15 June 2012
Editor
Forum Page
Straits Times
The Land Transport Authority has been struggling for over a year to find a
solution to the over-crowding on trains, congestions on our roads and insufficient
parking spaces.
I wish to suggest a practical measure that can give a immediate and temporary solution to
these challenges.
Many people may not realize that it is often more convenient to take a bus instead of
a train or a car for their journey.
I started to use the bus service more regularly during the past year and, after becoming more
familiar with the bus services, now prefer this mode of travel. It takes away the stress of
driving on our congested roads or searching for a parking space. I now use an mobile app
to tell me the bus services to take for my journey.
On many occasions, I found that taking a bus is more convenient that travelling on our
over-crowded trains. I was able to find a seat on the bus for most of the journey, enjoy the
air conditioned comfort and read the news on my mobile device.
Recently, I helped a friend to find a bus alternative to commute to her home. She was taking two trains
and one hour for the journey for almost two years. She was surprised to learn that there was
a direct bus that took only 40 minutes and the fare was cheaper.
If more people become familiar with the bus services, some may find that they do not need to own a car
or to drive it to work. This would reduce the congestion on our road and improve our road situation.
I hope that the Land Transport Authority will consider my suggestion to promote greater awareness
of the convenience of our bus services and the use of the mobile app to find the best way to travel.
For short distances i prefer to cycle than throw $ to public transport companies.
ReplyDeletePermanent solution is to reduce no. of people in this overcrowded tiny island.
Once no. of people in overcrowded tiny island is reduced we'll also reduce:
- energy usage
- pollution
- productivity loss in traffic jams
There is no point in growing gdp like cancer. What the common folks want is quality of life & not more & more material posessions.
I'm staying at Jalan Lempeng, Clementi and my family are regular public transport users though we have a family car. For the last couple of years, I have started to find travelling in buses a far better choice than the forever over-crowded and noisy train. Travelling on bus is not only ensuring me a seat, it also allows me to enjoy the nice scenery outside the window. It will be even better if bus company can provide more express bus at more stops to ease the congestion on trains.
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