Saturday, December 17, 2011

Transport woes in Singapore

Lucky Tan made sensible comments about our transport woes. He pointed out that it is not fair to blame the woes on Saw Phaik Hwa or even the Minister Lui Tuck Yew. I agree. The problem is more deep rooted and we need to give time and resources for the problem to be solved. Blaming does not help. http://singaporemind.blogspot.com/2011/12/mrt-breakdown-and-what-is-wrong-with.html

I wish to pose this problem - to people who are knowledgeable about the problem. If you were the CEO of SMRT or the Minister for Transport, what would you do to deal with this challenge?

8 comments:

Weng Mao Fa said...

Having bought an air ticket, we want a safe journey from aiport A to airport B. If it is an Airline like SIA or Qatar, we expect on time and excellent inflight service. If it is a low cost flight, we might expect only clean toilet and nothing else.

What is your expectation of SMRT?

Weng Mao Fa said...

A taxi car has to scrapped after 7 years. A medical equipment in a SG public hospital is used for only 7 years. In 1980s, SIA sold its aircraft after 3 years (I am not sure now).

How long the N-S line (SMRT) has been used?
10 years+ (?)

Had they scrap the electric instrucment after 7 years?

rex said...

rex comments as follows,

A good leader or CEO is one who inspires confidence.

A good leader is one who does not make unbecoming remarks ("if we have to be fined so be it." "if you think the trains are crowded take the next one". " i dunno whether it is Systematic failure or isolated incident" ...)

A good leader does not allow repeat mistakes and instead should take real action and learn how to manage problems and analyse and resolve them without allowing repeats (graffiti issue twice...the "income opportunity" sms also was repetaed)

People are demanding for blood, not so much because of the faults, but the responses of the leaders to the faults. In all their speeches they appear clueless, blur and not on top of the situation.

To date, they have not even explained why the ventilation and lights gone out in all the trains. Surely trains carry battery packs to provide lighting and fan in emergenc? Even some restautants have emergency battery driven light signs, and EXIT signs in theatres are battery backed up in some cases (simple technology) Air con and traction power probably cannot be sustainale by the small batteries, but it should not be difficult to supply power to the fan not the compressor, and as well, to lights (could even be staggered lighting). SMRT owes an explanation to the public to assure everyone that the trains are safe and not potential coffins.

Evidently the SMRT does not seem to understand people's basic need for light and ventilation. No where in the papers did the CEO or her deputies try to explain anything in a more systematic fashion, other than say a pathetic sorry. What kind of leader is that?

Where are all the good leaders in Singapore? Are we so short of real leaders that we have to keep the likes of Saw and Lui in the system, for fear that if we lose them we have no other proper leaders?

Are we in such desperate state that we cannot find better replacements, and despite repeated errors, Singaporeans must still sayang them for their incompetent leadership? Are we nuts or what?

rex

ron said...

# 1

Take care of customers 1st.
All station staff must reassure and help customers to get to their destinations.It does not matter what, how or where the problem is.

# 2

Revamp, upgrade all annoucement texts to be used for such ad hoc scenarios. Information to be dispensed at 5 min intervals.. regardless of new information or not.

# 3

Every station must be ready to handle all ad hoc situations. No exceptions.

The rest of the actions can be dealt with later: engineering, maintainence reports. Listen, listen, and listen to your staff.. not only to managers and vice presidents etc. ask the platfrom ambassadors, talk to your station masters, talk with your drivers, talk to your technicians, listen, listen and LISTEN!!!!

Shut up & LISTEN!!!

Hardware issues can be replaced
China has lots of hardware
Singapore needs to focus on software.. the heart of the employee is where magic can happen.

Trust your employee,
Empower your employee
Appreciate your employee
Recognise initiatives
Reward your employee

Do not worry about the task..
it will always be there.
Treat your customers as humans..
listen to them... listen!..
shut up and listen!

Weng Mao Fa said...

No. of Directors (SMRT Board): 9

Total No. of Age of 9 Directors: 498 years old

Total Years of Education Received: 22years x 9 Directors=198 years

Total Working Life of 9 Directors: 498 years - 198 years= 300 years.

The leadership is 300 years old from Team A.
The result is ( )

A management guru said: "One good head is better than hundred hands".

Ancient China saying: "7 hands with 8 legs" !

anonymous said...

I wander what is going to happen if the train broke down in the tunnel and caught fire ?

DareToAct said...

SMRT should just focus on the business of public transportation. It should either sell away it's property business (Xchange) or outsource the management of that retail rental business. The CEO of SMRT should be someone who is familiar with public transportation.

Anonymous said...

I guess transport needs can best be addressed by pooling, eg, going to work via bus pool or may be doing a car pool or hiring a private bus or charter bus(which can accommodate a group then to drive a fleet of cars). This idea is already implemented by few bus service providers like http://www.busbooking.sg

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