed guards is less than 1 per cent of the operator's total operating cost and less than 1 cent per journey, thus there was no need for any fare increase, he added.

Dr Balaji was addressing growing public concern in recent months over who will bear the security cost as unarmed security guards started patrolling MRT stations and bus interchanges at the beginning of this month.

Transport operators recognise that it is in their commercial interest to enhance the security of their systems and will absorb some of the costs where possible, he said.

The Government has also played its part by deploying police patrols, as well as providing training.

'Given that the security measures are implemented for the safety of commuters, it is not unreasonable for commuters to also share the cost should that become necessary,' he said, adding that any fare hike application will be scrutinised carefully by the Public Transport Council.

Copyright @ 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

JUNE 16, 2004
Don't ad noise to MRT rides

GONE are the days of peaceful MRT rides, which I used to enjoy once.

The latest in a string of noisy advertisements in MRT stations is for Jack Neo's latest movie, The Best Bet.

Every 30 seconds or less, I hear the song, 'Bai liu li bai, hui bu hui kai...' ('Will I strike 4D this weekend?').

Let me do the maths for you. An average wait is about five minutes so a commuter hears that ad 10 times. And woe to late-night commuters, who wait seven to 12 minutes.

In addition, there are places where two plasma screens are not synchronised, so you can hear the ads at intervals of about 15 seconds!

And what about those of us who make transfers at interchanges? We hear it again and again.

It is with pure frustration that I am writing this. Because on Sunday, I took the MRT four times, changed trains eight times and had to wait 12 minutes for one of those trains. I heard about 100 repetitions of 'Bai liu li bai, hui bu hui kai...'

'Bai liu li bai, hui bu hui kai...' Irritating, isn't it?

BENEDICT CHIA
BING HOWE

Copyright @ 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

JUNE 17, 2004
MRT project contractor in a jam
10 stations won't get new facilities for disabled, elderly at the same time as others being retrofitted with lifts, ramps

By Karamjit Kaur

TEN Mass Rapid Transit stations will not have facilities for the disabled and elderly by the end of next year because the contractor is in financial trouble and will not be able to meet the deadline, The Straits Times has learned.

The stations, on the North-South and East-West lines, which will not have the lifts and ramps for those on wheelchairs ready on time are: Tiong Bahru, Tanjong Pagar, Raffles Place, City Hall, Bugis, Lavender, Braddell, Newton, Orchard and Marina Bay.

Contractor Hua Kok Realty is now trying to pass on the project to other contractors, a Land Transport Authority (LTA) spokesman said in reply to queries.

If that fails, the contract will be terminated and a new tender called, she said.

'This development will most likely affect the schedule of the project and we would need to review the schedule later,' she added.

The 10 are among 48 stations on the two lines that the Government decided in 1999 to retrofit with lifts.

Some will also have new facilities such as toilets for the disabled and the entire project is expected to cost $81.5 million.

Hua Kok Realty, which secured the contract for 11 underground stations in the upgrading, has completed about 35 per cent of the project.

It has completed changes at Toa Payoh station.

But because of its recent financial troubles, it stopped work at the other 10.

Its parent company, public-listed Hua Kok International, announced last week that it was in preliminary talks to sell its business in a reverse takeover, subject to shareholder and government approval.

Hua Kok Realty is the group's main operating subsidiary involved in construction works in Singapore and India. It contributed an estimated 63 per cent of the group's revenues for the half-year ended Dec 31 and owes creditors close to $40 million.

The LTA project is one of four projects it has now, the others being Housing Board jobs.

How long the 10 affected stations must wait for the new facilities will depend on whether Hua Kok can pass on the job to another contractor. A re-tender might mean completion only at the end of 2006.

Work at the other stations is running on schedule.

Since construction started in 2000, seven stations - Novena, Tampines, Dhoby Ghaut, Outram Park, Somerset, Bukit Batok and Toa Payoh - have got their new facilities.

Dover, Expo and Changi stations, which were built later and added to the existing lines, already had the facilities.

Work at another 29 above-ground stations, being done by Gammon Skanska, is about three-quarters done.

Three stations to be linked to the new Circle Line - Bishan, Buona Vista and Paya Lebar - will be retrofitted as the new line is built.

Handicaps Welfare Association past president Edmund Wan was disappointed by the delays.

But, recalling how lobbying for lifts began back when the MRT system was being planned, he added: 'Then again, we have waited almost 20 years so what's another year?'

Copyright @ 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

JUNE 17, 2004
Learner drivers may opt to do test in auto car
By Christopher Tan

AS EARLY as January next year, people taking up driving will have the option of doing their driving test in an automatic car. The only catch is those who pass with an automatic car will not be allowed to drive a manual vehicle.

When asked, the Traffic Police would only say that offering tests using automatic cars was 'a logical next step'.

'Such forms of testing is available in other countries. The public too has sought to have such testing choices made available here in Singapore,' said spokesman Phillip Mah.

He said the Traffic Police was in the final stages of a review and details of the change will be announced 'in a few months'.

The Straits Times understands that the relevant parties are working towards a January deadline.

The major driving schools have already prepared for the change with some having already budgeted for a fleet of automatic vehicles, trained their instructors, and come up with new curricula.

Copyright @ 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Yay!!!

JUNE 18, 2004
Lorry licence not needed to drive hefty car
DRIVERS of hefty cars such as Rolls-Royces, Bentleys and stretch Mercedes limousines do not need to apply for a lorry licence after all.

The Traffic Police has raised the weight limit of the Class 3 driving licence to 3,000kg - from the 2,500kg ceiling which had been in place since 1977.

The rule change, effective from May 31, came shortly after the issue was highlighted by The Straits Times in January. The Housing Board also raised the weight limit of its multi-storey carparks to 2,000kg last month.

'This revision applies to only passenger cars,' a traffic police spokesman said, referring to light commercial vehicles Class 3 licence holders are also permitted to drive. Class 3 drivers cannot pilot a truck with an unladen weight of more than 2,500kg.

She said driving licences issued from this month will show the new limit, but drivers who want the figure shown on their current licences can have it pasted on at any major driving centre or at the Traffic Police Headquarters in Ubi Avenue 3.

'The revision comes as advances in technology lead to bigger and heavier cars evolving over the years,' the spokesman said. 'The increase in unladen weight can be attributed to additional safety features... without increasing the degree of skill needed to operate the machines.'

According to official statistics, there are about 60 cars here that weigh more than 2,500kg.

Motor industry sources say a handful of armoured models - driven by diplomats and businessmen - may even be over 3,000kg.

Mr Barry Kan, general manager of Malayan Motors which distributes Bentley cars, said the rule change is 'fantastic'.

'Finally, Singapore is in line with Europe in applying this rule,' he said.

Copyright @ 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

i hope they bring back the boards that show bus waiting times...

Yup...I hope they bring it soon too.......I'm so sick of waiting for buses.... :bash:

Almost every transport related project appears to be delayed nowdays. The ezlink card, the Circle Line, the North East Line and the GPS System. The boards displaying bus arrival times at bus stops have also been scrapped too. All these were supposed to have the latest technology applied on them. What happened to the days of the North South Line and the rest of the older MRT Network. They may be more inferior technology wise, but they have been rather reliable and they do not result in higher fares or delays that much.

maybe the monopoly is slackening...

but i dont really mind slightly higher fares if it means more conveniences like bus waiting times and increased frequencies.

The New Paper - 27 Jun 2004

Nets vs ez-link Two cards to pay ERP?

LTA exploring use of ez-link card for ERP, alongside CashCard
Potential savings of more than $1m a year for LTA from ez-link
By Melvin Singh& Tan May Ping

IS it time for an alternative to Nets' CashCard when paying ERP? The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is studying the use of the ez-link card for Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) payment, giving consumers an alternative to Nets.

Nets is owned by a consortium of local banks. If LTA proceeds with the plan, there is potential for a consortium of foreign banks to come up with a similar cashless system for a variety of transactions using the ez-link card.

The benefits are huge, said experts. Retailers may be able to bargain for a better deal. After all, with Nets monopolising the market now, retailers have little choice but to accept Nets charges of up to 0.5 per cent for each transaction.

And for consumers, it means the option of putting your money in a foreign bank and using a cashless system at the supermarket too. For example, John, who is servicing a home loan with ABN-Amro, can now move his savings account to the same bank instead of maintaining it in a local bank just for the Nets payments.

If ABN-Amro is part of a consortium of banks that comes up with an alternative to the Nets, John can still enjoy the cashless system for payment.

Of course this means retailers may have to maintain two cashless systems. Not a problem, said retailers.

After all, there's already a separate machine each for Visa, American Express and Mastercard. What's another one?

'They take up a lot of space. But if there is a demand from customers, retailers wouldn't mind taking on another service,' said a spokesman for the Singapore Retailers Association (SRA).

It makes little difference because the machines are usually provided free-of-charge, added the spokesman.

For nearly 20 years, Nets has dominated the lucrative cashless payment scene.

In 2002, Nets made a profit of more than $7 million after tax.

There is also the CashCard, which is owned by Nets.

After the LTA-owned EZ-Link introduced its own card (the ez-link card) it decided the micropayment market was just too big to ignore.

Small transactions are worth $6 to $8 billion a year.

But while the CashCard has been raking in profits, EZ-Link has been struggling. To date, it has not recovered the operating costs of $18 million a year.

Well, LTA seems to be saying enough is enough.

Each time a car zips through the ERP gantry, a motorist pays via the CashCard. Nets makes a tidy profit for facilitating the transaction.

LTA isn't willing to say how much, but experts estimate, based on what Nets charges retailers (up to 0.5 per cent of each transaction), that it's anywhere up to $3 million a year.

Said an LTA spokesman: 'LTA bears the cost of transaction fees paid to Nets. For commercial reasons, we cannot release the costs per ERP transaction.

'Revenue from ERP fees is channelled to the Government's Consolidated Fund. The Government separately pays LTA a management fee to fund its operations.'

But instead of using its own ez-link card, LTA is forced to use the CashCard.

LTA told The New Paper it is looking into the possibility of using its own ez-link card. That's a potential savings of $3 million a year for the LTA.

An LTA spokesman said: 'We are currently looking into improving the design of the ERP In-Vehicle Unit (IU). As part of this study, we are also looking into the feasibility of developing an IU that can accept both CashCard and ez-link card for ERP payment.

'We see benefit in this as there are some 6 million ez-link cards in the hands of users.'

HUGE POTENTIAL

LTA said studies are still in the preliminary stage.

The potential for an alternative to Nets is huge. Nets achieved a turnover of $50 million in 2002.

Foreign banks with a Qualifying Full Bank (QFB) status have been eyeing a system similar to Nets.

The six QFBs are HSBC, ABN-Amro Bank, Maybank, Citibank, Standard Chartered and BNP-Paribas.

ABN-Amro's head of consumer banking, Mr Andrew Liew, had earlier said it had been a long standing requirement for the bank to be part of Nets - or an equivalent network.

Since that hasn't worked out, what better way than to start with the ez-link card?

When asked about the latest development, Stanchart's head of consumer banking in Singapore, Mr Wilson Chia, said the bank 'would certainly give due consideration to any new development that benefits our customer'.

Mr Chia said that even though the Nets and EZ-Link systems might end up providing parallel services, Stanchart would like to participate in both because it gives customers more choices.

'It's just like how banks and retailers accept both Visa and Mastercard,' added Mr Chia.

Stanchart became a partner of Nets but is limited to providing top-up services for the CashCard.

Maybank's head of retail financial services, Ms Pollie Sim, agreed that consumers would welcome the added choice and convenience.

She said of the LTA's announcement: 'It is a positive move as the consumers will now have an alternative platform for ERP payment. We would evaluate (any) business proposition accordingly.'

Stanchart's Mr Chia said it was a logical move on EZ-Link's part to venture into ERP payment as it was already being used for the bus and MRT systems.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

h2>Consumers, the biggest winners

IF foreign banks do form a separate consortium with EZ-Link, the biggest winners would be the consumers.

For starters, they will have more choices since the Nets and EZ-Link systems would compete for users.

That also implies that consumers would be able to keep money in banks other than the three local ones without having to forgo the convenience of cashless payment.

Two competing systems could also drive down the transaction fees charged by the companies.

That would benefit consumers, said the Consumers Association of Singapore's executive director, Mr Seah Seng Choon.

Mr Seah said: 'With competition, there is a possibility that transaction costs can be driven down. Hopefully, this would be translated to lower costs to consumers.'


And now that EZ-Link might be expanding the use of its card, it should also consider lowering the cost of acquiring the card, said Mr Seah.

Buyers now have to pay $5, which is non-refundable, for an ez-link card.

But it's not only consumers who benefit. Retailers, too, will have more choices.

A spokesman for the Singapore Retailers Association (SRA) said that more competition by cashless service providers is good for retailers.

Said the SRA spokesman: 'If there are two service providers, retailers would view the propositions on both sides, meaning that the new provider's rates would have to be as competitive or even lower than that of the old provider.'

This competition could force down the service fee paid by retailers to the providers.

Ultimately, if there is a demand by customers for a particular provider, retailers normally accept it for their customers' convenience, said the spokesman.

'But in the end, my feeling is that the market is too small for two providers,' added the spokesman.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Its about time! The contactless smart card is already the medium for payment of carpark charges and toll charges in Hong Kong and Malaysia respectively. Its about time the ezlink card functions as truly a transportation all in one card, after all, that was its main function. Settle that before moving onto other areas like McDonalds purchase payments where hardly anyone ever uses and I have seen none yet so far. Have you all used it? And I remember there's a branch of Cold Storage or NTUC FairPrice that accepts that form of payment too. Do they expect that we carry so much in our ezlink cards? These are all places that we usually spend more than 10 dollars in, not like public transportation a dollar plus etc. If they wanted to go into other areas why not start by enabling us to pay for drinks at the machine or even public phones just in case we don't have our mobiles with us. Hong Kong even maxmises the use of its high capacity cards by creating a membership scheme that rewards commuters for travelling with them using the card. Sure they started off much earlier, but even so back then they did progress at a very fast pace in coming up with new ideas. A recent example, the Taipei EasyCard, launched only last year I think. It is already accepted in many areas, perhaps even more than the areas in Singapore, and its web site is frequently updated, user friendly and eye pleasing and it even has a member system now.

i've used the macdonald thing... quite convenient... i think there should just be an all in one card... so troublesome to have more than one.

about carrying alot of money in ezlink card, you could just use giro perhaps?

Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 29 June 2004 0840 hrs

Open up transit-link scheme, LTA urged
By Tay Tsen-Waye, TODAY

SINGAPORE : According to a recent report, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) is studying the use of the ez-link card for Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) payment and this could possibly break the dominance now enjoyed by Nets.

But far from worrying about competition, electronic payment services company Nets said it welcomed the prospect.

In fact, it hopes the new spirit of competition will lead the LTA to open up the transit-link payment system for MRT and bus services to Nets as well.

Said Nets chief executive officer Poh Mui Hoon: "If selected areas of operations are going to be opened up, or more payment methods are to be introduced, then it should apply across the board and not selectively in certain areas. And that would include the transit system."

And if given the opportunity to offer the CashCard payment system to bus and train commuters, Nets would be "very keen", she said. "We have indicated our interest in going into transit in the past. If the Government is going to make a move to introduce certain competition, then it should be across the board ..."

While acknowledging that an alternative payment system could potentially take away "some" of Nets' ERP business - worth more than $74 million last year - Ms Poh was confident that with the pervasiveness and efficiency of CashCard services, it would remain the more attractive choice for consumers. "Whatever the final decision, the ultimate beneficiary is the consumer. And that's the point of any good business," she said.

But would it be fair to pit the CashCard against the ez-link card, since the latter charges a non-refundable five-dollar fee?

Ms Poh said: "Why should you limit (the options) - Why should the consumer be put in a situation where he has to use a particular card - It's about choice, isn't it?"

And though she agreed in principle that competition is welcome in the ERP arena, Ms Poh was sceptical as to whether a painless system could be put in place.

Using the ez-link card for ERP payments would require the development of a new in-vehicle unit (IU) capable of accepting both cards. Ms Poh wonders if this might not translate to additional costs for the driver. "If you are already paying X dollars, why should you change it? If you have a new car, the IU has to be priced competitively. Why would you pay for a more expensive IU?"

And even if the new IU was accepted, Ms Poh expressed confidence that the Nets CashCards, which can be used for payments at 30,000 points of access and with 19,000 merchants in Singapore, is ready for the competition.

"Nets has managed the ERP very well. Our CashCard is also in retail. So if any other parties wanted to come into those areas, they'll be welcome to compete, but they will have to deliver the value," she said.

Due to the large volume of Eftpos (electronic funds-transfer at point of sale) transactions processed by Nets, CashCard enjoys economies of scale, which Ms Poh said, lowers the cost to merchants.

Last year, Nets processed 7 billion transactions, accounting for more than $55 million in revenue - an increase from $50 million in 2002, but a marginal drop from $56 million in 2001.

And despite its market dominance in cashless payments, Nets is looking for ways to improve the value of its products by increasing its scope of usage.

Recently, it introduced the CashBack system at 193 outlets, including Singapore Post, NTUC Fairprice outlets, and BP stations. It is also looking into biometrics technology to improve the authentication of CashCard users.

And in terms of teaming up with foreign banks to offer a cashless system for a variety of transactions similar to the Nets' local consortium, Ms Poh said it was already working with Standard Chartered in its Eftpos system.

Said Ms Poh: "Nets has had 20 years of experience processing bank cards, ATM cards, debit cards and the Eftpos. We would be very keen to work with qualifying full banks (QFB) to see how we can offer a service. If they are interested to form an alternative network, Nets would be keen to see how to provide the switching services and manage the network. Nets has all the capabilities and the scale to help QFBs." - TODAY

Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd

The New Paper - 02 Jul 2004

Leak on mobile camera locations? It's fine with us, say Traffic Police

HAS there been a leak about where the police are likely to set up mobile speed cameras?

An e-mail message has been going around, warning motorists about certain roads.

But the Traffic Police feel that's not such a bad thing, if it makes drivers more careful.

The e-mail lists 11 locations, two of them as 'verified'. It was not known who 'verified' this or how.

As these cameras are portable, they can be set up on any road.

They are supported by a tripod stand and can easily be hidden from view as they are not bulky.

A policeman standing anywhere along the road can operate the equipment by himself.

Using laser technology, the cameras detect speeding vehicles and capture images of the vehicle.

Police spokesman ASP Victor Keong would not say if the list was authentic.

But it does help, as drivers would observe the speed limit on the roads they think have mobile speed cameras, said the Traffic Police.

The commander of the Traffic Police, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Teo Kian Teck, said: 'That (sharing of information) itself is an indication of our enforcement impact. Traffic Police cannot stop them from sharing such information.

'If that sharing leads to better driving behaviour, we are totally fine with that.

'Ultimately, our aim is not to catch people but to deter them from speeding.

'We hope motorists will realise that speeding kills and that their time on the roads will be better spent being mindful of others rather than being focused on avoiding detection.'

The Traffic Police have stepped up enforcement in the last two years.

Last year, 130,385 traffic summonses were issued to motorists, compared with 106,903 in 2002.

These were for offences like beating the red light and speeding.

MORE SPEEDING TICKETS

From January to March this year, 13,173 speeding tickets were issued, 3,271 more than in the first quarter of last year.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Teo said: 'We want to ensure greater compliance from motorists in their driving behaviour.

'The Traffic Police would like to send a strong message to road users that we are continually on the lookout for serious violators.

'We will not hesitate to (take enforcement action) against them and pedestrians too, as all road users need to be made aware of their actions on the roads.

'Their actions affect not only their own safety, but that of others. All play a part in road safety.'

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hidden eyes - believe it or not

-Upper Serangoon Road, 9 to 11am ('verified')

-Farrer Road/Adam Road, 10am onwards

-East Coast Parkway after Bayshore exit, after 5pm

-Bartley Underpass

-Braddell Road, near the long pedestrian bridge near Singapore Press Holdings

-West Coast Highway, before the new McDonald's

-Tampines Expressway in both directions under the Tampines Flyover ('verified')

-Tampines Avenue 10

-Along Jalan Boon Lay from Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE), towards Jurong Point at the junction of Chin Bee Drive

-Clementi Avenue 6 from Pan Island Expressway to AYE, just before entering the underpass at the traffic light junction of Clementi Loop Road along Orchid Country Club.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

haiyar stupid speed cams. what's the speed limit on roads?

Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 03 July 2004 1247 hrs

Police detain 210 motorists for traffic offences

SINGAPORE : Traffic Police detained 210 motorists for various offences in a six-hour operation on Friday night.

Most were caught for speeding - 103 motorists!

A total of 18 motorists were stopped for drink driving, while 88 were found to have made illegal modifications to their vehicles.

One motorist was also arrested for driving without a valid driving licence.

The operation, which also involved Land Transport Authority enforcement officers, was conducted in Ang Mo Kio, Tampines, Clementi, and the Pan Island and Seletar Expressways.

The Traffic Police said regular operations helped raise awareness of road safety and get motorists to comply to traffic rules and regulations.

It said accidents due to speed-related factors had increased by 22 cases to 288 cases in the first three months of this year, compared to the same period last year.

Motorists convicted of speeding can be fined up to $2,000, jailed up to six months and have their driving licence suspended. - CNA

Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd

JULY 1, 2004
HALF-YEAR FIGURES LIKELY TO RISE 25%
Car sales set to hit all-time high
By Christopher Tan

THE number of cars sold in the first half of the year, which ended yesterday, is likely to exceed 47,000, a 25 per cent jump on the same period last year.

Preliminary figures, covering only members of the Motor Traders Association (MTA), show total passenger car sales in the first half at 43,000 to 44,000. This is up from the 34,540 registered in the first six months of last year.

Sales by MTA members account for 90 per cent of the market here. With total deliveries - including parallel imports - having crossed the 40,000 mark by last month, the overall first-half figure should be at least 47,000.

Unless momentum flags, last year's all-time record of 81,259 units sold will be broken.

Among the reasons for the strong demand, according to Citigroup Smith Barney research head Lim Jit Soon, was the fact that 'banks have been very aggressive in offering car loans, and that has made cars more affordable'.

One indicator can be seen in the number of cars scrapped, which has greatly surpassed Land Transport Authority (LTA) expectations.

In just the first five months of this year, LTA statistics show that 49,151 vehicles - the bulk of them cars - were taken off the road. This is 8 per cent more than last year.

The LTA's allocation of certificates of entitlement (COEs) to replace scrapped vehicles, for the whole of this year, is just 66,900.

Most motor traders expect an upward adjustment in October, though one commented: 'This year's COE quota is already a record. If more are released, the market may not be able to absorb them.'

Strong demand for cars has already driven COE premiums up by $5,000 to $8,000 since January - depleting savings from a cut in upfront vehicle taxes early this year.

Leading the runaway market, despite an ageing model line-up and newer products from rivals, is Toyota.

The marque remains the favourite, with distributor Borneo Motors delivering about 13,000 units in the first six months of this year, compared to 10,000 in the same period last year.

The Toyota Camry, launched in late 2001, still outpaces its arch-rival, the Nissan Cefiro. Up to May, 1,888 Camrys were registered, versus 1,336 Cefiros.

Borneo Motors managing director Mark Choong said buyer response to the recently introduced Thai-made Camry has been 'very good', but maintaining overall sales in the second half will be 'tough' as competition grows. He added that one new product is planned towards the end of the year.

Hyundai comes a distant second with sales of about 7,000, followed by Nissan at 6,500. Rounding out the top 10 are Honda, Mitsubishi, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Kia and newcomer Chevrolet.

Copyright @ 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

JULY 10, 2004
NTU GRADUATION
Cellphone way to beat traffic jams
By Maria Almenoar

TIRED of being stuck in a traffic jam when rushing to a destination in a cab, graduand Liu Hui decided to find a way to avoid such frustrating situations.

As part of her final-year project at the School of Computer Engineering in Nanyang Technological University, she took a suggestion made by the sub-dean and turned it into a winning software.

It can relay up-to-date images of traffic situations on the expressways to mobile phones.

Her project attracted the attention of two telecommunications companies, Motorola and DNA Communications, which plan to offer the application in the new Motorola i830 phones to be launched next month.

'It was a combination of inspiration from my professor, an interest in this field of work and just hating traffic jams,' said the Singapore permanent resident who arrived here in 1998 from the eastern province of Shandong in China.

Miss Liu, an only child, came here on a scholarship. She decided to tap existing Land Transport Authority Web cameras and devise a way to transfer their still images to mobile phones.

The 23-year-old also figured out how to manipulate the size and quality of the images so they could be received clearly on a cellphone screen.

Miss Liu, who now works with Motorola as a software engineer, is part of the largest cohort of NTU students graduating next week - 5,426 from seven of the university's schools.

Her father, who has a manufacturing business in China, and her mother, who markets tablecloths, are here for her graduation.

A total of 11 ceremonies will be held from Monday to July 17. The 5,000-plus graduates include the pioneer batches from four master's programmes - bioinformatics, technology and operations management, knowledge management, and environmental science and engineering.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, NTU's deputy president, Professor Er Meng Hwa, said: 'We are very proud of our students and we hope that the education and their experience at NTU will come in useful in whichever path they choose to embark on.'

NTU will have graduates from more varied disciplines in the coming years. They include the first batch of students from its School of Biological Sciences, who will graduate next year, and the intakes for two new schools - humanities and social sciences; and art, design and media - which start this academic year. Its School of Physical Sciences opens next year.

Miss Liu, whose graduation ceremony is on Monday, says it is highly likely she will be part of another such NTU occasion in a couple of years, as she is hoping to join a master's programme there soon.

'There's just so much to learn and find out about. And who knows, I might invent something again,' she said.

Copyright @ 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Business Times - 19 Jul 2004

DaimlerChrysler aims for mass-market hydrogen-fuelled cars in 2014

SINGAPORE - Car giant DaimlerChrysler said on Monday it hopes to sell pollution-free, fuel-cell cars to the public within a decade but acknowledges that making them cheap enough will be its toughest challenge.

'We can expect to see a commercialisation of fuel-cell cars in ten years,' DaimlerChrysler's Head of Technology and Environmental Communications Edith Meissner said in Singapore as the company delivered five cars for road testing in the Southeast Asian city.

Since 1994, DaimlerChrysler has invested US$1 billion (S$1.7 billion) in the technology, which powers vehicles with compressed hydrogen. The engines emit no pollutants as the only waste material is pure water.

