Comments on: Inappropriate Exaggeration http://rot.blogsome.com/2008/01/19/51/ All is not well beneath the shiny surface. Fri, 04 Jul 2008 08:42:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1-alpha by: twasher http://rot.blogsome.com/2008/01/19/51/#comment-32 Sun, 20 Jan 2008 10:22:01 +0000 http://rot.blogsome.com/2008/01/19/51/#comment-32 As it turns out, I have a commute very similar to hers and while I've had nightmare experiences with 95 and 200 as well, most of the time, if she takes the southbound train and either of the buses, it will be around 90 minutes. It takes less than an hour to Buona Vista MRT using the shorter way, and 30-35 minutes for the bus is reasonable. This also doesn't change the fact that the ST had to inflate the <i>cost</i> of the journey. They inflated the time for the first half (MRT ride) and the cost for the second half. I think $3 (or so) for a 90 minute commute sounds a lot better than $7.86 for a 80 minute commute. If she had taken the southbound train and then the taxi then it'd be only about 65 minutes. Incidentally, if she wants to take the northbound train the better bus option for her is probably to drop at Clementi and take 96, which has less of a crowd problem than 95, and saves her two extra MRT stops. As it turns out, I have a commute very similar to hers and while I’ve had nightmare experiences with 95 and 200 as well, most of the time, if she takes the southbound train and either of the buses, it will be around 90 minutes. It takes less than an hour to Buona Vista MRT using the shorter way, and 30-35 minutes for the bus is reasonable.

This also doesn’t change the fact that the ST had to inflate the cost of the journey. They inflated the time for the first half (MRT ride) and the cost for the second half. I think $3 (or so) for a 90 minute commute sounds a lot better than $7.86 for a 80 minute commute. If she had taken the southbound train and then the taxi then it’d be only about 65 minutes.

Incidentally, if she wants to take the northbound train the better bus option for her is probably to drop at Clementi and take 96, which has less of a crowd problem than 95, and saves her two extra MRT stops.

]]> by: nusguy http://rot.blogsome.com/2008/01/19/51/#comment-31 Sun, 20 Jan 2008 07:48:03 +0000 http://rot.blogsome.com/2008/01/19/51/#comment-31 Agreed that its sensationalist. But her cab taking is understandable. The bus interval for 200 is erratic at best and unpredictable. I think they had timings for it but not now if i remember correctly. And 95 is often full in the morning and most of the time you have to wait for at least 2 buses to get on and squeeze. And still have to change another bus!It adds up to even more time, i daresay at least 30 minutes. Regular 95 users will know what I mean. And taking the northbound train is not a bad alternative because you can get a seat and at certain timings the train goes straight down to buona vista after that, a worthwhile trade-off. In other words, without her taxi, her total transport time can be close to 2 hours. That's far from acceptable for me. Agreed that its sensationalist. But her cab taking is understandable. The bus interval for 200 is erratic at best and unpredictable. I think they had timings for it but not now if i remember correctly. And 95 is often full in the morning and most of the time you have to wait for at least 2 buses to get on and squeeze. And still have to change another bus!It adds up to even more time, i daresay at least 30 minutes. Regular 95 users will know what I mean. And taking the northbound train is not a bad alternative because you can get a seat and at certain timings the train goes straight down to buona vista after that, a worthwhile trade-off.

In other words, without her taxi, her total transport time can be close to 2 hours. That’s far from acceptable for me.

]]>