The Waiting Game

Crowded bus stop makes boarding of buses challenging, resulting in long waiting time for the next available bus.

By: Kevina Sim

Clementi bus stop is able to fit three buses at once, which makes boarding difficult when it is packed with people during peak hours. | PHOTO: KEVINA SIM

The clock was ticking at Clementi bus stop and Lee Ji Yuan Jane got increasingly panicky every moment she was unable to get on a bus. It had been more than 20 minutes of waiting and the thought of being late for her 9:00am class haunted her.

It was a matter of luck and strategy, as she had to predict where the bus would stop. If she picked the wrong place to stand, she would lose her chance to get on the bus.

The huge crowds at Clementi bus stop make it extremely difficult for people to board the bus without resorting to running and squeezing to the front, especially for students of Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP), Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) and Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS).

NP students make up a big part of the crowd. One possible reason for this issue is the cancellation of NP shuttle bus in Hougang and Tampines, announced in 2018. According to a poll conducted, 60 per cent of the 101 student respondents are willing to go out of their way to take the free shuttle bus provided. This can help ease the crowd at Clementi bus stop, as well as King Albert Park (KAP) bus stop which can be very packed in the morning too.

Many have voiced out their anger regarding the cancellation. “[Having a shuttle bus] was easier and less burden on the wallet, because coming to NP actually cost more than $4 a trip,” says Sara Naqiyah Amranizar, a second-year Arts Business Management student in NP.

Mr Wesley Teo, the Manager of Student & Alumni Services Office in NP, says in an email interview, “The decision to withdraw services from Hougang and Tampines was made after considering the availability of new public transport options, in this case the MRT lines, which has reduced the travel time to NP.”

King Albert Park bus stop has space for one bus at a time, so the doors only open at one spot, making boarding more systematic. | PHOTO: KEVINA SIM

Based on a survey of 101 respondents, 50 students take the bus at KAP and 90 per cent stated that they have to wait 5 to 10 minutes before they could board a bus, while 75 per cent of the 51 students who take the bus at Clementi have to wait 15 to 20 minutes.

According to the Public Transport Customer Satisfaction Survey 2018, the satisfaction score for public buses rose slightly from 64.9 in 2017 to 65.6 in 2018. However, out of the eight attributes tallied, waiting time and comfort had the lowest scores.

Leong Ai Xian, a second-year Immersive Media and Game Design student in NP, says, “To reduce waiting time, I think they can increase the number of buses in the same period of time. If the frequency of double-decker and [articulated] buses increased, there will be less squeezing and comfort levels can rise.”

Jane, a recent graduate of NP with a diploma in psychology, has tried to leave her house earlier in order to beat the morning crowd. “Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t, but it doesn’t hurt to be there early so I try my best to do so.”