I have not even bothered to try their drinks....(and not even really aware that they are on our shelves either)....

So much for advertising eh? :D

dont bother trying - i think they didnt advertise to prevent themselves from more widespread embarrassment.

dont bother trying - i think they didnt advertise to prevent themselves from more widespread embarrassment.
Muahahaha! Can at least give me an idea what their drinks are really all about, thou?

ok.. its like got red, blue and some other coloured bottles. say uhmm yellow bottle would be pineapple and banana flavour or something like that. just some stupid combination of fruits. the end result is everything tastes nearly the same and its not nice. if i remember correctly its too gassy too.

So its carbonated fruit-flavoured soda, or its actually fruit juices?

no fruit juice at all... fruit flavoured. very badly flavoured. might as well drink slurpee :)

I remember I bought a bottle of it once in 2002 or 2001 and I thought the packaging was cool! And I thought the taste would be nice too... But after opening it and drinking a mouthful, yucks! I kept the bottle in the fridge thinking I would drink it later when it magically would taste better and it turned out I kept it in there for weeks until it disappeared, either my parents drank it or they threw it away...

It tasted no where near the carbonated drink flavours produced by other companies...

Its worse than Doctor Pepper. I though the packaging was cool. But when I drank it yucks it tasted like cough medicine, the pink red one. And I kept it in the fridge again and the story repeats itself.

The virgin drinks was never in my fridge.........It feels too "artificial" for my liking(the drink I mean).......... :runaway:

no fruit juice at all... fruit flavoured. very badly flavoured. might as well drink slurpee :)
Does it have a texture to it....like slurpee? I tot its just plain carbonated water!

How much does it cost, btw?

no texture.. i'm just saying slurpee is more fun to drink than that. it costs... i don tknow? normal price lor

Oct 25, 2004
At world No. 2 now, ComfortDelGro eyes top spot

SINGAPORE bus and taxi giant ComfortDelGro has set its sights on becoming the world's biggest land transport operator.

Chief executive Kua Hong Pak reckons the company can get there in four to six years, and is prepared to put S$400 million into the effort.

'Hopefully, ComfortDelGro will be the world's largest land transport group, and a name that's recognisable in many parts of the world,' he told The Straits Times in an interview.

From its Braddell Road headquarters, it already oversees bus and taxi companies in several places, including China and England.

It is on the look-out for more overseas transport businesses to buy or form joint ventures to run, especially in China.

ComfortDelGro was formed in March last year in a merger between Comfort and DelGro.

Mr Kua said: 'It's not widely known that ComfortDelGro is already the second largest land transport company in the world.'

With 36,300 vehicles, it ranks behind Laidlaw of the United States which has a fleet of 52,500.

ComfortDelGro seeks to earn at least half its total revenue from overseas by 2008 or 2010, up from just over a quarter when the merger took place. By then, it will be poised to overtake Laidlaw.

ComfortDelGro is focusing on growing within the countries where it already operates. Its key investment in Britain is Metroline, which runs buses in London, Scotland and Dublin.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

seems that PSA and ComfortDelGro are worldwide no. twos! :eek:

It was indeed a surprise that Comfortdelgro is this big. Good to stamp its name all over the world if its dream is realised thou...helps in our reputation as a transport hub! :D

Taxi companies score another 'F' for safety in LTA report card

By Asha Popatlal/Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : Singapore's taxi operators have scored an "F" for safety once again -- this time including the new kids on the block.

The fail mark is from the second report card on service standards, for April to June, prepared by the Land Transport Authority.

This is their last chance to improve, or risk fines of up to S$100,000.

Road accidents involving taxis have made the news time and time again.

Safety became an issue when in June this year, the four main players -- Comfort, CityCab, SMRT and Yellow-Top Cabs -- failed to meet LTA's standards in their first report card.

The maximum allowed is two crashes per 10 million kilometres.

The companies managed an average score of 2.45 accidents per 10 million kilometres this time.

While it is better than the earlier 2.7 figure for the first quarter, it is still not up to par.

It is similar bad news for new entrants, TransCab, Smart Automobile and Premier Taxis, who also failed the accident rate standards.

Responding, taxi drivers say they are not always to blame.

"They always use taxi drivers as an excuse. Whatever goes wrong it is always the taxi driver's fault. So this sort of thing, the LTA should look into it case by case," one taxi driver said.

"If a driver is driving too long, they are too tired, of course there is a risk. But sometimes you cannot blame them; one breadwinner, they have to bring back a certain amount," another said.

"Suddenly, the passenger asks you to turn right, then suddenly they say, no, you turn left -- that's the thing," said a third cabbie.

Passengers weren't too concerned though.

"Taxi drivers are pretty responsible individuals. If they are tired, they themselves also know how to take care of their safety," one said.

But the taxi companies aren't taking chances.

They are using a combination of measures, from counselling and refresher training to incentives and demerit points to drive home the safety message.

ComfortDelGro, the biggest operator, recently installed a new silent speed alerting device in 20 taxis.

Feedback has been positive and it will be installed in another 50 taxis.

New entrant Premier Taxis say because they have a small fleet, all it takes is one accident a month and they fail.

Another new entrant, SMART Taxis, says passengers also can help by indicating their alighting points early.

Nonetheless, by the time the next set of results are out for the period of July to September 2004, taxi companies will have to meet the set accident rate.

If they don't and can't offer any mitigating explanation, they will be liable for fines of up to S$100,000 by the LTA.

The only silver lining for the established companies is that when it came to getting cabs for callers, they all passed, exceeding the 90 percent standard set. - CNA

seems that PSA and ComfortDelGro are worldwide no. twos! :eek:
Global number twos perhaps, but Delgro now has a fleet of comfort taxies getting into too many accidents. :D

The things singaporeans do for a car! :D

Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 01 November 2004 1255 hrs

Number of contestants at MediaCorp Radio-Subaru Challenge down to 12
By Johnson Choo, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE: The number of contestants in the MediaCorp Radio-Subaru Challenge at Ngee Ann City has dwindled to 12 from the 238 when it first started on Saturday.

As of 9.45pm on Monday, eight men and four women were still standing with their hands on the brand new $90,000 car they are trying to win.



When the Challenge crossed the mentally-challenging 48-hour mark at 1pm earlier in the day, 18 men and seven women were left.

As the Challenge crept towards that mark - a psychological barrier for the contestants - the strain was really showing.

Paul Yang, general manager of Comfort Ambulance and Services, said: "Most of them, I should say, have back pain, leg swollen, wrist swollen. We try our best to give them some massage to relieve the pain as well as give them some comfort."

Bernard Lim, MediaCorp Radio's deputy general manager, said: "We've approached a very, very crucial stage now with only about 20 people left in the game. This is the time when people refuse to give up, they want to hang on there. But as judges and officials, we have to go around and play the rules very fairly. Some of them obviously cannot even keep their hand flat on the car any more, so we have to disqualify them."

Family and friends were out in force to cheer on the remaining contestants.

"We're here to support him and make sure he's awake - my friend here, number 194," said supporters of contestant Roy Koh.

Unfortunately, Roy Koh dropped out of the race just 18 minutes short of the 48-hour mark.

At 1pm, the remaining 25 contestants took their much awaited 5-minute break.

Besides getting a much-needed massage, they also helped themselves to the packed food and drinks.

A must-have was the energy drink.

To ensure the supply does not run out, the organisers from MediaCorp Radio actually went out to the entire stretch of Orchard Road and bought up every single can available.

But for the contestants, besides these sustenance, they will also need an extra dose of grit and undying determination in order to win. - CNA

^
Haha....the other day I saw on the new, thr reporter was saying that the body odour from the contestant was strong since they have to endure the sun(sweat), rain (and can't take shower)..............:eek:

But the Subaru they'll "fighting" for is a marvellous car.........:yes:

Disgusting siah. Seriously, would any of you consider joining such a contest? Considering how I like to stay up for hours without sleep, maybe I should give it a try eh? :D

uh... if there is no allowance for me to wash my face i definitely wont take part

I don't mind taking part......just treat it as going to field camp in army.....:lol:

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.

uh... if there is no allowance for me to wash my face i definitely wont take part
You can do it during the break time what...muahahaha

Or you can also pray for rain. :D

the break sounds very short... how long is it?

I only noe they got 5 min breaks...how frequent is that I am not so sure thou. :D

haha as i guessed. i can't wash my face in 5 minutes. my morning ritual takes 15 minutes (including peeing and brushing teeth).

haha as i guessed. i can't wash my face in 5 minutes. my morning ritual takes 15 minutes (including peeing and brushing teeth).
:rofl:!!!!!

Erm...15 mins is very normal. The thing is i dont think u need to wash face, pee, and brush teeth during every break for this competition loh. :D

but the breaks are only 5 minutes!
i have to go through the ritual twice a day!

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.

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.

Hmm I was just reading that article in the print edition of the Straits Times. Hope that come up with an article on the people movers of the future. That would be a nice read.

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.

IMO I think that guy is screwed up and has nothing else better to do than to make such a comment.

Muahaha....I seriously am contemplating writing a reply to that letter writer.

