News

I refer to the article ( Aug 29). The trade-offs between convenience and affordable costs for commuters are undeniable. The drop in ridership for long trunk bus services that run parallel to MRT lines can also be explained. As a daily commuter using public transport services, the fastest and affordable way to get around is via MRT lines versus taxis or private-hire cars. These days, MRT trains are mostly crowded during peak and non-peak hours. It is a daily challenge to get on or off trains with commuters using oversized personal mobility aids, prams or foldable bicycles, to name a few. This is coupled with long waiting times during non-peak hours with commuters having to wait five to eight minutes for train arrivals (compared with Hong Kong where a train arrives at each station every one to two minutes). This explains why our MRT trains are often crowded. If long trunk bus services that run parallel to MRT lines could be changed to express services with specific stops, I believe ridership would improve with economic sense. This explains why some express bus services survive and are still in operation. I hope the authorities would give some thought to offering an affordable alternative to our crowded trains.