SMRT needs to get its act together

By now, most people are somewhat resigned to experiencing train breakdowns (Signalling faults cause two-hour delay on NSL, Tuas West Extension; June 29).

I was one of those affected last week. I had to disembark at Jurong East station, as there was no train going towards my destination in Woodlands. I asked an SMRT staff member if there were any other options.

She said there was a special bus service running parallel to the MRT track towards Woodlands.

I had to look out for signs at the interchange. But walking up and down the interchange yielded no results.

Fortunately, a bus captain clarified that there was no special bus. Commuters could take any bus instead to reach their destinations for free.

But too many people were waiting for the bus, and taxis were not an option.

Eventually, I walked back to the train station, since services began resuming. I reached Woodlands two hours later.

Announcements inside the trains were muffled throughout and on the platform, unclear.

Many of us were frustrated, not so much with the breakdown as with the lack of communication.

With all the train breakdowns, SMRT is strangely none the wiser about communicating with commuters and getting its act together.

While it is important to have a plan, it is equally important to have all staff clued in on what is happening and be able to articulate it well.

If we are unable to handle relatively uncomplicated and repetitive occurrences, it does not inspire confidence when it comes to a potential terrorist attack.

Instead of taking the pressure off itself with campaigns, SMRT should focus on communicating and executing its recovery plan when trains break down.