Notice the "evidence" he gave to support his stance seems watery at best? He keeps insisting that the buses there are "more efficient." By what measure? He made no mention on that. Singapore's transport system is one of the cheapest in the developed world, and even Singaporeans find their costs expensive. What makes us any inferior in that aspect?

Singapore tried introducing "minibuses", but they dont really take off, perhaps demonstrating just how comprehensive the existing services already are. Not to forget our taxis fill the gap easily, besides being amongst the cheapest worldwide too. And dont we have express bus services too?

All in all, he seems to be arguing that the Singapore bus system is less efficient only because of the recent introduction of the sms service??

I think he has been living in HK too long. :D

i yearn for greater frequencies and more direct routes though..

I wonder just how "inefficient" the public transport in Singapore is??

i yearn for greater frequencies and more direct routes though..
Yeah..but that can hardly be considered a measure of "efficiency" right?

nono i'm just saying more can be done to improve. the tvs should stay.

nono i'm just saying more can be done to improve. the tvs should stay.
Get rid of the TVs! :D

nono! i might die further without tvs!

Muahaha....I seriously am contemplating writing a reply to that letter writer.

Notice the "evidence" he gave to support his stance seems watery at best? He keeps insisting that the buses there are "more efficient." By what measure? He made no mention on that. Singapore's transport system is one of the cheapest in the developed world, and even Singaporeans find their costs expensive. What makes us any inferior in that aspect?

Singapore tried introducing "minibuses", but they dont really take off, perhaps demonstrating just how comprehensive the existing services already are. Not to forget our taxis fill the gap easily, besides being amongst the cheapest worldwide too. And dont we have express bus services too?

All in all, he seems to be arguing that the Singapore bus system is less efficient only because of the recent introduction of the sms service??

I think he has been living in HK too long. :D

I thought I might see your reply on the straits times tomorrow?? :lol:

Yup write in. Refute those unsubstantiated claims by that ass. If he wants reliability look to Japan...

Like SG back then, HK's having its share of problems now too...

Yup write in. Refute those unsubstantiated claims by that ass. If he wants reliability look to Japan...

Like SG back then, HK's having its share of problems now too...

I'm sure Strait times is posting that article to stimulate some interest there......:yes:

Kind of wondering why he would write the letter out of the blue thou, as thou something inspired him or something.

I see if I will write tomorrow or not lah. Another bloody essay to finish, and I need to sleep now...

Do tell us if you have sent the letter in or not so we can keep a watch out for it.

Do tell us if you have sent the letter in or not so we can keep a watch out for it.

I'm sure we'll know when it's posted.......dun think huaiwei will use an anonymous name........:lol:

The thing is sometimes I dont have time to read the papers.

Anyways you cant use a false name. Any letter to the Straits Times has to include your name and your I.C. (though they won't publish your I.C.).

The thing is sometimes I dont have time to read the papers.

Anyways you cant use a false name. Any letter to the Straits Times has to include your name and your I.C. (though they won't publish your I.C.).

No time to read papers?? But have time for SSC?? :eek::lol:

Aiya I meant sometimes I am so busy I don't read the newspapers, that includes not visiting SSC too. When I am on SSC it means I would have read the papers most likely too.

Aiya I meant sometimes I am so busy I don't read the newspapers, that includes not visiting SSC too. When I am on SSC it means I would have read the papers most likely too.

Haha.....aiyah just teasing you only lah......sometimes I don't have time for SSC also......:cry::lol:

I haven write yet lah. Just woke up a few hours ago, and have to write my paper....

Maybe tomorrow loh, when I do abit of small research first.

Haha.....aiyah just teasing you only lah......sometimes I don't have time for SSC also......:cry::lol:

haha of course I know you are teasing. I must try to force myself to not have time for SSC. Are you guys having any get together this Dec?

haha of course I know you are teasing. I must try to force myself to not have time for SSC. Are you guys having any get together this Dec?

Get together?? Emmm....you hinting something??? :D

Ignore wants a get-together? Am I invited? :D

Not I want, just asking if you all planning a not...haha...make me sound so desperate. But I guess you all twenty somethings going on 30 40 50 60 70 all very busy right.

Not I want, just asking if you all planning a not...haha...make me sound so desperate. But I guess you all twenty somethings going on 30 40 50 60 70 all very busy right.

Kaoz....make us sound like some Ah behs......:lol:

Aiyah got a lot of young ones wat......like heir, redstone, E2E, cliff......etc

Not I want, just asking if you all planning a not...haha...make me sound so desperate. But I guess you all twenty somethings going on 30 40 50 60 70 all very busy right.
Why you so worried about being seen as desperate? :D

Sekali you want us to meet at a bus interchange.....

Why you so worried about being seen as desperate? :D

Sekali you want us to meet at a bus interchange.....

Maybe a MRT platform since Ignore is a rail fanatic......:lol:

Me just curious lar. and overcoming my fear of being introverted and shy...

anyways why bus interchange? eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Maybe a MRT platform since Ignore is a rail fanatic......:lol:

I am a 100 percent rail fanatic.

I am a 100 percent supernice and supertall skyscraper fanatic.

I am a 90 percent average skyscraper fanatic.

I am a 100 percent airport fanatic.

Lets just meet on the Third Rail lar...hahaha...

3 Bodies found crushed by the MRT Train at HarbourFront Station, first incident involving fatalities at underground station...

Oh my gosh why did I just say that. So gross. Sorry...haha...

Me going nuts too tired. Back later midnight? haha...need to rest and do some work.

Me just curious lar. and overcoming my fear of being introverted and shy...


You will be glad to know that most of us are just harmless single guys with an enthusiasm in skyscrapers and transport stuff.......:lol:

Lets just meet on the Third Rail lar...hahaha...

3 Bodies found crushed by the MRT Train at HarbourFront Station, first incident involving fatalities at underground station...

Oh my gosh why did I just say that. So gross. Sorry...haha...

Me going nuts too tired. Back later midnight? haha...need to rest and do some work.

Northeast line don't use third rail wat...make that bishan station...:lol:

Lets meet at Toa Payoh central then. It has a skyscraper (HDB HUB) in a midst of average skyscrapers (Toa Payoh town), on top of a bus interchange as well as MRT station.....

But shit...where is the plane? Oh it was flying overhead! :D

Lets meet at Toa Payoh central then. It has a skyscraper (HDB HUB) in a midst of average skyscrapers (Toa Payoh town), on top of a bus interchange as well as MRT station.....

But shit...where is the plane? Oh it was flying overhead! :D

Yah can go to Novena which is one station away if you yearn for more skyscrapers.......:yes:

Lets just meet on the Third Rail lar...hahaha...

3 Bodies found crushed by the MRT Train at HarbourFront Station, first incident involving fatalities at underground station...

Oh my gosh why did I just say that. So gross. Sorry...haha...

Me going nuts too tired. Back later midnight? haha...need to rest and do some work.
3 bodies? Which 3 eh? :sly:

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.

It will be cool if they had the intention to build a dual level expressway though, like the ones in Tokyo, to handle double the traffic with the same amount of land space required and hide them underground. The benefits would be enormous but so would the costs. I hate seeing expressways pop up everywhere. Seeing the construction of the Kallang Paya Lebar Expressway already makes me wanna puke. They literally tore a path through Singapore's landscape. Thank goodness its underground for most of the way. Can't imagine the destruction to the landscape if it had been elevated.

actually wouldnt building another expressway atop cte be cheaper than building one underground?

Perhaps, perhaps not.

Having two expressways running parallel to each other seems like a waste of space. Ideally, its better to just have one single expressway that can handle all the traffic from the new CTE and the old CTE (Dual level, underground expressway).

But that would be very expensive cause you literally have to build two expressways and demolish the old one, so I guess building another expressway alongside, regardless of the fact that it takes up precious land space, is the most cost effective way to attempting to solve our CTE traffic problems.

i dont think cost is too much of an issue here if they can build the kpe..

anyway since the govt is so fond of building excesss capacity might as well go full steam build a 5 level expressway.

Our government...excess capacity? Perhaps in a few areas like the airport...but they certainly didn't have ''excess capacity'' in mind when they built our MRT platforms, which are built to cater only to 6 car trains and cannot be lengthened in the event that ridership increases as population increases etc etc. Then again, maybe 6 car lengths are already sufficient for the long run. The issue lies then in increasing train frequencies, so no need for excess capacity in platform length there...

oh i mean prepare for future need... like the sengkang and punggol lrt systems. and to some extent the nel.

Well...dont people seem to think that "efficiency" equals high frequency? That is how ppl seem to think the system in hk is better. So I seriously dont think its an issue of us packing more ppl per train. It will be cool to have one train every 1 min. :D Actually..they are already running between 2-3 mins frequency during morning peak hours. I was quite amazed by that already!

Well...dont people seem to think that "efficiency" equals high frequency? That is how ppl seem to think the system in hk is better. So I seriously dont think its an issue of us packing more ppl per train. It will be cool to have one train every 1 min. :D Actually..they are already running between 2-3 mins frequency during morning peak hours. I was quite amazed by that already!