Prototype hydrogen-fuelled vehicles typically cost US$1 million to US$2 million each, including the US$200,000 cost of making the fuel cell itself, according to industry estimates.

'At the moment, the cost is the biggest challenge we face. We are sure that with the economies of scale and the development of the techniques we will reach the goal,' she added.

DaimlerChrysler is loaning five Mercedes-Benz A-class 'F-Cell' cars to companies and a government department in Singapore for two years of road testing. It did not say what each model cost.

Worldwide there'll be 60 such DaimlerChrysler vehicles in cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Berlin by the end of the year, the company said.

Singapore was chosen as one of the test sites because of its tropical climate and government support for cleaner technologies, DaimlerChrysler's fuel cell director Dr Andreas Truckenbrodt said.

It'll cost S$50 to refuel the car with a tank that can travel 100 miles (160 kilometres). Refuelling can be done at a specially equipped gas station in the eastern part of Singapore.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

JULY 19, 2004
New flyover to finish ring road project
By Goh Chin Lian

A NEW flyover linking Braddell Road to Lornie Road will be built by the end of 2007, the last project in a S$400 million-plus exercise to direct motorists away from the city centre by easing traffic on an outer ring of roads.

Those who use the flyover will be able to bypass two junctions, one at the main entrance to Mount Alvernia Hospital, the other at MacRitchie Reservoir.

It takes at least two to three minutes to clear the junctions now during the morning rush hour.

The 1.5km flyover will start in front of Braddell-Westlake Secondary School, in Braddell Road, run above the existing Marymount Flyover and merge into a viaduct that links Thomson Road to Lornie Road.

Construction work on the project is expected to begin by the end of the year.

The LTA has so far spent S$400 million to build two viaducts, four flyovers and six underpasses, as well as other road works, to ease the traffic at 12 junctions along Bartley, Braddell, Lornie, Adam and Farrer roads, as well as along Queensway up to the Ayer Rajah Expressway.

Engineers of the former Public Works Department came up with the idea of a route that bypasses the city in the early 1970s, so motorists need not enter the city centre to traverse the island.

Copyright @ 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

First 'green' Merc handed over for trials

NEA to test car that runs on hydrogen fuel in everyday traffic conditions

By Radha Basu

THE first vehicle in a small fleet of experimental, zero-pollution cars was handed over to the National Environment Agency (NEA) at the Botanic Gardens yesterday.


The Mercedes Benz fuel-cell car - built at a reported price tag of $1.8 million - runs on hydrogen, which combines with oxygen in the air to power the engine.

Along with energy, only water and steam are produced. Cars powered by conventional fuels such as petrol and diesel produce noxious fumes.

Six such cars, which have maximum speeds of 140kmh, will be based in Singapore, as part of a global DaimlerChrysler venture.

A total of 60 will be tested over two years in Singapore, Tokyo, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Berlin, in the largest project of its kind in the world.

Also launched yesterday, in Upper East Coast Road, was the first hydrogen-refuelling facility here.

Speaking at the launch, Environment Minister Lim Swee Say noted that 'besides offering greater convenience to vehicle operators, co-location with existing infrastructure could reduce upfront investment and lower operating cost'.

The facility, owned by British Petroleum (BP), is sited at a regular petrol kiosk. A second may be opened by the first quarter of next year.

NEA and four other project partners here - Lufthansa Airlines, tyre-maker Michelin, Conrad Centennial Singapore hotel and BP - will each get a fuel cell car.

The sixth will be used by DaimlerChrysler staff.

NEA chief executive officer Lam Joon Khoi told The Straits Times his officers would provide regular, practical insights on vehicle performance in everyday traffic conditions.

But it will be many years before ordinary Singaporeans will get to whizz about in hydrogen-powered cars, which have engines that now cost 10 times more than conventional ones.

DaimlerChrysler said it does not expect commercial roll-outs before 2010. Dr Andreas Truckenbrodt, who heads its fuel-cell research programme, said the use of platinum - one of the world's most expensive metals - in the fuel cell was driving up costs, but added that alternatives were being explored.

Yet siting the test-driving here is important. Mr Lim said it was important for Singapore to 'keep on pushing the frontiers of technology'.

'It is important that we get involved early to know about the technology and implementation issues, so that when the technology is ready for large-scale deployment, we can be one of the early adopters.'

Having driven the new car, he also said the engine was very smooth and quiet.

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2004-07-20/p6c.jpg
A smooth ride for Environment Minister Lim Swee Say, who drove a hydrogen fuell cell Mercedes Benz to the BP kiosk in Upper East Coast Road.

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2004-07-20/p6b.jpg
The BP kiosk on Upper east Coast Road is the first hydrogen-refuelling facility here, and the car had more hydrogen fuel pumped in. Five other such cars are on the way.

BP plans station that makes fuel

By Christopher Tan

A REFUELLING station that makes its own fuel is the promise to be found in British Petroleum's (BP) second hydrogen pump in Singapore.

The station, expected to be up and running by the first quarter of next year, will produce its own hydrogen gas by using electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen atoms, a process known as electrolysis.

It's one step ahead of the first hydrogen station that was opened officially yesterday. Located in a regular BP petrol kiosk in Upper East Coast Road, its supply of hydrogen arrives in trucks.

BP's general manager for hydrogen, Mr Michael Jones, told The Straits Times that the main cost of hydrogen fuel is transportation.

'We produce enough hydrogen at our oil refineries to refuel 10 million vehicles. And the cost is the same as petrol before taxes,' he said.

'With electricity costing about 15 Singapore cents per kilowatt-hour here, we envisage that hydrogen produced through electrolysis will cost $11 to $12 per kg.'

The figure, which excludes tax and profit, is half the $25-per-kg rate chalked up at the East Coast station, said Mr Jones.

The environmentally-friendly fuel is being used to power six fuel-cell Mercedes-Benz cars on a government-sponsored trial here.

Besides electrolysis, hydrogen can be made from natural gas. BP sees this as the most economical method, but Mr Jones noted that piped gas is currently unavailable at the high-tech one-north hub in Buona Vista, where the second pump will be sited.

Like the East Coast pump, it will cost about $1 million to build.

Mr Jones said BP is the world's leading supplier of automotive hydrogen and operates 10 stations, with four producing the gas where they're sited.

After Singapore, BP will open a station in Australia later this year, with the United States and China next on the list.

'By then, we'd have in excess of 20 stations,' Mr Jones said, and they are in such European cities as Barcelona, Berlin, Hamburg, London, Munich, Porto and Stuttgart.

'That is more demonstration projects than any other energy company. It reflects our approach of 'learning by doing'.'

JULY 27, 2004
Longest flyover set to be ready in mid-2005
Troubled contractor L&M Prestressing will be allowed to complete second part of project, work on which had stopped for 10 months

By Christopher Tan

SINGAPORE'S longest flyover, where work had stopped for 10 months because of the contractor's money problems, is now slated to be ready in the middle of next year.

http://www.straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2004-07-27/h3.jpg
The 5km flyover linking Telok Blangah Road and the West Coast Highway was supposed to have been opened to traffic by last year but contractor L&M Prestressing ran into financial problems. Three-quarters of the project had been done and the final phase - laying the tarmac - would take place next March.

And contrary to speculation, the same contractor, L&M Prestressing, will complete the second portion of the 5km flyover, said the Land Transport Authority yesterday. It would link Telok Blangah Road to the West Coast Highway.

An LTA spokesman said three-quarters of the project had been completed and the final phase - laying the tarmac - would take place next March. p> 'Based on the revised programme, the project is scheduled to complete in the first half of 2005,' she said. 'We are working closely with L&M Prestressing to ensure that they complete the project by this time.'

However, L&M director Yeo Boon Siah said the company planned to complete the project by the first quarter of next year.

The flyover was to have been ready some time in the last quarter of last year but L&M Prestressing ran into financial problems soon after starting work on it in 2000.

Mr Yeo said yesterday that the company had settled all unpaid salaries, an issue some of its employees had brought to the Ministry of Manpower. The company's parent, Indonesian-owned L&M Group Investments, is expected to raise $10 million this week, with a placement of one billion new shares.

Mr Yeo told The Straits Times that majority shareholder Edwin Soeryadjaya - of the family that once owned Indonesian conglomerate Astra International - has undertaken to buy any unsubscribed shares.

The delayed flyover is among a handful of LTA projects that have hit the skids recently. Others include the Queensway-Commonwealth Avenue road interchange and the first stages of the Circle MRT Line.

'We are naturally not happy with the progress,' the LTA spokesman said of L&M's work, 'but we should allow the contractor the greatest leeway to try to complete the job.'

Will the contractor face any penalties for late completion, as provided for in most public works contracts?

'They had earlier put in some claims on meeting unforeseen ground conditions and we will have claims against them for the delay,' the spokesman said, adding that 'this will be sorted out'.

L&M's Mr Yeo said the project was unprofitable but declined to disclose the loss. 'As you'd expect, it is quite substantial,' he added.

According to records, the Pasir Panjang viaduct costs $142 million, and L&M's portion was secured for $58 million.

Mr Yeo also said that L&M Prestressing has another loss-maker on its hands: a $72-million project to build a viaduct linking Bartley Road to Airport Road. This is scheduled to be up by late 2006.

These unprofitable projects have made L&M Prestressing wary, said Mr Yeo. He added that the company would not be tendering for any LTA projects in future and would seek new business outside Singapore.

Copyright @ 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

BP plans station that makes fuel

By Christopher Tan

A REFUELLING station that makes its own fuel is the promise to be found in British Petroleum's (BP) second hydrogen pump in Singapore.

The station, expected to be up and running by the first quarter of next year, will produce its own hydrogen gas by using electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen atoms, a process known as electrolysis.

It's one step ahead of the first hydrogen station that was opened officially yesterday. Located in a regular BP petrol kiosk in Upper East Coast Road, its supply of hydrogen arrives in trucks.
........


Taken from bus......
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/ylstan03/Bus%20ride/DSCN20471.jpg

Hahaha!! What a coincidence!

Sometimes I think you shd be a journalist instead. :D

Hahaha!! What a coincidence!

Sometimes I think you shd be a journalist instead. :D

Emmm I never say teaching will be my career for life(at least for now since I've not really try it).............:D

Oooo....we shall see then? :D

Anyway, I pass by that Pasir Panjang Viaduct everytime on my way to school. The funny thing is I never knew it was stalled! :eek:

Oooo....we shall see then? :D

Anyway, I pass by that Pasir Panjang Viaduct everytime on my way to school. The funny thing is I never knew it was stalled! :eek:

I used to pass by it everytime too.......I was wondering how come they took so long........(I always think that way when it was peak hour and the road was packed with container trucks........ :bash: ):D

Sounds familiar. :D

But thank goodness most of the time I have to travel via that road, it wasent peak hours. Actually the road is quite smooth most of the time? The viaduct seems to be mainly to get the trucks out of the way!

Sounds familiar. :D

But thank goodness most of the time I have to travel via that road, it wasent peak hours. Actually the road is quite smooth most of the time? The viaduct seems to be mainly to get the trucks out of the way!

Yes, i always notice it was smooth after those trucks use the completed viaduct at telok blangah....thank goodness.......and most of the time, off peak hours are generally smooth......but sometimes can't help it when the lecture ends at 6pm..... :bash: :D

Peak Hour Traffic at Kallang/Lavender
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/ylstan03/Bus%20ride/DSCN20281.jpg

Yes, i always notice it was smooth after those trucks use the completed viaduct at telok blangah....thank goodness.......and most of the time, off peak hours are generally smooth......but sometimes can't help it when the lecture ends at 6pm..... :bash: :D
Interesting.....its almost like a bridge linking the terminals around Keppel with those at Pasir Panjang! And to think that many think its just another initiative to help them get to the city faster..haha.

Interesting.....its almost like a bridge linking the terminals around Keppel with those at Pasir Panjang! And to think that many think its just another initiative to help them get to the city faster..haha.

With the bridge, I'm sure the efficiency and operation of the port will be enhanced......:)

Yeah lah..but in the long long long term, it wont be used by those trucks anymore! :D

Yeah lah..but in the long long long term, it wont be used by those trucks anymore! :D

Maybe in the long long long long term, they'll build one extension from Pasir panjang to tuas.......:D

That is not impossible! :D

In fact, if I am not wrong, it seems like Jurong port will be shifting to that wierd shaped reclaimed land at Tuas Extension, and it might be allowed to grow to be as big as PSA!

JULY 29, 2004
S'pore makes case for open transport sector

A STRONG and open transport sector will boost economic growth and cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region and countries should take concrete steps to make this liberalisation happen, Transport Minister Yeo Cheow Tong said yesterday.

And the aviation sector was one area he cited as proof that an easing up of rules was necessary for success.

This sector is faced with challenges such as increasing fuel prices, the emergence of budget carriers, changes in aircraft technology and the need to enhance safety and security, Mr Yeo said at the Fourth Apec Transportation Ministerial Meeting in Bali.

According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, by 2010, more than 30 million new jobs will be created in the travel and tourism industries, with total tourism revenue exceeding US$3 trillion (S$5 trillion).

The aviation sector, especially, has to anticipate and facilitate this vast potential for growth, he noted.

'Only with a strong and liberal transport sector can trade, investments and tourism flourish,' he said in his speech on the second day of the three-day meeting.

Singapore, Mr Yeo said, is committed to the process of liberalisation and is also giving priority to ensuring the safety and security of transport.

'This is reflected in all our numerous port facilities and the 1,000 ships on our...shipping registry fully complying with the ISPS code well before July 1,' the minister said.

At a discussion session later yesterday, he again reiterated the benefits of liberalising the air transport sector.

It is estimated that 'for every US$100 spent on air travel, the economy gains US$325; and 100 extra jobs in the air transport sector produce 610 new jobs within the country', he said.

Mr Yeo, describing transport as a key enabler of economic growth, said Asia's economic growth cannot be achieved in isolation.

He acknowledged that Apec member economies are at different levels of economic development and that some may need to liberalise at a slower pace. 'But it is important that all are moving in the same direction, so that we can all share in the growing transport sector pie and benefit from it,' he added.

Copyright @ 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

S'pore makes case for open transport sector

A STRONG and open transport sector will boost economic growth and cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region and countries should take concrete steps to make this liberalisation happen, Transport Minister Yeo Cheow Tong said yesterday.

And the aviation sector was one area he cited as proof that an easing up of rules was necessary for success.

This sector is faced with challenges such as increasing fuel prices, the emergence of budget carriers, changes in aircraft technology and the need to enhance safety and security, Mr Yeo said at the Fourth Apec Transportation Ministerial Meeting in Bali.

According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, by 2010, more than 30 million new jobs will be created in the travel and tourism industries, with total tourism revenue exceeding US$3 trillion (S$5 trillion).

The aviation sector, especially, has to anticipate and facilitate this vast potential for growth, he noted.

'Only with a strong and liberal transport sector can trade, investments and tourism flourish,' he said in his speech on the second day of the three-day meeting.

Singapore, Mr Yeo said, is committed to the process of liberalisation and is also giving priority to ensuring the safety and security of transport.

'This is reflected in all our numerous port facilities and the 1,000 ships on our...shipping registry fully complying with the ISPS code well before July 1,' the minister said.

At a discussion session later yesterday, he again reiterated the benefits of liberalising the air transport sector.

It is estimated that 'for every US$100 spent on air travel, the economy gains US$325; and 100 extra jobs in the air transport sector produce 610 new jobs within the country', he said.

Mr Yeo, describing transport as a key enabler of economic growth, said Asia's economic growth cannot be achieved in isolation.

He acknowledged that Apec member economies are at different levels of economic development and that some may need to liberalise at a slower pace. 'But it is important that all are moving in the same direction, so that we can all share in the growing transport sector pie and benefit from it,' he added.

Bridge-widening at Bukit Timah

A 68-YEAR-OLD bridge for vehicles that spans the Bukit Timah canal will be widened to improve traffic flow in the area.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said the 13.5m-long bridge, located at the junction of Chancery Lane, Dunearn Road, Bukit Timah Road and Balmoral Road, will be made wider as it is currently too narrow to handle the amount traffic that uses it.

The bridge, which was built in 1936 and is a two-way road with three lanes, will have a total of six lanes by the end of next year.

The stretch of Chancery Lane, Balmoral Road and Dunearn Road leading to the junction will also be widened.

The project is expected to cost $1.79 million.

Work, which began last month, is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of next year. It will include landscaping of the area.

The LTA said that vehicles will be able to continue using the bridge while the work is going on.

'Green' cars quietly exiting the showrooms

High cost and poor sales to blame, say distributors; rebates said to be too low

By Radha Basu

ENVIRONMENT friendly hybrid cars that run on petrol and electricity have made a quiet exit from showrooms.

Borneo Motors stopped selling older versions of the Toyota Prius from last November and has no plans to import the new model, which is selling well in the United States and Japan.

Honda distributor Kah Motor also stopped selling the Insight, one of its two eco-car models, last year. The 'green' version of the Civic is available only on special order and customers must put down a $20,000 deposit first.

Even as the Government reiterated its commitment towards promoting green cars here last week, distributors say high cost and poor sales sounded the death knell for hybrids.

Borneo Motors said it had sold just 16 Prius cars since September 2001. At that time, it cost $128,988 with a certificate of entitlement (COE). But prices fell as the car market weakened. The last Prius sold for $106,000 with COE.

Honda has fared no better. It has sold just two each of its hybrid Insight and Civic models since they were launched.

The Insight then cost $140,000, or the price of a BMW 318i. The Civic Hybrid now costs $102,500. Both prices include the COE.

Emissions of greenhouse gases from petrol and diesel vehicles are a significant source of air pollution worldwide and worsen global warming. The Prius is said to burn fuel 90 per cent cleaner than conventional-fuel cars; and the Civic Hybrid, 50 per cent cleaner.

Although there are tax rebates for buyers of hybrid cars, environmentalists, academics and motorists say more can be done to make these cars more affordable. Fewer than 25 green cars have been sold in the three years since the incentives were introduced.

In the US, nearly 22,000 Prius cars were snapped up in the first half of the year. There, it costs about US$5,500 (S$9,500) more than a conventional Toyota Corolla. But here, the hybrids cost $25,000 to $30,000 more - after the tax rebates.

Buyers get a 20 per cent rebate on the car's open market value, in registration fees and another 10 per cent off the yearly road tax.

It all comes to between $5,000 and $6,000.

'The existing rebates are simply not sufficient,' said the executive director of the Singapore Environment Council, Mr Howard Shaw.

'Given Singapore's high car tax burden, the cars are still well beyond the reach of the average Singaporean.'

He suggests further lowering the additional registration fee for green cars. The fee amounts to 110 per cent of a car's open market value. It and the COE are the key factors inflating car prices here.

Dr Chang Yuong Ho of the National University of Singapore said hybrid cars are the most 'convenient' of the green alternatives available.

Unlike cars that run on compressed natural gas, they don't need special refuelling kiosks. Unlike electric cars, hybrids don't need to be plugged in and recharged.

'Cost is the main thing keeping them off the roads here,' said Dr Chang, who teaches a postgraduate course in environment economics.

Motorists like Mr Wilfred Tay, who have driven the Prius, are impressed with the smooth drive and fuel efficiency. Mr Tay, 42, a marketing professional, rents a Prius from the Income car co-operative whenever his wife needs to use his Suzuki. But it's too expensive to buy, he said.

Asked about further incentives for green car buyers, the National Environment Agency said it would review the existing rebates before they lapse in January 2006.

'As the technology for green vehicles is evolving rapidly, this will allow the Government to be responsive to changes and ensure that the rebates remain relevant.'

His gamble on the Prius is paying off

ALTHOUGH the Toyota Prius is considered a mascot of the green movement, its eco-friendliness was not high on Mr Vincent Ng Eng Hwa's (right) checklist of must-haves when he set out to shop for his first car.

Prius, a petrol-electricity hybrid, is considered to burn fuel 90 per cent cleaner than conventional-fuel cars.

'What I really wanted was fuel efficiency, low maintenance and a smooth engine,' the soft-spoken engineer said.

International motoring websites he visited claimed that the Prius would deliver on all three counts.

Although the car cost almost $30,000 more than the Corolla and was virtually unheard of here, Mr Ng, 39, took a chance and bought it.

Nineteen months on, it looks as if the gamble's paid off. Mr Ng, one of four people who own a Prius here - 12 others were sold to firms - says it gives him more than 20km for every litre of petrol.

So although he drives from Bedok to Jurong for work every day, his monthly petrol bills seldom exceed $80. With a normal car he would have had to pay at least 30 to 40 per cent more, he reckons.

Over time, the engineer in him has also come to appreciate the 'technological marvels' the car demonstrates.

'As cars move, they usually emit a lot of heat,' he said. 'Rather than waste the heat, the Prius converts it into electrical energy, which, in turn, helps run the car.'

Tax breaks for gas-driven cabs: operators not biting

By Christopher Tan

IT HAS been more than four months since the Government dangled deep tax cuts as incentives for taxi operators to switch from diesel to compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles.

To date, no one is biting.

Even Smart Automobile, a new player which said initially that the incentives could save it more than $9 a day per cab, now says it has not found any suitable CNG car to buy.

In March, the Government offered any CNG cab registered before January 2006 a 100 percentage point rebate on its additional registration fee (ARF), some tens of thousands of dollars in upfront savings per cab.

Such a cab will also be exempted from the annual diesel tax of $5,100, and pay 20 per cent less in road tax.

After the date, some of the perks will go. Only the ARF rebate, but a smaller proportion, will be given for cabs registered from Jan 1 to Sept 30, 2006. The rebate will be 80 percentage points.

Observers estimate that the Government would forgo over $150 million in taxes, should the 5,000 or so taxis due for replacement in the two-year period convert.

Still, operators are wary because of uncertainties such as how long the CNG cabs will last and the inconvenience of using the new fuel.

Smart's executive director, Mr Johnny Ang, said: 'We need more certainty from all parties before we commit. Our earlier projections assumed that we can use the cabs for eight years.'

Like other operators, his company is unsure of the durability of the CNG models in the market.

Singapore's biggest transport group ComfortDelGro Corp said its drivers were not enthralled by the fuel during the year-long trial which ended in April.

Said its spokesman Tammy Tan: 'They found the relatively short range of 240km on a full tank to be somewhat of an inconvenience since that means refuelling twice a day at the only CNG station.' Normal diesel taxis can run 500km on a full tank.

The company is still operating two Volvo CNG buses, and The Straits Times understands there are no plans to add more.

Mr William Choo, a senior manager in charge of CNG affairs at Toyota distributor Borneo Motors, disclosed that the vehicle manufacturer had dedicated a production line to cater to an anticipated Singapore market. But it has made way for other products since there had been no orders.

Mr Choo noted that the trial involving eight CNG Toyota Crowns incurred substantial cost and effort. 'Engineers from Toyota in Japan were flying in and out... and that cost money.'

He sees the indifference as a 'chicken and egg problem'. Operators would not buy CNG vehicles because there is only one refuelling site, on Jurong Island. Gas suppliers would not build more stations unless there were significantly more gas-driven cars here.

Meanwhile, operators of diesel vehicles are preparing to comply with a more stringent emission standard, known as Euro 4, that will take effect in October 2006.

ComfortDelGro's Ms Tan said: 'Most bus manufacturers have indicated that they can supply Euro 4 diesel buses by then. We acknowledge the government incentives, but there are still infrastructural and operational issues that remain unresolved.'

AUG 29, 2004
JB highway toll for S'pore cars mooted
JOHOR BARU

A CONSORTIUM has proposed imposing a levy on Singapore-registered cars entering Malaysia to fund the construction of a new highway in the town centre.

But the Malaysian government has yet to respond to the proposal.

The construction of the proposed 8.5km Eastern Dispersal Link will cost RM650 million (S$293 million), Oriental Daily News said.

Upon its completion in 2008, Singapore cars will be charged a proposed RM8 each for a single trip, while Malaysian cars will be exempted from the levy. An average of 5,000 Singapore cars enter Malaysia daily via the Causeway. On weekends or public holidays, their number doubles or triples.

The consortium submitted a proposal on the highway to the Prime Minister's Department recently and mooted the idea of imposing a levy on foreign cars to fund the project.

Copyright @ 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

SEPT 1, 2004
New class of licence for drivers of auto cars

THOSE who do not want to tangle with manual-transmission cars and want to learn to drive only automatic ones will be able to do so from Jan 1 next year.

They will take the test and be issued with a new Class 3A driving licence.

Qualified drivers of motorcars now hold the Class 3 licence. They have all been required to learn to drive and pass the test using manual-transmission or stick-shift cars. They are allowed to drive both types of cars.

Holders of the Class 3A licence will not be allowed to drive stick shift cars unless they sit for and pass the test for the Class 3 licence.

A police spokesman acknowledged that the test for the Class 3A licence might be easier to pass, but stressed that there would be no let-up in test standards.

Holders of 3A licences will be severely punished if caught driving manual-transmission vehicles, he added.

The change comes as a result of feedback from the public that they see no need to learn how to drive manual or stick-shift cars when several motorcar makes produce auto-transmission models.

Copyright @ 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

SEPT 7, 2004
LTA adds extra level of checks for KPE project
By Christopher Tan

THE Land Transport Authority (LTA) is adding another level of independent checks for construction works in the massive Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) project.

It has called a tender to hire an accredited checker, a qualified senior civil engineer, to focus on the design and construction of temporary structures, such as retaining walls and dams, which are put up during construction - in this case, tunnelling work. The structures may or may not become part of the completed expressway.

Accredited checkers - which became mandatory after the Hotel New World collapse in 1986 - are usually senior civil engineers with at least 10 years of relevant work experience.

While such independent checks had been introduced for permanent structures, this is the first time the LTA is calling a separate tender for inspecting temporary works, a task that was earlier left to the developer to carry out.

The Straits Times understands that while the extra checks are discretionary now, they may soon become mandatory in the light of the Nicoll Highway incident.

Copyright @ 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

The New Paper - 14 Sep 2004

Big Brother on the road?

No, say bosses, high-tech gadget means they can keep an eye on drivers

By Arul John
tnp@sph.com.sg

A PRODUCTIVITY tool or a gadget to help Big Brother watch over you?

Big Brother is the name of the all-knowing mysterious leader of the police state Oceania in George Orwell's novel, 1984.

The makers of the UK-developed Vehicle Management Information System (VMIS), which uses Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to monitor vehicles on the move, said it's not a Big Brother system.

