Foreign bus operators will help push up standards

I am glad that a foreign operator secured the first package of bus routes put up for tender, leaving the two incumbent public transport operators disappointed.

Some transport analysts have aptly described it as a wake-up call (“Tender results a ‘wake-up call’ for SMRT, SBS”; May 9). Indeed, Singaporeans have relied heavily on the two incumbents for decades, almost at the mercy of their arrogance.

Many commuters suffer in silence, and those who spend time to provide feedback are also disheartened because the operators keep defending themselves, instead of acknowledging our feedback or doing a survey to improve their services.

We provide evidence of bus irregularities and receive counter-evidence from them, so what is the point of providing feedback?

I hope more foreign operators participate in the provision of public transport, to push up the standards of our bus operations.