Train frequency is up-to-standard during peak hours.......I usually don't wait for more than 2 min......:eek:

Not bad....I was waitingg for my bus...and I got so frustrated I was like counting how many trains has passed before the bus comes! :D

Not bad....I was waitingg for my bus...and I got so frustrated I was like counting how many trains has passed before the bus comes! :D

Haha.....which is why I need 30 mins to get to work on bus......compared to a mere 15mins(or less sometimes) if I take the MRT.......:eek::D

You know for my daily commute to school..the only reason why it takes so long is because of waiting for the bloody bus, and I have to wait twice. The first bus trip is only 5 mins or less. Then the mrt takes 20 mins. the next bus should be about 15-20 mins ride. But I end up needsing about 1 and a half hour sometimes, because of waiting!

You know for my daily commute to school..the only reason why it takes so long is because of waiting for the bloody bus, and I have to wait twice. The first bus trip is only 5 mins or less. Then the mrt takes 20 mins. the next bus should be about 15-20 mins ride. But I end up needsing about 1 and a half hour sometimes, because of waiting!

I think the frequency of bus should be looked into.......especially to areas where there are high traffic demands( like orchard and kent ridge).......:yes:

Sigh...all I needed was a short trip to the mrt station 4 bus stops away. I dont noe why I need to wait for 20 mins sometimes....

Sigh...all I needed was a short trip to the mrt station 4 bus stops away. I dont noe why I need to wait for 20 mins sometimes....

I hope the situation will get better when they open the NUH station.....but then don't think you have the chance to enjoy it.......:cry:

Oh well....I have already resigned to the fact that I am born much too early? :D

Oh well....I have already resigned to the fact that I am born much too early? :D

Me too......:cry:

But then got other perks lah....like finish NS faster......:lol:

I hope I didn't stir too much emotion in this?? :lol:

Haha...transportation is always an emotional issue. Especially when it costs too much compared to how much I am getting. :D

Me too......:cry:

But then got other perks lah....like finish NS faster......:lol:

I hope I didn't stir too much emotion in this?? :lol:

Referring to me? Or am I just being oversensitive...hahaha...

Yah sometimes when I take the train at 7.30 the train comes every 2 mins. When I am at the bottom of the escalator the train leaves. When I reach the platform and walk to the centre of the platform another train arrives. Cool.

At the bus stop at HarbourFront, I wait up to 15 minutes for a bus. Then when the bus comes, all the bus that I can take to school all come, 97, 100, 61, 166.

MRT = Frequency (2mins to 8 mins)
Bus = Usually More Direct (Yishun to Changi Airport 30 mins more or less)

97, 100, 61, 166 are all very frequent loh. Next time you see how often 10 is then come back to me. :D

97, 100, 61, 166 are all very frequent loh. Next time you see how often 10 is then come back to me. :D

Aiyah take 30 or 143 then walk a bit lah.........;)

I HATE 10. Everytime I arrive at 7.05 10 comes. And once I accidentally boarded it thinking it was 100. So paiseh. Was reading something what so blur blur.

100 all those services is frequent occasionally, but they LOVE to come all at once, so when I miss one I miss all.

Aiyah take 30 or 143 then walk a bit lah.........;)

No way. Its walk A LOT LOR. Must walk past that abandoned ITE Pasir Panjang/Telok Blangah in that huge construction site under the viaduct.

If I am late I just take a cab. 3.00 more or less to school from HarbourFront Station.

13.00 or so if I take from home, Yishun.

8.00 or so if I take from Bishan Station.

No way. Its walk A LOT LOR. Must walk past that abandoned ITE Pasir Panjang/Telok Blangah in that huge construction site under the viaduct.

Maybe not so much for you.......Huaiwei can try lah(can lose some pounds also).......;)

Aiyah take 30 or 143 then walk a bit lah.........;)
The thing is tt sometimes when u alight, bus number 10 comes up behind your bus...muahahaa!!

That is wat happened to my friends lah.

The thing is tt sometimes when u alight, bus number 10 comes up behind your bus...muahahaa!!

That is wat happened to my friends lah.

Thats what happened to me last time....... :bash: :bash:

I'm so glad that it's history.........:lol:

The thing is tt sometimes when u alight, bus number 10 comes up behind your bus...muahahaa!!

That is wat happened to my friends lah.

Once I took a cab and then when I looked behind my bus came. So I prayed that the bus behind would be slower than my cab so I wouldnt get the feeling that I wasted money on a cab.

Once I took a cab and then when I looked behind my bus came. So I prayed that the bus behind would be slower than my cab so I wouldnt get the feeling that I wasted money on a cab.

Muhahaha.....kaoz.....how come such experience sound so familiar?? :lol:

Hmm...what is this sort of thing called ah? There is a phrase for it one...

hah I tot only I do such spastic things. The HarbourFront area was so unfamiliar to me like a 1 in every 6 years visit kinda thing. Now its so familiar. And I hate it. Sickening environment.

Hmm...what is this sort of thing called ah? There is a phrase for it one...

The only phrase I know is ''deja vu'' haha but it doesn't apply here.

Is the phrase ''SHIT!''

The only phrase I know is ''deja vu'' haha but it doesn't apply here.

Is the phrase ''SHIT!''

or WTF?.......:eek::lol:

HAHAA!! No lah! I am refering to an English phrase....i cant seem to remember now thou

or WTF?.......:eek::lol:

Sure not hokkien? Theres this phrase ''KNNBCCB''. haha hear ah bengs saying it all the time. Losers.

Wakao...the language in this thread getting colourful eh? :D

Sure not hokkien? Theres this phrase ''KNNBCCB''. haha hear ah bengs saying it all the time. Losers.

Kaoz.....I think you'll survive very well in you know what........:lol:

Kaoz.....I think you'll survive very well in you know what........:lol:

Ya that evil place in our minds brainwashes us, making us forget how to speak english properly and to smoke and blablabla...

Ya that evil place in our minds brainwashes us, making us forget how to speak english properly and to smoke and blablabla...

Emm I don't think my english standard has fallen after you know what.....neither do i smoke........:yes:

Rest assure......:yes:

Actuallyhor...quite shocking teacher also use colourful language leh. :D

Actuallyhor...quite shocking teacher also use colourful language leh. :D

Kaoz.......you'll be more shocked about what comes out from the students??:eek:

Kaoz.......you'll be more shocked about what comes out from the students??:eek:

I thought teachers no life one. Family and work. Thats that. Didn't know got one bengish teacher here. And I cant believe we are talking so casually with a teacher here.

I thought teachers no life one. Family and work. Thats that. Didn't know got one bengish teacher here. And I cant believe we are talking so casually with a teacher here.

Those are stereotypes.......beware of the bengish teacher revolution.......:eek::eek::lol: :jk:

Kaoz.......you'll be more shocked about what comes out from the students??:eek:
No...that is pretty normal actually....buahahaa :D

huh... you dont have young teachers meh?

huh... you dont have young teachers meh?

A lot....thats why i said " revolution" mah........:lol:

Yayaya....no wonder morning peak getting more crowded...all these young teachers got no car one. :D

Yayaya....no wonder morning peak getting more crowded...all these young teachers got no car one. :D

Kaoz....sound like it's the teachers fault....for your info....there are few hundreds of students compared to a merely 50 or 60 teachers.......:eek::lol:

Its still the teachers fault. Teachers fault teachers fault teachers fault.

Its still the teachers fault. Teachers fault teachers fault teachers fault.

Kaoz......suddenly become a nursery here.......:lol:

Yeah loh...BAD BAD teachers...dunno how to lead by example! :D

Yeah loh...BAD BAD teachers...dunno how to lead by example! :D

Yeah loh.....bad teacher breed bad students.....we can see a lot here loh.....:lol:

Yeah loh.....bad teacher breed bad students.....we can see a lot here loh.....:lol:
So who should we blame first? Teachers right? Muahaha! :D

So who should we blame first? Teachers right? Muahaha! :D

As if all responsibility lie on the teachers, the parents can just shake leg lah?? :bash: :bash: :lol:

do you suffer from teacher politics in school? like old conservative teachers making snide remarks about younger more open teachers?

do you suffer from teacher politics in school? like old conservative teachers making snide remarks about younger more open teachers?

So far no......I think that's more of a problem with young female teachers......conservative teachers seems to have some problems with their dress sometimes.....haha...:lol:

ohoh yarlor... i found it quite amusing the stories told by younger female teachers..

Seems like any thread here involving us becomes a thread for chatting rather than an actual thread about Singapore's Transportation. We better post something relevant up soon.

Then just post something more relevant to steer it back loh....

Nov 13, 2004
ComfortDelGro's gains up 68%

Contributions from overseas units boost performance for nine-month period
By Christopher Tan

COMFORTDELGRO Corp, the dominant public transport group here, has posted a two-thirds rise in net earnings for the nine months ended Sept 30.

Revenue for the third quarter rose 14.4 per cent to $546.1 million - the highest three-month tally ever. The record takings were on the back of new bus routes at its British unit and contributions from China, where new businesses include a Toyota distribution in Suzhou that started in December.

The higher turnover was also because of pricier diesel sold to its Comfort and CityCab cabbies in Singapore. The price of wholesale diesel has risen by nearly 40 per cent from same period last year.

