thumb tacks, thumb tech

Musings and rantings about...EVERYTHING.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

I miss California so so much...

I did not sleep well on Saturday night. In fact, I have been feeling sad ever since I came back to Singapore.

I miss California so much! Sunnyvale and the surrounds....

I miss the freedom. It is hard to define. It is just a feeling deep inside my heart.

I miss the weather. The weather which I could just walk out in the outdoors without much thinking. As and when I like it.

I miss the peace. It is just so pleasing to the mind and heart to be peaceful everyday.

I need to get myself back there again.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Singapore transport system sucks!

You will not feel it if you are staying right in the city, steps away from the MRT station. Unfortunate for you if you are staying in the East working in the far West such as Jurong or up extreme north in Woodlands. Well, just not all parts of Woodlands are well-connected - take an example...the building named "Semi-conductor" building in SBS transit website.

Typical transport route starts like this.

1. You take bus 12 in the morning in order to get to the MRT station @Kallang
2. From Kallang MRT, you take the MRT to City Hall and transit to Woodlands/Marsiling
3. From Woodlands/Marsiling MRT station, you have to take a taxi into the Industrial Park. Yes. No bus goes in there and the company bus cannot be taken by company suppliers, vendors, visitors.

In the evening, you take a taxi out from the Industrial Park to the MRT station, and take the MRT back to Kallang. But the torture is waiting for the bus at the bus stop at Kallang MRT station! Torture during evening peak hours!

Few days have passed and data is telling us, from Kallang MRT to Tanjong Rhu - it takes almost 45mins!!! Can you believe it?! 45 mins just to get home from the nearest MRT station. Adding the total commute time, it is almost 1hr 45min from work to home!

How inefficient can this be? The frequency of bus services needs to be improved during peak hours. I can fully understand the issue of bus delays due to traffic in the city causing a backlash in delays in the sub-urbs. This is only telling me there are flaws in the transport system.

I think SBS needs to be reminded that during peak hours, the frequency of the bus services needs to be carefully studied. And puh-lease......don't send single deck buses during peak hours. You are worsening the conditions since a single deck bus can only manage half the typical load of a double-decker bus.

You increase the fare price and we pay for it. Where is this money going to? Go and get more double-decker buses!