SBS Transit, SMRT ask to raise bus and train fares

[soma]

time to think properly whent he next election is here.

after eating so many years of shi.t, what's there to think. even there's a bigger pile of shi.t waiting...at least it's a different flavour.:bsmilie:

 

[Ah_Seng]

This public transport fare increase....seriously, no point talking liao.....we can never win lah......at the end of the day, surely up also lah......

So how? Buy SMRT shares loh.......now STI correction, maybe can buy cheaper?

But this counter quite strong wor.....can withstand the market.....becos if profit going to drop, just up the fare loh......we all Singaporeans all LPPL must pay also.......tio bo bros?

 

[Godzilla Invades]

One thing to consider is that Hong Kongers may be paid much more than local equilvalents.

I know that in my field of industry, they get paid at least double our pay.

Right on the spot.

I have a friend in Hong Kong working as a waiter in one of those dim sum shops (not the high class ones) is getting paid about SGD$2800 per month. He told me an average wage salary in Hong Kongers for a waiter is about SGD$2500-$2800.

But his monthly expenses is about SGD$1500

Room rental = $750
Transport = $250 (takes a bus and change to MTR). Journey time about 1.5 hours away from city.
Makan = $500 Shop provide one lunch or dinner. So breakfast and lunch/dinner have to makan outside.

And he says this is the basic. If you spend on clothes and other stuffs.....then you will never save any money.

 

[vince123123]

Care to share why not fair? You're saying gross revenue is a better indicator than profit (revenue - expenses) less tax?

that's not a very fair way to compare. how has their gross revenue grown?

 

[dkw]

1) They are not a public service, they are private companies

2) The fare increase is small, and fares remain affordable. They are low in comparison to other countries at equivalent levels of economic development

3) Its a bit funny for people in a photo forum, spending thousands on lenses and bodies to gripe about a few cents increase in bus fare

 

[vince123123]

1) Yes they are private companies largely owned by governemnt or governemnt affliates. It is also a public service, albeit provided by "private" companies. It is also a state run monopoly system.

2) The fare increase is not small and fare do not remain affordable. You cannot compare with other countries because each country is different.

3) It is not funny at all. If you are a billionaire, does that mean you are willing to pay S$100 for a bus ride (to take an extreme case)? Hence it is flawed to say people who spend thousands should gripe about cents.

Its matter of value as far as what the product is.

1) They are not a public service, they are private companies

2) The fare increase is small, and fares remain affordable. They are low in comparison to other countries at equivalent levels of economic development

3) Its a bit funny for people in a photo forum, spending thousands on lenses and bodies to gripe about a few cents increase in bus fare

 

[dkw]

1) Yes they are private companies largely owned by governemnt or governemnt affliates. It is also a public service, albeit provided by "private" companies. It is also a state run monopoly system.

Most countries public transport systems are state run, and are do not have multiple companies duplicating routes and services. Are all those state run monoplies then?

2) The fare increase is not small and fare do not remain affordable. You cannot compare with other countries because each country is different.

Rubbish. 1.7% to 1.8% is not small? Hard to see how much finer you can slice it without it being entirely meaningless. So each country is different, at least I am using a cross country benchmark. What's your benchmark to support your statement of un-affordability?

3) It is not funny at all. If you are a billionaire, does that mean you are willing to pay S$100 for a bus ride (to take an extreme case)? Hence it is flawed to say people who spend thousands should gripe about cents.
Its matter of value as far as what the product is.

If say the fare rise were 10 cents (its not even that) per way, that's 20 cents per day. If you work 30 days a week, thats $6 a month. Over one year, the cost to you is $72. If you bought a Canon 30D for $2000, Canon ijn Japan makes at least $500 from you, from a ONE time purchase. Its ok to pay Canon in Japan $500 for a camera you will keep for 2 years but its too much to pay less than $72 increase a year to a local transport company?

It is VERY VERY FUNNY indeed.