As a result, ComfortDelGro's net profit for the first nine months was up by about 68 per cent to $151.5 million. Earnings per share rose in tandem to 7.4 cents. Net tangible assets per share stood at 61.53 cents at Sept 30, from 62.01 cents at Dec 31.

The group continued to enjoy substantially lower depreciation because buses and taxis were given longer statutory lifespans in September, last year. Depreciation and amortisation for the nine months was about $33 million lower, at $184.4 million.

But many other costs were higher. The group incurred $50.8 million in insurance and accident compensation costs, from $44.7 million previously. Materials and commodities shot up from $74.3 million to $111.4 million, while its fuel and power bill rose from $58.2 million to $74.6 million.

Subsidiary SBS Transit, the main bus operator in Singapore, posted a net profit of $39.5 million for the nine months, up from $12.3 million. Revenue rose to $420.7 million, from $398 million. Earnings per share rose from 4.1 cents to 13.3 cents, and net asset value per share stood at 90 cents, versus 82 cents on Dec 31.

The proportion of ComfortDelGro's revenue from overseas grew to 35 per cent in the third quarter, up from 30 per cent previously. Overseas pre-tax profit shot up to 28 per cent, from 12 per cent.

Operating losses for the group's North-East MRT Line were reduced to $4.6 million in the last quarter, from $10.1 million in the previous corresponding quarter because of higher ridership and tight cost control.

While softer COE prices had lowered capital needed to renew its taxi fleet, they have also affected the group's car rental/leasing business and its vehicle inspection unit, as more cars were scrapped because new car prices fell.

Still, revenue from its inspection operations was 4 per cent higher at $12.6 million, mainly from a rise in damage assessment services for motor insurers and non-vehicle testing.

Group cash and cash equivalents as at Sept 30 stood at $232.8 million, versus $328.6 million at Dec 31, mainly because of a more aggressive programme to replace smaller cabs with big ones.

Directors expect revenue to improve with growth expected from overseas and local operations. They say the group will 'continue to seek opportunities for growth, especially overseas'.

Then just post something more relevant to steer it back loh....

Nov 13, 2004
ComfortDelGro's gains up 68%

Contributions from overseas units boost performance for nine-month period
By Christopher Tan

COMFORTDELGRO Corp, the dominant public transport group here, has posted a two-thirds rise in net earnings for the nine months ended Sept 30.


Heard they recently venture into Malaysia also......eyeing that Number transport operator postition?? :D

But Malaysia is a small market lah...I doubt it will propel them that much upwards. They have to buy into a huge market like...China?? :D

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

Hohoho...if they dare to increase transport fares....

Is it just me, or is there an strangely rapid increase in transport costs in recent years?

i think its just me, but i dont see a strangely rapid increase in transport costs.

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.

ComfortDelGro is on a buying spree siahz.....they really gunning to be world's buggest as quick as possible is it? :D

Nov 23, 2004
Not feasible to build viaduct above CTE

I THANK Mr Lim Soon Heng for his letter, 'CTE traffic jams: Elevated carriageway will ease congestion' (ST, Nov 15). Mr Lim proposed constructing an elevated viaduct on top of the Central Expressway (CTE), which will work in a tidal manner - towards the city in the morning and towards Ang Mo Kio and Yio Chu Kang in the evening.

We have studied proposals to improve the traffic conditions along the CTE. As the CTE corridor is largely built up, any improvement proposals for the expressway would be constrained by the impact on existing developments.

We had previously studied a proposal to build elevated viaducts on top of the CTE between certain junctions. However, this would involve building structures and supporting columns that require extensive acquisition of private land.

In addition, as parts of the CTE in the city are underground, it may not be possible to provide an elevated viaduct into the city, as this may result in a bottleneck within the city tunnels. Due to traffic and safety considerations, it may not be feasible to build an elevated viaduct on top of the CTE.

I thank Mr Lim for his feedback and suggestion. We welcome readers to call 1800-CALL LTA (1800-2255 582) if they have other feedback or suggestions.

Han Liang Yuan (Ms)
Senior Manager
Corporate Communications
Land Transport Authority

Actually hor...why cant they just impliment a system with a movable central divider? :D

because drivers would get confused and crash!!

Nov 26, 2004
Nicoll Highway to reopen

Motorists can use it next month; damaged 150m stretch repaved
By Christopher Tan
Senior Correspondent

WELL before Santa's sleigh arrives, motorists living on the East Coast will have an easier drive to town for their Christmas shopping.

The 48-year-old Nicoll Highway, closed since April 20 after an MRT tunnelling disaster that killed four and sparked a cave-in, is on schedule to be reopened next month.

Checks by The Straits Times show that the damaged 150m stretch of road has been repaved.

The development will bring cheer to thousands of motorists affected by the closing of an arterial link to the city centre.

Journey times, which have gone up by as much as three times since the collapse, are expected to return to normal.

Said Ms K.Y. Boey, 45, a freelance writer living in the east: 'I used Nicoll Highway to go to Seah Street. Even though it was a longer drive, it was relatively jam-free.

'Since the closure, I've had to use the East Coast Parkway (ECP) and exit at Rochor. It is just horrible, especially during the evening peak hours.'

Repair work on the damaged highway started in late August, and the Land Transport Authority said then that it would be done by the year end.

The job involved sinking 57 piles into the ground, and cost $3 million - making the stretch one of the costliest surface roads ever built here.

All of Nicoll Highway, stretching 3km from Kallang to the city, was built in 1956 for $8 million.

Its reopening will alleviate traffic conditions on the ECP as well as roads in the Kallang area.

But Ms Boey expressed some reservations.

'I may not use it initially,' she said.

'The repaired portion may be very strong, but other points of the highway may have been weakened.'

Meanwhile, the LTA said partially completed MRT tunnels and a station site near Nicoll Highway are being refilled with earth and sand.

Backfilling, it said, will be done along a 700m span from The Plaza to Merdeka Bridge.

'Overall, to date, about 25 per cent of the backfilling work has been completed,' a spokesman said.

'The distance between the Nicoll Highway station and the collapsed area is about 350m.'

The LTA would not comment on a planned realignment of the Circle Line because of the April collapse, merely saying it was 'in discussion with the contractor on the design and construction of the Circle Line tunnels at Nicoll Highway'.

Observers have their own take.

Suggested Mr Leong Sow Hon, an Association of Consulting Engineers Singapore council member who said he had 'no inside information': 'It can be any number of possibilities. They could have found a better alternative to continuing and recovering the previous works in progress.'

Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 02 December 2004 2033 hrs

Vehicle Entry Permit fees lowered for foreign-registered vehicles
By Johnson Choo, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : From December 6, foreign motorists will find it cheaper to drive into Singapore during the festive season.

The daily Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) fees for foreign-registered vehicles will be reduced by $10 to $20 a day.

To make it even more attractive for these drivers, the fixed-price ERP charges will be lowered from $10 to $5 a day.

And till the end of the month, the VEP operating hours on weekdays will also be shortened, so that motorists can enter Singapore without paying for the permit from 12 noon and leave by 2am the following day on weekdays.

There is no need to pay for the permit on weekends and public holidays.

The Singapore Tourism Board said the changes were timely as they coincide with the exciting year-end festive season and peak travel period for many Malaysians.

The STB invites Malaysians to make full use of the longer VEP-free hours during the holiday period to come and enjoy the thrilling line-up of activities during this festive season.

Separately, the Land Transport Authority will put on trial shortened VEP operating hours in January next year.

During this period, the VEP operating hours on Fridays, or Thursday, if Friday is a holiday, will end at 5pm, instead of 7pm.

This is to assess the impact of the change on traffic conditions at the two land checkpoints and roads in the vicinity.

If the trial is successful, LTA will consider implement this scheme on a permanent basis. - CNA

Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd

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.

Dec 5, 2004
Nicoll Highway opens after $3m in repairs

AT 1pm yesterday, Nicoll Highway was back in business.

Tourists, construction workers and curious passersby stood on either side of the semi-expressway, cheering as the first vehicle - a white bMercedes-Benz - sped down the newly laid asphalt.

Perhaps because few knew about the re-opening, there were relatively few vehicles on the six-lane highway.

Before parts of it collapsed in April, peak-hour traffic was 2,500 vehicles an hour in each direction.

More than seven months after the tragedy that killed four men, and after a $3 million reconstruction, SBS Transit driver Ng Hun Chew said it's time for a new chapter.

'It was a tragedy, but we have to let it go now. Let's hope that whatever happens on this highway in future will be positive.'

===============

What does this gotta do with tourists???? :lol: :D

What does this gotta do with tourists???? :lol: :D

Emm.....yesterday we did see some foreigners at the URA centre, perhaps they were the same person.......:lol:

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.

Erm....its not like we have much choice when taking the train over the bus. Do they even give me an option to take the bus??!! :bash: :D

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.

:eek:
Wow!!!

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.

1 in 5 learners aims to get driving licence using automatic cars

SINGAPORE : From January 1, people wanting to get their driving licence can do so using automatic transmission cars, which are fast becoming popular.