The system can tell if a driver has lied about working when he could have been sipping coffee at a coffeeshop.

Mr David Roberts, national sales manager of Minorplanet South East Asia, which markets the system here, said a computer organises the data into different reports that show how the vehicles performed.

It's not Internet-based and the data can only be accessed within each firm, he said.

The cost of renting the system is about $150 a month per vehicle.

What do the firms which use the system think?

Mr Hay Hung Hui, general manager of underground cable-laying contractor Yuan Ji Enterprises, said: 'Our staff are disciplined and honest, but the VMIS helped us verify their claims for better vehicle management.'

Mr Poh Peng Hoe, managing director of PH Containers Express (Singapore), said his drivers have become more diligent since the VMIS was installed in the lorries and prime movers about three months ago.

He said: 'Last month, one of our drivers telephoned us that he was on medical leave for two days, but the VMIS showed his vehicle was used during that period.'

He declined to reveal the fate of the driver. But he said two drivers had been sacked after the VMIS found they had taken long breaks on duty and arrived late at their destinations.

Fewer customers were complaining about late drivers, he added.

HOW IT WORKS

Vehicle Management Information System (VMI) uses a data collection unit that continually monitors and records vehicle position, speed and distance travelled anywhere in the world using GPS (Global Positioning System).

Data can then be retrieved through a radio frequency link or GSM cellular network.

Command & Control Centre

The data is downloaded into a computer back at the client firm through a radio link or a handphone Global System for Messaging (GSM) network. The VMIS software can organise the data into different reports that show how the vehicles have performed.

Mr David Roberts of Minorplanet South East Asia shows how the VMIS can show a digital map of the movement of the van at each stage.

The map can even show the roads it travels along and landmarks it passes.

Take, for example, a delivery van on a fictional route:

1. The van leaves the firm and the VMIS records his start time and speed

2. As the van moves, the distance it travels, the speed, and even the road it is moving on are recorded

3. If the driver thinks he can sleep on the job without anybody knowing, he is wrong. The VMIS can let you know if the van engine is idling and for how long

4. If the van is supposed to follow a pre-programmed route, and suddenly changes direction, the time and route of the deviation is recorded

5. When the vehicle arrives within the ring fence, the VMIS can be programmed to send an SMS to the customer telling him the vehicle has arrived

Ring fence - The VMIS software can create areas round specific locations on a digital map, usually work destinations. This can inform a customer or supplier that a vehicle has entered or left the area.

6. When the van returns to Company X, its entry time is recorded, signifying the end of the trip

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

SEPT 17, 2004
Tg Pagar railway station to get makeover

REFLECTING a warming of ties between the two neighbours, Malaysia's train service to Singapore is back on track with plans to give the historical Tanjong Pagar railway station a makeover.

Tourism Malaysia had agreed in principle to allocate S$50,000 to give a new lease of life to the station, said KTM Berhad Intercity general manager Azman Ahmad Shaharbi.

The aim was for the station to offer a hive of activities wooing Singaporeans and other foreigners to Malaysia.

Also on track are plans to strengthen the 20km railway line from Bukit Timah to Tanjong Pagar, with maintenance costs estimated at RM3 million (S$1.3 million), Mr Azman said after the launch yesterday of a new rail quiz called Match Your Train and Station at Tanjung Pagar.

Rehabilitation of the Bukit Timah-Tanjong Pagar rail track had not been undertaken over the past 30 years, he said.

Built in 1932, the station is one of the most attractive in KTM's train network.

The future of the station, a carryover from British colonial rule over what used to be known as Malaya, is one of the sensitive issues that have strained relations between the two countries since they separated about 40 years ago.

To get the makeover on schedule, KTM was also working with the Malaysian High Commission here to seek a waiver of the Goods and Services Tax imposed by the Singapore Government to bring in materials needed to strengthen the rail track. New rails alone would cost RM3 million.

Mr Azman also said plans were under way to introduce shuttle services twice a day from Kempas Baru, a sister station of KTM's station in Johor Baru, to Singapore.

He noted that congestion in Johor Baru was due to construction work undertaken by Gerbang Perdana.

Originally planned for June, Mr Azman said KTM expected this service to be operational in October, pending approval from the Singapore authorities.

KTM, he said, was targeting Malaysians working here, especially the estimated 100,000 motorcyclists who commute across the Causeway daily.

On its Johor-Singapore and Singapore-Johor traffic, he said he expected 600,000 passengers to use its service this year, a 15 per cent increase over last year. In 2002, 681,668 passengers took the train from Johor Bahru to Singapore.

Mr Azman said that, including Tanjong Pagar and Bukit Timah, KTM had 202ha of land in Singapore. -- Bernama

Copyright @ 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Business Times - 21 Sep 2004

Hock Lock Siew
With media deal done, is transport next?

By WONG WEI KONG

SO WILL the public transport sector see a consolidation similar to that in the media industry? The stock market seems to think so. Shares of transportation group ComfortDelgro Corp rose yesterday, for instance, on speculation that such a consolidation may be looming.

After all, there are similarities between the two industries. The perceived need for competition had led the government to open up both sectors. Then came the realisation that the market here may not be able to support such competition, with the government then indicating that it would not block the players from calling it quits if they so wished.

Now that Singapore Press Holdings and MediaCorp - after losing millions of dollars - have reached a compromise on TV and free-newspaper competition, it looks like it may be the turn next for ComfortDelgro (and its listed subsidiary SBS Transit) and rival SMRT Corp. Indeed, it can be argued that competition makes less sense in public transport than in media, even when putting the financial numbers aside.

Both ComfortDelgro and SMRT operate rail, bus and taxi services. With the exception perhaps of taxis, there is actually no real competition between the bus and rail operations run by ComfortDelgro and SMRT.

For one thing, both companies have limited pricing power, since bus and rail fare revisions require the approval of the Public Transport Council. For another, route rationalisation means little overlap in services, leaving commuters usually with no choice but to take whatever is available. So competing for customers - or ridership in this case - does not take place.

If the public transport sector is to be truly rationalised, there is really only one logical conclusion: one rail operator and one bus operator, and eventually perhaps just one super land transport company.

ComfortDelgro, which grew out of the merger between taxi operator Comfort and bus operator Delgro, is the dominant bus and taxi player in the market. However, its unit SBS Transit also operates a rail service, the North East Line (NEL), which has been incurring losses from lower-than-expected ridership since it began operations in June 2003. The government built the NEL at a cost of almost $5 billion and SBS Transit is said to have spent an estimated $100 million in operating costs. The good news is that losses from NEL have been narrowing; in the second quarter, losses fell to $5.4 million from $7.2 million a year ago.

But NEL isn't the end of ComfortDelgro's rail challenge. The government will hand over the Punggol Light Rapid Transit (LRT) system to SBS Transit to run by the end of this year. Will there be enough ridership? Given recent reports suggesting that fewer people than expected are moving to live in Punggol, a new town, there is the possibility that Punggol could mean more losses for the ComfortDelgro group.

On the other hand, SMRT, the dominant rail operator, will be better placed to run new rail lines like NEL and Punggol given its economies of scale. Consolidation should see SMRT take over ComfortDelgro's rail lines, becoming the sole rail operator, while ComfortDelgro takes over SMRT's buses and becomes the sole public bus service provider.

Once that happens, a merger between the two to create a super land transport group is a distinct possibility, a move that would boost their regional potential - ComfortDelgro has already built up significant overseas operations while SMRT is keenly exploring opportunities abroad.

The devil, of course, will be in the details. The SPH-MediaCorp deal involved just one listed company, but any such consolidation in the public transport sector would involve three listed companies: ComfortDelgro, SBS Transit and SMRT. But the ComfortDelgro group counts the Singapore Labour Foundation as its biggest shareholder while for SMRT, it is Temasek Holdings. With the two dominant shareholders both linked to the government, a deal may come sooner than expected, especially if it makes commercial sense.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 30 September 2004 2229 hrs

LTA unveils new rules for motorised bicycles
By Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : The Land Transport Authority has unveiled new rules for motorised bicycles.

From Friday, they must be battery-operated and there are now speed limits and a minimum age for riders.

And after three months, those who flout the rules will face fines and even jail time.

Motorised bicycles have been around for about a decade.

But recently, some users have been adding petrol-powered engines so the bikes can reach speeds up to 45 kilometres an hour.

This has raised serious safety concerns.

In the past 2 years, there have been at least 22 incidents involving injury and at least one fatality involving such motorised bikes.

So, the authorities have decided to but the brakes on these reckless riders.

For a start - engines will be regulated.

What will be allowed are battery powered bicycles that can reach up to speeds of 25 kph.

But what will not be allowed are bicycles which have illegally retrofitted engines and fuel tanks and which can go faster, with speeds closer to that reached by motorcycles.

Also the motor should only kick in when the rider starts to pedal and it must cut off automatically once the bike reaches speeds of 25 kilometres an hour.

To make sure all motorised bicycles meet these new requirements, all such bikes on the road - and any new ones - must be checked at 1 of 9 inspection centres and fitted with a safety seal.

This will cost $10.

Maria Choy, Land Transport Authority, said: "We understand if you bought it before1st October, send bike to inspection centre - let them have a check again. The main concern will be power rating. Let them check it and if assured it's safe, will seal it and it will be OK to use it on public roads."

Users must now also be at least 16 and must wear safety helmets.

Ho Mon Heng, who has been selling 1 or 2 battery-powered bicycles each month for the last 5 years, welcomed the changes.

Mr Ho, Owner, Guan Hong Cycle & Trading, said: "Good idea of course lah because too dangerous petrol one. In garden and park they sprint very fast, 2-3 guys they speed like chasing."

Other road users said the changes are long overdue.

"For me and the public, this is good because the motorised ones very dangerous," said one road user.

"A bike is a bike. It should be powered by muscles," said another.

And from next year, those who flout the new rules face fines of up to $2000 and even three-month jail terms. - CNA

Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd

Some normal bikes travel faster than electric ones, what! :bash:

Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 01 October 2004 1535 hrs

SBS Transit introduces new vehicle location system in more routes
By Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : The Vehicle Location System (VLS) will be introduced on another 10 SBS Transit service routes starting Monday.

They are service numbers 225, 229, 262, 269, 273, 292, 317, 333, 334 and 335.

SBS Transit says this addition follows the successful launch of the system over the last three months on 15 service routes.

The VLS allows for the automated updating of fare stages through a satellite-based bus tracking system.

Once the bus position is determined automatically, bus drivers no longer need to update the fare stages manually, and this will eradicate human error in the updating of fare stages and hence, ensure accurate fare deduction.

To inform commuters about the VLS, posters and decals will be displayed at Ang Mo Kio, Bedok, Bukit Merah, Jurong East, Serangoon and Tampines Bus Interchanges where the ten services are operating from. - CNA

Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd

Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 04 October 2004 0005 hrs

Dealers, riders seem aware of new rules on motorised bikes
By Rita Zahara, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE: Bicycle dealers and bike owners seem aware of the new rules on motorised bikes.

Few were spotted on the roads after the ban on bicycles with petrol engines kicked off on Friday.

At Pasir Ris Park, for example, hardly any motorised bikes were spotted after the ban.

According to Philip, who runs a rental bicycle store at the park, motorised bikes were a common sight before the ban and the cyclists even raced around the area.

He said: "Very dangerous, because this is a public area, this is a park. So many accidents happened here and a few of the casualties were quite serious."

Over at Bedok, a shop-owner, who used to sell motorised bicycles, has stopped selling them for over a year.

The shop-owner said: "Because they are not approved by LTA. We are waiting for the approval. We intend to bring them in by next week and we will sell quite a number of brands if they are approved."

Most dealers Channel NewsAsia checked out did not have any petrol-powered bikes and were aware of the new rules.

But at a Tampines shop, there were some petrol-powered bicycles.

The workers there said the bikes were for their personal use and were not for sale.

They also said they were looking at ways to get rid of the bikes.

Under the new rules, all motorised bikes will have to be inspected before they can hit the roads.

Riders can face jail of up to 3 months and fines of $2,000 if they use such petrol powered bikes without approval.

Dealers say they may be able to sell off these bikes with some modifications, like dismantling the motor so that they become normal bicycles.

As for members of the public, they welcomed the changes.

Some even felt that the rules were long overdue.

However, existing motorised bicycle owners felt that the checks at the nine inspection centres should also be extended to neighbourhood estates for their convenience.

LTA expects over 2,000 bikes to undergo inspection before their owners can take them on the roads again. - CNA

Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd

Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 06 October 2004 1957 hrs

Handa Indah launches new bus service to Larkin in Johor Bahru
By Joanne Leow, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : From Thursday, there will be another new bus service between Johor Bahru and Singapore.

This is the third time in a month that a new service is being launched between the two destinations.

Malaysian company Handa Indah will begin express services between Singapore's Queen Street and Larkin in Johor Bahru.

This is despite increased competition on the Singapore-JB route from SBS and SMRT.

But Handa Indah is so confident commuters want an express service to Johor Bahru that it is planning to launch more such routes in December.

These will start from Jurong and use the Second Link to enter Malaysia. - CNA

Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd

Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 02 November 2004 1617 hrs

MediaCorp Radio-Subaru Challenge winner lasts record 75 hours
By Johnson Choo, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : A winner has finally emerged from the third MediaCorp Radio-Subaru Challenge as 23-year-old sales executive Ian Lee beat 29-year-old administrative officer Cheang Pui San by a minute to set a new record time of 74 hours and 59 minutes.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/imagegallery/store/phpFDCysi.jpg

He beat the previous record by more than nine hours in the event at Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza.

Ms Cheang, contestant number 120, lifted her palm off the car two minutes short of 75 hours into the challenge.

A minute later, Mr Lee, contestant number 66, took his right hand off the car and was declared the winner of a brand new S$90,000 car.

The two contestants were immediately rushed to the first-aid post for a checkup.

Family and friends surrounded the two very physically and mentally exhausted contestants.

So what were Mr Lee's first thoughts when he won?

"It was a great feat. I thank God and I thank my family members," he said.

The two contestants earlier had to brave the erratic weather, which alternated between the blazing sun and pouring rain.

At 2.50 pm, organiser MediaCorp Radio decided to isolate the two contestants and this proved to be the crux in determining the winner, as both tried hard to stay focused and lucid.

Unfortunately for Ms Cheang, after spending more than three days here, she only managed to go away with more than S$2,000 worth of shopping vouchers as the first runner-up.

She was sent to the hospital for observation to make sure that she was physically all right.

That left Mr Lee a very happy and proud owner of a brand new Subaru Impreza WRX.

Last year's winner held on for nearly 67 hours, while the winner of the inaugural contest in 2002 lasted 62 hours. - CNA

Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd

Nov 3, 2004
S'pore's trail-blazing land transport policies lauded
By Christopher Tan
Senior Correspondent

SINGAPORE is miles ahead in the land transport game. That swift summation comes from the man who is dedicated to promoting mass mobility, Mr Wolfgang Meyer.

Mr Meyer is president of the International Association of Public Transport, a 119-year-old advocacy group based in Brussels.

Many of the emerging trends in cities around the world - such as congestion-pricing, electronic fare collection and privatisation of transport operators - are already practised by Singapore, he pointed out.

'You have high political support for sustainable development in the city,' he said when he was here recently. 'And sustainable mobility is the basis for sustainable development on the whole.' He praised the political will of the Government in managing the car population, a feat few others have duplicated.

'Motorisation is increasing very fast. But you need a lot of time and money to establish a road system. You are running against time.

'The private car is used for two hours, and parked for 22 hours... It's a waste of liveability. In Singapore, you've not given too much space to the car.'

He said politicians 'must be courageous', citing the example of London mayor Ken Livingstone, who pushed through congestion-pricing just before elections and still won.

'At first, the shopkeepers in London were afraid that congestion-pricing would keep people away,' he recalled. 'But the opposite has happened. The city is more accessible today.'

Mr Meyer said that it was 'astonishing' to see how the rail network had grown in just 15 years. 'Every year, close to 8km is added,' he noted. 'The financial investment is huge, and doing all that construction in such a densely populated city - that's what I admire most.'

Mr Meyer said people often speak about public transport in terms of 'deficits and subsidies'. 'But the benefits to the entire community - there's no balance sheet for that. Governments should remember this - that the mobility of the people is not measurable.'

He said public transport in Europe, where it started, is undergoing a change. 'We need competition. Economic reasons are the best for a sound public transport business.' He believes the State should allow transport operators to 'act as real entrepreneurial companies'.

'If you accept this... then you must accept the conclusion that fares must be decided by the companies first. These companies have the best feel of the market,' he said.

The State should then decide how it wants to help 'the poor, the students, the handicapped' cope with higher fares, he added.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Nov 5, 2004
Redhill MRT death: Woman had mental illness

JUST a week after Madam Teo Geok Buay was discharged from a mental hospital, she stepped off the platform at Redhill MRT station on Aug 31 this year and into the path of an oncoming train.

The 50-year-old woman died five hours later.

During the inquiry into her death yesterday, State Coroner Malcolm Tan was told that Madam Teo was unemployed and lived alone.

At about 7pm on the day she died, she spoke to her daughter on the phone, asking her how she was.

She hung up shortly after as her daughter was busy with work.

About 40 minutes later, Madam Teo was seen standing at one end of the platform at the Redhill MRT station.

Sergeant Lau Chai Hock told the court that the closed circuit camera had caught Madam Teo at the platform before the incident.

Sgt Lau said: 'Upon seeing the train enter the platform, she walked forward and jumped onto the tracks.'

She was found semi- conscious by rescuers, lying face down across the tracks under one of the train's carriages.

Madam Teo was taken to the Singapore General Hospital, where she later died.

Sgt Lau said there was no evidence of foul play.

He told the court yesterday that Madam Teo had been suffering from schizophrenia and was last admitted to the Institute of Mental Health on Aug 18, about two weeks before she died.

During her one-week stay there, she was experiencing suicidal thoughts, Sgt Lau said.

However, after counselling, Madam Teo was declared out of danger and discharged on Aug 24.

Yesterday's inquiry was the second of three hearings taking place this week into recent deaths at MRT stations.

On Wednesday, the court heard how Madam Loh Suan Choo, 50, had jumped in front of an oncoming train on the same day as Madam Teo, at Bukit Batok MRT station.

Madam Loh had tried to commit suicide just one day before by running in front of oncoming cars outside Boon Keng MRT station.

The inquiry into the death of Mr Goh Nai Ho on Sept 15 at Bishan MRT station will be heard today.

The verdict on all three deaths will be delivered on Tuesday.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Business Times - 05 Nov 2004

ComfortDelGro wins 3 bus licenses in Malaysia

SINGAPORE - Comfort Bus, Singapore's largest private bus charter operator said it has been awarded three Malaysian licenses to offer bus chartering services.

It said in a press release, its three new buses, which cost $620,000, will make their maiden journey tomorrow to Genting Highlands, a gaming resort near Malaysia's biggest city of Kuala Lumpur.

Comfort Bus, a member of the ComfortDelgro Group, will also offer travel agents and corporate customers chartering services to Johor, Malacca, Port Dickson, Kuala Lumpur and Mersing on these buses.

The expansion into Malaysia is an extension of its Singapore operations of 400 buses.

ComfortDelgro Managing Director and Group CEO, Kua Hong Pak, said in the statement, 'Together with our rental car business in Malaysia, we look forward to expanding further our operations there.'

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

It's already the second biggest transport company in the world...

seems that many people are now using the MRT platforms to commit suicide...

Nov 6, 2004
YESTERDAY'S TALES
People movers of the past

Trolley buses were common here from the 1920s to 1962.

THE earliest buses on Singapore's roads were trolley buses which were brought in during the 1920s to replace electric trams.

Like trams - and unlike today's diesel-fuelled public buses - trolley buses were powered by overhead electric lines. They ran on roads rather than tramlines.

The Singapore Traction Company had a 30-year monopoly to run trolley buses and motor buses in town.

By 1929, 90 trolley buses plied a distance of 30.5km. Two years earlier, the tram service, which started in 1905, had been phased out.

The fare then? 10 cents.

Because of the electric lines that powered the buses, journeys could be eventful.

Whenever a bus turned a corner, the conductor had to hop out and grab ropes connected to the lines. Otherwise, the connection would be broken.

Improving technology meant faster modes of public transport, such as motor buses - called wu xian dian che, or wireless vehicle.

Mostly Leylands, Albions or Chevrolets, these buses ran on fuel. From 1935, 'mosquito buses' - so called because they could weave in and out of traffic - began to serve rural and fringe areas.

By the 1940s, there were more motor buses than trolley buses on the roads. Trolleys were completely replaced in December 1962, and the electric lines that powered them came down.

The Singapore Traction Company collapsed in 1973.

Transporting you back to the past

1905: Electric trams begin service.

1920s: Trolley buses, also powered by overhead electric lines, are brought in to replace the trams. By 1929, there are 90 trolley buses on the roads.

1927: Trams are phased out.

1935: Motor buses begin to serve rural and fringe areas.

1962: Trolley buses are completely replaced by motor buses.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

What's the difference between motor and trolley buses? :?

Trolley buses are powered by overhead pantographs (electrical wires) whereas motor buses are powered by fuel.

I guess we cant have them in Singapore cos of the unsightly wires and perhaps they take up too much space?

Yup if I remember correctly Singapore has this policy of not allowing anything that has overhead wires to be built if they are on the surface. That explains why MRT & LRT trains are powered by third rail and power lines are buried beneath the streets.

Why?

Not only does it look ugly, and I agree with that, its pretty dangerous in a way that if strong winds were to blow them down, and pedestrians are under it, they would be in for the major shock of their life. And also, I guess its very expensive to be putting wires all over the place just to serve a few buses that ply that route.

its pretty dangerous in a way that if strong winds were to blow them down, and pedestrians are under it, they would be in for the major shock of their life.

a shock in more ways than one! :lol:

Nov 8, 2004

HK's public transport beats S'pore's because it's reliable, affordable

I LIVE in Hong Kong.

The structure of the public transport system in Hong Kong is similar to that in Singapore, but the efficiency of the system in Hong Kong is second to none.

If Singapore is ranked third, it must have been a distant third.

Although the Singapore media often praises the so-called world-class standard of the Singapore public transport system, the best compliment comes not from ourselves but from our more developed neighbours.

These are some observations on Hong Kong's superb transport system:

Affordability: In Hong Kong, the cost of public transport is kept affordable in relation to the average income level.

Reliability: There is no SMS service to inform commuters arrival times. There is no need for such an expensive service as the public transport system is reliable.

Efficiency: Hong Kong's bus system is made up of 'regular' buses (similar to Singapore's SBS buses) and minibuses. There are many express routes that ply between residential areas and key business areas. The minibuses are driven by market demand and operate in areas not frequented by the 'regular' bus routes.

Competitiveness: Since the MTR subway system and bus companies are owned by separate entities, there is real motivation for each company to improve its services and meet market demand. Within the bus transport system, there are at least five companies to service the community - Firstbus, Citybus, KMB and two minibus companies.

In Singapore, SBS has undertaken numerous initiatives to improve the system, an instance being the introduction of SMS service.

However, knowing arrival times of buses is useless if the bus system is not efficient and reliable in the first place.

In an environment of a real world-class transport system, there would be no need for an SMS service. The implementation of the SMS service presumably entailed high set-up costs which will eventually be passed on to consumers.

Transport companies should remember that their imperative public role is to provide an efficient and inexpensive transport system.

Frills such as SMS service and television sets on buses should be regarded as a secondary objective, the primary one being to continuously improve the efficiency of the transport system.

Only with an almost flawless public transport system will there be a control on the number of cars on the roads.

Long Tian Fang
Hong Kong

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

The Straits Times
Nov 10, 2004

SIA, Changi gear up for competition


By Karamjit Kaur
Transport Correspondent


AS CHANGI Airport basked in forecasts of a record 30.2 million passenger arrivals this year, two industry reports have warned that Singapore's aviation industry must overcome stiff competition to succeed.


The reports - one by Singapore Airlines and the other jointly by the Ministry of Transport (MOT) and Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) - outlined a tough future for SIA and Changi.


The MOT-CAAS report said Dubai's Emirates Airlines, for example, operates more than twice as many services to Britain as SIA and has also increased its services to Australia and New Zealand.


The construction of Dubai International Airport's Terminal 3, scheduled for completion in 2006, will increase the airport's handling capacity to 70 million passengers a year.


Changi's Terminal 3, which will raise the airport's capacity to 64 million passengers per year, will not be completed until 2008.


The report said SIA must continue to innovate and improve, while Changi needs to keep reinventing itself, and increase its efficiency and cost-competitiveness.


Maintaining Singapore's status as a business centre and tourist destination will also help persuade airlines to keep using Changi as a transit point.


Bangkok's new Suvarnabhumi Airport, which will be ready late next year, will be another serious competitor.


Its growth will be fuelled by the expansion of Thai Airways. Australia's Qantas has also boosted Bangkok's aspirations, taking a 49 per cent stake in a planned new Bangkok-based cargo airline.


During a dialogue with SIA management and unions on Monday, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew echoed the findings of the reports.


The SIA report also predicted that major United States carriers, which have been hit hard by budget airlines in the domestic market, 'are planning to shift capacity away from domestic USA to what is now for them more lucrative international business'.


Cathay Pacific can also be expected to take advantage of the recently expanded air services agreement between Hong Kong and Australia and compete more aggressively for business on the kangaroo route between Britain and Australia, the report said.


SIA said the airline must continue to expand in growing markets like China and India, where Qantas, Thai Airways and Cathay Pacific are also eyeing market share.


The company has already started on cost-reduction and wage-restructuring exercises in an effort to stay competitive.


MM Lee, who held a similar dialogue in April to sort out problems between SIA management and unions, said he was confident SIA and Changi will hold their own, provided all parties work together.


He said: 'Can SIA and Changi Airport change? I say yes. Will Singapore change? I say yes.


'If we don't make this place work, we all suffer.'

Nov 11, 2004
New highway to ease CTE jams
Proposed North-South Expressway next to CTE may run from Sembawang/Upp Thomson to city
By Christopher Tan
Senior Correspondent

THE Government is mulling over what could be Singapore's last expressway project - one that will give new hopes to residents in the north who are perennially stuck in traffic jams.

The Straits Times understands that plans are being sewn up for a highway that can alleviate the peak-hour congestion on the 13-year-old Central Expressway (CTE).

Tentatively called the North-South Expressway, the proposed highway will run west of, and almost parallel to, the CTE and may have its northern end in the Sembawang/Upper Thomson area.

