Train breakdowns: Do not neglect coordination efforts
I was glad to hear on this week’s Talking Point, “The day the trains stood still”, SMRT and the Land Transport Authority vowing to work harder to identify the root cause of last week’s disruption, find solutions and enhance reliability.
I was glad to hear on this week’s Talking Point, “The day the trains stood still”, SMRT and the Land Transport Authority vowing to work harder to identify the root cause of last week’s disruption, find solutions and enhance reliability.
A key aspect, however, was not discussed: The lack of coordination.
For example, except for announcements over the public address system, I saw no effort at Jurong East to usher the massive crowd out of the MRT station in a safe and orderly fashion.
In the bus interchange, stranded passengers were not directed to where they could board shuttle services, which only started 30 minutes after the disruption.
I hope the operators and the regulator, in focusing on enhancing the reliability of the rail network, do not forget the safety of commuters, who were also stuck in trains without lights or air-conditioning.