At one driving centre, 1 in 5 learners opts for is auto-transmission cars.

And more are making the switch from manual gear testing.

The Bukit Batok Driving Centre gets about 1,000 new learners each month.

Since September when they started offering lessons using automatic cars, about 1 in 5 of their learners is going automatic - most of them women.

Madam Liu is one of them - she made the switch after more than 20 lessons with manual cars.

She said, "Manual gear is very demanding...coordinating both my hands and my feet. With automatic, it's so much easier."

However, another learner, Li Hui Xuan, said, "I'm still in manual because I'm towards the last few stage of manual lessons; I don't think I will change."

So far, about 900 students have made the switch from learning with manual to auto cars.

Training Manager, Syed Ismail, Bukit Batok Driving Centre, said, "Most people feel that learning an auto car is easier and more importantly, most registered new cars mostly are automatic transmission."

Private driving instructors too are moving with the times.

Some are going into teaching automatic full-time.

Wang Bao Quan said, "Two and a half months ago, I switched to teaching using a car with automatic transmission. Sooner or later with advancements in technology, manual cars could be phased out."

Still, some instructors feel there will still be a demand for manual gear testing, as students who take the manual test need only do it once, to drive both automatic and manual cars.

But for now, it seems automatic is the way to go.

Driving centres estimate a rising trend, where 1 in 3 learners will choose to go automatic. - CNA

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.

Sigh....Singapore must be one of those countries exporting the best quality second hand cars around! :D

Jan 8, 2005
Traffic Police gets female chief

Appointment of female commander is the first in its 79-year history
By Tanya Fong

THE new commander of the Traffic Police, Superintendent Ng Guat Ting, 43, was sworn in at the Traffic Police Headquarters yesterday, making her the first female commander in its 79-year history.

But she is no stranger there, having held the post of head of road safety, research and planning between 1994 and 1996.

Before she rejoined the Traffic Police, she was the deputy director of operations from 2001 to last year.

She is taking over from Assistant Commissioner Teo Kian Teck, who will become the director of services development and inspectorate from Jan 17.

At the swearing-in ceremony yesterday evening, Supt Ng said: 'No one should die or get hurt on the roads because of the irresponsible behaviour of road users. I will build on the achievements of Assistant Commissioner Teo and his teams to realise this vision.'

She said the strategy to achieve this is multi-pronged, and she will be 'leveraging on law, enforcement, use of technology and education'.

Supt Ng, who joined the police force when she was 19 years old, and is known for being a woman of few words, said that commitment and competency are two requisites for success.

'Work takes up much of our time in life. My motto is that we should enjoy what we do for work,' she added.

Going by her philosophy, it is not surprising how far she has come since she joined the force.

The mother of two was also the commander of Clementi Police Division from 1999 to 2001.

Said Supt Ng: 'It has been a very challenging and rewarding job.'

YESTERDAY'S TALES

The car-share commuters

CAR pools were the order of the day once upon a time, with motorists giving passengers rides into the city.

That was because the daily $5 licence fee to get into the restricted areas was waived if the car held four people, including the driver.

But some car poolers were known to be picky, choosing to get into only fancy-looking cars and giving beat-up vehicles a miss.

The Area Licensing Scheme (ALS) was introduced on June 2, 1975, to combat growing numbers of cars trying to get into the city during the morning peak hours. It changed the way traffic was managed, and became a Singaporean way of life.

Then, the daily rate was $3, which was increased to $5 in 1980.

In the 1970s, $3 could buy two cinema tickets.

Quite a bit of bonhomie was involved, said retiree Jack Tan, 69. 'You never knew who you'd pick up, and we'd have a nice chat on the way to work.'

But car pooling was scrapped in 1989, because motorists were picking up public transport users instead of fellow motorists to avoid paying the fee, defeating the purpose of reducing congestion on the roads.

All private vehicles, including motorcycles, entering the CBD had to pay the Area Licensing fee. The fee was lowered to $3 for all users, except company car users, who paid $6.

Only emergency vehicles and public buses were exempted from paying the Area Licensing fee.

In 1990, the World Bank published a 284-page report, saying the scheme had succeeded in reducing traffic congestion, and encouraged more people to take public transport and form car pools.

Countries like Norway also copied the ALS to ease traffic congestion and raise revenue for roadworks.

The ALS was replaced by the Electronic Road Pricing scheme in September 1998.

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2005-01-08/h17b.jpg
SHARING A RIDE: A woman heading for Orchard Road is picked up at a car pool point in Marine Parade in 1980.

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.

Sooner or later hor....all those drivers all around the world are going to curse us for introducing the concept of electronic road pricing! :D

one day I need to read this entire thread - interesting info on road pricing etc here - and also to find out more on the new driverless MRT line

Simon, in London, where we have road pricing.

one day I need to read this entire thread - interesting info on road pricing etc here - and also to find out more on the new driverless MRT line

Simon, in London, where we have road pricing.
Gee...you must be really patient! ;)

Have you heard, that the road pricing scheme in London was partly based on the one in Singapore? I am not sure if the general public in London are aware of this...hmm...

Jan 27, 2005
Bus slams into MRT pillar

By Tracy Sua and Jermyn Chow

A CRUMPLED mass of metal and glass is all that remains of the front of a bus that careered over a divider and slammed into an MRT pillar in Upper Changi Road East yesterday morning.

Several seats were ripped from the floor, sending passengers flying. All 33 passengers and the driver survived.

As the 7am crash slowed traffic to a crawl, passing motorists, bystanders and Civil Defence Force rescuers forced the emergency door and pulled everyone out.

The injured, aged 23 to 74, were ferried to Changi General Hospital in four ambulances.

By yesterday evening, 27 had been discharged after treatment for cuts, bruises and sore limbs. Six were warded for head, back, chest and leg injuries.

'I am still so frightened by the whole incident that I could not eat. When I took the taxi home I kept asking the driver to slow down,' said 47-year-old cleaner Lachime Allagan, who escaped with a swollen kneecap.

At 6.55am she had boarded the bus, a private operation run by Hock Sin Coach Service, ferrying workers to the offices and factories in Changi Business Park.

After a stop at Tanah Merah MRT station, passengers said the 45-seater Mercedes-Benz sped up at the junction of Upper Changi Road East and Bedok Road.

'We were travelling fast and I thought something was not right when the driver started swerving here and there,' said Madam Lachime.

About 30m from the junction, it mounted the kerb, clipped a tree, then crashed into the MRT column.

Cleaner Yeo Ah Ba, 53, said: 'I tried to grab the rail of the chair in front but it all happened so quickly and I found myself flung forward to the middle of the bus.'

Many people were crushed into each other. Some were trapped under seats, while others were bleeding profusely.

Anxious relatives, friends and colleagues packed the hospital's accident and emergency unit for news of the injured.

Insurance adviser Angeline Ng, 40, whose sister was warded for a cracked chest bone and possible injuries to her spine and kidney, said: 'It was very frightening. The whole bus just smashed into the MRT pillar. Fortunately it ended up not as bad in terms of casualties.'

Ms Ng said doctors are also monitoring her sister, 42-year-old cleaner Ng Moi Hua, to see if her lung was punctured.

Police are investigating and have asked witnesses to call 1800-547-1818.

Crashed bus was overhauled recently

Vehicle had passed an inspection just last month: owner
By Jermyn Chow and Tracy Sua

THE owner of the company which operates the bus that crashed into an MRT support pillar yesterday said that the bus had recently undergone an overhaul and had passed an inspection last month.

Mr Tan Lee Hock, 55, who runs the Hock Sin Excursion Coach Service, said he thinks a steering problem might have caused the crash, which left 33 people injured, but quickly added that he did not want to speculate while a police investigation is in progress.

His son, Mr Tan Chor Seng, 32, was behind the wheel of the bus when it crashed yesterday morning.

The younger Mr Tan did not want to talk about the incident, except to say he suffered only minor cuts to his arms and legs, and that he was treated as an outpatient at Changi General Hospital.

The Straits Times understands that he has been driving buses for about six years now.

The bus, service 18, plies between Bedok MRT station and Changi South. The elder Mr Tan said the service will continue today, but that his son will be resting.

Service 18 is popular with those who work in Changi South because it drops them off right in front of their workplaces.

One of them, 58-year-old Madam Zahara Sudin, a cleaner, said: 'My company is deep in Changi South. This bus drops us off right in front of the building.'

Madam Zahara, who lives in Tampines and works at global printing solutions company Printronix's office at Changi Business Park, said she has been using the service for about a year now.

She said she did not remember much about the incident beyond hearing a cracking sound just before impact.

Madam Zahara, who suffered a fracture in her left arm and a back injury, said: 'I saw the driver losing control of the steering wheel. The bus swerved, then I heard a loud 'bang'... I was so shocked that I couldn't remember anything after that.'

She was one of five employees of local cleaning services company Evershine Services.

The company's human resource manager, Mr Chew Gek Cheng, was at Changi General Hospital yesterday to look out for his workers and assure them that their medical costs would be taken care of.

Meanwhile, the pillar that was hit by the bus is unlikely to be severely damaged.

Pillars supporting viaducts and MRT tracks are among the toughest civil engineering works in existence.

