Friday, August 12, 2011

BREAKING NEWS: SMRT and SBS announced initiative to address overcrowding and waiting times in trains and buses.

SINGAPORE: SMRT and SBS announced new measures to address the growing problem of overcrowding and long waiting times for buses and trains.

In the press conference yesterday afternoon, spokespersons from SMRT and SBS jointly announced a bold new initiative to reduce overcrowding and cut waiting times for their passengers. The measure involves a new approach geared towards changing how passengers travel: allowing passengers to sit on each others' laps.

The spokespersons presented their hundred-page review of current configuration of passenger positions on buses and trains and proposed this initiative to improve the efficiency of the packing of passengers. According to the review, allowing passengers to sit on each others' lap “maximises space usage in the cabin in the already scarce space available”. The initiative will also allow “an increase of 20-30% of maximum capacity of the cabins” and thus “significantly reduce waiting time, and allow more passengers to reach their destinations in the shortest time possible.”

Pak Sar Din, the SMRT spokeperson, said, “We are very pleased to present this review and announce this new initiative to solve a longstanding problem faced by everyone.”

We will launch this initiative with effect from 1 September to benefit our passengers as soon as possible. Meanwhile, we will be holding educational campaigns to inform our passengers of this new initiative and how they can benefit from it.”

Monika Cheng, the SBS spokeperson, added, “In view of this new initiative, we will be suspending our plans to increase the number of buses and train frequencies since it will solve the problems anyway.

Now we can focus on adjusting the transport fares to suit the everchanging landscape of the economy,” she added enthusiastically.

The hundred page report also highlighted various guidelines on how passengers should sit when sitting on others' laps. This includes recommended positions for couples sitting on each other and various methods for families to use one seat. Safety advisories such as discouraging heavier persons from sitting on top of lighter persons are also included. The full set of guidelines can be downloaded from the SMRT and SBS website, as well as obtained from bus interchanges and MRT stations islandwide.

Passerby A, before driving off in his Mercedes Benz, agreed with this new measure.

Now I will finally stop hearing my colleagues complain about the long waiting times for their buses and trains.”