Bus Squeeze for SIM / Ngee Ann Poly starting new semester
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Feedback on Service 184
Hi SMRT,
I am a SIM Student and recently, there has been significant changes in our school timetabling system, that has resulted in a lot of students squeezing into some of your buses (especially 184) during certain times and wish to take you into attention on the issue.
Our school timetable has been changed into 4 fixed sessions instead of the usual staggered timetabling system due to an increased intake of about an estimated of 2,000 students.
The timings are:
830 - 1130 hrs
1200 - 1500 hrs
1530 - 1830 hrs
1900 - 2200 hrs
I have observed in the past 3 weeks of the school semester that the buses were too crowded and there are many students who were stranded at the bus stop.
This is especially so during the 1445 - 1530 hrs, 1815 hrs - 1845 hrs on both directions of the SIM bus stop (for 184) when students go home after school.
There is an estimated of about 200 students on each side of the bus stop during these timings and about 40% of them (80 students) are boarding 184.
About 10 students on average have to be left out at the bus stop on almost every 184 bus that stops at SIM bus stop.
I understand that efforts had been made in the past to cater to students, but the current schedule seems to be postdated back to the olden days' demand.
I wish SMRT can reschedule the bus timings and consider deploying more buses to reach the SIM bus stop during the 1445 - 1530 hrs, 1815 hrs - 1845 hrs so that it would not inconvenience students from SIM and Ngee Ann Polytechnic.
I hope SMRT would look at my suggestions. Thank you for your attention.
With Regards,
junyang700
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RE: Feedback on Service 184Our Ref: BS-SG-1001-0041
Dear junyang700,
We refer to your email below and wish to inform you that we are looking into the matter.
We understand that the timings that you have mentioned are school dismissal times, which will see an influx of passengers taking bus service 184. As buses have limited capacity, we might not always be able to pick up all students in one trip. We also wish to highlight that the scheduled frequency for service 184 during the time concerned is between 6 and 15 minutes.
Nevertheless, we thank you for informing us of the change in your school timetable and will forward your feedback to the relevant department for their review and consideration.
We thank you for writing to us.
Yours sincerely,
Vivian Cheong
Customer Relations
SMRT Corporation Ltd -
SMRT should consider deploying empty buses to this bus-stop for mid-trip svcs, not just brushing it off as sudden influx of passengers, since this is daily occurance. And passengers down the route are all being held up, esp for those who got no other route alternatives.
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Happens already.
Between 1815 hrs - 1845 hrs, there is no 75 or 184 calling at the Ngee Ann bus stop.
First 75/184 will arrive at about 1845 hrs at Ngee Ann Poly bus stop, 15 minutes after SIM's offical dismissal time as the crowd subsides.
Journey from Ngee Ann Poly to Beauty World Shopping Centre is about 45 minutes, including waiting time if you happen to reach Ngee Ann bus stop at 1815hrs.
Reason is that 75/184 is already full at SIM bus stop and skips Ngee Ann Poly bus stop altogether. -
I hope SMRT will amend their timetables to suit this increased demand. SIM is no longer as quiet as before as the school has taken in about 2,000 extra students before the annex next to SIM opens officially next year (or this year).
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in that case, additional empty mid-trip buses should be deployed; some buses starting from SIM and some start from Ngee Ann Poly to better manage the crowds.
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TS u r fr SIM rite... why worry about NP students? u can still board ur 75 or 184 what.. or board from maju bus sto.. not that far away
anw many NP students walk to upp bukit timah to take buses from the SHELL stn... -
yeah the peak hour crowds for this 2 schs is ridiculous..i rmb when i was a student there, there were times where 2-3 buses of the same service came one after another to cater to their peak hours..
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Originally posted by 105090:
TS u r fr SIM rite... why worry about NP students? u can still board ur 75 or 184 what.. or board from maju bus sto.. not that far away
anw many NP students walk to upp bukit timah to take buses from the SHELL stn...I hate the crowded buses. Anyway, I usually miss one bus too. I can take 75 and 184 and I will usually miss the first bus that comes. You need to run towards the bus when it approaches. But sometimes you cant walk to the bus too... The crowd for the buses is just horrible.
Thankfully, its only once a week for me as my school ends on Tuesday at 630pm. Rest of the time I leave school by my friend's car. -
Originally posted by stellazio:
yeah the peak hour crowds for this 2 schs is ridiculous..i rmb when i was a student there, there were times where 2-3 buses of the same service came one after another to cater to their peak hours..
Its worst now.
I havent seen something as bad as now.
And to your surpise, its the SIM timing that crowd the buses.
8am, 9am classes ... 4pm, 5pm classes for Ngee Ann crowd still manageable because services like 74 and 184 have special downroute or added frequencies due to reach these bus stops during this period.
Same dismissal time is now introduced with 1/3 of the SIM school population leaving the bus stop everyday at the same time and situation is worst at the 1830 hrs as students leave school at the same time, unlike other timings where some students stay back to do projects or eat lunch in school.
