1. Straw Poll of size 40! I wonder if the reporter ever studied statistics
2. Claims that
the majority have not felt any added pinch or are, in fact, paying less when later says
21 of those polled said they did not see any change in fares or were oblivious. I am leaning to say most are oblivious. Only observant view actually go and check their transaction details!
3.
The vocal minority <-- yes right we are vocal and may be those who complained are small in numbers but those who are affected are big and the amount that the company collected with this few cents increase are BIG! Yet they never admit that it is a fare increase! :angry:
4. oh well you see which other portion is highlighted. :thumbsd:
http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC100707-0000107/Fare-calculator-issues?
Fare calculator issues?
by Neo Chai Chin Updated 04:30 PM Jul 07, 2010
Could there be some data discrepancies in the PublicTransport@SG's fare calculator? Today reader Dennis Puk Leung Kong wrote in to highlight what appears to be an inconsistency.
The distance between the bus stop in front of Buona Vista MRT station on North Buona Vista Road, and the bus stop in front of Blk 43, Commonwealth Avenue is given as 0.3km on the calculator. But the distance in the opposite direction is given as 0.6km.
Both distances measured on another website,
www.onemap.sg, are approximately 0.3km. Today has verified these findings.
Mr Puk was worried that if the fare calculator's data was used to compute actual fares, the commuter could end up being billed for a longer distance. This discrepancy has been put to the Land Transport Authority. Neo Chai Chin
Making cents of the fare changes
by Neo Chai Chin
SINGAPORE - Complaints by some bus commuters shocked at the quantum of increase in their daily fares have surfaced online and in the media. But if a MediaCorp straw poll is anything to go by,
the majority have not felt any added pinch or are, in fact, paying less.
Among the 15 commuters - out of a random 40 polled at Clementi and Bishan yesterday - who reported paying more on their regular bus routes, was a 78-year-old who whose regular ride on service 13 from Bishan to Geylang jumped 17 cents, or nearly 25 per cent.
"It was 69 cents in the past. But the day before, I saw it was 86 cents. I got a shock," said the senior citizen concession card holder. A check using the online fare calculator at PublicTransport@SG verified the figures.
But
21 of those polled said they did not see any change in fares or were oblivious to differences since the distance-based system kicked in last Saturday. Four commuters reported paying lower fares, including software programmer Isen Ng, 26. He said his trip from the Pioneer area to Science Park 2 for work now costs 20 to 30 cents less. "The distance-based system is a fairer system," he said.
The Public Transport Council (PTC) explained in April that distance-based fares would benefit the 63 per cent of commuters who make transfers, to the tune of 48 cents in savings a week. The 34 per cent of commuters who take longer single-leg journeys would pay 31 cents more weekly on average, while 3 per cent would be unaffected.
And transfer-making commuters like Mdm Tan, in her 50s, have noticed their expenditure going down. "I haven't seen it in detail, but I know I'm benefiting," said the part-time promoter who takes a feeder bus before hopping onto a train thrice a week.
The vocal minority grousing about fare hikes have cited increases ranging from just a few cents to as much as 40 cents. Malaysian aircraft engine technician Lee Heng Cheong, 49, for instance, paid $1.40 in cash for a ride on service 170 from Kranji to Johor Checkpoint. His previous cash fare was $1.
PTC chairman Gerard Ee asked for commuters to give the new system - which eliminates transfer penalties to give commuters greater flexibility in planning journeys - time to stabilise. The authorities can then see if travel patterns change and costs need to be relooked. "Around this time next year when we do the fare review, we can relook the situation."
Asked if PTC could have better prepared the one-third of commuters negatively affected, Mr Ee said: "Perhaps, but I think the bottom line is, it's never acceptable to have to pay more ... But think about it, distance-based generally will be a fairer principle, a fairer basis for the majority of the commuters."
Transport analysts said the impact of the distance-based fares should be seen in a wider context. While a single trip could cost more, on a multi-trip journey the overall fare could be the same or lower than before.
A commuter should also consider that his weekend travel patterns could involve fare savings that offset higher fares on weekday journeys.
And while some individuals might pay more, others in their family might pay less, so the bigger issue was whether the changes benefited entire households, analysts added.
As for older commuters, the PTC and the Land Transport Authority said the new fare regime for senior citizens should benefit seven in 10. Instead of a flat rate of 69 cents, their fares now start from 53 cents on buses and the North-South and East-West train lines, and are capped beyond 7.2km. The maximum fare charged is on the North-East and Circle lines, at $1.05 for a ride beyond 7.2km.
Told about grouses over higher-than-expected hikes, chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Transport Lim Wee Kiak said it is unclear if they reflect the majority. He cautioned that not every example can be "generalised to all". In time, he said: "We can take a look at (the system) again to see which is the group that is most severely affected."
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY SHARON SEE