The Land Transport Authority told The Straits Times that the pillars are constructed to withstand much higher loads than what they were meant for.

For instance, they have to support the load of the track itself and the fully loaded trains running on it.

The solidity of these columns was proven beyond doubt when a military truck crashed into an MRT column in Commonwealth about 10 years ago.

The truck sustained extensive damage, but the column was unscathed.

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

Muahaah....as if they will ever pass. Afterall, people take cabs because they are in a rush! :D

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

Enjoy Free Ride On 12 SBS Transit Buses Dressed With NOKIA Advertisements During Chinese New Year

Lunar New Year visits will be so much more enjoyable this season, thanks to free bus rides on SBS Transit buses.

Twelve special SBS Transit services with special Nokia advertisements will be free to all commuters on the first 2 days of the Lunar New Year. These services are C1, 12, 30, 62, 65, 74, 76, 89, 107, 153, 196 and 198. Commuters can make as many trips as they wish to throughout the operating hours of 5.30 am - 12 midnight. The air-conditioned double deck buses will make more than 140 trips each day.

This service is brought to you by Nokia as part of its marketing efforts.

The services cover extensive parts of Singapore, including Chinatown, Orchard, Marina Centre, Ang Mo Kio, Bedok, Boon Lay, Bukit Merah, Bukit Timah, Clementi, East Coast, Hougang, Jurong East, Marine Parade, Pasir Ris, Punggol, Sengkang, Serangoon, Tampines, etc.

Mr Ong Boon Leong, Chief Operating Officer of SBS Transit said, “It’s a time for celebration and we are happy to work with Nokia to bring festive cheer to all our commuters.”

http://www.sbstransit.com.sg/press/20050207-2.jpg

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.

So yaya papaya leh. All it wants is something to crow about, it seems!

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

I hope they survey my family...we have no car too! :D

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.

Bloody hell...I hope those families report that they are struggling!

I wrote to SBS Transit complaining about the bus services outside my house and how they suck in brining me to the MRT. Lets see if they reply. :D

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

is this the first time they have a hdb flat occupying such prime space instead of a condominium?

Sure....just look at all the HDB flats right beside mrt stations? :lol:

Anyway I saw this ting on tv, and its 2-3 blocks of 40 storey towers. Woohoo!

didnt look very pretty though. quality over quantity please.

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.

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.

didnt look very pretty though. quality over quantity please.
HDB flats...wat more can you ask for?

a lot.

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

If they increase the price hike, then can forget about elections for the rest of the year. :D

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.

My friend and I were speculating that it will be a political ploy. They apply for fare inrease, and the government will be seen as an angel by rejecting their applications. Elections round the corner...no? :D

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

The following is an editorial from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/226003_ourplace27.html

Friday, May 27, 2005

Our Place in the World: Learn from Singapore's mass transit

By BERNIE ZUCCARELLI
GUEST COLUMNIST

In August 1999 I spent two weeks in Singapore. Other than an occasional taxi ride and one ride in a car owned by a relative of my host, I got around the city in modes of transportation other than an automobile. I didn't need a car because Singapore has one of the best mass-transit systems in the world.

Singapore is an island the size of Manhattan, with a land area of 265 square miles and a population of 4.25 million. It's recognized as one of the most robust economies in the world and is a major force in Asia-Pacific economics. Hardly a day goes by without mention of Singapore somewhere in this newspaper.

Singapore is no third-world country whose people live in poverty. In 2004, the average salary for Singaporean workers (other than those self-employed) was $45,144 (in Singapore dollars; U.S. $1 equals $1.65 in Singapore dollars). Unemployment was just 5.3 percent.

Even in this upper-middle class economy, a car is the ultimate luxury. Over and above the price of the car, you pay an import tax of 41 percent of the car's open market value and the car's initial registration fee of 150 percent of the car's open market value. You also need a Certificate Of Entitlement, issued by the Land Transport Authority, to buy a car. There are only so many certificates issued each month, and you bid for them. Bids can go as high as $30,0000 (U.S. dollars) and there is no guarantee you'll get one. You also must be able to put up half your bid in cash when you submit the bid.

You pay a road tax when you re-register your car each year, plus a road use tax collected by the Electronic Road Pricing system as you drive. Every motor vehicle has on its dashboard a device with a cash value card in it. As you drive, you encounter metal ERP arches. When you drive under an arch during the hours the arch is operating, the dashboard gizmo deducts a dollar value from the card. The amount depends on what time of day it is and which one of the arches you've driven under.

Gasoline runs about $3.50 a gallon in U.S. dollars.

Singapore now has a ratio of just 111 private cars per 1,000 population.

Singapore's efficient Mass Rapid Transit train system covers all but the remote inner areas of the island. A dollar-value card is inserted into a slot in the turnstile at your origin station. At the end of your trip, you again insert the card into a slot in the turnstile as you leave the station. The system counts the number of stations you passed, calculates the fare and deducts it from your card.

Singapore has gotten it right. Its transit system is comfortable, safe and absolutely clean. There is an efficient and inescapable way of paying for it. There is a cost structure that in and of itself makes it prohibitively expensive to own and operate a car.

The transit administrators caught in Seattle's public transportation logjam -- on both sides of the issue -- would do well to visit Singapore to see the buses and trains, the extensive coverage area and how easy it is to get where you need to go. They should see how little traffic there is and, most important, real vision in action. The leaders who got this started 40 years ago -- when Singapore gained its independence from Malaysia in 1965 -- looked forward and saw growth. They also envisioned what else would be needed when that growth took hold.

Instead of a growth plan 30 years ago, Seattle had billboards with instructions to turn out the lights. Then Seattle got lucky. High-tech happened. The preparation for what would prove to be growth unheard of since the gold rush days should have begun right then. It didn't, and now traffic is a major headache. There are just too many people driving too many cars.

Adding thousands of cars and building hundreds of miles of new roads is not the answer. For Seattle and the cities that surround it, the answer must be a transit system so good that it all but forces people to leave their cars at home.

This isn't going to be easy in a national economy built on cars and fed by gasoline for more than 100 years. It's not going to be easy in King County, where there is an "auto way" in every city. But it has to be done. The model is right there in Singapore. Someone please go observe it, learn from it and bring it here.

Bernie Zuccarelli lives in Seattle.

wo wthat's a a glowing report even though based on observations all the way back in 1999!

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.

I don't mind paying a bit more. But, please buy more new spacious buses. For a tall person, I find current leg room on some buses a bit too stingy leh. And we are all getting bigger and taller than it was 10-20 years ago.

^
I like new buses....but I don't like fare increase......:yes:

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.

yar almost the entire fleet should be renewed already.

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

I think I've just seen a new model of SBS Transit double-decker bus (#147)... plate #9889... Anyone seen it?

Hope they would replace all the double-deckers with new ones! :)

no? how does it look?

I don't have my camera with me then and dunno how to describe it well... but, the first feel... is boxy and looks comfy. The exit doors seemed to "squeak" a bit when closed... dunno why? :?

excited about new buses mar.. all the buses look so old and crappy. where does 147 go??? hougang?

I saw it near Stamford Court. Should be going to Hougang.

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.

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 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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

:)
Small update: Gas price in Sweden is more than 2,50 SGD at the moment. ;)

ouch.. whats the average car commute in swedden?

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.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v411/kmb2e/018.jpg

doesnt look too different or stunning, just smart from the front

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

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

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.

Oct 10, 2005
Red line in Orchard Road marks longer bus lane hours
If successful, scheme to ease congestion could be extended to other areas, says LTA

AN EXTRA red line - the only one of its kind in Singapore - marks the new extended hours for the bus lane in Orchard Road.

The lane is out of bounds to motorists from 7.30am to 8pm, Monday to Saturday, excluding public holidays.

Motorists caught using the lane between Paterson Road and Dhoby Ghaut during the forbidden hours can be fined $130.

The move is an attempt to improve traffic flow in the shopping belt, and is part of a six-month trial that started last Monday.

If successful, the scheme could be extended to more locations, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has said.

Bus lanes were introduced in 1974 to give buses a dedicated right of way during the morning and evening peak hours.

By extending the restriction to off-peak hours, the LTA hopes motorists will switch to using public transport for some of their trips to ease congestion in Orchard Road.

It has said that traffic along the road slows to less than 20kmh after noon on weekdays and Saturdays 'till as late as 8pm'.

Measures to ease congestion include changing the traffic flow in Orchard Link and Bideford Road, and stepping up monitoring in the area against illegal stopping or parking.

Images of errant vehicles are captured on traffic cameras and sent to the Traffic Police for action.

In August, 97 vehicles were issued summonses for offences made at Orchard Link and one at Bideford Road.

The LTA has also introduced Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) on Saturdays and extended it from 7pm to 8pm on weekdays.

By 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, the LTA has also scrapped levies of up to $2.50 previously charged between 8am and 10am on weekdays.

There is now no levy before noon in Orchard Road, when traffic is lighter.

The ERP rates will be reviewed next month.
Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Oct 17, 2005
Bus, train-fare cheats face tougher penalties

THE Government will introduce a penalty fee system for those caught for fare evasion on bus and rail services.