The CTE is currently the only high-speed link between growing population centres in the northern parts of the island and downtown, and congestion on it has worsened steadily since it first opened in 1991.

The proposed new expressway, said a Land Transport Authority (LTA) official, would run through 'substantially developed parts of Singapore' and thus might have elevated and underground sections.

Because of its proposed alignment through built-up areas, he said, various other agencies were being consulted in a final feasibility study the LTA was conducting.

An engineering study was conducted from 2002 till last year with consultants Parsons Brinckerhoff Merz and McLellan - American tunnelling specialists whose projects include New York's subway system.

The LTA would not comment further, but The Straits Times understands the new highway may be built as early as 2010, and that it would be linked to the other expressways.

The proposed North-South Expressway would be Singapore's 10th, after the CTE, East Coast Parkway, Pan-Island, Kranji, Seletar, Bukit Timah, Tampines and Ayer Rajah expressways.

The Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway is now under construction and is expected to be ready by 2008. The 12km highway includes a 9km underground section.

The North-South Expressway, if constructed, will possibly be the last highway project for Singapore, which has already devoted 12 per cent of its land area to roads.

The new expressway was not envisioned in the LTA's 1996 White Paper on a world-class land transport system it wants for Singapore.

It was mooted after traffic congestion on the CTE worsened.

Today, about 9,500 vehicles per hour head north on the Central Expressway during the evening peak period - three times the volume recorded in the first hour after it opened on Sept 21, 1991.

North-bound traffic is so heavy that night electronic road-pricing - a first for a highway in Singapore - was once considered as a solution.

To ease congestion, certain stretches of the highway were widened in recent years, including that leading to the Braddell Road exit.

However, traffic remains heavy.

Because of this, the ERP rates of $3 on the CTE and a sliproad into it during the morning peak hour period are the highest for any road here.

Traffic volume has been growing as more Housing Board towns have been built in the north.

From Ang Mo Kio and Yishun, the region alone now accounts for over one-third of all HDB flats, with new estates like Sengkang, Punggol and Sembawang still expanding.

Express Service

Tentatively called the North-South Expressway, the proposed highway will run west of, and almost parallel to, the CTE and may have its northern end in the Sembawang/Upper Thomson area. It would run through 'substantially developed parts of Singapore' and thus might have elevated and underground sections. It may be built as early as 2010 and would be Singapore's 10th highway.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

actually.. isnt the outer ring roads like some sort of expressway also? and tampines avenue 10 will be connected without trafficlights to the outer ring roads also... its quite a distance.

omg instead of studying i idle and realise in 2007 i can drive to NUS from tampines st 72 using the outer ring road system and the bartley-tampines ave 10 viaduct with only three traffic lights in between!

Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 16 November 2004 1510 hrs

No public transport fare hike for now, despite high oil prices
By Farah Abdul Rahim, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : There won't be any public transport fare hike for now, despite the high oil prices.

That's because there have been no applications by the transport operators to increase prices.

But there will be a fare review exercise in May next year.

Senior Minister of State for Trade & Industry Dr Vivian Balakrishnan told Parliament that an increase in oil prices will raise the operating costs of the transport operators.

That's because fuel costs form about 10 percent of public transport operating costs.

Dr Vivian gave the reassurance that the Public Transport Council, which will make any decision on fare increases, will consider both the conditions facing both operators and commuters before making any decision.

MPs also called for more government assistance to help households, especially the lower income, cope with higher public utility bills due to higher oil prices.

Dr Vivian said there're sufficient schemes already in place to do so.

"Our general principle is, power is not subsidized in Singapore. Instead, households should conserve energy and make a serious effort to settle bills. If they really need help, they can turn to the community organizations. We don't want to confuse the role of retailer with the government or community organizations," Dr Vivian Balakrishnan said. - CNA

Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd

Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 16 November 2004 2027 hrs

ERP rates lowered at certain gantries during school holidays
By Patwant Singh, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : ERP rates will be lowered at some gantries during the coming school holidays.

From Monday, the rates at certain gantries will be lowered by 50 cents.

They include gantries at the Ayer Rajah, Central, East Coast Park and Pan Island Expressways, and those at Bendemeer, Thomson and Dunearn Roads.

The rates at all other gantries will remain unchanged.

The Land Transport Authority said the rates were adjusted following the review of traffic conditions for the holiday season.

The lowered rates will remain till the end of the year. - CNA

Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd

The New Paper - 18 Nov 2004

Kuala Lumpur may adopt ERP to tackle traffic problems

DRIVERS in Singapore have been paying for driving into the city for many years through the electronic road pricing (ERP) scheme.

London introduced a controversial tax on most vehicles entering the city last year.

Now Kuala Lumpur is planning to do the same.

To overcome traffic congestion, City Hall will propose a tax for private vehicles entering the city in the near future, reported Kosmo on Monday.

The automotive tax is being considered as part of plans to:

-Increase revenue

-Solve traffic congestion and

-Reduce air pollution.

It is under study according to the council's recent Kuala Lumpur 2020 Structural Plan Report published recently.

However, details such as when the tax would be implemented were not given.

Kosmo said that if the tax were to be imposed, two-thirds of vehicle users, comprising car, lorry and motorcycle owners, would have to pay a special fee or obtain a specific permit to enter the city.

The paper said while population growth remained at 1.1 per cent between 1980 and 1997, the increase in vehicles averaged 4.2 per cent in the Klang Valley.

In the city centre, there are 211 vehicles for every 1,000 residents, or 210,000 vehicles; and 164 motorcycles for every 1,000 residents.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Business Times - 19 Nov 2004

ComfortDelGro buys London bus and coach operator Armchair

SINGAPORE - ComfortDelgro announced on Friday it will buy a bus and coach operation in London for six million pounds (S$18.4 million).

The acquisition of Armchair Passenger Transport Company, which has a fleet of 86 buses, is the group's second purchase in the United Kingdom. It comes just three months after ComfortDelgro bought bus company FE Thorpe & Sons for 3.03 million pounds.

Chief executive officer Kua Hong Pak said the purchase would consolidate the group's position as one of London's biggest bus and taxi operators.

ComfortDelGro's wholly owned UK bus subsidiary Metroline has a 12 per cent market share in London with a fleet of 1,000 buses plying 82 routes.

The group plans to get half its revenue from abroad within the next four to six years, up from the current 35 per cent.

ComfortDelGro's shares rose after the announcement, advancing 4 cents to $1.47.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Business Times - 03 Dec 2004

Traffic flows smoothly in Singapore

I WOULD like to thank Alvin Chua Chuan Ann for his letter 'Traffic jams making a comeback' (BT, Nov 23), in which he commented on the traffic situation along Orchard Road, Keppel Road and the Pan-Island Expressway (from the airport towards the city).

Although Orchard Road is well-used, average travel speeds are within the optimal range during the day. However, we are aware that average travel speeds do deteriorate during the evening peak hours. To address this, we are currently reviewing the network around Orchard Road, Grange Road, Somerset Road and Orchard Link, and studying ways to improve the traffic flow within the space constraints we face.

With more motorists using the East Coast Parkway following the closure of Nicoll Highway, traffic flow along Keppel Road, which leads to the ECP, has also become heavier. Repair works for Nicoll Highway are progressing on schedule and we anticipate that the traffic situation along Keppel Road will improve when Nicoll Highway reopens to traffic tomorrow. Traffic flow along Keppel Road will also improve when construction of the flyover along Keppel Road towards the Ayer Rajah Expressway in the direction of Jurong is completed by the end of 2005.

Traffic flow is generally smooth along the west-bound section of the PIE during the morning peak hours, with average travel speeds within the optimal speed range. However, traffic speeds deteriorate if there is heavy rain or an accident.

On the whole, our demand management measures such as ERP and COE systems, good network of expressways and roads, as well as traffic management technology, have kept our roads congestion-free despite our population and land size. We will continue to monitor traffic conditions and implement traffic schemes and road projects to keep our roads smooth-flowing and congestion-free.

Once again, I thank Mr Chua for his feedback and the opportunity to clarify. We welcome calls from your readers on 1800-CALL LTA (1800-2255-582) if they have feedback or suggestions.

Han Liang Yuan (Ms)
Senior manager
Corporate communications
Land Transport Authority

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 05 December 2004 1750 hrs

Average monthly income of taxi tour-guides up by nearly 25%

SINGAPORE : More than six months after taxi tour-guides hit Singapore roads, their average income has gone up by some 25 percent.

This income surge has made the taxi tour guide course conducted by the Singapore Taxi Academy very popular - seven classes have been held in the last 3 months.

London cab driver Woo Wee Yeong is one of the first to graduate from the taxi tour-guide course.

Since he hit the roads in April, he gets about one tour deal each fortnight, usually recommendations from friends.

He takes home an extra S$200 or more each month, and this does not include tour guide fees and tips.

And he finds working as a taxi tour-guide less hectic than normal taxi driving.

He said, "Instead of ferrying different passengers, now I just handle the 3 or 5 tourists for a few hours at a go. I take them to tourist places like Chinatown, Little India etc."

Some, like one group of 10 taxi tour-guides, have even banded together to pool their resources.

By far the most organised taxi tour group, they even have a Chinese language website, which attracted over 2,000 visitors.

But there are also taxi guides who have never even clinched a deal, while others take home as much as S$1,000 more each month.

And though over 600 taxi drivers have attended the course, only 61 have so far made the mark.

The Singapore Taxi Academy says it is looking into revising the syllabus to improve standards and at the same time, help more taxi drivers obtain the qualification. - CNA

Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd

Dec 6, 2004
Many ditching cabs and buses for trains
Number of trips taken on MRT and LRT every day up by 67.4%, to 1.27m, since 1995

By Christopher Tan
Senior Correspondent

MS IVY Ong, 38, used to be a frequent cab-taker. 'Whenever I went to the gym in town, I'd always take the cab,' the former fashion merchandiser said. 'It was convenient.'

But ever since the North-East Line started running last year, Ms Ong, who is currently between jobs, rarely hails a taxi.

'Although the trip may take a little longer, it costs much less,' said the Serangoon resident, who lives just above Serangoon MRT station.

Ms Ong is not alone. Many Singaporeans are abandoning cabs and buses in favour of trains, statistics from the Land Transport Authority (LTA) reveal.

For the 12 months up to March this year, taxi use was down to 827,000 rides a day, 12 per cent down from the peak figure of 940,000 rides a day eight years ago. There are close to 20,000 taxis on the road here.

Bus use - averaging 2.97 million rides a day - was down nearly 9 per cent compared to its 2000-2001 peak of 3.26 million rides a day.

The story is quite different for trains. The number of trips taken on the MRT and LRT every day has risen by 67.4 per cent - from a modest 760,000 back in 1995 to 1.27 million for the 12 months up to March this year. Associate Professor K. Raguraman of the Centre for Transportation Research, a think-tank at the National University of Singapore, was not entirely surprised at the figures.

'As Singapore expands its rail network, train ridership will rise,' he said. 'And it has been government policy that wherever a rail service is built, there should not be any duplication from buses.'

Singapore currently has about 120km of MRT and LRT tracks, 45 per cent more than in the mid-1990s. The Circle Line, which is set to be ready in 2009, will add about 30km to the system.

If past trends are anything to go by, bus and cab ridership will shrink further. Prof Raguraman said: 'The LTA has stated that the MRT is the backbone of our public transport system.'

Even so, he said the sizeable drop in taxi use was unexpected.

The MRT's popularity is one possible cause. The economic slowdown in recent years, which has made people 'more cost-conscious' and caused them to 'cut down on discretionary (taxi) trips', is another.

Even more worrying is the fact that, while taxi use is falling, the number of taxis on Singapore's roads has risen by nearly 20 per cent since the mid-1990s.

The competition has intensified in recent months with the entry of three new players - Smart Automobile, Premier Taxis and Trans-Cab. But the losers are not the taxi companies.

'This can be a worrying trend for taxi drivers, not so much taxi operators who will still get their rental dues so long as the cars are in demand,' Prof Raguraman noted.

Many drivers lament that monthly earnings have halved, even before the 40 per cent rise in the cost of diesel over the past year. Taxi drivers hand over around $80 a day in rental to the companies and it is not uncommon for them to clock 60- to 65-hour weeks.

Mr C.K. Chan, 52, who has been driving taxis for the past 12 years, said: 'In the market, the average take-home amount is about $1,500 (a month) if you work 10 hours a day. In my case, I make a bit more because I have contract work.'

Cab companies, on the other hand, are not complaining. New players Premier Taxis and Smart Automobile say they are already profitable. 'We made money from Day One,' said Premier chairman Timothy Chua. 'It's an add-on to our car rental business.'

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Dec 7, 2004
Taxi drivers to promote healthy living

ON TUESDAY, 55 CityCab taxi drivers in Singapore will double up as 'nutrition ambassadors' who will promote the benefits of a healthy eating habit. They will do this by telling their passengers to eat two servings of fruit and two servings of vegetable every day.

During the three-month project, the taxi drivers will also suggest to passengers where to go for healthier meals.

The Health Promotion Board worked with CityCab to conduct a half-day training course for the drivers, who were given 'Nutrition Ambassador' tags for display on their dashboards.

On Dec 7, each passenger of the 55 taxi drivers will be given an apple and a pocket-sized booklet listing 89 restaurants participating in the Healthier Restaurant Programme.

During the month of December, CityCab will also be serving two vegetable dishes and fruit for free to all its drivers and staff.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 08 December 2004 2331 hrs

CityCab taxis equipped with online digital maps

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/imagegallery/store/php5UHcxW.jpg

SINGAPORE : Ever spent more than the usual amount of money and time on the road because a cabbie did not know his way about town?

Well, that might soon be a thing of the past. CityCab has spent $23 million to equip its taxis with an online digital map.

With the new Mobile Data Terminal system, passengers will never be lost on the roads again.

The driver just needs to enter a destination into the system and a red line will appear within a few seconds directing him to the precise drop-off point.

The system is also able to automatically mark a passenger's pick-up and drop-off locations each time a call booking job is accepted, making it easier for the driver to plan his route.

The result is a shorter waiting time for the commuter and a fuss-free journey.

Mr Quek Pat Fatt, CityCab Taxi Driver, said: "With the new system, we can find our destination in five to seven minutes whereas the old system took us 15 to 20 minutes. The time-saving allows us to ferry another customer."

New cabbies are also more confident on the road with the handy map system.

Mr Bernard Fong, CityCab Taxi Driver, said: "I have been driving a cab for only three months and I am still unfamiliar with the roads. This new system gives me more confidence to ferry passengers."

All CityCab drivers will have to go through a four-hour training session to familiarise themselves with the new system.

Currently, 2,200 cabs have this digital guide and CityCab plans to install the system in all 5,200 of its cabs by March next year. - CNA

Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd

Dec 16, 2004
$1m relief for SMRT cabbies
2,400 drivers to get $380 worth of vouchers in 6 monthly instalments from next month

TRANSPORT group SMRT Corp is handing out close to $1 million worth of vouchers to help its cabbies cope with the rising price of diesel.

The fuel now costs over 30 per cent more than at the beginning of the year.

The company, which also runs a bus network on top of its subway system and fleet of taxis, said its 2,400 drivers will each get $380 worth of vouchers in six monthly instalments from next month.

Announcing the relief package yesterday, SMRT chief executive Saw Phaik Hwa said: 'I'm sure this will help alleviate the problems that the drivers have with their income... It'll make a difference to them.'

SMRT is also asking those who hire its taxis to share the benefit with its 1,200 relief drivers.

The vouchers can be used only at the company's three diesel kiosks in Ang Mo Kio, Woodlands and Geylang, where the fuel is sold at 69 cents a litre, instead of the regular retail price of 95 cents a litre.

They come on top of the company's existing relief packages, which include discounts of up to $3 a day on its $90 daily rent for a cab, introduced in January.

Cabby Koh Yong Hua, who has been driving a taxi for almost a decade, said the new scheme could not have come at a better time.

'Business has been quite slow,' explained the 47-year-old. 'I'm getting only about three customers on most weekdays.

'It's very competitive now with so many of us on the road,' he added.

Singapore's main taxi operator, Comfort- Delgro Corp, also will be giving out a special one-off bonus to help its more than 16,000 cabbies with rising diesel costs.

It intends to give out an estimated $5 million to them in four equal instalments next month and in February.

Each driver will receive between $240 and $360 in cash, based on his years of service. The payout is on top of regular bonuses.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Dec 17, 2004
$34m viaduct job awarded

THE Land Transport Authority (LTA) has awarded a $34 million contract to Japanese contractor Sato Kogyo for the construction of a viaduct linking Braddell Road with Lornie Road.

The contract covers expansion and widening of the existing MacRitchie viaduct, and construction of a pair of two-lane roads from Braddell Road to the widened viaduct, including the widening of existing roads. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2007, the LTA said in a statement yesterday.

The 1.5km viaduct will start on Braddell Road in front of Braddell-Westlake Secondary School, run above the existing Marymount flyover and merge into the viaduct linking Thomson Road to Lornie Road.

It will allow motorists to bypass the junctions at the main entrance to Mount Alvernia Hospital and at MacRitchie Reservoir. The viaduct is the last project in the Outer Ring Road System, a $400 million-plus exercise to provide alternative routes for motorists, allowing them to bypass the city centre hence relieving traffic load within it.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Dec 17, 2004
S'pore link in Asia-Europe tunnel project
Ex-PWD subsidiary is designing underwater railway connection in $1.65b Turkey project

By Tan Hui Yee

A SUBSIDIARY of what was formerly the Public Works Department has won a deal to design one of the world's deepest underwater railway tunnels, which will form part of a US$1 billion (S$1.65 billion) railway project in Turkey.

CPG Consultants has been engaged by a consortium of Japanese and Turkish companies, which is building an underwater crossing across the Bosphorus strait. The strait cuts through Istanbul, separating the part of Turkey which is in Europe from the part in Asia.

The roughly 1.4km link, which will sit on the seabed, will form part of a 13.6km earthquake-proof railway tunnel in Istanbul. It will be the first underwater railway tunnel linking the continents.

The Marmaray Railway Bosphorus Tube Crossing project will also include four underground railway stations and a flyover for cars at one end of the tracks.

Describing it as a prestigious project, the president and chief executive of CPG Consultants' parent CPG Corporation, Mr Khor Poh Hwa, said: 'CPG's transportation engineering and project management expertise will be our key contribution to the implementation of this mega project in Turkey.'

However, the company, which was bought by Australian company Downer EDI last year, declined to disclose the fee it is receiving.

When completed in 2009, the deepest point of the crossing in the Bosphorus strait will lie about 55m below sea level.

The deepest railway station in the project is about 50m underground.

That will make it about twice the depth of the deepest underground MRT station in Singapore, the Dhoby Ghaut station on the North-East Line.

The mega project is being built by the Taisei-Kumagai-Gama-Nurol joint venture, which comprises two Japanese and two Turkish companies.

It is CPG Corporation's first project in Europe.

CPG was formed after the Public Works Department was corporatised in 1999. It has been involved in building projects in several countries, including China and India, as well as Asean countries such as Indonesia and Vietnam.

It is now involved in the design of a $100 million residential and retail development in the Indonesian capital Jakarta, as well as a $10 million entertainment centre in Hyderabad, India.

CPG is also managing the building work for the $400 million Suzhou International Convention and Exhibition Centre and the $250 million Suzhou Science and Cultural Arts Centre in China.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

22 December 2004

7-Eleven outlets add ez-link facilities
By Wong Fei Wan, TODAY

SINGAPORE: By the end of January, convenience retail chain 7-Eleven will take another step to live up its motto of "It's a store and more" when all of its outlets are outfitted with ez-link card facilities.

Apart from being able to use their ez-link cards to pay for purchases, customers will be able to top-up their cards at all 260 7-Eleven stores islandwide, said general manager Benjamin Eng on Tuesday.

Mr Eng told TODAY that the new service is aimed at bringing greater convenience to its customers.

The store is trying to expedite the "rolling out" of the new service so that when the new school term starts, children and their parents would have another option to top up their cards, he said.

"For children, who take the public transport to schools daily, topping up their ez-link cards can be a hassle if they don't live near any bus terminal or MRT station. Many rely on their parents."

By the second week of next month, Mr Eng expects half of 7-Eleven stores here to have the new facilities.

The minimum amount for top-up is $5 and there will be an administrative fee of 30 cents for any top-up of up to $50 and 60 cents for any sum above $50.

Based on past experience, Mr Eng said he does not think that "time-poor" Singaporeans who value "personalised service" would mind paying a little extra for the convenience. - TODAY

Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd

22 December 2004

Public transport hours extended for eve of Christmas, New Year

SINGAPORE : Public transport services will be extended on the eve of Christmas and the New Year.

The last trains will leave Orchard Station at 1 am and Dhoby Ghaut Station at 1.15 am on Christmas and New Year's day.

Transit Link says departure times for the last Eastbound and Westbound trains will be adjusted accordingly, so passengers can transfer to connecting trains at the City Hall and Raffles Place Interchanges.

On the LRT route, the Bukit Panjang service will be extended to match the last SMRT train service at Choa Chu Kang, while the last Sengkang train will depart Sengkang Town Centre Station at 1.45 am.

SBS Transit will be operating 12 special services to complement the last train arriving at the stations.

These special services will serve residents in the major housing estates from 12:45 am onwards.

SMRT will also be extending the operating hours of some of its bus services to match the last train timing. - CNA

Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd

Any of you tried using ezlink at MAcdonalds? I was quite bewildered by the system! :D

Any of you tried using ezlink at MAcdonalds? I was quite bewildered by the system! :D

I think I used it to pay for my ice-cream.......quite fun......"cashless".....:yes:

28 December 2004

SBS Transit buys 150 new Volvo double-decker buses for S$60m
By Derek Cher, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : A new fleet of double deckers could hit the roads by the second half of next year.

SBS Transit has ordered 150 new double-deck buses from Swedish truck maker Volvo at a cost of S$60 million.

The public bus operator says the new buses will be used to replace its existing older ones.

SBS has around 2,700 buses, of which 66 percent are made by Volvo.

This purchase is significant for Volvo, as it marks the first major order for its new double-deck chassis.

Volvo says the 150 chassis will be built in Sweden, while the bodies will be manufactured in Singapore by ComfortDelGro Engineering.

Delivery of the complete buses will begin in August next year.

And this will continue for 12 months before SBS receives all 150 double-deckers. - CNA

Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd

Business Times - 30 Dec 2004

ComfortDelgro makes 5th investment in Chengdu

SINGAPORE- ComfortDelGro is partnering one of Chengdu's largest transport operators to operate long-distance and inter-province bus services, taxi services and automotive repair services.

The new joint venture company, Chengdu ComfortDelGro Chang Yun Transportation will operate a fleet of 218 long-distance /tour buses and 45 taxis in the capital city of Sichuan Province.

Of the 218 buses, 112 are long-distance buses and 106 are tour buses.

It will also operate a workshop to undertake not just regular repair and servicing works, but also major repairs and engine overhaul.

The new joint venture, in which ComfortDelGro has a 60 per cent stake, represents the Group's first major foray into China's long-distance bus market.

Chengdu ComfortDelGro Chang Yun Transportation will have an initial registered capital of some S$20 million.

ComfortDelGro's joint venture partner, Sichuan Chengdu Long-Distance Bus, will contribute the remaining 40 per cent in the form of bus and taxi licences and other operating assets.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Jan 1, 2005
YESTERDAY'S TALES
Ticket to ride

IN THE days before ticket-dispensing machines were installed on public buses, bus fares were collected by bus conductors.

That was in the 1970s.

The conductor carried a satchel of coins slung around his neck and held a puncher, which looked like a stapler, to make small holes in bus tickets as he collected fares.

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Passengers told the conductors where they would be alighting and paid the appropriate fares, which ranged from five to 20 cents.

Housewife Margie Lee, 50, recalled: 'The tickets listed the codes of the bus stops. The conductors punched a hole on the corresponding code of the bus stop where you boarded the bus.

'Ticket inspectors would ask passengers to pay the fare difference if they were caught travelling beyond the stipulated bus stop.'

In buses without bells, conductors also whistled to signal a passenger's intention to alight.

When ticket-dispensing machines were introduced in buses in the 1980s, the conductors became extinct and tickets were no longer punched. Instead, ticket inspectors made a small tear on tickets to show they had been checked.

In 2002, contactless ez-link cards replaced the magnetic farecards. As the fares are automatically deducted from the card value when the passengers alight, no tickets are issued - except for cash-paying passengers.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Jan 5, 2005
LTA to double number of vehicle export zones
Move intended to encourage competition

BY THE end of this year, the number of export-processing zones (EPZs) - secured yards where cars meant for export are kept - will double to 12.

Their combined storage capacity will treble to about 15,000 units, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) told The Straits Times yesterday.

Despite this, the LTA wants more EPZs to be set up.

It has introduced an open-invitation process for interested parties to become an operator. Unlike earlier invitations where companies had to submit their application within a stipulated time frame, applications can be submitted any time.

Asked what eventual storage capacity it had in mind, the LTA said it does not have one.

'We are doing this because we want to encourage more competition,' a spokesman said.

Applicants must have at least three years' experience in importing or exporting vehicles or in logistics. Their proposed sites must each be able to hold at least 400 vehicles.

The Automotive Importers and Exporters Association is not thrilled by the move. A spokesman said: 'An EPZ should be more than a carpark. It should be a value-added business where vehicles in other countries can be brought here to be resold, so as to create a vibrant hub like Dubai or Bangkok.

'We don't wish to see another bubble tea phenomenon,' he added, referring to the proliferation of stores selling bubble tea in 2001, which ended with most of them closing.

At least one motor trader welcomed the move, however. Mr Ng Cheng Swee of Auto-Plus Automotive said he had applied before but was not successful.

'I will apply again,' he said.

Asked if the $500,000 security bond required is too high, Mr Ng said: 'No, it's necessary to make sure people are serious.'

The number of vehicles taken off the road has risen in recent years, with deregistrations last year expected to hit 115,000. The EPZ scheme, introduced in 2003, gives vehicle owners immediate access to scrap rebates while their cars wait for an overseas buyer.

Last year, 20 individuals and companies were charged with keeping deregistered vehicles in unauthorised areas, as well as misleading the LTA that the cars had been scrapped or exported.

Last month, two of them pleaded guilty. One was fined $4,000 on two counts of keeping deregistered vehicles, while the other was sentenced to four weeks' jail on two counts of false declarations.

