Five days into the free ride scheme for early commuters and things are running smoothly. The number of early commuters has increased slightly but still bearable.
Two factors could contribute to the situation at the moment. One, more trains were added to reduce the waiting time. At times train would arrive at 1 or 2 minute intervals. This frequency helps to get the commuters moving at a faster rate.
The second factor waiting to happen is the presence of student commuters. They will join the crowd on Monday and the picture could change. Whether having more trains and higher frequency could cope with the 300,000 students in the system is yet to be seen.
The strange thing or miracle that has happened these few days is that the trains could be spaced out within a 2 min interval, with some arriving within one min. Now why would I call this a miracle?
How many of you still remember a couple of years back when the jam problem first surfaced and there was a call for more trains on the track. Then some wise guy claimed that in order for the train to increase the frequency for a separation of 2 min interval it would need a sophisticated monitoring system that would cost a few billion bucks. Now it seems that without spending a few billion bucks, the train can still run with a 2 min separation. Is this strange or the public has been hookwinked? Or has SMRT already bought and installed that multi billion dollar train management system?
Another small miracle is that with higher passenger loads, the jams could be reduced or at least minimized by increased frequencies. Why was this not possible or not done in the past? Let me guess. High profits and sardine packed trains go hand in hand. To increase the comfort of commuters by having more trains running and higher frequency are incompatible with higher profits and higher bonuses. Can this be an explanation for the jam packed trains? Just thinking aloud.
Monday is just around the corner and if not delayed be the reappearance of dense haze, the system will be put to the real test. It would be more crowded for the early birds and the students. It is only a matter of how crowded would it be. This week was a good break for the SMRT to sort out the details and fine tuning for the free ride to prove itself. This free thingy would not have been even considered under the previous regime when profit was everything.
Chua Chin Leng AKA Redbean
*The author blogs at http://mysingaporenews.blogspot.com