This is a new measure over and above those already provided for in the Public Transport Council (PTC) Act.

Parliament has approved amendments to the Act which allows the PTC to impose a penalty fee of $20 for the underpayment and non-payment of fares; and $50 for the abuse of fare concessions.

Such a penalty fee system has already been implemented in cities such as London and Sydney.

Fare evasion will constitute an offence only if a fare evader refuses to pay the penalty fee.

Fare evaders who refuse to pay the penalty fee can be subject to a composition fine of up to $500 or face court action.

Offenders convicted in court for the first time will be liable to pay a court fine not exceeding $1,000.

Repeat and recalcitrant offenders will be liable, upon conviction, for fines of up to $2,000 or up to 6 months' imprisonment or both.

Transport Minister Yeo Cheow Tong said that without a provision for a penalty fare, ticket inspectors can only require fare evaders when caught to pay the correct fare.

This, coupled with the very low possibility of being caught, does not provide much deterrence against cheating.

Even in the case of rail, where passengers have to enter and exit through fare gates, operators have encountered cases of underpayment, non-payment and abuse of concessions.

Mr Yeo said Public Transport Operators estimate that fare evasion on buses occurs on about 1.8 per cent of passenger trips.

Even though this figure may appear to be low, he said fare evasion should not be condoned.

Otherwise, the majority of commuters who pay the correct fares will be subsidising the small minority who abuse concession passes, avoid paying or intentionally underpay fares.
The changes will empower PTC to set penalty fees and regulate the imposition and enforcement of penalty fees.

Mr Yeo said commuters can appeal to the PTC if they feel that the penalty fee has been unjustly imposed.

The Minister was not convinced by public calls for penalties to be imposed on transport operators for over-charging.

He told Parliament that over-charging occurs when system faults on trunk bus services result in incorrect fare stages being updated.

It is not a deliberate attempt by the operators to cheat commuters.

He assured MPs that operators do not profit from such system faults.

On the contrary, they are penalised, as they have to absorb the revenue losses from undercharging, whilst commuters who are overcharged can get a full fare refund or a voucher for a free bus ride.

He said cases of wrongful deduction of bus fares have fallen drastically to only 0.006 per cent.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

One of my friends told me that SMRT is in process of upgrading older trains. Any pictures of upgraded trains?

It took Hong Kong MTR 25 years or so before deciding to finally upgrade their rolling stock which was supposed to last 30 years on average. Singapore's SMRT rolling stock is only 18 years old. Then again, its always good if they decide to FINALLY upgrade now.

No older generation train has been seen to be installed with the Visual Passenger Information System yet, an obvious sign of an upgrade in progress.

When did the upgrading complete.

..

I think the Land Transport Authority should make some rennovations for the hot Orchard Underpass to repair those spoilt aircons.

October 29 2005
ComfortDelGro buys second bus company in China's Shenyang

Transport operator ComfortDelGro is expanding its operations in northeast China.

It's buying a second bus company in Shenyang, the capital of Liaoning province.

Comfort will pay some S$73.2 million to acquire Shenyang Passenger Transport.

The latest purchase brings Comfort's total investment in Shenyang to over S$120 million, making it the largest operator there with a 40% share of the market.

Shenyang Passenger is the city's largest public bus with rights to 50 bus routes and over 1,200 buses.

Comfort already has a bus venture and taxi services in Shenyang. - CNA/ir

Copyright © 2005MediaCorp News. All rights reserved.

Nov 2, 2005
SBS takes fresh look at providing real-time bus info

By Goh Chin Lian

PLANS to provide commuters with real-time information on bus arrivals have flopped at least twice, but that is not stopping SBS Transit from trying again.

The transport operator is looking for a system that can give its passengers current bus arrival and departure times, as well as information on bus routes, via the Internet, cellphone, personal digital assistant (PDA) and other channels, a spokesman told The Straits Times.

At the moment, SBS is looking for a supplier for the system, which will be based on an existing bus fleet management system that relies on real-time data to pinpoint the positions of its 2,400-plus scheduled buses.

The company did not want to say how the system would be of use to commuters, who make more than two million rides a day on SBS Transit buses.

Neither did it want to indicate how soon the project would take off, or how much it would cost.

The idea of supplying real-time information on bus arrival times has been around for a decade.

In a 1996 White Paper outlining the Land Transport Authority's (LTA) vision of a world-class public transport service, the LTA envisaged a system that would be available at bus stops, over the phone, on Teleview, or via the lnternet and enable commuters to 'plan the timing of their trips from home'.

It conducted several small-scale trials in 1995, 1997 and 1999, putting sensors on a few buses and displaying their arrival times at some bus stops.

In October 1997, SBS announced its own satellite-tracking system, the $100 million SBS OnTime system, which would use display units at 1,000 bus stops.

It said the system would not only allow it to better manage its fleet, but also alleviate commuter anxiety.

Some commuters complained the money could be better spent elsewhere, such as on disabled-friendly buses.

A year later, SBS pulled the plug on the project, saying it was not satisfied with the development of the system.

The following year, LTA took up the idea.

It wanted to integrate the fleet management systems that bus companies were developing on their own and add a new feature that would predict bus arrival times.

But the LTA and bus operators severely underestimated the complexity of the $40.3 million project.

The computer software to interface the different systems turned out to be complicated, resulting in delays. LTA canned the project in 2003.

SMRT, which operates about 800 buses, says it will make a 'careful assessment of the cost effectiveness of the real-time bus arrival information system to ensure the prudent use of resources'.

Mr Ong Kian Min, chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Transport, said commuters would find the real-time information useful, especially if a bus were delayed in a traffic jam. He said bus operators, and not the LTA, should be providing this information.

Mr Gerard Ee, chairman of the Public Transport Council, said: 'Commuters will welcome the additional information to plan their trips, as long as it does not translate into increased fares.

'If this can be done, it could also encourage people to switch over from cars.'

chinlian@sph.com.sg

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

ITS ABOUT TIME! Taipei has them, Tokyo has them, London has them, even Kaohsiung has them........................................& they are cities far larger than Singapore, meaning harder to implement but yet they pulled it off.

Nov 27, 2005
TOP OF THE NEWS
Top bus woes: Long wait and overcrowding

By K.C. Vijayan

BUS commuters have two major complaints: they are waiting too long for the bus and resent having to squeeze into overcrowded buses, the latest public transport survey shows.

The bus passenger satisfaction survey of some 1,000 regular bus passengers islandwide also shows a dip in the overall satisfaction level for bus services.

The rating, on a scale of one to 10, slipped to 6.4 this year, from 6.86 last year.

Commuters polled in the annual survey - commissioned by the Public Transport Council (PTC), the industry regulator - said bus companies need to shape up on these two fronts. They want shorter waiting times and less overcrowding on buses.

These grouses are not new - they were among the top four bugbears in last year's survey, the first one conducted. It was the same story in a 2003 audit of bus service standards by the council.

'I get tired of having to wait for 15 minutes,' said marketing executive Johnny Koh, 35. 'What's worse, sometimes the driver drives slowly.'

So, why has it taken so long to lick these problems?

PTC chairman Gerard Ee told The Sunday Times yesterday that commuters cannot expect a 'miracle' and said motorists had to do their part by staying out of the bus lanes at peak hours.

He said: 'There is a lot of room for improvement, but to put all the blame on bus operators would be grossly unfair as there are 1,001 factors to be considered.

'We have to keep pushing at it. I don't think this report will produce a miracle, but the surveys help us to look at areas to tweak as we go along and improve.'

He said the PTC intends to sit down with bus operators and explore ways to tackle the situation.

But things should get better with recent changes, he added.

For one, the Land Transport Authority has introduced, as a pilot project - an all-day bus lane system on busy Orchard Road to improve the traffic flow. If it is successful, it may be extended to other roads.

Both the bus companies - SBS Transit and SMRT Buses - said they would look at the survey to see how they can improve.

SBS Transit, which controls 75 per cent of the business, said it has made several improvements, such as introducing eight new services this year and lengthening the routes of another four to cover more areas.

Spokesman Tammy Tan said that traffic congestion is not predictable and is beyond the firm's control, but said the company would work with the authorities to see what more can be done to give buses priority on the roads.

An SMRT spokesman said the company would continue to try and match commuter demand.

Despite the bugbears, the survey also had positive results.

For instance, seven out of 10 commuters were more than satisfied with the services. Almost nine in 10 felt fares were affordable, up from seven in 10 last year.

But commuters The Sunday Times interviewed yesterday want more.

Clerk Tham Ngan Chan, 55, said courteous bus drivers do not quite make up for having to wait 15 minutes for the bus, which takes her from Jurong to her workplace.

Ms Catherine Tan, 45, a customer service officer who waits 20 minutes for her bus in the morning, said she has grown weary of surveys. 'We have them all the time,' she said. 'But after the surveys, the improvements are slight.'

vijayan@sph.com.sg
Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved

PTC chairman Gerard Ee told The Sunday Times yesterday that commuters cannot expect a 'miracle' and said motorists had to do their part by staying out of the bus lanes at peak hours.


excuse me?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!