The cases of the other 18 will be heard this month.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Jan 6, 2005
Comfort taxis to get speed-alert device

I REFER to the letter by Mr Jacky Tai (ST, Dec 24) regarding the installation of a speed-limit device in taxis. Installing a speed-limit device in taxis was a measure ComfortDelGro Corporation had explored for its fleet comprising Comfort, CityCab and Yellow-Top taxis but chose not to implement because of drawbacks like loss of power when travelling with heavy loads and when going upslope.

Comfort recently conducted a trial involving a silent speed-alert device which sets off a flashing light when the driver exceeds the speed limit. Feedback was positive and there are plans to install the device in more taxis, and eventually the whole Comfort fleet.

ComfortDelGro views safe driving by its drivers seriously and has in place several measures to instil in them the importance of driving safely. These measures include sending drivers for road-safety training, communicating road-safety tips to them through our in-house magazine and service campaigns, evaluating their driving competency through a commuter survey as well as putting new taxi drivers through a driving competency test.

New drivers are also required to go through a six-month probation in which they have to maintain clean driving and service-performance records. ComfortDelGro will not hesitate to weed out drivers that compromise the safety of other road users.

We wish to assure Mr Tai that ComfortDelGro will continue to reinforce communication, campaign and training efforts to educate our drivers on road safety.

Tammy Tan (Ms)
Group Corporate
Communications Officer
ComfortDelGro Corporation

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

22 December 2004

SINGAPORE: By the end of January, convenience retail chain 7-Eleven will take another step to live up its motto of "It's a store and more" when all of its outlets are outfitted with ez-link card facilities.



wow I didnt know this was available at all! :eek: :bash:

Jan 18, 2005
S'pore-style road pricing system for New York?

Prominent business leaders join hands to push through congestion charge
NEW YORK - BUSTLING crowds and honking traffic may be part of New York City's image round the world, but some prominent business leaders have concluded that it also represents a serious problem.

And they are turning to London for a solution.

A group representing New York's top corporations is backing the adoption of a London-style congestion charge to help bail out the city's heavily indebted Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).

The Partnership for New York City, a coalition of 200 chief executives that includes Time Warner's Richard Parsons and Merrill Lynch's Stan O'Neal, has studied London's programme and plans to recommend a similar scheme to the New York state governor, Mr George Pataki.

'We think congestion pricing along lines of what was done in London's central business district could have significant benefit for New York,' said Ms Kathryn Wylde, president and chief executive of the group.

New York is not the only city examining London's congestion charging - Stockholm and Edinburgh are also considering versions of the plan.

London implemented its system in 2003 and Singapore's Electronic Road Pricing system, which was set up in 1998, was one of the many schemes it studied.

In the past, Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City had tried to introduce tolls on commuters entering Manhattan, which could have raised about US$450 million (S$740 million) a year.

But the plan was blocked by state officials, who feared a political backlash from suburban voters working in the city.

Ms Wylde said congestion fees could raise even more than the commuter tolls would have.

The group's business leaders favoured pumping the revenue into the MTA to ensure that the authority's budget pressures do not push subway services into decline.

'The most valuable real estate in the city is defined by proximity to transit hubs,' Ms Wylde said.

'Transit drives urban business activity.'

She acknowledged that London's plan had been more effective in reducing congestion than in raising revenue.

But she said charging higher fees could probably change this, and that cutting congestion was also important for New York.

'Congestion and the ability to get around Manhattan is a serious issue, and the opportunity to raise revenues is equally attractive,' she said.

The MTA faces large operating budget gaps next year and in 2007, and has a laundry list of improvements totalling US$20 billion, said Mr Charles Brecher, research director of the Citizens Budget Commission.

It had been forced to raise subway fares twice in the past two years, and plans another increase in 2007.

However, any plan to use congestion pricing to ease the MTA's budget problems could stir up political trouble, Mr Brecher said.

New York City, which had struggled to balance its books, would argue that it deserved a portion of the revenue.

'The real issue is the MTA versus the mayor,' Mr Brecher said.

'There would be competition for whose money it is.' \-- FINANCIAL TIMES

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Saw the bus today while I make a visit to Bedok Central......:D

21 January 2005

New bus services launched for Chinatown
By Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE: Making that trip to Chinatown this Lunar New Year will be a lot more convenient, especially for the senior citizens, with the launch of three new bus services on Friday.

The new bus services will ply through Ang Mo Kio, Bedok and Clementi before hitting the expressway to Chinatown.

The bus services come in auspicious numbers - CT 8, 18, 28 - and the buses have bright signs and even dialect-speaking captains.

Fares for senior citizens are priced at one dollar.

To celebrate the launch, SBS Transit is offering a "one-for-one bonus" till end of the month where commuters get a free return trip.

For senior citizens like 68-year-old Madam Yap, the new bus services will make travel easy for her.

She makes about three trips to Chinatown from her Clementi home every week via a feeder bus service and the MRT.

But thanks to the new direct bus services, her journey to Chinatown will be smoother now.

"No need to make any transfers, it takes us there directly, it's more convenient," she said.

Joint promotions with merchants will also allow commuters to redeem discounts or gifts when they shop at Chinatown.

Wong Chi Keong, chairman of Chinatown Business Association, said: "Our objective is to promote the business interest of Chinatown. We've been in discussion with SBS Transit for quite some time about how to make it more convenient for the customers to come to Chinatown, like where they should alight and how should the bus routes be."

Operating hours for the new bus services are from 10am to 5pm on weekdays, and 10am to 10pm on weekends and public holidays. - CNA

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

31 January 2005

Singapore's four main taxi operators fail safety standards again
By Hasnita A. Majid, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : Singapore's four main taxi operators have failed in safety yet again.

Even the new taxi companies are performing below expectations for the third quarter of last year, from July to September.

This was revealed in the Land Transport Authority's third report card on taxis' service standards.

Accidents affect the standard ratings for the taxi companies..

And it seems the accident rate is getting worse for all of Singapore's big players.

While the allowed accident rate allowed is two accidents per 10 million kilometres, it was 2.69 accidents from June to September last year - up from 2.45 in the previous quarter!

The new kids on the block fared a little better, though not by much.

Trans-Cab services and Premier Taxis got an 'F' for safety for one out of three months, and Smart Automobile, two out of the three months.

The grace period that the Land transport Authority gave was till the end of August last year to reduce the accident rate, but it did not seem to work.

Six out of the seven taxi companies failed to meet the accident rate standard in September. Only Trans-Cab met the requirements.

The LTA has promised to get tough - and should any of the six companies fail to meet the accident rate requirement in October 2004, it will proceed to impose penalties of up to $100,000.

The new cab companies also did not meet other service standards set for them.

Premier Taxis did not meet the first inspection passing rate for July, while Transcab and Premier taxis were unable to comply with the offence rate for the same month. - CNA

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

02 February 2005

Comfort Taxis sets new record of 10.1 million bookings for 2004
By Jessie Kok, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : Comfort Taxis celebrates the 9th Anniversary of its customer contact centre on Wednesday with an announcement that it has set a new record of 10.1 million bookings for 2004.

This beats its own previous record of 8.7 million set in 2002.

It says the 10 millionth booking job was registered on 27 December 2004, making it the first taxi company in Singapore to ever fulfil that many booking jobs in one year.

Comfort attributed this to its customers' strong support and trust, the drivers' active participation in taking booking jobs and staff's commitment to providing a reliable taxi booking service.

As a token of its appreciation, Comfort presented taxi vouchers to some customers as well as awards to cab drivers with exemplary performance. - CNA

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

02 February 2005

Singapore companies can help grow transport, logistics sector
By Mike Lim, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : The government is hoping to nurture more home-grown services providers in sectors where Singapore can provide a strong value proposition.

And one possible area is in transportation and logistics.

Trade and Industry Minister Lim Hng Kiang also identified three major challenges for Singapore to overcome, if it wants to compete more vigorously in overseas markets.

Those are: expanding Singapore's export of services, coping with cultural diversities in different markets, and managing global talents.

Mr Lim was speaking at the opening of the International Entreprise Forum 2005.

The financial sector is one area where the government has been developing for years.

But for Singapore to compete better, the focus has to move beyond the financial industry.

The government has identified two new sectors where Singapore can provide a strong value proposition.

Like transport and logistics; as well as construction services.

"We have a deep pool of companies that can provide world-class logistics networks and services. Trans-Link Express, for example, was appointed as the official service provider for all the Olympic Villages at the Athens Olympics last year." said Mr Lim.

Mr Lim also noted that several construction services providers like SembCorp Engineers & Constructors and DP Architects have also fared well abroad.

"Prospects for us to develop our environment engineering and services sector are good. We aim to win 3-5% of the global water business by 2015." he added.

Demand for services accounts for some $4.4 trillion US dollars of global inward foreign direct investments.

Mr Lim believes Singapore companies should try and get a share of the growing pie.

But while they grow overseas, Mr Lim says Singapore companies will need to learn to copy with the cultural differences in markets they operate it - and adapt to meet local needs.

Another challenge is managing global talent that will generate innovation and opportunities for the company. - CNA

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

Business Times - 16 Feb 2005

ComfortDelgro wants to be world's No. 1

It aims to overtake America's LaidLaw via greater expansion overseas

By SAMUEL EE

COMFORTDELGRO, the world's second-largest land transport group, is eyeing a pole position and plans to overtake American front-runner LaidLaw in four to six years.

ComfortDelgro says the route to the top will involve more overseas acquisitions. But how important is this lofty goal to shareholders?

The transport giant, with bus, taxi and rail operations, has a fleet of 38,100 vehicles, excluding trains. LaidLaw has a fleet of about 52,500 vehicles.

ComfortDelgro became the heavyweight it is today when two listed transport companies - Comfort Group and Delgro Corp - merged in March 2003. With limited growth in Singapore, the decision to expand overseas was a no-brainer.

The group wants 50 per cent of its revenue to come from abroad within four to six years, up from about 35 per cent now.

On Monday, it announced that revenue for FY2004 rose 13.6 per cent to a record $2.14 billion. Net profit jumped 49.8 per cent to $200.6 million on the performance of buses and taxis, increased diesel sales and shrinking losses from the North-East MRT Line.

Interestingly enough, the overseas taxi business posted the highest profit growth.

For now, ComfortDelgro is in six other countries - China, Britain, Ireland, Scotland, Vietnam and Malaysia.

'We are already the largest foreign land transport operator in the UK and China,' said ComfortDelgro's group corporate communications officer Tammy Tan. 'And at this point, China is where the opportunities are.'

ComfortDelgro is now active in 12 Chinese cities, operating everything from taxis, buses and bus depots to vehicle inspection and maintenance centres. It plans soon to move into areas such as driving centres, engineering services and auto insurance.

Last year, ComfortDelgro's China investments alone were $48 million. The rest of the 2004 total investment figure of $75.9 million went to the UK, which last year contributed 14 per cent of the group's profit before tax - or almost double the 8 per cent from China.

But managing director and group CEO Kua Hong Pak expects the Chinese investments to contribute fully in about two years.

The group has invested $516.4 million overseas in the past decade. Assuming LaidLaw's fleet size stays where it is now, it is estimated that ComfortDelgro will have to invest about $450 million if it intends to capture the number one spot.

'If we can be number one, that means we have grown significantly, provided this is done properly and there is profitable growth,' Mr Kua said.

Group chairman Lim Jit Poh said growth is necessary for the group to achieve its target of getting 50 per cent of revenue from overseas. 'So we will have to make significant investments,' he said.

ComfortDelgro has relied so far on internal funds for expansion. But as it ratchets up overseas investments, the question turns to the gearing and the possible need to raise more funds for acquisitions.

'We are in a net cash position with some $190 million in the bank,' Ms Tan said. 'There is no need to raise funds at this point.'

The group's large excess capital position is not in doubt. And some analysts say neither is the capability of its management to achieve the goal of being the biggest in the world. But at the end of the day, number one or two may not be as relevant to the ordinary shareholder as earnings growth and dividends.

'Of course being number one doesn't really matter to our shareholders, but it does help the group's image overseas, especially when looking for new businesses,' said a senior executive.

ComfortDelgro's share price appreciated about 90 per cent between end-December 2003 and end-December 2004.

It would seem that if the company continues to watch its profitability and avoid taking unnecessary risks, there should be no reason why its stock should not continue to rise if and when its global ranking eventually does.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.


Business Times - 16 Feb 2005

Transport giant in US$3m Vietnam taxi venture

COMFORTDELGRO has embarked on a second joint venture in Vietnam by investing US$3 million for a 60 per cent stake in a Ho Chi Minh taxi project.

The tie-up with former state-owned enterprise Saigon General Service Corp (Savico) will result in the creation of ComfortDelgro Savico Taxi Co to operate 276 taxis, a call centre and a workshop.

The other 40 per cent will be contributed by Savico in the form of vehicles and other operating assets.

ComfortDelgro managing director and group CEO Kua Hong Pak said that yesterday's signing of the joint venture agreement was significant in many ways.

'Firstly, it marks the beginning of yet another valuable relationship with one of Vietnam's highly respected corporations,' he said. 'Secondly, it reflects our firm commitment to the land transport industry in Vietnam and our belief that there is still room for growth in the coming years.'

ComfortDelgro's first joint venture in Vietnam also involved a taxi company. In 2003, it took a 70 per cent stake in Vinataxi, which services Ho Chi Minh City and neighbouring provinces. That tie-up has since grown from an initial fleet of 400 cabs to 702.

Last year, Vietnam and Malaysia together contributed a mere one per cent to group profit before tax, compared with 14 per cent for the UK and 8 per cent for China.

All its overseas acquisitions follow one mantra - stay close to the core business. 'ComfortDelgro's core capabilities are in land transport and we have no intention of straying from them,' said group corporate communications officer Tammy Tan.

'Our strategy is to offer the full range of land transport services, both up and down the value chain.'

The group wants 50 per cent of its revenue to come from abroad within four to six years, up from about 35 per cent now.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sounds interesting....
CDG's HQ is only a very small building...
Guess one can never judge an occupant by its building! :lol:

23 February 2005

New public transport fare adjustment formula recommended
By Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : Putting the brakes on untimely public transport fares hikes.

This is one of the thrusts of the recommendations tabled by the Committee on the Fare Review Mechanism.

The Tang family gave up their car more than a year ago after Mr Tang Kjin Keon was retrenched.

The couple now spends some $300 a month on bus and MRT trips.

With the new recommendations, such expenditure by families who rely on public transport will be monitored annually.

Instead of using findings from the Household Expenditure Survey which are only available every five years.

Wing Teng, a commuter, said: "We actually thought taking public transport is not too expensive but we realised that it is not that cheap either. We hope the government can do something to revise the fares downwards so that we can save."

And that could be possible with the new proposed fares adjustment formula.

The committee said the new proposed fare adjustment formula would mirror the changes in the cost of living and wages more accurately.

Ong Kian Min, Chairman of the Committee on the Fare Review Mechanism, said: "If this formula had been in operation since 1998, you can see that in some years in applying this formular, it will produce a negative maximum adjustment value which means that in those years conditions were such that the fares should be reduced or rebates should be given by the PTC."

While the Public Transport Council says it has been strict in approving fare adjustments, balancing commuters' interest with the viability of public transport operators.

Mr Tang feels more can be done.

"All the while we are not sure how they compute and review the fares and there is no transparency at all," he said.

Besides being more transparent, the recommendations also include checks against excessive profits, sharing gains with commuters and provisions for the Public Transport Council to vary or reject fare changes.

The report will be presented in Parliament next month.

The committee also said that the formula should be reviewed every three years to ensure that it remains relevant and reflects the changes to economic performance and wage movements.

The SBS Transit said the new formula better reflects cost structure and is likely to be more responsive to changes in business environment. - CNA

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

Business Times - 04 Mar 2005

Public transport fare review recommendations accepted

By SAMUEL EE

THE Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Transport's report on the public transport fare review mechanism have been accepted in full.

Transport Minister Yeo Cheow Tong said that the new formula proposed to cap any adjustments in fares - one of the key recommendations in the report - 'is very fair since it's a responsive formula'.

Under the new formula, the maximum fare adjustment is equal to 'Price Index minus 0.3 per cent'.

Price Index itself is equal to half of CPI (consumer price index) plus half of WI (the change in average monthly earnings).

The 0.3 per cent figure is a 'productivity extraction' and is exactly half of the 0.6 per cent productivity gains enjoyed by public transport operators.

Mr Yeo said that poor economic conditions can result in pay cuts and negative inflation, so the formula includes the possibility of fare reductions and rebates.

But he said few people expect the public transport operators (PTOs) to apply for a fare revision on their own if the fare review formula has negative outcome.

As a result, the transport ministry will be amending the Public Transport Council (PTC) Act later this year.

'(This will) empower PTC to determine if a fare reduction or rebate is warranted and if so, to direct the PTO to do so even though the PTO themselves may not have applied for a fare revision,' he said.

Mr Yeo added that more importantly, the report has also recommended additional Rota (return on total assets) and affordability checks to ensure that the interests of commuters are safeguarded.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

March 7, 2005
Bus and train fares may rise... or not

By Jane Ng

IT IS too early to tell if bus and train fares will go up this year under the new formula for fare changes the government approved last week, said Transport Minister Yeo Cheow Tong yesterday.

This is because transport operators have until next month to apply to the Public Transport Council, which needs to give approval, if they want to raise their fares.

In any case, said Mr Yeo, the PTC also has to wait until data on average changes in the Consumer Price Index and wages for last year are available, as these are needed in calculating the new fares.

The new formula, unlike the old one which pegged fares only to the Consumer Price Index, allows for fares to go down during an economic downturn. It was proposed by the Parliamentary Committee for Transport headed by MP Ong Kian Min and accepted by the Government last week.

Speaking to reporters after a community function in Yew Tee, Mr Yeo also rebutted cab companies' complaints that the driving safety standards imposed on them were too harsh.

All the taxi companies, except for Trans-Cab, were recently fined for the first time for not meeting the standards.

But Mr Yeo said the standard - no more than two accidents per 10 million kilometres - was based on what the companies themselves achieved from 1999 to 2001.

He said that taxi operators played a big part in shaping the behaviour of their drivers, and called on them to use a 'carrot and stick' approach with cabbies.

'The company has to have a system of incentivising taxi drivers to be safe.

'For those who are reckless, there must also be a system for penalising them,' he said.

The Land Transport Authority had been fair to the companies, taking into account only accidents caused by the driver or 'when the taxi driver himself played a part in the accident', he said.

'The LTA does differentiate,' he said.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

28 March 2005

Clementi Town Centre's makeover to include air-conditioned bus terminal
By Yvonne Cheong, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : After Toa Payoh, Sengkang, and Ang Mo Kio, the next air-conditioned bus interchange in Singapore will be at Clementi.

It is part of the makeover of Clementi Town Centre, which is expected to be ready by the middle of 2010.

The Housing and Development Board says that the existing bus interchange will be redeveloped into a modern 40-storey complex, and will integrate a new library, town council office, shopping mall and new HDB flats.

Construction will start end of next year, and the existing bus interchange will be relocated temporarily to the vacant site near blocks 437 and 438 at Clementi Avenue 3. - CNA

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

27 March 2005

NTUC Ang Mo Kio Retail Mall expected to be ready in 2007
By Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/imagegallery/store/phpPn4Lhp.jpg

SINGAPORE : Mega malls are moving into the heartlands.

The latest is the $340 million NTUC Ang Mo Kio Retail Mall. It is expected to be ready by early 2007.

Sunday's groundbreaking ceremony for the mall is expected to mark the start of a rejuvenation plan for the 30-year-old estate.

It is jointly developed by the Singapore Labour Foundation, NTUC Income and NTUC FairPrice.

The building will include an integrated air-conditioned bus interchange and be linked to the nearby Ang Mo Kio MRT via an underpass.

Features include NTUC FairPrice's first hypermarket.

NTUC said the mall would play a complementary role to the existing trade mix in the town centre by drawing more shoppers to the area and offering more choices. - CNA

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

28 March 2005

SBS Transit may allow some drivers of its Fast Forward service to change routes
By Yvonne Cheong, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : Bus drivers may soon be empowered to change the routes they take when they encounter heavy traffic.

SBS Transit is moving towards that direction by implementing planned route diversions for its latest express, called Fast Forward service 174E.

To cope with the high passenger loads during rush hour, Boon Lay bus interchange now has a new Fast Forward bus service - 174 E.

The regular 174 service currently travels from Boon Lay to New Bridge Road via the city.

Fast Forward service 174E will ply the same route but makes about half the number of stops - 25 instead of 57 - and will terminate at North Bridge Road.

This is expected to cut travel time by 20 percent.

Vincent Loh, Director, SBS Transit, said, "174E will be running with five trips in the morning, as well as five in the evening; these are during the peak periods."

But that is not all.

On selected trips during the morning peak hours, the driver will avoid the usually congested Farrer Road, and instead turn into Sixth Avenue from Dunearn Road to get to the city.

In the evenings, the driver can similarly avoid the slow traffic on Dunearn Road, by getting onto the Pan Island Expressway from Farrer Road.

Mr Loh said, "The non-express flexible routing is currently scheduled, but eventually we hope to be able to do it live instead of pre-planned."

In response, one commuter said, "It's quite congested during the business hours...it's more efficient and I think faster in certain ways."

The first such fast forward service was 97E, which travels from Jurong East to Collyer Quay. - CNA

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

Business Times - 29 Mar 2005

HDB to build major shopping mall in Clementi

Commercial space to be sold to private developer to operate

By ARTHUR SIM

(SINGAPORE) A 25,000 sq m shopping mall will be one of the main attractions of the new Clementi Town Centre announced yesterday by the Housing and Development Board.

Roughly the size of West Mall in Bukit Batok, HDB plans to sell the commercial space to a private developer, which will then operate and manage it.

The design consultant for the project is Surbana Consultants and HDB will call tender for the building contract of the new complex in March/April 2006. The project is expected to be completed by 2015.

Clementi, developed in the mid-1970s and home to about 140,000 people, is one of the older HDB estates.

ERA assistant vice-president Eugene Lim reckons the town centre is ripe for redevelopment because of its strategic position.

With its bus interchange, it's a crossroads for people heading for educational institutions such as Singapore Polytechnic and National University of Singapore.

Mr Lim also says there haven't been any new developments in Clementi in recent years, and a new mall will lift property prices there.

The proximity of Clementi MRT station is another boon, he believes. 'I believe the concept now is to have everything linked up.'

The new town centre will be an integrated complex with a mall, an air-conditioned bus interchange linked to the MRT station, a library, town council offices and up to 388 HDB flats, some of them in a proposed 40-storey tower block.

The flats will be offered as replacements to owners affected by the town centre redevelopment.

For those who prefer financial compensation, an appointed private licensed valuer will do a valuation of the flats, as well as several small individually owned shops, in about 2 weeks' time.

The only existing integrated project on the scale planned for Clementi is Centrepoint Properties' Compass Heights at Sengkang, which combines a shopping mall, public transport and residential units.

According to Prop Nex CEO Mohd Ismail, people don't mind living over a bus terminal because 'the convenience of transport is the greatest plus point'.

The status of neighbourhood hubs has also improved significantly, and the Prop Nex CEO says familiar chains such as Jack's Place, Swensons and Starbucks will want outlets at Clementi.

Knight Frank executive director Danny Yeo reckons it's important to introduce a retail mix into a landscape traditionally considered the stronghold of Mom and Pop stores.

Currently, many in mature estates are owned by individuals, and because of this, 'HDB finds it hard to control the tenant mix', Mr Yeo said.

'The only criteria for rental is return, so if one operator does well, many will just jump on to the same bandwagon. If you don't have control, you get a lot of duplication.'

Duplication means the same shops selling the same thing - be it handphones, clothes or bubble tea.

Mr Yeo is a consultant for the $325 million Ang Mo Kio mall being developed by NTUC and Singapore Labour Foundation, which will include a hypermart, cinemas and a bowling alley.

'Redevelopment will give the Mom and Pop shop the opportunity to upgrade,' he said. 'The intent is to make the Mom and Pop shop co-exist with the mall.'

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Business Times - 06 Apr 2005

Transport services grew 19.6% in 2003

THE transport services industry's 2003 operating surplus was 19.6 per cent higher than the previous year's, at $8.2 billion, says a survey on the industry released by the Department of Statistics (DOS) yesterday. There was strong growth in water transport, particularly shipping lines and shipping agencies, the department said.

On a per-establishment basis, operating surplus increased by 14.5 per cent to $875,300. Total value-added rose 11 per cent in 2003 to $13.6 billion.

Land transport businesses, which made up 45.6 per cent of the establishments in transport services, employed 28 per cent of the industry's workforce. Air transport companies were the largest individual employers, hiring an average of 248 workers per business.

Even though there were fewer firms engaged in water and air transport services, they accounted for 81.8 per cent of total transport services' operating receipts and 70.8 per cent of total value-added.

The report shows that the profitability ratio of the overall transport services industry rose to 19.6 per cent in 2003 from 16.6 per cent in 2002. Companies engaged in storage and warehousing services continued to register a significantly higher profitability ratio than those engaged in other services - 41 per cent in 2003 - slightly lower than the 43.3 per cent recorded in 2002. Cost effectiveness, as measured by the earnings-expenditure ratio, also remained the highest for storage and warehousing services, at 56.3 per cent in 2003.

The annual survey is part of a series on the services industries, with transport services being the first industry to report this year. This latest round of surveys was carried out last year but referred to figures for the previous year.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

[B]Pay higher MRT fares so more can own cars?
Would you pay higher MRT fares so that you - or your neighbour - can aspire or continue to own a car?

I hope they can give discounted MRT fares for tourists then, cause why should tourist fit the bill just so some guy can own a car?

but local public transport fares are already so low!

Hi, well from the title I suppose this also relates to SIA in a way (I hope so), well enjoy (not really):

Singapore Airlines, the world's second most valuable airline, said it would increase its ticket prices from next month to compensate for higher fuel charges.

The Singapore state-controlled flag carrier with a market value of $8.3 billion -- second only to Southwest -- said the ticket surcharge for all Singapore long-haul bookings would rise to US$30 per flight from $22.

It was the fourth such increase since Singapore Air introduced the measure in June to help offset higher fuel costs, and the first since November.

The price of jet fuel topped US$70 a barrel in April, compared with US$58 in November. Crude oil prices saw smaller gains to US$52 per barrel from US$49 in the same period and were approaching $55 a barrel today.

The cost of oil is 25 percent above levels at the end of 2004 and nearing the all-time peak of $58.28 hit earlier this month.

Fuel made up more than a quarter of Singapore Air's expenses in the December quarter, up from a fifth a year earlier. At US$70 a barrel, fuel will cost Singapore Air about US$300 million in its 2005/06 financial year, the airline said.

Germany's Deutsche Lufthansa, Air France-KLM, Qantas Airways and Air New Zealand announced plans this month to raise fuel surcharges.

Singapore Air's short-haul surcharge on flights between Singapore and Malaysia will climb to $10 from $4.

The surcharge remained unchanged at US$10 on flights between Singapore and Brunei, Bangkok, Manila, Penang, Jakarta, Surabaya, Denpasar, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, the carrier added.

April 30, 2005
Fare rises likely on buses and trains

By Christopher Tan
SENIOR CORRESPONDENT

OPERATORS of public buses and trains are likely to apply for fare rises. Although they declined to say so when contacted, a hint of it was suggested by main train operator SMRT Corp.

Its chief executive Saw Phaik Hwa said yesterday, when asked: 'It's certainly worth considering. It is probably a good idea to do so.'

ComfortDelGro Corp, the leading bus operator here, said in a statement last night: 'We have not submitted an application for a fare revision... we will make an announcement if we do so.'

The deadline for the application is tomorrow. And, as of yesterday, the Public Transport Council had yet to receive any application, it said. Both operators made record earnings last year.

But a fare increase would offset only part of SMRT's costs, said Ms Saw, as she dwelt on what could be a likely fare hike.

She said a 2.4 per cent increase was possible with the new fare revision formula. If applied to its average fare of 90.8 cents, MRT fares will rise by 2.2 cents to 93 cents.

But costs at SMRT are higher, she said at a media briefing on the company's annual financial results.

'Our costs last year went up by much more than 2.4 per cent. Diesel alone has gone up by 40 per cent,' she added.

For buses, a 2.4 per cent increase will drive average fares up by 1.5 cents to 65.5 cents, based on ComfortDelGro's declared average bus fare of 64 cents.

The last time public transport fares were raised, by between three and 10 cents, was in July 2002. That hike was hotly debated in Parliament, as Singapore was still in a deep downturn.

Fare revisions from this year will use a new formula. It puts a cap on fare changes, but the mathematical calculation can result in lower fares during an economic slowdown, as well as provide for bigger increases in boom years.

ComfortDelGro chairman Lim Jit Poh told shareholders at its annual general meeting yesterday that the new method would not affect the company's profitability. Even with the former regime, fare rises were lower than those allowed in the formula, he noted.

He said ComfortDelgro supported the new formula, which could check if operators were making 'reasonable' profits, as well as if fares were affordable to commuters.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

I thought the LTA was wanting to bring public transportation costs down ?!?
I thought SMRT got record profits last year ?!? WTF ?!
It's awfully high already :-(

I thought the LTA was wanting to bring public transportation costs down ?!?
I thought SMRT got record profits last year ?!? WTF ?!
It's awfully high already :-(

I agree......they thought we earn millions a year is it?? :bash: :bash:

03 May 2005

SBS Transit applies for fare increase
By Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : It's official. SBS Transit has applied to increase public transport fares.

The announcement comes in the wake of SMRT's similar statement over the weekend that it is seeking a fare hike.

It cited rising fuel costs and salaries, and its continued absorption of the two-percentage point GST increase.

SBS Transit, which runs the bulk of the bus services and the North East Line, said it was asking for a small fare adjustment.

The new formula allows for an increase of up to 2.4 percent this year, based on changes in the Consumer Price and Wage Indexes, or about an average of 3 cents.

The last fare increases were in 2002. - CNA/de

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

May 4, 2005
SBS Transit confirms proposal for fare hike
It joins SMRT Corp in applying to raise bus, train fares; cab fares may be next

By Christopher Tan
SENIOR CORRESPONDENT

TRANSPORT operator SBS Transit has formally applied for an increase in bus and train fares, and now industry sources say that cab fares may be next to go up too.

After being coy with the media for the last few days over whether it would follow the lead of SMRT Corp in asking for a fare hike, SBS Transit yesterday confirmed that it had submitted an application to the Public Transport Council by the May 1 deadline.

It cited the same reasons as SMRT - higher operating costs - but hinted that senior citizens enjoying concession rates may not be affected.

The possibility of concessions for low-income groups, something which has not been tried here, was also suggested. But chief operating officer Ong Boon Leong was prepared to say only that SBS Transit has 'taken into consideration the poor and needy, families with school-going children and senior citizens'.

The last time bus and train fares rose was in 2002, when the country was still in a recession.

Under the formula which comes into effect this year, a 2.4 per cent increase is possible. This would mean a commuter would have to pay about two cents more on an average fare of about 80 cents.

The Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) said any rise will affect the bottom 20 per cent of income earners 'adversely'.

'Many of them are still out of jobs and are still trying to find ways and means to earn a living,' Case executive director Seah Seng Choon said, adding that the economy is just beginning to show signs of recovery.

Describing any fare hike now to be 'untimely', he noted that record profits posted by ComfortDelGro and SMRT 'should enable them to hold back the need for increases for the time being'.

'There is no urgency for the companies to adjust fares at this point in time,' Mr Seah said.

Case may have another fight on its hands, as The Straits Times understands that cab fares also look set to rise. The last time fares were adjusted was in 2000, when the meter turned faster for distance and booking charges for Sunday were introduced. The flag-down rate has been at $2.40 since 1994.

'To be honest, we've been studying ways on how we can raise taxi fares for some time now,' an industry source said. 'Diesel price has gone up by 40 per cent from a year ago. And taxi fares in Singapore are among the lowest in the world.'

Cabbies have also been complaining it is harder to make ends meet now because there are too many taxis on the road. The taxi population has risen by over 2,000 to about 21,500 since the industry was liberalised in 2003. Three new players started plying last year. At the same time, SMRT expanded its fleet by 1,000 to 3,000.

Cabby L.H. Chung, 57, said: 'Before 2004, a driver starting at 5am could cover his daily taxi rental of $90 by 11.30am. Today, he might need to drive till 2.30pm or so.'

Analysts say the taxi industry is waiting for ComfortDelGro to make the first move because it has more than three-quarters of the market. Mr Lim Jit Soon, research head at Citigroup Smith Barney, said: 'Any fare increase will have to be made first by the market leader. Otherwise, commuters can easily boycott taxis from the smaller companies.'

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved

05 May 2005

Taxi companies say no fare hike for now
By Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE: With bus and MRT fares likely to rise, attention has now shifted to the possibility of a taxi fare hike.

When asked about this possibility, a Comfort DelGro spokesperson said it was all speculation at this point in time.

Comfort DelGro has the giant's share of the taxi market - about 80% - as blue Comfort cabs, Yellow Top cabs and City Cabs come under its umbrella.

The spokesperson added she had no announcement to make at this point in time.

SMRT Taxis says taxi fares remain one of the lowest and most affordable in the world.

But tough working conditions and rising diesel prices will lessen the burden on taxi drivers if fares are made more competitive, it adds.

However, it's understood smaller cab companies will probably take the lead for any increase from the market leader so that they do not lose out on market share. - CNA/ir

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

May 7, 2005
Bus and MRT fares: To raise or not to raise?

By Sue-Ann Chia

MADAM Lee Bee Lian earns less than $40 a day, and spends at least $2 of it on public transport.

Naturally, she could do without fares going up, says the gardener whose salary has remained stagnant for the past three years.

'How to cope?' asks the mother of three children. One is in the army and two are still of school-going age.

Her monthly take-home pay is about $700. Her husband is an odd-job worker. On good months, the family monthly income may hit $1,500.

They are the bottom rung of low-income earners who will feel the biggest pinch if fares go up.

But bus and MRT operators say it's time to raise fares.

They have applied to the Public Transport Council after holding back for two years during the Sars outbreak and economic downturn.

Operating costs and fuel prices have gone up, they point out. But so too have their profits.

From a business perspective, analysts say it is reasonable for a company to want to maximise profits and increase shareholder value.

But how much profits should public transport firms make before it is considered excessive?

The Consumers Association of Singapore also believes any fare increase now is ill-timed as the economy is just showing signs of recovery.

Timing is everything, going by the last fare hike controversy in 2002. Then, it provoked a huge outcry as the economy was in the doldrums and unemployment was up.

The anger spilled into Parliament as a group of MPs called for a reversal of the hike in a heated debate rarely heard in the House.

Is a price hike justified this time? Or will it cause an uproar reminiscent of the 2002 mutiny among backbenchers? Insight finds out.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

This story was printed from TODAYonline

Bus fare hike is a social concern

Monday • May 9, 2005

Eric Koo Peng Kuan

MUCH is being said about the proposed fee hikes by two major transport operators. As a commuter myself, I would beg to disagree that the fee hike is timely, or indeed, that it should be imposed at all.

Transport is an integral part of urban life. The majority of people do not travel for the sake of travelling everyday, but because they must. Commuters are mostly people who have to travel to work, young students going to school, or the unemployed seeking ways to make ends meet. In short, official business entails that they must incur expenses to fulfil their daily obligations.

The argument given to support a fee hike is that with the economy picking up, the jobless rate has fallen from 4.5 per cent to 3.9 per cent. Also, the proposed hike is to meet rising costs, which, in the case of SBS Transit, went up from $510 million in 2002 to $546 million in 2003. SMRT Corporation wants to acquire 150 new buses and upgrade its 18-year-old trains.

But let's view things on a broader perspective. Elsewhere in the world, the threat of terrorism has not been eradicated and defence spending in most countries, including Singapore, is increasing. With globalisation, international events and affairs in other countries — for example, Iraq — have an impact on Singapore's economy.

Since the transport sector is largely dependent on oil, and as political and social stability has yet to be achieved in Iraq, a meteoric improvement in the world economy must not be expected too soon.

Earning a tidy profit is one thing, but social concerns are just as important. It is understandable if the bus company operators wish to maximise revenue, but raising bus fares will have the effect of bleeding the working class, student community and the unemployed. This is because, ultimately, these people have no other option but to rely on public transport.

Instead of raising bus fares, costs can be cut elsewhere. For example, there is no need to upgrade any more bus shelters. Commuters will not spend a lot of time waiting at these places. So why spend extra money on beautifying bus shelters with costly materials and artistic designs? A plain but functional shelter would do nicely.

ComfortDelGro, which owns SBS Transit and the north-east MRT line, hinted fare changes may include concessions for low income groups, the poor and the needy. While the exact definition of who might qualify as being in this group has yet to be spelt out, it is likely that a substantial number of Singaporeans do not fall within this category, yet could still be affected by the fare hike. Why go to so much trouble to grant only a small portion of people concessions, while making the majority pay the difference? Why implement such a policy when one knows it will invoke widespread unhappiness?

A fare hike might be considered justifiable if people are called upon to make a necessary sacrifice to meet an unexpected contingency. For example, Singaporeans donated generously to aid the victims of last December's tsunami disaster.

It has been said transport operators have a tough decision to make. In my opinion, it is hardly a decision at all. Consider all the present factors and one will find little to favour a fare hike. While there is no economic crisis, the future of the recovering economy is uncertain, due to international affairs, globalisation and the scarcity of oil. Will the working class, student community, the unemployed and non-car owners agree and readily accept a fare hike without resentment?

Public transport is not merely a commercial service, but also an important social concern affecting the lives of many in the population. The vested interests of the majority should be considered carefully before a decision leading to a fare hike is made.

The writer has a MSc in Strategic Studies and is a member of the International Institute of Strategic Studies, London. If you have a view on this, tell us at news@newstoday.com.sg

Copyright MediaCorp Press Ltd. All rights reserved.

May 13, 2005
FIRST-QUARTER RESULTS
ComfortDelGro profit drops slightly to $55m

BUS, train and taxi operator ComfortDelGro yesterday reported a marginal fall in first-quarter profit as fuel and staff costs rose and competition in the local market intensified.

It said net profit for the quarter ended March 31 slipped 0.2 per cent to $54.6 million, even though revenues increased 6.4 per cent to $540.9 million.

Amid high oil prices, rising interest rates and inflation, ComfortDelGro said the global economic outlook for the rest of the year is uncertain and will pose challenges to the company.

It said first-quarter earnings were hit by higher fuel and staff expenses. Even after hedging, energy and diesel costs rose by 24.2 per cent, or $5.6 million, during the quarter.

Last year's earnings had also been boosted by a one-off tax reversal of $7.3 million.

Driving revenue growth were ComfortDelGro's overseas businesses. Revenue from bus operations in Britain and China, for example, helped boost overall bus revenues by 8 per cent to $276 million, offsetting a 1 per cent slide in takings at home by SBS Transit.

'We are facing challenging times. High fuel prices and increased competition are issues we have to deal with on a daily basis but I am confident we will prevail,' said chief executive Kua Hong Pak.

BRYAN LEE

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

May 29, 2005
When ERP hours are extended in shopping district

Why it pays to avoid Orchard Rd
Check shows it's quicker, and soon to be cheaper, to drive to Suntec City using alternative routes

By Chua Kong Ho

IF AN informal Sunday Times poll of motorists yesterday was anything to go by, many motorists have an unshakeable belief that Orchard Road is the quickest route to Suntec City and the Marina.

But as our tests yesterday showed, it is far from quick. What's more, from Aug 1 it will be more expensive too, when Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) hours are extended to 8pm on weekdays and re-introduced on Saturdays from noon to 8pm.

Announcing the changes on Friday, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said a recent survey showed that up to one-third of motorists using Orchard Road were on their way to somewhere else.

Not surprisingly, the traffic conditions are deteriorating as a result. According to the LTA, average speeds during the afternoons have slowed to 15kmh.

Two alternative routes tested by The Sunday Times yesterday afternoon turned out to be faster.

The Sunday Times took just under 13 minutes to reach Suntec City from Newton Circus, by driving along Bukit Timah Road, turning into Sungei Road and onward via Beach Road.

A slight variation of the route - turning into Bencoolen Street from Sungei Road - took slightly longer, but was still faster than driving along Orchard Road.

In comparison, the journey through Orchard Road to Suntec City took slightly more than 15 minutes, with many stops at traffic lights.

The LTA had announced on Friday that from Aug 1, two new ERP gantries, at Handy Road in front of the former Cathay cinema and beside the YMCA in Orchard Road, will add another layer of charges to discourage motorists from using Orchard Road as a through road.

To deter these transit motorists, the tolls at the Handy Road gantry will range from $1 to $2.50 for cars between 8am and 10am, and $1.50 from noon to 8pm.

However, most drivers The Sunday Times spoke to yesterday said they were prepared to cough up the extra ERP charges.

When the new charges come into operation, some said, the alternative routes would be slower as more motorists would avoid Orchard Road.

Said Mr Brendan Ong, 26: 'I'd still drive through Orchard Road. If you can afford a car, you should be able to afford to pay a few dollars of ERP.'

Ms Karen Ang, 25, who drove to Suntec City via Orchard Road yesterday, said: 'Even if the detour is faster, I may have to pay more because I end up using more petrol.'

Ironically, all the motorists interviewed agreed that Orchard Road's traffic conditions are getting worse.

Some, like Mr Yusri Razah, 29, a support engineer, said he avoids driving there during weekends unless he has no choice.

He said: 'Last Friday, I was more than an hour late meeting my friends because of bad jams at Orchard Road.'

From Aug 1, evening ERP will be introduced on the Central Expressway between 6pm and 8pm on weekdays to address the slow traffic conditions along the highway.

A new gantry will be put up between the Pan-Island Expressway exit and the Braddell exit. This is likely to affect motorists living in places such as Ang Mo Kio, Yishun and Sembawang.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved

if only orchard road could be pedestrianised. seriously. orchard's street signature sucks because its penned behind big fat rain trees and distracted by the oily roar of traffic. you can't appreciate the facades of the SCs substantially until you come up close. Anyway, their facades only have the taste of a "newly bourgeosie" economy, because there's nothing to them beyond apparent newly discovered consumerism. Very Shanghai.
Where are the cultural enterprises and arts venues that elevate the sophistication of other great streets around the world? Its not enough to play the age card, Singapore is already a first world economy, there should be a commitment to avant garde artistic occupation of this illustrious thoroughfare. Art should be given a bigger stage on Orchard Road, like inviting massive projection artists from Europe to stage projection festivals all over the streetscape, like sydney does.

completely pedestrianising the street will definitely help improve the ambience of the street.

if only orchard road could be pedestrianised. seriously. orchard's street signature sucks because its penned behind big fat rain trees and distracted by the oily roar of traffic.

PLEASE keep the rain trees. Add some more, even.

30 May 2005

PTC approves fare increases for trains and buses
By Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE: The Public Transport Council (PTC) has approved fare increases for trains and buses from July 1.

Child fares, student and NSmen concession passes will not be affected by the hikes.

But senior citizens will have to face the increases.

The hikes, however, will generally be lower if commuters pay by using the ez-link card.

Train fares will go up by between one and three cents if paid by the card.

For buses, these will go up by between one and two cents.

But, if commuters pay cash, the fares will go up by 10 cents across the board.

About five percent of the 3.4 million rides made daily are made using cash.

Explaining the changes, the PTC said the operators had initially asked for more.

But they were granted increases of 2.4 percent under a later, revised proposal - the maximum allowed under the new formula.

"In our view, it is more equitable than either of their proposals," said Eric Gwee, PTC chairman.

Meanwhile, Mr Ong Kian Min, the chairman of the Fare Review Mechanism Committee which put the new formula in place, said he was quite surprised the PTC had awarded the full 2.4 percent amount.

This was considering the feedback from the commuting public in the last few weeks.

He was relieved, though, because if the old formula had been used, fares would have risen by up to 3.2 percent.

What considerations the PTC took into account in making their decision?

Firstly, the economic situation, which the PTC felt was "not adverse".

Secondly, the profit levels of the public transport companies - one brought up by many commuters.

The PTC felt that while the profit levels were "healthy", they were "not excessive" compared to other companies with a similar industry structure.

The PTC says the fare hikes may mean $13m to $14m in extra revenue for each of the two transport operators.

But, in reality, both companies will make less than this.

SBS Transit says it will spend $3.3 million to mitigate the impact of the increase, such as extending concessionary hours for senior citizens and capping the maximum fare at $1.90, regardless of the number of transfers.

SMRT says it is reviewing its fare structure.

Both operators will also contribute $1m each to the Public Transport Fund which was set up to help needy families adjust to the fare hikes. - CNA/ir

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

30 May 2005

Fare hike to boost revenues of SMRT, SBS Transit by $13m to $14m annually
By Chua Chin Chye, Channel NewsAsia

Transport operators SBS Transit and SMRT have been allowed to raise their fares, by an overall 2.4 percent, effective July.

The fare increase will affect 83 percent of commuters, who make 3.4 million rides daily, and boost revenues for both companies by about S$13 million to S$14 million annually.

SBS Transit and SMRT are expected to enjoy a near-equal boost in revenues despite SBS Transit's higher ridership numbers.

The Public Transport Council says although SBS Transit has a higher annual ridership of 810 million, compared to SMRT's 680 million, SMRT has a greater proportion of train rides, which cost more than bus rides.

As for the bottomline, analysts believe SBS Transit will have the upperhand, due to ridership and fuel mix.

Gabriel Yap, Senior Dealing Director, Philip Securities, said: "SBS Transit proforma net profit is expected to go up by 5 to 6 percent this financial year, based on the new fare hike of 1 to 3 cents, whereas for SMRT, it's expected to go up by 3 to 4 percent."

While both companies enjoyed record profits in their last financial year, they say fare revenue is flat or declining this year.

SBS Transit says bus ridership is flat, because of route rationalisation with the Northeast Line.

As a result, average bus fare fell from 64.51 cents in 2003, to 64.37 cents last year.

As for SMRT, it says average train fare declined 6.4 percent, even as ridership rose 2.8 percent last year.

SBS Transit says the 2.4 percent fare increase will not cover the S$15 million to S$18 million increase in fuel and energy costs projected this year.

Most analysts also agree it won't be enough to stave off rising costs.

And the transport operators feel there's a limit to cost-containment, both having recently undergone staff restructuring exercises.

On its part, the Public Transport Council says it finds the profit levels of both companies to be healthy, but not excessive when compared with companies with similar industry structure and risk profiles.

Eric Gwee, Chairman, Public Transport Council, said: "We try and ensure that affordability remains the same or more preferably. If you look at our assessment this year, the affordability index has remained constant or will improve."

Children, students and NSmen will not be affected, but the general public, including senior citizens, will pay 1 to 3 cents more on the MRT and 1 to 2 cents more on buses, using the EZ-link card.

If they use cash, it'll be 10 cents more on both buses and trains. - CNA /ch

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

June 1, 2005
S'pore transport giant rules out cab-fare hike this year

By Goh Chin Lian

TRANSPORT giant ComfortDelGro will not be raising taxi fares this year, but Singapore's largest taxi operator has not ruled out tweaking its late-night and peak-hour surcharges.

In the past week, it has been announced that motorists, as well as bus and train commuters, will have to pay more to travel. Private buses that ferry workers - and maybe even schoolchildren - are also in line for higher charges.

The Straits Times understands ComfortDelGro could be looking at altering its surcharge structure.

One possibility is staggered late night surcharges. In December 2003, its CityCab unit introduced a four-tier midnight surcharge, to address passengers' complaints they could not find cabs just before midnight, when the flat rate surcharge kicked in.

Instead, the surcharge was graded from 10 per cent to 50 per cent of the meter fare from 11.30pm to 6am. Comfort, Yellow-Top, and other taxi firms, still charge a flat 50 per cent midnight to 6am surcharge.

Another candidate for change could be the $1 peak hour surcharge, imposed between 7.30am and 9.30am and from 5pm to 8pm. Passengers often have trouble finding cabs around these times, so staggering the charges over different periods could help spread out the demand.

'We are looking at our fare structure, but we're not looking to raise taxi fares at all,' said spokesman Tammy Tan.

Ms Tan said the company had also ruled out raising the $1 surcharge for passengers who take cabs from the Central Business District, another area that suffers from a taxi shortage.

Smaller companies SMRT, Transcab, Smart Automobile and Premier Taxis will not raise fares unless ComfortDelGro, which dominates the market with 17,000 cabs, moves first.

Smart boss Johnny Harjantho said: 'We have to wait for big brother. If we adjust wrongly, passengers will choose not to take our taxis.'

Meanwhile, the Singapore School and Private Hire Bus Owners' Association said yesterday its 600 members will raise fees for ferrying workers by 10 per cent to 15 per cent from July 1.

Its president, Mr Peh Han Chew, said the cost of hiring a 40-seater bus fell over the past few years from $3,200 to $2,800. This was a result of stiff competition during the economic downturn.

But the low charges are unsustainable, Mr Peh said. Operating costs, from wages to maintenance, have gone up, and diesel prices have doubled from 50 cents a litre around a year ago to more than $1. And from August, bus operators, like other motorists, will have to pay ERP in the evenings on the Central Expressway.

If diesel prices do not fall, school bus fees will also have to go up next year, he added.

The association has also applied to the Public Transport Council to raise fares on its 11 Scheme B bus services, which supplement SBS Transit's and SMRT's buses during peak periods.

A decision should be made within two weeks.

Mr Peh declined to say what kind of raise they are asking for, but one benchmark could be the 10-cent hike imposed on cash-paying passengers that comes into effect on SBS Transit and SMRT buses from July 1.

Fares on these services were last raised in 1994.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

June 1, 2005
ComfortDelGro combines taxi operations

TRANSPORT giant ComfortDelGro Corp is merging its taxi operations in response to keener competition from three new players.

From today, Comfort Transportation - which runs Comfort and Yellow-Top cabs - will merge its operations with CityCab, and will be headed by Mr Yang Ban Seng.

He is currently chief executive (CEO) of CityCab, but was from Comfort originally. His appointment as CEO of the taxi business puts him in charge of 17,000 taxis. CityCab is 47 per cent-owned by ST Kinetics.

In the change, Comfort Transportation chief John Lee will be posted to London to head ComCab - a group-owned taxi dispatch company that specialises in corporate clients.

ComfortDelGro spokesman Tammy Tan said the move was in response to 'growing competition in the local taxi industry'.

She said the new structure - which calls for shared functions such as accounting, human resources and call centre - would 'eliminate the duplication of resources and achieve synergies and greater efficiency through better cost management'.

The development, however, is expected to result in some job redundancies, although Ms Tan said this would be limited.

'In terms of headcount, where we can, we will redeploy staff to other parts of the organisation,' she said. 'For now, less than 5 per cent of total headcount of over 400 will be affected.'

She said it was still 'early days' to quantify cost savings, but the group reckoned '$2 million to $3 million' a year would be realistic.

The final phase of the taxi merger will be finalised only by late next year, when all the group's taxis will come under one call centre. The $23 million system is being developed now.

Ms Tan said that when the system is ready in 18 months, customers will need to remember only one number to call. 'That means quicker response time and shorter waiting time for commuters.'

Competition in the taxi business has hotted up since the Government liberalised the industry two years ago, prompting three new companies to enter the fray.

The rivalry has caused operators to compete for cabbies. In ComfortDelGro's case, it has replaced hundreds of older, smaller cabs with new, bigger models. \-- CHRISTOPHER TAN

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

02 June 2005

LTA terminates services of contractor in Pasir Panjang Road project

SINGAPORE: The Land Transport Authority has terminated the employment of L&M Prestressing for the upgrading project at Telok Blangah and Pasir Panjang Roads.

It will be getting a new contractor to finish the work.

Based on the Pasir Panjang Road semi-expressway contract awarded in January 2000, LMP was to have constructed a viaduct in the area by July 2003.

But the company run into financial difficulties and asked for an extension of the project till May 2005.

Although it could get fresh funds, LTA found progress of the works was unsatisfactory.

It therefore decided to engage a new contractor and will be calling for an open tender.

86 percent of the project has so far been completed.

The viaduct structure has been connected to the completed viaduct at Telok Blangah Road.

All pre-cast segments for the full stretch of viaduct along Pasir Panjang Road up to South Buona Vista Road junction have been launched.

The remaining viaduct works are at the area around the South Buona Vista Road.

At the ground level, Pasir Panjang Road and part of Telok Blangah Road have been reinstated with new layer of premix.

The majority of the drains and footpaths have also been completed.

LTA said the new contractor will have to finish building the remaining viaduct and ramp structure between the South Buona Vista Road junction and West Coast Highway.

It expects the project to be completed and opened to traffic by early next year.

LTA said the additional costs required to complete the project by the new contractor as well as the cost to be recovered from LMP will be determined after working out the cost due to the delay and other claims. - CNA /dt

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

June 13, 2005
More cabbies failing to pay rental
Rising numbers of cabs, fewer users mean many can't make ends meet

By Christopher Tan and Goh Chin Lian

ON THE back of ballooning fleets and falling passenger numbers, taxi companies are facing a worsening problem of cabbies with bad debts.

Six of the seven cab companies here have been hit and, based on official figures, The Straits Times estimates that operators now repossess 1,000 cabs a year because of non-payment of rental.

That is about 5 per cent of all taxis on the road now.

ComfortDelGro, the largest taxi operator here with about 17,000 cabs, used to repossess about 50 taxis a month because of non-payment. The number has risen to nearly 70 recently.

'It is very difficult,' said cabby C. K. Chan. 'I know of drivers who collect only about $120 to $150 a day in fares. They cannot cover costs.'

Taxi operators act like car rental companies, leasing vehicles to cabbies. The drivers pay a daily rental of about $90, on top of about $40 a day for diesel and other outlays on things like carparks and car washes.

Ms Tammy Tan, spokesman for transport group ComfortDelGro, said: 'From January to May this year, a monthly average of about 30 per cent of our hirers owe an average of five days.'

A five-day delay in rental payment from one-third of its hirers translates to about $2.3 million.

Mr Johnny Harjantho, managing director of newcomer Smart Automobile, has also observed a worrying trend.

'There are cabbies who genuinely cannot pay, but we are coming across people who are out to cheat. They come in on a Thursday, pay a deposit of $1,000 and take a cab. We bank the cheque on Friday. When we realise the cheque has bounced on Monday or Tuesday, he is gone.

'By the time we find him, he would have owed us 20 days of rental. Some of them will say: 'Go ahead, sue me'.'

Mr Harjantho estimates that half the hirers of his fleet of 460 cabs owe between one and 30 days of rental. The company is forced to repossess 'a few cars' each week.

Unable to cope, companies sometimes turn to debt collectors.

Ms Priscilla Low, an account manager at debt collector Lousintan, said the company handles more than 20 cases a month for several taxi companies. Debts range from 'a couple of hundred dollars to a couple of thousand'.

'We work out payment by instalments over six months to a year.

'We have a 70 per cent to 80 per cent success rate,' she said.

ComfortDelGro has its own credit controllers, but would still like to see an industry blacklist of drivers with bad payment records.

Premier Taxis general manager Lim Chong Boo said the company had to slow down fleet expansion plans this year, to weed out errant drivers and bring its debt situation under control.

Cabbies say the problem is there is just too much competition.

According to Land Transport Authority figures, there are more than 21,400 cabs on the road today, 45 per cent more than in 1994. At the same time, taxi ridership has fallen. An LTA study found taxi rides fell 12 per cent to 827,000 a day during the 12 months up to March last year.

Coupled with a 40 per cent hike in diesel prices over the last year, that means cabbies' earnings have fallen.

In addition, a cabby who cannot find a relief driver often has to drive two shifts to cover his costs.

Mr Chan said: 'I have seen many drivers sitting in coffee shops, in a daze because they are so tired.'

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

"An LTA study found taxi rides fell 12 per cent to 827,000 a day during the 12 months up to March last year"

That's bad. But, it's really hard getting a cab during peak hours.

June 18, 2005
Accident rates: LTA cuts fines for cab firms by 70%
Full waiver for Comfort, SMRT. But Yellow-Top, Premier to pay full fines

By Goh Chin Lian

CAB companies have convinced the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to reduce by 70 per cent the fines slapped on them for failing to meet safety standards from September to November last year.

The LTA has waived nearly $35,000 of the more than $50,000 in fines imposed on six companies after their cabbies were found not to be at fault in a number of accidents, following the conclusion of investigations by Traffic Police.

The cab companies had criticised the standards as harsh and maintained that in some cases, their drivers were only partly at fault, if at all.

Yesterday, an LTA spokesman said the accident rates were originally based on cases where there was 'prima facie' evidence that the taxi drivers were at fault.

The LTA had subsequently decided to include in their safety assessments only those accidents in which cabbies were found to be at fault 'after the Traffic Police has completed and concluded its investigations'.

Comfort Transportation's $15,269 fine, and SMRT Taxis' $3,527 penalty have been waived in full. CityCab had its fine reduced from $22,852 to $7,805; and Smart Automobile's was cut from $3,000 to $2,000.

Only two firms have to pay the full penalty: Yellow-Top Cab has to pay $4,019, and Premier Taxis, $2,000. Trans-Cab Services was not fined.

The most recent quarterly audit of taxi service standards released yesterday covers phone bookings, vehicle inspection and customer satisfaction from January to March this year - but excludes accident rates.

The LTA expects to make the rates known within the next two months when investigations of the accidents are concluded, and the figures finalised.

The LTA will fine three of the seven firms between $3,000 and $25,000 each for failing to meet taxi booking standards for two consecutive months.

CityCab, a unit of transport giant ComfortDelGro and with Singapore's second largest fleet of about 5,000 cabs, has been fined $24,633 for allocating taxis to fewer than nine in 10 call bookings.

It was fined $15,147 for the same problem in the previous audit, and failed in its appeal.

ComfortDelGro spokesman Tammy Tan said CityCab is once again appealing the audit's findings because the migration to a new dispatch system from November last year to March this year may have led to an 89.83 per cent allocation rate this January, 0.17 per cent short of the 90 per cent passing rate.

She said: 'We have been told that CityCab failed because LTA allows figures to be rounded up only one decimal place. Needless to say, we are disappointed that we failed because of a mathematical computation.'

Newcomers Smart and Trans-Cab have been fined for the first time, following the end of their one-year grace to meet taxi booking standards. Another newcomer, Premier, passed and did not incur any fines.

Smart has been fined $4,000 on two counts: It failed to allocate taxis to enough callers, and failed to have callers wait no more than five minutes to be told if a taxi is available in at least nine out of 10 calls. Managing director Johnny Harjantho said having a small fleet of 460 cabs means it takes longer to find an empty taxi.

Trans-Cab, which has 960 cabs, has to pay $3,073 for failing to answer at least nine in 10 of its call bookings.

Operations manager Jasmine Tan said the company will spend more than $300,000 to improve its booking system by next month,including increasing the number of phone lines from four to 10.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

June 24, 2005
Cabby touts damage Singapore's reputation

WE ARE three visitors from Canada, Turkey and the United States. First, let us say that our time spent in Singapore has been wonderful. The city is beautiful, the people are friendly, and the food is exotic.

However, our Singapore experience has been scarred by some dishonest taxi drivers. All three of us had identical experiences. Our tale of woe and deceit started at Changi Airport. After we collected our bags and entered the arrivals hall, we were approached by taxi drivers offering their services.

We told them our destination and they quoted us a price of $35 to $50. It was not until we reached our hotel that we found out that we had been cheated.

Our hotel is in Katong and a taxi ride from Changi Airport costs only about $9 on the meter. Even with the airport, midnight and peak-hour surcharges, the total fare would only be between $12 and $20.

We believe the cabbies have broken the rules and the law:

# They are supposed to queue up with their vehicles in the taxi queue at the arrivals hall.

# They stand around inside the arrivals hall, offering their services. This is touting.

# They offer a fixed fare and charge exorbitant amounts. This is scalping.

# Some of the vehicles are not even taxis but private-hire minivans masquerading as taxis.

Chats with fellow hotel guests revealed that this is a common occurrence at Changi Airport.

With the help of the hotel management, we lodged written and verbal reports with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), the Land Transport Authority (LTA), the taxi companies and Changi Airport police. The responses we received have been bureaucratic and ineffectual.

The STB said that this is not within its jurisdiction and told us to report the matter to the LTA and the taxi companies, which in turn said they would investigate but have produced no follow-up action. Airport police told us that there are patrols in the arrivals hall but clearly there has been insufficient policing action.

We recommend that the following action be taken:

# Changi Airport police should have uniformed patrols and plainclothes officers working undercover in the arrivals hall.

# The police should conduct sting operations, with officers acting as tourists, to apprehend the culprits.

# Taxi drivers who are found guilty of touting and overcharging should have their taxi and driving licences revoked, and fined and jailed.

# A database of dishonest taxi drivers should be set up and shared among taxi companies and regulatory agencies.

# Signs in multiple languages warning tourists of such predatory behaviour should be displayed prominently in the arrivals hall.

We write as concerned friends of Singapore. After experiencing the warmth and hospitality of Singaporeans, it is a great shame that a small minority is inflicting such damage to the reputation of the country.

Singapore will be hosting the 117th session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) next month. With 5,000 delegates and journalists coming from over 200 countries and territories, and a billion people watching events in Singapore, we shudder to think of the damage these cabbies will do to Singapore's good name.

We wonder what the consequences would be if the president of the IOC, Mr Jacques Rogge, has the misfortune of taking a ride with an errant cabby. But maybe not. Dr Rogge could end up taking the bus.

Jason Grafstrom
Canada

Hamza Cakir
Turkey

Deborah Lundberg (Ms)
USA

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

oh my..I didnt know taxi touts operated out of Changi...gives a '3rd world' image.

oh my..I didnt know taxi touts operated out of Changi...gives a '3rd world' image.

Yeah loh......must eradicate.....:yes:

yup..anyway the taxi departure is quite easy to navigate for travellers, with separate bays for individual cabs...also, seasoned passengers should be expecting a metered taxi.

yup..anyway the taxi departure is quite easy to navigate for travellers, with separate bays for individual cabs...also, seasoned passengers should be expecting a metered taxi.

Yeah.....actually I really dun noe how they got cheated......the taxi stands are like almost "in front" of the arrival gate......:yes:

Yeah.....actually I really dun noe how they got cheated......the taxi stands are like almost "in front" of the arrival gate......:yes:

indeed...while the issue is important and we shouldnt rest on our laurels, they do sound a little bit 'swaku'. :happy:

24 June 2005

LTA raises toll rates for vehicles at Second Link

SINGAPORE : Motorists using the Second Link to enter or leave Malaysia will have to pay more from July 1.

The Land Transport Authority says it is increasing the toll rates at the Singapore end to match Malaysia's.

They will be up by between 12 and 20 percent.

The toll for cars (each way) will be $3.70, up 50 cents, and for taxis, $2.70, up 30 cents.

Motorcyclists will have to pay 60 cents, 10 cents more.

Other categories - for van and small lorries it will be $8.30, up $1;
for big lorries - $16.60, up $2.10; and for buses - $4.40, up 50 cents.

LTA says Singapore's toll rates are pegged to those set by Malaysia.

The latest revision takes into account the new rates introduced by Malaysia on May 1, as well as the current Singapore Dollar-Malaysian Ringgit exchange rate.

Tolls for the Causeway will remain unchanged.

The last revision was made in March 2002, when tolls for the two checkpoints were raised.

Information on the revised toll rates will be available at the immigration booths at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints.

The public can also contact LTA at 1800-2255 582 or visit its website. - CNA/de

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

June 25, 2005
Touts, pirate cabbies take weary tourists for a ride
They confuse them with fast talk, charging $35 from airport to city

By Goh Chin Lian

THEY offer to take weary travellers from the United States, Europe and Australia into the city from Changi Airport - then they take them for a ride.

Instead of the normal $20 or so fare, these visitors end up paying as much as $45 for the trip, in a private mini-bus or a limousine taxi.

Going by the accounts of cheated tourists and the cabbies who wait in designated queues for fares, touts and pirate taxis are common at the airport.

In a letter to The Straits Times Forum page yesterday, Mr Jason Grafstrom from Canada, Mr Hamza Cakir from Turkey, and Ms Deborah Lundberg from the US, said their stay here was 'scarred' as they were fooled into paying $35 to $45 for a ride to the Betel Box Hostel in Joo Chiat Road, when it should have cost them at most $20 by cab, with the airport and midnight surcharges.

Ms Lundberg, 25, told The Straits Times yesterday she was exhausted when she arrived on Tuesday at around midnight, after a 6 1/2-hour flight from Tokyo.

She was heading towards the taxi queue when a man approached her and asked if she needed a cab.

'I said yes, and was going to the line, but he said, no, come with me. It would be $35, not much more, and you don't have to wait. He was speaking very fast. It was confusing.'

The architect, here for the first time to take up a job, thought such offers were commonplace until the hostel staff alerted her.

They said they had encountered one such case almost every week since last October.

The backpackers' hostel has since included a warning about such cheats in its e-mail confirmation of room bookings.

The staff confronted the CityCab driver who brought Ms Lundberg from the airport, but he insisted he could charge a $35 fee for the limousine, which is the going price if it is booked at the airport's transport counter.

ComfortDelGro spokesman Tammy Tan said the company, which has the largest fleet of taxis here, has ended his hire agreement as he was touting. It has also apologised to Ms Lundberg and refunded her fare.

This is the only such complaint the company has received since January last year, she added.

SMRT, the second-largest cab company, said it had received six since January last year, but only one warranted a verbal warning.

However, one of its limousine drivers was caught soliciting at the airport early on Wednesday morning. The man, who was out on bail for a previous touting offence, was arrested.

Over the last two years, the Land Transport Authority has fined 19 licensed taxi drivers $200 each for soliciting for passengers.

Two people have also been convicted in the last six months for illegally using private vehicles to carry passengers for a fare.

The LTA did not specify their punishment, but the penalty is a fine of up to $3,000 and/or a jail term of up to six months. The vehicle could also be seized.

The touting problem has prompted the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) to deploy airport auxiliary police in the airport's arrival halls this year.

Complaints have since dropped 'significantly', said the CAAS, from 20 last year to three so far this year.

But cabbies say illegitimate limousine drivers are still on the prowl for customers at the airport and claim they know of at least 10 people who are operating pirate taxis there.

They suggested taxi drivers wear stickers to identify themselves and that limousine services be better promoted.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

June 28, 2005
Cabby at airport accused of trespass

A CABBY arrested on Wednesday morning for soliciting for passengers at Changi Airport has been charged with criminal trespass.

At the time, SMRT limousine driver Leong Chee Kong, 39, was out on bail for another earlier charge of criminal trespass on May 14.

He is alleged to have committed the offences at the arrival hall of Terminal 1 near and after midnight, 'with intent to annoy' the management of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore.

If found guilty, he faces a maximum jail term of three months and/or a fine of up to $500.

A charge of criminal trespass carries a less severe penalty than one of touting, which is a maximum jail term of six months and/or a fine of up to $5,000.

In the case of a second or subsequent conviction, the maximum jail term and fine are doubled.

Leong's case will be heard again on Aug 15 and 16, when several witnesses are expected to testify.

The issue of airport touts was highlighted on Friday, when three visitors here wrote to The Straits Times Forum page to say they were fooled into paying $35 to $45 for a ride to a hostel in Joo Chiat Road, when it should have cost them at most $20 by cab, with all the surcharges.

Mr Jason Grafstrom from Canada and Mr Hamza Cakir from Turkey took separately the same mini-van being used illegally as a taxi, while Ms Deborah Lundberg from the United States boarded a CityCab limousine taxi.

CityCab ended the driver's hire agreement for touting.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Roofless Double Deck Bus at Sentosa.....:D

http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/5125/pic0305617bg.jpg

Super HOT!!!!!!
http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/9942/pic0303319ln.jpg

Alighting
http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/1899/pic0303517nf.jpg

Hot and windy ride......but quite exciting since it's my first time on such a bus......:D

what if a big vulture poos on our head hee.. :)
fun meh?
so hot leh !
i will become coffee bean liao..

:runaway:

Roofless Double Deck Bus at Sentosa.....:D

http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/5125/pic0305617bg.jpg

Super HOT!!!!!!
http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/9942/pic0303319ln.jpg

Alighting
http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/1899/pic0303517nf.jpg

Hot and windy ride......but quite exciting since it's my first time on such a bus......:D

what if a big vulture poos on our head hee.. :)
fun meh?
so hot leh !
i will become coffee bean liao..

:runaway:

Coffee bean?? Haha....then you shall be Mr Bean......:lol: :jk:

Fun becos it's my first time mah.......but I understand your worries......no wonder the ang mohs take out umbrella......:lol:

July 1, 2005
Public transport rides slump to seven-year low
Drop may be because of expanding rail network and rise in number of car users

By Christopher Tan
SENIOR CORRESPONDENT

PEOPLE are travelling less often on public transport. And when they do, many tend to take the train rather than the bus.

The slide in public transport ridership, which began from 2001, is puzzling transport planners because the population has grown, by over 200,000 since 2000.

Yet, public transport rides slumped to a seven-year low last year: 4.997 million rides a day against the peak of 5.273 million in 2000.

Although no study has been done to explain the 5.23 per cent drop - which translates to about 100 million rides a year - the growing car-owning population, an expanding rail network, as well as the bigger pool of out-of-work Singaporeans have been offered as possible reasons.

With the supply of certificates of entitlement at record levels and prices at their lowest in more than 10 years, more people are buying cars. There are about 420,600 private cars here, from 392,024 in 2000.

Singapore's rail network has extended by nearly one-third since 2000 to about 120km.

As a result, bus services along MRT lines were removed to avoid a duplication of resources.

The last possibility is the number of jobless Singaporeans. The unemployment rate now hovers around 4 per cent, from 2 per cent before the Asian financial crisis of 1997.

The falling ridership, if it persists, could have serious implications for the authorities, which have invested billions in public transport infrastructure.

Transport operators will increasingly have to seek growth overseas, said Citigroup Smith Barney research head Lim Jit Soon.

ComfortDelGro Corp, the parent group of Singapore's largest bus operator, SBS Transit, has already shifted gear.

So far, it has invested more than $500 million on overseas projects that contribute 35 per cent to group revenue.

It aims to invest another $200 million or so to ramp up the contribution to 50 per cent by 2009.

SMRT Corp has been exploring overseas ventures, but is in less of a hurry as train ridership is growing steadily.

The Land Transport Authority believes the growth in the rail network is behind the overall drop in public transport numbers.

But its figures indicate that the rise in train rides is not enough to make up for the fall in bus trips.

For the year up to March this year, bus rides fell to 2.788 million a day, a 6 per cent drop over the previous year. At the same time, train rides reached a high of 1.333 million a day, about 5 per cent more than the previous year.

People hailed cabs more often last year, but the average daily taxi ridership of 876,000 last year was still about 7 per cent off the peak of 940,000 in 1995.

The expansion of the rail network was also singled out by observers like Associate Professor K. Raguraman of the Centre for Transportation Research, a National University of Singapore think-tank.

He said: 'As the rail system becomes more comprehensive, people are replacing bus-MRT trips with all-MRT trips. Previously, they might have accounted for two trips - one bus and one MRT - but now, they account for only one MRT trip.'

Prof Raguraman also noted the 2.4 per cent increase in private cars between 2003 and 2004, compared to 0.38 per cent between 2002 and 2003.

SBS Transit concurred. 'There has been a gradual shift to private car ownership. Many of the new car users would have been bus, train or taxi users,' a spokesman said.

Vehicle traders, such as Chevrolet agent Starsauto, are seeing an influx of first-time buyers. Said its general manager, Mr Lee Chiu San: 'We have been seeing a lot of customers like that lately.'

One such customer is systems engineer Simon Ng. The 37-year-old bought his first car, a 1.4-litre Chevy Aveo, for slightly more than $50,000 early last month.

Mr Ng said he switched to private transport because his new job is in Tuas. The Telok Blangah resident said: 'Public transport is great in the city. But for Tuas, you have to wait quite a long time for a bus.'

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

oh buses suck anyway. bring on the railways

July 7, 2005
Comfort, Yellow-Top cabs to stagger midnight surcharge
Scheme may solve problem of scarce taxis pre-midnight

By Goh Chin Lian

COMMUTERS will start paying a staggered late night surcharge from 11.30pm in all 17,000 taxis under ComfortDelGro, under a scheme to solve the problem of taxis vanishing just before midnight and reappearing afterwards.

At 11.30pm, an extra 10 per cent will be added to the fare; at 11.45pm, 20 per cent, and at midnight, 35 per cent.

The full surcharge of 50 per cent will kick in only at 1am and will apply until 6am.

Currently, only ComfortDelGro's 5,000 CityCab taxis start the levy at 11.30pm and increase it at 15-minute intervals.

Several industry sources told The Straits Times that the remaining 12,000 Comfort and Yellow-Top taxis will do the same from July 15.

When asked, ComfortDelGro spokesman Tammy Tan said only that the company is 'looking to tweak its fare structure to better reflect demand and supply'.

'We hope that the staggered rates for late night rides will address the perennial problem of 'missing taxis' during the midnight hour.'

She added that staggering CityCab's late night levy in January last year has 'helped to alleviate' the shortage, but did not provide figures.

Commuter Melissa Low, 34, who takes a cab around midnight four times a week from Boat Quay and Orchard Road to her home in Hougang, said she is not aware that CityCab taxis stagger the levy.

The project manager said she used to wait more than 10 minutes for a taxi, but noticed cabs are easier to get this year.

On Comfort's planned changes, she said: 'If I'm not in a rush, if I'm going home, I don't mind waiting for a cheaper taxi.'

Transcab, which will have 1,110 cabs by the end of this week, said it is likely to follow ComfortDelGro's lead.

However, like SMRT Taxis, Premier Taxis and Smart Automobile, it will monitor the outcome of Comfort's move before making any changes.

A 54-year-old Comfort cabby who declined to be named reckoned that with the bulk of taxis starting the levy earlier, taxi drivers may simply take a breather at 11pm instead of at 11.30pm as they now do.

The cabby of 20 years believes the nub of the 'missing taxi' problem is the taxi driver's attitude - whether he will ply the roads as long as there are customers, or only when the surcharge is higher.

He said in Mandarin: 'I hope they'll have a good attitude. We're providing a service, after all.'

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

More details here.....:yes:

07 July 2005

Comfort, CityCab and Yellow-Top revise taxi fares
By Valarie Tan, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : ComfortDelGro Corporation's three taxi companies - Comfort, CityCab and Yellow-Top - are revising their fare structures from July 15.

They said this was to even out demand for taxis and resolve taxi shortage problems before midnight.

Passengers who board Comfort or Yellow-Top cabs after midnight, now pay a flat 50 percent levy surcharge, while those taking CityCab, pay a staggered surcharge of 10 percent to 50 percent from 11.30pm.

From July 15, staggered rates from 11.30pm onwards will apply for all taxis from the three companies.

To even out the demand for taxis, the current booking charges will be raised from $3 to $4 during peak hours from 7.30am to 9.30am and 5.00pm to 11.00pm on weekdays.

This will be reduced to $2.50 during non-peak times, including weekends and public holidays.

The advance booking charges will be standardised to $5.20.

The waiting time fare will be 10 cents per 25 seconds.

Passengers will pay a standard $1 City Area Surcharge from 5pm to 8pm from Mondays to Thursdays, and from 5pm to 11.30pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

And it will cost $2.60 - 20 cents more when a commuter flag down a Mercedes taxi.

The other taxi companies - SMRT, Transcab, Smart Automobile and Premier Taxis - are not available for comment.

But earlier reports have said they will not raise fares unless ComfortDelGro, which dominates the market with 17,000 cabs, do so. - CNA/de

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

Finally theyre doing something about it!

IMO not only is it frustrating but its also terrible if tourists are trying to get a cab shortly before midnight and the taxis whizz by!

Finally theyre doing something about it!

IMO not only is it frustrating but its also terrible if tourists are trying to get a cab shortly before midnight and the taxis whizz by!

I strongly agree.......very frustrating......:bash:

^

LOL...I still remember Cliff & redstone :lol:

Orchard Link improvements benefit all

13 Jul 05



I REFER to Denis Distant's letter 'Push to drive cars, not use buses and trains?' (BT, July 5).


The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is committed to improving both the public transport system and the road network in Singapore.

We do this by developing a comprehensive MRT network and improving bus and taxi services, while ensuring that our road infrastructure can meet the needs of a growing vehicle population by building new roads and making improvements to existing ones. The changes at Orchard Turn and Orchard Link are one such improvement.

Since July 2, 2005, the stretch of Somerset Road between Grange Road and Orchard Link has been expunged, and motorists are diverted to Grange Road instead. The section of Grange Road from Somerset Road and Orchard Road heading towards Orchard Link and Orchard Boulevard has been widened from three to five lanes.

Orchard Link has also been converted into a one-way road in the direction of Orchard Road.

It was necessary to relocate the bus stop at Orchard Link to Grange Road after Orchard Link was converted into a one-way road. Commuters alighting at the relocated bus stop will have to walk about 180 m more to get to Ngee Ann City.

We would like to clarify that there is no change to the location of the bus stop along Orchard Turn and are pleased to inform Mr Distant that a new signalised pedestrian crossing has been introduced near the bus stop, enabling pedestrians and passengers alighting at that bus stop to cross Orchard Turn safely to Ngee Ann City.

Before making the changes at Orchard Link and Orchard Turn, LTA studied the traffic conditions in the area to seek ways of alleviating the traffic congestion there.

Following the changes, we have observed that traffic flow has already improved, and hope that as more motorists become used to the new traffic scheme, traffic flow here will improve further. Bus passengers also benefit as the heavy congestion and delays which affected the bus services in this area have been alleviated.

I thank Mr Distant for his letter and the opportunity to provide the clarifications.

Han Liang Yuan (Ms)
Senior Manager
Corporate Communications
Land Transport Authority

Sonia Meyer
Corporate Communications Officer
Land Transport Authority Singapore

^

LOL...I still remember Cliff & redstone :lol:



The Cliffy & Stoney incident........:eek:.....Such a classic example........:lol:

Bus 925 now plies Kranji farm area

18 Jul 05

SMRT service has been extended to make countryside more accessible to visitors

By Lim Wei Chean

THE Kranji countryside is now accessible by bus, thanks to the extension of SMRT's 925 service.

he service - which runs from Woodlands to Kranji and the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on Sundays and public holidays - has been extended to cover Neo Tiew Crescent, Neo Tiew Road and Lim Chu Kang Road, making a loop at Lim Chu Kang Lane 3.

There are 114 fruit, vegetable, decorative plant, dairy and fish farms in the Kranji area and, until now, they were accessible only by car or taxi. Visitors can tour the farms and buy produce. There are also restaurants on some of the farms that serve their own fresh produce.