There is an estimate of 200 students at one bus stop per direction during this timing.
The Ngee Ann crowd still isnt that bad these days because the bus stop is quite big and broad, unlike the SIM bus stop that is about twice the length of normal bus stops. -
eh SIM.. 830 classes is in between ngee ann's starting time which is either 8 or 9..
however with SIM dismissing at 630, i think it shouldnt be affecting too much, because ngee ann usually dismisses at 5 or 6..
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I only know SBS does downroute for Sv 74. Always see VO2x or VO3x parking at SIM and proceeding to start trip at NP bus stop.
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the sim bus stop towards beauty world is too small.. imagine rainy days....
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Originally posted by stellazio:
eh SIM.. 830 classes is in between ngee ann's starting time which is either 8 or 9..
however with SIM dismissing at 630, i think it shouldnt be affecting too much, because ngee ann usually dismisses at 5 or 6..
Yes... But SIM students already cant board. About 10 stranded for every 75/184 that comes. Surprisingly, there is also always about 10 students waiting to take 75/184 down to Shell and Al'meen..
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Originally posted by sbst275:
I only know SBS does downroute for Sv 74. Always see VO2x or VO3x parking at SIM and proceeding to start trip at NP bus stop.
For 184, it's added frequencies. Like crossover from 966. And also split shifts...
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Originally posted by Junyang700:
For 184, it's added frequencies. Like crossover from 966. And also split shifts...
Sv 966 can't even cope on its own do crossover w/ 184.
Always you see Sv 151 or 154 BC chiong is because of 966's stucked at bus stop... 966 chiong at WDL thks to 950's mess (120 ppl queueing for 950 at 1 time).
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Get a duty from 106, 173 or 700 to cross 184 for a trip during that timing.
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Originally posted by ^tamago^:
Get a duty from 106, 173 or 700 to cross 184 for a trip during that timing.
LOL.... Best is 177. Haha...
Should shorten it to Bukit Batok >>> Mindef or Bukit Panjang >>> Mindef. -
Originally posted by Junyang700:
LOL.... Best is 177. Haha...
Should shorten it to Bukit Batok >>> Mindef or Bukit Panjang >>> Mindef.
if you ever noticed 177's schedule is screwed.The last bus could depart from Bt Panjang for MINDEF as late at 1840! Partly for tat slot is because there's 1x trip of KTM train en-route JB
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Originally posted by sbst275:
Sv 966 can't even cope on its own do crossover w/ 184.Always you see Sv 151 or 154 BC chiong is because of 966's stucked at bus stop... 966 chiong at WDL thks to 950's mess (120 ppl queueing for 950 at 1 time).
True. I always see commuters who cant board 966 (7am onwards to 10am) from Pending LRT onwards towards Marine Parade. Its pretty bad especially when the frequency is between 15 - 20 minutes and you cant board the bus because its packed to the doors.
700 also encounters this problem from 7am to 10am. The bendy crossover from 963 just isnt enough. -
Originally posted by sbst275:
if you ever noticed 177's schedule is screwed.The last bus could depart from Bt Panjang for MINDEF as late at 1840! Partly for tat slot is because there's 1x trip of KTM train en-route JB
The bus is pretty empty actually, 3/4 filled if you compare it against 180, 184, 187, 190, 700, 950, 960 and 966.
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Originally posted by Junyang700:
The bus is pretty empty actually, 3/4 filled if you compare it against 180, 184, 187, 190, 700, 950, 960 and 966.
nahThe crowd are from ah nia DXOs in MINDEF & ppl working at ind bldg like Lam Soon (edible oil, soap, canned food, drink manufacturer)'s towards Bt Batok
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The reason from of the added crowds is due to changes in timetable, thanks to a ICA ruling. SIM-UB also changed their morning lessons to start at 8.30 (used to be 9). Hence, the whole darned SIM starts at the same time.
In this case, might as well g et 52/154/74 to increase frequencies too.But surely, that aint possibly going to happen. I hope private mini bus can come into the picture though. -
for Clementi side, think SBS should need to get to do something to 154. The Boon Lay bound buses are very erratic.
Certain time get dedicated buses for 154A.
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Originally posted by sbst275:
nahThe crowd are from ah nia DXOs in MINDEF & ppl working at ind bldg like Lam Soon (edible oil, soap, canned food, drink manufacturer)'s towards Bt Batok
I see. I always see 3/4 full buses arriving at Bukit Panjang Int and empty buses towards Mindef from Bukit Panjang Int.
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Originally posted by sbst275:
for Clementi side, think SBS should need to get to do something to 154. The Boon Lay bound buses are very erratic.
Certain time get dedicated buses for 154A.
I tink there's already 154A from Boon Lay To Ngee Ann Poly during AM Peak Hours.
Probably 154B from Clementi to Ngee Ann Poly and return during AM/PM Peak Hours.