If everyone was a billionaire, the implication is that general wages are high and cost of services are high, then yes, a $100 bus fare is not ridiculous and no one should be complaining about it. The fact is such services need to be paid for. The g-ment has decided that it would not subsidise such services, but rather help those in the lower wage bracket thru more direct means like low/no taxation, CPF rebates, Singapore shares and the like, which in totality would mor than cover teh increase on an annual basis. If you are of less modest means, engaging in what can best be described as a fairly expensive hobby, then smile and pay up, and do your public duty by not demanding subsidies.

 

[Reno]

that's not a very fair way to compare. how has their gross revenue grown?

Then how are we going to compare this fairly??

 

[Reno]

after eating so many years of shi.t, what's there to think. even there's a bigger pile of shi.t waiting...at least it's a different flavour.:bsmilie:

And wider selection to choose from..... :bsmilie:

 

[Reno]

If say the fare rise were 10 cents (its not even that) per way, that's 20 cents per day. If you work 30 days a week, thats $6 a month. Over one year, the cost to you is $72..

As if everyone of us here has a direct bus/mrt to our workplace somemore... plus... we are dun have to go out on weekends to accompany our gfs/bfs or a family outing.... Usually we dun go to one place... so expect to take at least 2 to 3 buses to reach our destination... so i believe your 20 cents per day do not apply here....

 

[datan]

Then how are we going to compare this fairly??

you should compare profits as a ratio of revenue.

if profits grow by 30% in one year and revenue also grows by 30% in one year, that doesn't really mean anything except the company is growing.

 

[datan]

Then how are we going to compare this fairly??

Care to share why not fair? You're saying gross revenue is a better indicator than profit (revenue - expenses) less tax?

maybe using profit / revenue as an indicator

 

[datan]

As if everyone of us here has a direct bus/mrt to our workplace somemore... plus... we are dun have to go out on weekends to accompany our gfs/bfs or a family outing.... Usually we dun go to one place... so expect to take at least 2 to 3 buses to reach our destination... so i believe your 20 cents per day do not apply here....

if you take 3 buses and each increases by 2 cents that's
3 x 2 x 2 = 18 cents (two ways).

 

[Reno]

if you take 3 buses and each increases by 2 cents that's
3 x 2 x 2 = 18 cents (two ways).

if only that is what you say......

 

[Reno]

maybe using profit / revenue as an indicator

could you work that out for us to see....

 

[creampuff]

Fitting that such news of the impending fare hike comes during National Day time... remember that silly jingle "Stand Up For Singapore"? There's that famous line "...be prepared to give a little more", or the other one "Count Money Singapore", oops "Count On Me Singapore"? :bsmilie:

Self-fulfilling prophecy if ever I saw one.

 

[vince123123]

1. Erm, you just said they are private companies....

2. Until you show detailed figures of yoru comparison, I can easily say that it is not true or proven that it is that affordable based on countries of equilvalent economic development.

3. Your calculation is based on the assumption fare prices won't increase again. It is also based on the wrong assumption that cameras only last 2 years and only by one person in the family.

Thirdly not everyone are billionaires, just as not everyone has money to spend on cameras. Your reasoning is just because someone is rich, he doesn't have a right to complain about fare increases. This is again, flawed.

Do you know how much profit you gave to HDB when you buy your flat? I suppose by that reasoning, all HDB buyers cannot complain since that amount may surpasses what they would ever have to pay in transport. Again, value for the type of product, not based on absoloutes as you say.

The billionaire has just as much a right to complain if bus fares rise to S$100.00 or any figure , just as the average guy who earns S2k a month, because they are paying the same S$100 for the same service.

Do you realise most of the people who actually do write well-argued and reasoned complaints which are read by many people tend to be the more educated folks and the richer folks? Your average poor person does not often get his views heard. Do you also realise some are writing complaints for the sake of others who may not be articulate or educated enough to write well reasoned arguments?