The 925 service runs at 45-minute intervals, with the first bus departing from Woodlands Regional Interchange at 6.30am and the last bus leaving Lim Chu Kang Road at 7.10pm.

Mrs Ivy Singh-Lim, president of the Kranji Countryside Association, said: 'I'm delighted with the new service and hope it will bring more life to the farms here.'

The association, formed by 10 farmers to promote the Kranji area as a recreational and educational venue, began discussions with SMRT on buses for the area after 18,000 visitors attended its five-day spring carnival in January.

The farmers had arranged for private shuttle buses to pick passengers from Boon Lay and Kranji MRT stations. Response had been overwhelming.

SMRT director of buses Morris Piper said: 'This is a trial service and we will monitor the response over the next three months. If the demand is high, we will consider running the extended service on Saturdays too.'

Southwest Community Development Council Mayor Amy Khor, who launched the service yesterday, said: 'Singapore's landscape is highly urbanised, so few realise that we, too, have a countryside and farms.

'It is always a nice and rare treat to visit Kranji, and I hope that the new service will bring greater awareness to the public of our gem of a countryside.'

July 20, 2005
Cabbies' take-home pay drops as fuel costs soar

TAXI drivers have to work harder today to maintain their previous income levels, as a result of rising fuel costs.

The price of diesel rose by 48 per cent over the past two years.

But as fares have not changed much in the last five years, drivers have had to absorb these extra costs, Transport Minister Yeo Cheow Tong acknowledged in Parliament yesterday.

But he said it was 'up to companies to decide on what is the appropriate taxi fare level that will allow their drivers to earn a fair and decent income and at the same time, attract enough customers'.

He was replying to Madam Cynthia Phua (Aljunied GRC), who was concerned that more taxi drivers were unable to earn enough to pay their monthly rentals.

Mr Yeo said he was aware of that, but noted that the number of drivers who defaulted was less than 1 per cent per month. Taxi rental rates remained relatively stable, at around $90 a day.

There are 21,400 taxis in Singapore and 95,000 licensed taxi drivers.

He highlighted that average takings have improved over the last three years.

In one month, drivers on a single shift collect $5,780, up from $5,440 in 2002. Those on two shifts collect $7,940, up from $7,450 in 2002.

But their take-home pay has declined considerably.

Drivers on a single shift were taking home $1,880 for a single shift, down from $2,270 in 2002. Those on two shifts made $3,580, down from $3,980 in 2002.

And diesel costs now make up 34 per cent of the cost of running a taxi, up from 25 per cent in 2003. Drivers spend around $40 a day on diesel and parking.

Taxi companies have helped drivers offset this with bonuses and reliefs. Recently, three companies increased the peak-hour booking fee. Mr Yeo said he wasn't sure this would be enough to offset the fuel price rise.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

22 July 2005

SMRT announces taxi fare changes after Comfort's move
By Johnson Choo, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : It will soon cost the same to take taxis in Singapore, regardless of which taxi company you choose.

A week after ComfortDelGro adjusted fares on for its Comfort, City-Cab and Yellow-Top taxis, SMRT announced a similar structure, which will take effect from August 1.

SMRT says the changes will help increase taxi hirers' income.

The new fare structure is as follows:

- The flag-down fare for Mercedes and London limousine taxis will rise by 20 cents to S$2.60;

- The rate of 10 cents for every 30 seconds of waiting is adjusted to 10 cents for every 25 seconds;

- A S$4 booking fee during peak hours (7.30am to 9.30am / 5.00pm to 11pm); S$2.50 for all other times. The advance booking fee of S$5.20 remains;

- A S$1 CBD Surcharge will be levied Monday to Thursday from 5.00pm to 8.00pm, and Friday to Saturday from 5.00pm to 11.30pm;

- A staggered midnight surcharge will also be levied.

To reward its customers, SMRT will also launch a three-month promotion until 31 October.

During that period, booking fees for normal taxis will be S$3.60 instead of S$4 during peak hours, and S$2 for off-peak hours.

The staggered midnight surcharge between 11.30pm to 11.59pm will also be waived. – CNA /ct

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

July 28, 2005
No firm decision yet on N-S highway

IT'S still not a done deal whether the North-South Expressway will be built.

The decider? Just how effective the new evening Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) charges on the Central Expressway (CTE) will be in reducing congestion. The charges kick in next month and will affect motorists heading north on the CTE between 6pm and 8pm.

Transport Minister Yeo Cheow Tong said on TV news yesterday that if the evening ERP charges ease congestion on the CTE, there won't be a need for the proposed highway, which was intended to run almost parallel to the CTE to deal with the daily congestion.

'Maybe it will be built in the next 10 years, maybe not,' Mr Yeo said.

The Government will not rush into the project as it is not only expensive but also complicated, as it would mean having to cut through several nature reserves.

'The Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) cost us quite a few billion dollars. I think the North-South Expressway has to run through all these sensitive areas and will cost us even more.'

A priority for the Transport Ministry right now is to complete the KPE, as it will help alleviate the CTE's congestion. And with an eye to the future, Mr Yeo said Singapore's public transport system would be as extensive as those in London and Paris once the MRT Circle Line opens. It is expected to be running by 2010.

There will also be two new MRT lines linking Marine Parade with Bukit Timah. Once complete, the network will enable people to take an MRT train from the city centre to any corner of the island.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Long-delayed flyover to be ready by 2006

2 Aug 05

By Christopher Tan
SENIOR CORRESPONDENT

WORK on the long-delayed Pasir Panjang viaduct will resume soon with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) appointing a new contractor yesterday to complete the project by the first quarter of next year.

International construction company Gammon Pte Ltd will take over from the original contractor, L&M Prestressing, which ran into financial difficulties in 2000 soon after starting work on the 5km flyover - Singapore's longest - linking Telok Blangah Road to the West Coast Highway.

After the 2003 completion date looked unlikely, L&M had said that with a fresh injection of cash, it would be able to complete the job by the first half of this year.

When things did not progress as planned, LTA terminated the contract and called a fresh tender.

Gammon will now finish the job for $16.7 million.

According to records, the Pasir Panjang viaduct costs $142 million, and L&M's portion was secured for $58 million.

An LTA spokesman said 'we're still sorting out the amount' due to the previous contractor.

L&M is still involved in another major LTA project: a $72 million viaduct linking Bartley Road to Airport Road - one which it described as another loss-maker.

Meanwhile, the LTA spokesman said another delayed road project will be 'opening soon'.

The $32.5 million underpass at the junction of Queensway and Commonwealth Avenue was supposed to have opened early last year.

Yet another delayed project is a flyover from Keppel Road to the Ayer Rajah Expressway interchange.

Supposed to be ready by the end of last year, it is now expected to be done by early next year.

The delays are symptomatic of a shrinking construction industry, where hungry players make cut-throat bids for jobs - only to face difficulties when, for example, steel prices start escalating.

No I wonder how am I supposed to get home after the midnight fireworks show....

No I wonder how am I supposed to get home after the midnight fireworks show....

Take taxi loh......your fave.....:lol: :jk:

Aug 2, 2005
Long-delayed flyover to be ready by 2006

By Christopher Tan
SENIOR CORRESPONDENT

WORK on the long-delayed Pasir Panjang viaduct will resume soon with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) appointing a new contractor yesterday to complete the project by the first quarter of next year.

International construction company Gammon Pte Ltd will take over from the original contractor, L&M Prestressing, which ran into financial difficulties in 2000 soon after starting work on the 5km flyover - Singapore's longest - linking Telok Blangah Road to the West Coast Highway.

After the 2003 completion date looked unlikely, L&M had said that with a fresh injection of cash, it would be able to complete the job by the first half of this year.

When things did not progress as planned, LTA terminated the contract and called a fresh tender.

Gammon will now finish the job for $16.7 million.

According to records, the Pasir Panjang viaduct costs $142 million, and L&M's portion was secured for $58 million.

An LTA spokesman said 'we're still sorting out the amount' due to the previous contractor.

L&M is still involved in another major LTA project: a $72 million viaduct linking Bartley Road to Airport Road - one which it described as another loss-maker.

Meanwhile, the LTA spokesman said another delayed road project will be 'opening soon'.

The $32.5 million underpass at the junction of Queensway and Commonwealth Avenue was supposed to have opened early last year.

Yet another delayed project is a flyover from Keppel Road to the Ayer Rajah Expressway interchange.

Supposed to be ready by the end of last year, it is now expected to be done by early next year.

The delays are symptomatic of a shrinking construction industry, where hungry players make cut-throat bids for jobs - only to face difficulties when, for example, steel prices start escalating.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

10 August 2005

Better CTE traffic flow after evening ERP
By Dominique Loh, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE: After more than a week in operation, the Electronic Road Pricing along the northbound Central Expressway have improved traffic flow.

This was the conclusion supported by figures released by the Land Transport Authority to Channel NewsAsia.

It was on 1st August that motorists began paying ERP charges on the CTE going north.

Motorists travelling on the CTE on weekdays from 6pm to 8pm have to pay between 50 cents and a dollar.

This move by the LTA was to smooth out traffic flow during the evening peak hours.

And it seems to be working.

In the first five days alone, the speeds of vehicles were recorded at between 58 and 65 kilometres per hour, compared to an average speed of below 40 kph before the evening ERP was introduced.

LTA says this is within the limits of the optimal speed range for expressways.

Naturally, the drop in vehicle traffic meant other motorists were taking alternative routes to avoid paying the ERP.

So Thomson, Upper Thomson, Marymount, Serangoon and Upper Serangoon Roads have been experiencing slightly heavier traffic flows.

But the LTA says the conditions on these alternative roadways remain manageable.

The average speed on these carriageways is generally above 20 kilometres per hour, which is above the optimal speed range for arterial roads.

LTA adds that towards the end of the first week, some of the traffic flow on these roads even dipped a little as some motorists went back on the CTE. - CNA

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

Aug 14, 2005
Direct route to AYE with new flyovers

By Chua Kong Ho

AFTER class at the Singapore Polytechnic, Mr Timothy Wong takes about 30 minutes to reach his home in Normanton Park.

Much of the time is spent in heavy traffic along Queensway before he reaches the U-turn to get him home. But from tomorrow, his travelling time will be cut by at least 10 minutes.

The opening of the Portsdown and Queensway flyovers yesterday will give him a direct route across the Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE).

'It's definitely going to be more convenient for me,' said the 20-year-old, who rides a motorcycle to and from his polytechnic in Dover Road.

The $24.2 million project gives motorists a shorter and more direct route from Queensway to the AYE. They can bypass the junctions at Queensway, Jalan Bukit Merah and Alexandra Road and get onto the AYE directly, cutting the average journey time from more than 12 minutes during the morning rush hour to five minutes.

Work on the project started in December 2002. It was delayed slightly because a popular restaurant, Colbar, had to be demolished to make way for the new extension. The eatery eventually agreed to move to a spot 150m away.

Yesterday, Minister of State for Transport Lim Hwee Hua praised the Land Transport Authority and JTC Corporation for the way they handled the matter. 'I congratulate both LTA and JTC for their efforts in achieving a happy outcome which meets the aspirations of the local community while serving the transportation needs of the wider public.'

The extension is part of the Outer Ring Road System, a network of major roads that forms a ring around the outer areas of the city.

These roads provide an alternative route to using the expressways for motorists travelling east-west and help relieve heavy traffic on roads leading into the city. Once completed, it would be possible to drive without interruption from Bartley Road in the east to the AYE in the west.

Said Mr Kannan Vinaitheerthan, 33, an IT manager who lives in Normanton Park and often goes to Queensway for meals: 'It'll benefit not just people in Queensway but all motorists because it removes a lot of the congestion at key junctions.'

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

^^ I've just tried it. The roads leading to Queensway is rather curvy... I hope they would straighten the roads for that portion. :p

btw, the flyover has a pedestrian pathway too :)

oh...thats nice...picture potential :D

But part of the expressway spoiled the overall view of the area... espically the church, see its blocked...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v321/shao_ye/Image7.jpg

wah the Commonwealth flats so tall already! :eek:

Sept 5, 2005
Taxis, taxis everywhere, but so tough to flag down

THERE continues to be something deeply flawed with the way taxis operate in Singapore. This has been the subject of a great deal of correspondence to the press, but nothing has changed.

At certain times of day or night, despite a flow of empty taxis, none stops when hailed. One wonders how taxi drivers make money since so many are not interested in picking up fares.

Last Wednesday at about 9.30pm, after dinner in a restaurant off Jalan Sultan, my companions and I tried to hail a taxi to return to the Orchard Road area. We stood on the corner of Pahang Street and Jalan Sultan for about 10 minutes and watched cabs whiz past, ignoring our signals.

A cyclist pulled up and advised us to walk to the corner of North Bridge Road. As we walked, I saw at least two dozen taxis parked and double-parked. Clearly, these drivers were not interested in fares as they were occupied with other things. One wonders why they were on duty at all.

My friends and I then tried to hail a cab in North Bridge Road. Finally, one driver who had sped past stopped and reversed back to where we were. After almost half an hour, we thought we had finally found a willing driver. We were quickly disillusioned.

When I explained we needed to go to two destinations, the first en route to the second, therefore not out of the way, he wanted $8 per destination and called this 'compensation' as he claimed to be 'on call' - even though his blue light indicated he was free.

We finally did get a cab, and the driver was most efficient and had no problem dropping one passenger en route to our final destination.

I would be grateful if someone can explain why this situation persists. Are taxi drivers so wealthy, they don't need to pick up fares? If so, why do they choose this line of work?

Andra Leo (Mrs)

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

he wanted $8 per destination and called this 'compensation' as he claimed to be 'on call' - even though his blue light indicated he was free.

that's strange!

Just before midnight, you will find many taxi's hiding at the carpark under the Sheares Bridge.

Commuting on water a washed-out idea?

10 Sep 05

CRITICAL MASS COMING SOON: Models on a luxury yacht near Boat Quay. The projected completion of Marina Downtown might just provide enough momentum for a viable water-based transport system in Singapore.

By Paul Tan

FOR first-time visitors to Singapore, a bumboat cruise down the Singapore River is de rigeur. It gives them a first-hand look at Singapore's urban skyline while understanding the city's humble beginnings and colourful heritage.

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2005-09-10/s13.jpg


Throughout the year, there are also various activities such as the Singapore River Raft Race, a contest of creatively improvised watercraft, and the Singapore River Regatta, a competitive dragon boat race. Illuminated lilies will float past Boat Quay as part of the Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations organised by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) this weekend.

But compared to the rivers and waterfronts of many cities, the Singapore River and the 'newly branded' Marina Bay must, on balance, seem rather quiet. Even the Great Singapore Duck Race, the popular charity event which turned the river into a cheerful tide of yellow, seems to have disappeared from the events calendar.

In contrast, think of the bustle at Hong Kong's Star Ferry Terminal, Sydney's Circular Quay, or Bangkok's Chao Phrya River and its maze of klongs. These are more than just popular tourist attractions. Many locals in these cities ply the river and waterfront as part of their daily commute.

Just as crowd-pleasing events boost the liveliness of a waterfront area and enhance the value of its residential and commercial properties, experts also say that a functional water transport system is important. So why did Singapore never have a water transport system the residents embraced?

For instance, the attempts by the two licensed bumboat operators to provide transport to residents in the upper reaches of the river, the Robertson Quay area, have met with tepid response. Another boat company that ran a route connecting the Indoor Stadium to Collyer Quay has also since ceased operations.

One issue is critical mass. At the end of the day, Hong Kong and Bangkok are far denser in terms of population, so their traffic congestion means that waterways can provide a speedier alternative. Singapore's Robertson Quay, comprising low-rise private property, does not provide that critical mass.

Another reason is geography. Unlike Hong Kong, Singapore has only a handful of residents living on outlying islands. Neither does Singapore have Sydney's extensive bays and promontories with settlements best accessed by boat. Furthermore, the navigable stretch of the Singapore River is, after all, less than 3km long.

A third reason is the bureaucracy that looks after our waterways. For one thing, part of the Singapore River is administered by the Maritime and Port Authority which regulates vessels plying the river. Yet further upstream, beyond Ord Bridge at Clarke Quay, the Singapore River becomes, less glamorously, a canal administered by the National Environment Agency.

Then there is the STB which is responsible for awarding the tender for the two current bumboat operators, Singapore River Cruises and Singapore Explorer. To complicate matters further, the Urban Redevelopment Authority also has a role to play in bringing life to the Singapore River area, ensuring that buildings are conserved or appropriately zoned for residential or lifestyle purposes.

One is tempted to surmise that with so many agencies involved and no single party directly charged with integrating our waterways with the national transport system, it should be no surprise that a comprehensive water-based transport system never took off.

While there are bold visions of sporting and lifestyle activities on the new reservoir, hopefully the Government can still explore how it could also improve connectivity, at least within the city. Certainly the critical mass of passengers may be there after the new Marina Downtown is completed.

The Government could build or subsidise some of the necessary infrastructure such as additional landing points and encourage private operators with different types of watercraft to provide such a transport service. (The current diesel-operated bumboats would probably have to be phased out since they won't be environmentally friendly enough for what is going to be a freshwater reservoir.)

If indeed a water transport system is shown to be viable, one hopes that the Public Utilities Board, the government statutory board which looks after reservoirs, will have the wherewithal and mandate to implement this. Not only would this mean more transport links for Singaporeans working downtown or guests at Marina Downtown's integrated resort, but thousand of residents in Kallang, Geylang and Tanjong Rhu would also benefit from any additional connectivity.

Pricing would, of course, be paramount in determining the viability of a water transport system. Given Singaporeans' pragmatic bent, if the pricing is reasonable enough, they would consider changing their commuting patterns.

Though Singapore has a comprehensive network of roads, surely a look at environmentally friendly electric boats as an alternative transport mode is a worthwhile exercise. A growing car population, expensive parking downtown and sky-high petrol prices suggest this could not come at a better time.

Together with a creative and flexible one-stop approach to events being held at the city reservoir, Singapore's waterfront and riverside could experience a sea change, one that can only help Singapore become a more vibrant city.

Great! More photography opportunities. :D

btw, 100,000 lotus will be released onto Singapore River tomorrow. However, as usual, no information about the schedule. Event is from 10am - 8pm. Don't think I have patience to wait so long. It'll be great if STB could organise lantern festival event along Singapore River on weekends. :)

hmm..are they having lanterns along the river like they did last year?

I seriously think more publicity should be thrown about all these public decorations...since photography appears to be quite popular with locals.

They did? I am not too sure. Read the lotus thing in Life! today.

I think the organizers didn't want logistics hiccups. Can you imagine just 1% of Singapore population turning up at Singapore River... in a hot humid day/night?

Sept 24, 2005
Orchard Road Saturday ERP from Oct 3 only

By Goh Chin Lian

MOTORISTS can enjoy a few more free rides in Orchard Road next Saturday.

The start of extended Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) in the area has been postponed from Oct 1 to Oct 3. This means motorists who drive into or through the shopping belt next Saturday will not be charged a levy between noon and 8pm.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is aiming to ease traffic jams in Orchard Road by introducing ERP on Saturdays and extending it from 7pm to 8pm on weekdays. The LTA said it decided to introduce the changes on a Monday 'so that motorists are able to get used to the fact that Orchard Road is now a separate ERP cordon which could have different rates from that of the CBD'.

It is setting ERP rates for Orchard Road according to the area's traffic conditions, rather than lumping it with the rest of the Central Business District.

It has scrapped the levies of up to $2.50 charged between 8am and 10am on weekdays. Now there will be no levy before noon in Orchard Road, when traffic is lighter.

Two new gantries are being tested. One is near Handy Road, in front of the former Cathay cinema, the other is next to the YMCA.

For six months, starting Oct 3, the bus lane along Orchard Road will also be off-limits to motorists not only during peak hours, but also off-peak hours. The LTA is trying out the scheme to allow buses to travel faster, in the hope that this will persuade more people to take the bus instead of driving.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved

Sept 29, 2005
Orchard Rd ERP-free during morning peak hours

By Christopher Tan
SENIOR CORRESPONDENT

THE entire Orchard Road shopping belt will be an ERP-free zone for motorists who travel there in the mornings.

Starting Monday, motorists no longer have to pay the $1 to $2.50 Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) charge imposed on cars entering the shopping belt from 8am to 10am.

However, motorists who pass through Orchard and exit through the new gantry near Handy Road, located after Plaza Singapura, will have to pay ERP fees. The rates for that gantry - built to discourage motorists from using Orchard as a thoroughfare to other destinations in the city centre - range from 50 cents to $2.50. The costliest period is between 8.30am and 9am. Like other ERP gantries, it does not operate between 10am and noon.

This is all part of the Land Transport Authority's plan to ease traffic flow and enhance the shopping experience by turning Orchard Road into a separate ERP cordon.

Another gantry erected near the YMCA will charge motorists entering the shopping district via Penang Road.

It will be operational from noon to 8pm like other Orchard Road gantries, except the one near Handy Road. On Saturdays, ERP rates for Orchard Road between noon and 8pm are a uniform 50 cents.

The LTA said up to one-third of traffic along Orchard Road is transit traffic. This has caused travelling speeds to fall to as low as 15kmh during peak hours.

Retailers welcome the free morning period. Singapore Retailers Association executive director Lau Chuen Wei expects it to 'alleviate business cost to a degree'. For instance, trucks making morning deliveries will save on ERP levies.

She also reckons the new ERP format might encourage shops there to open earlier. Most now open around 10am. But housewife Catherine Tang, 43, said the ERP-free morning hours are unlikely to make her change her shopping habits. 'I usually shop after lunch. In the mornings, I'm busy with other things.'

christan@sph.com.sg

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

30 September 2005

Most cab companies meet quality service standards
By Yvonne Cheong, Channel NewsAsia

Comfort was the safest cab to ride in in Singapore - at least in the first quarter of this year.

This is based on the Traffic Police's investigations on accidents involving taxis during that period.

The taxi company was the only one to meet the standard of having not more than two accidents for every 10 million kilometres travelled.

CityCab, SMRT Taxis, Yellow-Top Cab and Trans-Cab Services met the requirement for two out of the three months.

Premier Taxis and Smart Automobile managed to do so only in one month and will each be fined $1,000.

The accident rate standard is set by the Land Transport Authority.

Generally, most of the companies had improved from the previous quarter.

For radiophone bookings and quality of service, five of the seven taxi companies met the standards set for the period from April to June this year.

These include meeting a call answer rate of at least 90% and a waiting time of ten minutes for the taxis to arrive (for at least 85% of the time).

Trans-Cab was fined $7,290 while Smart Automobile was fined $8,400 for not meeting some of the requirements.

Their fines were also double what were imposed in the previous quarter - which was $3,000 for Trans-Cab and $4,000 for Smart.

CityCab did better this time round after having to pay a penalty of $24,600 in the first quarter. - CNA/ir

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

let's put in some bus news as well.

SBS Transit Service 183, which originally ran from Jurong East Int to Kent Ridge Ter as a loop service, will be extended to Science Park II/III (http://www.sbstransit.com.sg/whatsnew_28September2005.asp) with effect from Monday, 3rd October 2005.

This service was first introduced on 16th August 2004 (http://www.sbstransit.com.sg/whatsnew_16august2004_01.asp), in conjunction with the withdrawl of Express Service 507. It was then the first bus service to ply Toh Guan Road East. It was already planned then that the service will eventually be extended to Science Park II at an appropriate time, as at that time, many private bus operators then providing flat-fare shuttle services to the nearby MRT stations wanted time to find other sources of income.

Robinson Road between Maxwell Road and Boon Tat Street will be closed on 15, 16, 22 and 23 October, from 0700 to 1800 hours, for the filming of a Bollywood movie. Bus stops Opposite SIA Bldg (03111) and Opposite TAS Bldg (03071) will be skipped during this period.

Affected services 10, 70, 75, 97, 100, 107, 130, 162 and 196 will call at alternative bus stop Opposite GB Bldg (03151) along Cecil Street during the period of road closure. They will also continue to call at bus stop Opposite AIA Towers (03031) along Robinson Rd.

Oct 6, 2005
COEs tumble, sending car prices to 1980s levels

By Christopher Tan
SENIOR CORRESPONDENT

CERTIFICATE of Entitlement (COE) premiums tumbled yesterday, and dragged car prices down along with them.

Now, car prices are at levels they were in 1980s, before the COE scheme to control the vehicle population took effect.

As a measure of how far they have fallen, consider this: A 1,600 cc Nissan Sunny now costs $47,000. Just five years ago, that amount would have only bought you a COE.

The fall in prices came about after COEs tumbled to their lowest levels since 1991. A COE for cars up to 1,600 cc now costs $11,991 - a fall of $3,318 over the last tender exercise - while those for cars above 1,600 cc now cost $11,002, or $3,806 lower.

The Open category, used exclusively for cars, closed $3,699 lower at $12,000.

The plunge came about because there are now a record number of COEs available. The Land Transport Authority released more certificates after a review showed that more people were scrapping their cars than expected. With more cars scrapped, more COEs are made available.

In the latest exercise, 5,500 car COEs - 20 per cent more than in the previous exercise - were available. Hence the drop in prices.

Car dealers reduced prices in tandem. Japanese favourites in the 1.5- and 1.6-litre ranges from Toyota, Nissan and Mitsubishi are now starting at below $50,000.

Prices of big cars followed suit.

A two-litre Toyota seven-seater now costs $82,388. In 2003, that kind of money would have only bought you a 1.6-litre Corolla.

The low COE prices caught some dealers off-guard, though. They will have to refund customers who secured certificates, with amounts as high as $3,000.

This is how it works: Dealers usually set a bidding level for COEs for prospective customers.

This level represents - but is often not - the minimum amount a dealer will bid for a certificate, and forms part of the car price.

If the COE price falls below this level, the dealer refunds the difference to the customer.

In the case of Tan Chong, the Nissan agent, the rebate level was set at $14,000. This means it has to refund more than $2,000 to each customer.

Based on average sales, Tan Chong's bill for the rebate could hit $2 million.

But will the good times last for car buyers? Probably so.

The low car prices are likely to draw more buyers to showrooms, causing an increase in the COE price. But this increase is unlikely to be significant, and will not last for long, dealers told The Straits Times.

In addition, because more COEs are usually available between this month and next March, prices can be expected to fall a little further once the initial spike cools off.

As Mr Steve Poh, sales manager of Volvo dealer S M Motors, said: 'It's the right time to buy. At $11,000, how much lower can COEs go?'

christan@sph.com.sg

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.