Thursday, June 26, 2008

Suggestions are not welcomed

Dear mr Tan
You have given so much practical suggestion for improvement for our public transport such as for MRT, taxi etc - I presume you have also been in direct contact with the concerned parties. Do they respond at all or accept any of your suggestions? Are they allowed to read your posting or allowed to reply?

I think the authorities concerned should make it a point to browse through your blog and other websites which are frequently suggesting improvement. They should actively encouraged those citizens who so freely give out ideas for improvement without any charges or selfish intention. Perhaps I am too naive to think in such way.
monsoon


REPLY
I have given a lot of suggestions to different levels of the Land Transport Authority and Ministry for Transport. Are they listening?

Read my article on "Suggestions are not welcomed".
http://theonlinecitizen.com/2008/06/suggestions-are-not-welcomed/

Often, I do not get any reply. This is our Singapore.

A divine right

A very attractive young girl was about to enter the church in a topless dress when the vicar ran towards her.

"I'm very sorry, miss," said the vicar, "but I cannot possibly allow you to go into Church like that."

"But I have a divine right," protested the young girl.

"Yes," agreed the vicar, "buy you have a divine left too, but I still cannot let you into my church like that."

Encourage more people to take public transport

Editor
Forum Page
Straits Times

During the past year, I take the MRT train regularly to visit most places in Singapore. I find the train to be more convenient that driving a car. I avoid paying high ERP and parking charges and driving in congested roads.

I wish to give the following suggestions to make it more convenient for commuters to take the MRT train:

1. Have a digital display above each door of the train to announce the previous, current and next train station as the train moves along the journey. The names of the stations can be displayed in English and Chinese. This system is used in the Taipei system and is helpful for passengers.

2. Have a green light at each door, to indicate the left or right door that will open at the next station. This system is adopted in Hong Kong.

3. Mark the space near the door with a yellow box. Passengers standing in this box should make way for disembarking passengers.

4. Display a map prominently at the exit of the MRT station, showing all buildings and bus services serving each bus stop within 2 kilometers of the station. This will make it easy for a commuter to take a connecting bus to their final destination.

5. Allow independent operators to use a light bus to run a feeder service to serve the catchment around each MRT station. This service can be operated at a low cost, with a short waiting time.

The first four suggestions are low cost and easy to implement. It will make it more convenient and enjoyable for commuters to take public transport, instead of driving a car.

Tan Kin Lian