Most countries public transport systems are state run, and are do not have multiple companies duplicating routes and services. Are all those state run monoplies then?

Rubbish. 1.7% to 1.8% is not small? Hard to see how much finer you can slice it without it being entirely meaningless. So each country is different, at least I am using a cross country benchmark. What's your benchmark to support your statement of un-affordability?

If say the fare rise were 10 cents (its not even that) per way, that's 20 cents per day. If you work 30 days a week, thats $6 a month. Over one year, the cost to you is $72. If you bought a Canon 30D for $2000, Canon ijn Japan makes at least $500 from you, from a ONE time purchase. Its ok to pay Canon in Japan $500 for a camera you will keep for 2 years but its too much to pay less than $72 increase a year to a local transport company?

It is VERY VERY FUNNY indeed.

If everyone was a billionaire, the implication is that general wages are high and cost of services are high, then yes, a $100 bus fare is not ridiculous and no one should be complaining about it. The fact is such services need to be paid for. The g-ment has decided that it would not subsidise such services, but rather help those in the lower wage bracket thru more direct means like low/no taxation, CPF rebates, Singapore shares and the like, which in totality would mor than cover teh increase on an annual basis. If you are of less modest means, engaging in what can best be described as a fairly expensive hobby, then smile and pay up, and do your public duty by not demanding subsidies.

 

[zcf]

Well, honestly.. NO.

But then think from another perspective, say our transport companies changed from privatized to government owned. No profits involved. We should have cheaper fares right? Wrong, mainly because government owned enterprises have no incentive to cut cost or improve service. They would probably just do the minimum to get their funding and we, as commuters would probably pay more for less.

The profit debate has been ongoing for public services over many countries for ages. Ultimately, while it sucks that our transport system is not perfect and all, it may be worst. Allowing it to be privately owned gives the owners incentive to maximize profit and cut cost, hence lowering fares in the long run. Now, being a duopoly, the government has to stop rampant fare increases and profit taking by imposing price ceilings and service levels to adhere to.

IMHO, the lessor of 2 evils. Of course, the big gainer is the body that collects the tax go figure..

If you think under the gov, the company won't perform, why are the top layer being paid loads of money for? Especially their pay is pegged to the top performers of the highest income sector :dunno:

 

[fotoudavid]

we can never win at all.

so thread close haha.

 

[zcf]

Most countries public transport systems are state run, and are do not have multiple companies duplicating routes and services. Are all those state run monoplies then?



Rubbish. 1.7% to 1.8% is not small? Hard to see how much finer you can slice it without it being entirely meaningless. So each country is different, at least I am using a cross country benchmark. What's your benchmark to support your statement of un-affordability?



If say the fare rise were 10 cents (its not even that) per way, that's 20 cents per day. If you work 30 days a week, thats $6 a month. Over one year, the cost to you is $72. If you bought a Canon 30D for $2000, Canon ijn Japan makes at least $500 from you, from a ONE time purchase. Its ok to pay Canon in Japan $500 for a camera you will keep for 2 years but its too much to pay less than $72 increase a year to a local transport company?

It is VERY VERY FUNNY indeed.

If everyone was a billionaire, the implication is that general wages are high and cost of services are high, then yes, a $100 bus fare is not ridiculous and no one should be complaining about it. The fact is such services need to be paid for. The g-ment has decided that it would not subsidise such services, but rather help those in the lower wage bracket thru more direct means like low/no taxation, CPF rebates, Singapore shares and the like, which in totality would mor than cover teh increase on an annual basis. If you are of less modest means, engaging in what can best be described as a fairly expensive hobby, then smile and pay up, and do your public duty by not demanding subsidies.

That's seem to be the view of the rich/elite group of people :think:
Too bad most of us are not rich and have to even buy 2nd hand stuff to save money, and even more poorer people out there where 10-20 cents saving mean they have money to feed their young :cry: