Domino effect

The other morning while walking towards the MRT station, we noticed that a train for Mr Love's direction stopped on the tracks just before the station.

Told Mr Love to be prepared as I reckon there might be a train/track fault this morning. Then he pointed out the screen that my direction train seems to be slower today too with 5 minutes interval.

True enough when I reached the platform, there was a long queue of passengers waiting for the train. As time passes the queue got so long that it stretches to the platform doors of the other direction. Even the train finally arrives 5 minutes later it was so packed that only the 1st 2 person in the queue manages to squeeze in but with much difficulty. You can literally see their faces squashed against the train door as it closes.

The same thing happens for the next 2 trains that arrives 5minutes apart later, all packed to the brim. I am only able to board the 4th train that comes though its also by squeezing my way in. When it reached the next station, the platforms are threatening to burst with passengers as this station serves 3 areas' residents namely Choa Chu Kang, Teck Whye and Bukit Panjang.

As we pulled away from the station, you can see the frustrated faces of those who are not able to board. The thing is, there is no announcement at the stations on why the train frequencies are much slower this morning. It is as if that every thing is working normally though you can see a huge crowd forming on the platform.

The thing about the train operators? I think they do not respond fast enough when something happens. They usually wait for the situation to get out of control before starting to give a bit of information here and there.

But it is just not good enough for the thousands who are rushing to work. Some of them might have trouble explaining to their bosses why they are late for work, while some might have their pay deducted(think Japanese companies). In my humble opinion, it's like the train operators do not give a damn on the inconvenience they have caused and conveniently wanna increase the fares every now and then.

One might argued that 5minutes delay on the train is nothing. But only those who are taking the transport can feel the effect.

A 5minute delay means that those who are planning to take the train say 3minutes before me are struck on the platform. Which will effectively puts me at the 5th or 6th position in the queue instead of 1st or 2nd position like I always take at the same timing. And this is the same for every station that the train stops before and after my stop.

For stations before me when the train is emptier, it would mean more passengers can board the train thus making it fully pack when it stops at my station. Since ours is a residential area, there are not much passengers getting off the train and hence not much space is free up for boarding. Only the 1st 2 in the queue at both sides of the door gets to board.

And you think this is it? Nope, the trains get struck at the station for a longer time too since many are trying to squeeze in and the train driver have a hard time trying to get clearance for closing the doors. This will lead to a even longer time for the train to move on to the next station.

I also noticed that when the train are more packed than usual, it tends to move slower (duh!) and again this adds on some more to our already longer travelling time.

Just as you reached your destination, you think all is over? Nope, this is only the start of another rat race. The queue at the exit will of course be longer since more are packed into this train. You take a longer time to exit the station. The walkway will be more crowded than usual and it takes a longer time for you to walk through the crowd.

Not to mention if you have to transfer to another bus (in my case) to your office, the queue will of course be longer since the previous buses had all left (with a lesser load). Then you go through another round of queuing up to see whether you can get on the 1st bus or not.

This is what happen to me when the trains frequencies drop to 5minutes on that fateful morning with no explanation given. Given that I only need 30minutes to reach office every morning, it took me around 50minutes on that morning. And my office is only 4 stations away from our house. I cannot imagine how I am going to continue the journey towards town should I worked there.

Imagined my fury when I read the news that every morning that my transport minister makes a comment that we must accept that the train breaks down once in a while since it is aging. Dude, so what are the maintenance team for? Aging is not an excuse, this is why maintenance is crucial.

I can accept if this happens once in a while. But to have it as frequent or even more frequent as my period is just unacceptable. To add salt on the wound, our fares will be raise from April onwards and you hope that we can live with the poor service with the fare increase and keep quiet. How nice.

Do not tell us how you feel our frustrations till you need to take the transport like us daily. Consumers do have a right to request for better service for what they pay for don't they? They do not pay more HOPING that a better service will be delivered (Didn't happen with the past few increase).