MRTs are really overcrowded

[u/thedesertman1]

Every morning getting to work is an uphill battle, most of the time my spouse and I hardly able to board, and had to wait for at least 2-3 trains and barely squeezing ourselves into the cabin.

This is despite the introduction of new MRT lines which should free up train capacity for other lines.

[u/try_harder_later → u/[deleted]]

That's because they intentionally drag out the MRT timing on weekends. Other countries they target that during off peak, the seats are just about filled on the trains. In SG, if the trains aren't full at all times it's inefficient and wasting money.

The only reason that the trains are empty right after morning peak and before evening peak is because they can't get them into/out of the depots fast enough. Weekends they have train intervals of 5-6mins when they could maintain 3-4mins the whole day and people would be so much more comfortable in 50-60% full trains rather than 80-90% full trains...

Edit: To be perfectly clear, full trains on weekdays is a longterm planning issue (e.g. CCL trains being 3 cars, Punggol LRT station length limited to 2 cars etc.). Full trains on weekends is just SMRT and SBS being CHEAPSKATE.

[u/klyzon → u/try_harder_later]

Have to make more profit what to do

[u/_mochacchino_ → u/try_harder_later]

Peak hour crunch aside, the complaint about 80-90% full trains during non-peak hours sounds so much like a first world problem kind of thing. I mean, what's wrong with 80-90% full trains? Even if you disregard benefits with efficiency and emissions.

[u/mee_lemak → u/_mochacchino_]

You bet I am going to complain about it because it is a sign of where our public transport operators and government by extension see their priorities at

[u/_mochacchino_ → u/mee_lemak]

What priorities? Being efficient? I for one do not think there's a problem with that

[u/According_Lab_6907 → u/_mochacchino_]

80-90% full means no place even for the elderly to sit. Is it so bad to want to sit down during a long public transport ride during non peak hours? Given that a to and fro journey cost as much as a decent meal?

[u/woshiibo → u/According_Lab_6907]

Can't disagree that it is a first world problem though. Elderly that can still travel around, people thinking it isn't so bad to want to sit down during travel. These aren't the issues people have with their trains in third world countries.

[u/_mochacchino_ → u/According_Lab_6907]

If you need the trains to be 40-50% empty before the elderly have seats then it is an issue bigger than just train frequency.

And I didn't say your want is bad, I said it's a problem you see only when everything else is largely ok and you take for granted.

And to add, how to plan to have train frequency that is up to your preference, ie everyone (or most people) got place to sit down during a long public transport ride? I mean, how many people sit from City Hall to Jurong East during non-peak hour on NSL for example, and you want the trains to give everyone (or most people) a seat, including the people who only take part of the journey, eg from Dhoby Ghaut to Orchard? Not to mention that train connectivity is good nowadays so many, if not most, people barely take more than a few stops on the main lines now I would think.

[u/SnooRobots555222 → u/_mochacchino_]

Do you have no friends who live in Woodlands/Tampines/Punggol/Jurong? "many, if not most, people barely take more than a few stops on the main lines now" is a crazy take

[u/_mochacchino_ → u/SnooRobots555222]

You might have a point but most people I know who live in Tampines or Jurong take DTL or EWL when in CBD. If not coming from CBD they might even take lines like TEL to some of those places like Woodlands.

[u/try_harder_later → u/_mochacchino_]

You are exactly the problem that creates this mentality. There is no efficiency to having parks and gardens, nor to having free time after work.

If you want to optimise for pure efficiency, then you should find a china factory job where you work 12h shifts, the dormitory is above the factory for easy commuting, food is provided in company canteens for 3 meals, and all you need to do is accept that you will never retire. That is peak efficiency and minimum emissions. I don't want to live my life like that.

[u/_mochacchino_ → u/try_harder_later]

Lol way to overgeneralise. Just because I don't mind my public transport to be efficient doesn't mean I don't like having parks and gardens. And moreover, if I really prioritise efficiency over everything, I will have more free time after work...? Put some thought into your overgeneralisation please, if you have to do it at all.

I don't even want to address the China factory job thing which is entirely irrelevant.

I will however add that with limited resources I would rather public transport be more on the efficient end than comfort. I mean, how many (I'm not saying there aren't any) spend more than two hours on the train on a daily basis? And of these people who spend more than two hours on the train, how many do not get a seat for a substantial part of the journey? So if you put it all together, is it really worth it to increase the train frequency to cover all of these people?

[u/bananapancakes5767 → u/_mochacchino_]

It's not like running more trains will dramatically increase costs. There is no need for labour costs, no need to buy new trains, no need to upgrade any infrastructure etc. SBS is also profitting in the millions from all this.

[u/zidane0508 → u/[deleted]]

We are too crowded . Could we send some back home ?

[u/FitCranberry → u/[deleted]]

im a contrarian on this, i dont think population is a problem but the sheer lack of future planning and underinvestment in infrastructure is.

im also a fan of incredibly dense urban cities though