08 December 2005

SMRT Taxis launches good service promise with Tip-the-Driver Initiative

SINGAPORE : SMRT Corporation has introduced a new initiative to promote and ensure quality customer service in its taxis.

It centres on the idea of cab drivers giving good service and the customers tipping them for it.

The SMRT Taxis Service Promise and Money-back Guarantee, as well as Tip-the-Drivers Initiative, was launched on Thursday.

Under these initiatives, taxis drivers will be encouraged to meet or exceed service standards and commitments like greeting customers when they board the taxi and asking them for their preferred route.

It also includes providing customers a safe journey, keeping the taxis clean and ensuring taxi meters are switched on at the start of the journey and correct fares are charged.

In return, the customers will be encouraged to show their appreciation by tipping.

If they are not satisfied with the service provided, they can get their money back.

The customer can contact SMRT Taxis' 24-hour hotline at 6555 8888 to give feedback on how the service can be improved and SMRT will return him his fare.

CEO and president of SMRT Ms Saw Phaik Hwa says the initiative reaffirms its commitment to provide good service and enhance the travel experience of its customers.

And when customers in turn express their gratitude, it motivates the drivers to continue to do beyond what is expected. - CNA /ls

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

23 December 2005

Transport sector's highs and lows in year 2005
By Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia

The transport sector got off to a flying start this year, with the focus on air rights and consolidation in the budget carrier sector.

But back on land, the sector hit a few road blocks with public transport fare increases and an outcry over the well-known Buangkok 'white elephants'.

It was a success story for air transport.

Less than two years after taking off, budget carriers now make up almost one in 10 flights out of Changi airport.

But it remains a tough business as in the first sign of market consolidation, Valuair and Jetstar Asia merged after a highly turbulent courtship.

Looking ahead, the next big fight looks to be in getting air rights into the restricted skies of some Asian cities.

Nicholas Ionides, The Flight Group's regional managing editor (Asia), said: "One of the challenges here for low cost carriers is: you are operating across different countries with different regulatory systems and different ownership rules. In Europe, where low cost carriers have been operating, it's primarily a domestic market, so they can fly anywhere within the EU."

Open skies was also an ongoing issue between Singapore and Australia.

Singapore Airlines has been trying to get a piece of the lucrative trans-Pacific route between Australia and the US.

But Qantas, the main carrier for that route which contributes 15% to its profits, has so far successfully lobbied Australian lawmakers against such a deal.

Back on land, motorists however had better luck as COE prices reached record lows, with many holding their breaths as they dipped below the psychological $10,000 mark in December.

The hikes in bus and MRT fares were also one of the biggest stories of the year.

But with a new pricing formula keeping the increases to between one cent and three cents as well as a fund to help the lower income group cope with the fare hikes, reactions this time were more muted than the outcry in 2002.

The protests, however, were a little more creative over the ready-but-closed Buangkok MRT station.

Cut-outs of white elephant were used to convey the message that the MRT station was just like a white elephant.

The cut-outs raised some eyebrows, first in amusement and then in surprise as the police got into the picture and issued a stern warning.

But the elephants may have had the last laugh as Transport Minister Yeo Cheow Tong announced later that the Buangkok MRT station will open in January. - CNA/ir

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

Dec 24, 2005
Hike likely in school bus fares next year
Members of major school bus group to up monthly fares by as much as $5

By Goh Chin Lian

SCHOOL bus fares look set to go up next year, as bus owners seek to offset higher diesel costs.

The 1,000-member Singapore School Transport Association, which has 90 per cent of the school bus market, is calling a press conference on Tuesday to announce the reasons for a fare increase.

Association president Wong Ann Lin declined to say yesterday how much of an increase it is recommending, but some members told The Straits Times they are already planning to raise their fares by between $2 and $5 a month. Most fares are between $50 and $200, Mr Wong said.

Transport giant ComfortDelGro's subsidiary Comfort Bus, which does not belong to the association, told The Straits Times it will raise its school bus fares next month by 10 per cent, or between $3 and $10. This will apply to more than 3,000 students at seven schools.

School bus operators said the last across-the-board increase was at least two to three years ago. They say that a fare increase is overdue because diesel prices have doubled in the past year, while insurance costs have climbed by up to 500 per cent.

More details of the operating costs are expected to be made public at Tuesday's press conference.

The association plans to reveal the findings of a study of the cost structure and fares by Associate Professor Anthony Chin of the Singapore Centre for Applied and Policy Economics at the National University of Singapore. The association has been in touch with the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) regarding the high operating costs and the need for a fare increase.

Case president Yeo Guat Kwang commended the association for its plans to be transparent to the public about the operating costs, as well as for asking its members to offset the fare increase for needy students.

A spokesman for the 600-member Singapore School and Private Hire Bus Owners' Association, which also has school bus drivers, would not say if it will recommend a fare increase. But one member already plans to increase fares by $5 for his 100 or so students.

School bus driver Goh Kwang Wah, who said he has not increased his fares for at least five years, told The Straits Times in Mandarin: 'The diesel price is so high. If we don't increase, we can't survive. The increase won't cover even half of the diesel price increase.'

Housewife Cellina Lim, who pays him $56 a month for ferrying her two daughters aged eight and 10, said: 'We don't have a choice.'

There is no direct bus service between her daughters' school in Bukit Timah and their home in Bukit Panjang, she said. She is also not sure if a new bus driver would be as safe and reliable as Mr Goh.

chinlian@sph.com.sg

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

March 4, 2006
SBS plans another go at real-time bus info system

By Christopher Tan
SENIOR CORRESPONDENT

SBS Transit is expected to call a tender for a real-time bus information system around the middle of this year.

The company hopes a prototype of the system, which will tell passengers when their bus will arrive, will be up and running by early next year.

Although attempts by SBS Transit and other parties to implement similar systems have flopped in the past 10 years, the company seems more determined to make it work this time around.

SBS Transit, a subsidiary of transport giant ComfortDelGro, called for pre-tender qualifications late last year. Thirteen companies have pre-qualified.

Company spokesman Tammy Tan said the tender may be awarded by the end of the year.

'The system will greatly improve the level of service we provide our commuters,' she added. 'Not only will commuters know the exact time the bus is coming, they may also know why it is late and whether it could be caught in a jam further down the road.

'These are all issues we are looking at. Whether the system will be able to do it and at what cost is something we are evaluating.'

The main obstacle to real-time bus information so far has been cost. In 1997, SBS Transit said it would spend $100 million on a system, only to scrap it the next year. In 2003, the Land Transport Authority pulled the plug on a similar $40 million system it commissioned homegrown IT firm Stratech to deliver.

Today, however, satellite-tracked automated vehicle management systems, which will form the backbone of the project, are more sophisticated and cost-effective.

The Public Transport Council applauded SBS Transit's tenacity.

Council chairman Gerard Ee said: 'We cannot lose sight of it just because it failed to take off before. Technology, as well as the environment, is different today.'

Mr Ee said the system will help ease commuter anxiety.

'Not knowing why a bus is taking so long... will lead to more frustration,' he said.

Mr Ee also wants to 'review all the quality of service standards and to consider whether new ones could be incorporated'.

Currently, bus operators must comply with 22 mandatory standards, relating to things like accessibility, frequency and crowdedness.

On Thursday, Transport Minister Yeo Cheow Tong told Parliament new service standards will be 'more sensitive to individual incidents of overloading and long waiting time'.

The Public Transport Council is looking at conducting weekly instead of monthly service audits, as monthly audits can mask problem areas.

Elsewhere, Mr Ee said higher traffic volume is contributing to a slowdown in bus services.

There have also been reports that whenever electronic road pricing is introduced on an expressway, neighbouring roads become more congested, holding up buses.

'One thing that's very obvious is that there are many more vehicles on the road now,' he said.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

April 14, 2006
New PIE link to be added by 2008

By Christopher Tan
SENIOR CORRESPONDENT

RESIDENTS of Bedok North Avenue 3 and Bedok Reservoir Road will have direct access to the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) by the second quarter of 2008.

New links to the PIE will be built from these two roads and will reduce the distance and travelling time for those living and working in the vicinity, who now have to drive 2km or more to access the expressway.

However, the new interchange may add more traffic to the PIE, which the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has cited as one of the most heavily used expressways.

Explaining the decision on the new link, an LTA spokesman said: 'The interchange was part of the initial plans for the PIE. Provisions were made to build it at a later date to meet increases in traffic demand.'

She said current access to the PIE in the area - at Bedok North Flyover - was congested during peak hours.

The new interchange will be the 31st connection on the 41km expressway.

The LTA has awarded a $20.5 million contract to construct the links.

The contractors will build four sliproads to connect Bedok North Avenue 3 to the expressway, and add another lane in each direction to Bedok North Avenue 3 itself.

These new roads will rise to meet the PIE, which is elevated in this area.

The builders will also erect two pedestrian bridges, a vehicle bridge across a nearby canal and extend an existing overhead bridge across the PIE.

In response to heightened environmental awareness, the LTA said it will maintain the greenery in the vicinity of the construction. It will plant new trees before work starts to replace those that need to be felled for the project.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.