Summary of Attachment

I was attached to the Public Transport Quality (PTQ) department of the Land Transport Authority (LTA) at Sin Ming. Through this attachment, I was able to learn more about the public transport scene in Singapore. We were introduced to the planning, scheduling, and quality control of bus services. This is the part of public transport that not many people get to see. It is as though we get a behind-the-scenes look into the services we rely on everyday.

We were attached to Jeremy Wang, Assistant Manager of the PTQ department. Under his professional guidance, we were able to complete this internship and even present our findings to some Directors.

what's the project?

2 Project Details

2.1 Background information on the Thomson-East Coast (TEL) MRT Line

The Thomson-East Coast (TEL) MRT Line will connect residents from the heartlands to areas in the city such as Shenton Way, Outram Park and Orchard. It will pass through the estates of Woodlands, Thomson, Marine Parade, Bedok South and East Coast upon its completion in 2024. It will significantly reduce travelling time between the city and the heartlands, enhancing convenience and connectivity to Singaporeans.

To give you an idea, if one lived in Marine Parade and wanted to get to Shenton Way for work, the best option via public transport currently would be the bus, and that would take him/her around 40 minutes. However, the TEL would cut that time in half, only taking around 20 minutes. Connectivity to the city thus increases as passengers need less time to get there.

2.2 The problem(s)

Undeniably, the opening of the TEL will not be perfect. Anticipating an ideal situation where the TEL completely solves all connectivity issues and can work in perfect tandem with other modes of transport is simply illogical. Given any situation, it is no doubt that there will be repercussions; it is just up to us to mitigate them.

This gives rise to our project:

To anticipate the issues that might stem from the opening of the TEL,

and provide solutions to them.

So, what issues could arise?

2.3 Mitigating these problems

Mitigating these problems will ensure that LTA's resources are optimised. It is not easy to come up with measures to deal with these problems and even harder to implement them. However, this was our task. We proposed route amendments, which would enhance connectivity to TEL MRT stations and minimise route duplication. We also proposed frequency amendments to ensure that bus supply can meet commuter demand and possibly even divert commuters to take the TEL.

A myriad of factors needs to be considered when coming up with these solutions. On the part of LTA, it needs to make sure that they are not losing money while still providing efficient service to commuters. Hence, on the part of us interns, we needed to think of measures that could save on LTA's spending; running a service with no passengers is frankly just a waste of oil and money.

On the part of the commuters, we have to bear in mind their needs and wants, because they ultimately rely on LTA to get on with their daily lives. We also need to consider their emotional attachment to the bus services which they probably use on a daily basis. Another important consideration on the part of commuters is that if they have other travel options in the event that we remove or reduce the frequency of a particular service. How would you feel if something you relied on for all your life is removed? Unhappy, I'd like to imagine.

2.3.1 Services 10e and 196e

These services were selected because they effectively mirrored the TEL.

10e and 196e are variants of their parent services, 10 and 196 respectively. They provide a direct connection to the CBD from the heartlands. 10e parallels the TEL along East Coast Rd while 196e parallels the TEL along Marine Parade Rd. Both services pass by important commercial areas, such as Suntec City and Shenton Way. Similarly, the TEL stops at Shenton Way too.

As of current, Express services are the fastest and most direct way to the CBD from East Coast or Marine Parade (via public transport). Many people rely on these services to get to work. With the opening of the TEL, we anticipate ridership to fall up to 50% as passengers decant to the train. The train is an undeniably much faster and cheaper option. Though we hope as many people as possible take the train, this will never be the case due to the convenience and comfort of these Express services. We understand that commuters value this. However, if ridership falls, and we do not change anything about the service, there may be a surplus number of buses.

In anticipation of the falling demand, we have proposed to cut the number of trips on both Express services. This complements the TEL by still providing an alternative route while still being an option for commuters to take. When you consider all stakeholders, the rationalisation of these services will benefit LTA in terms of spending, yet commuter experience will not be drastically affected due to there being other options.

2.3.2 Service 853M

We noted that ridership on this service is quite low. In addition, the buses are the most crowded along the original route of Service 853. Furthermore, with the opening of the TEL, this problem could be exacerbated, with Service 853M facing even lower ridership along Marine Parade and Upp East Coast as people opt to take the train instead.

Hence, we propose to gradually decrease the frequency of service 853M with the view of eventually rationalising the whole service once ridership is low enough to do so. We propose doing this so that commuter experiences will only be affected gradually. This instead encourages them to utilise other services to get to their destination. Upon rationalisation, service 853 will take its place and operate on Sundays and public holidays. This will save spending on unnecessary mileage and may even encourage commuters to take the TEL. We understand the concerns the public might raise over this, but if ridership is really very low, then operating this service is economically not wise.

2.3.3 Service 32

In the Frankel and East Coast region, Service 32 is available for residents to commute towards the city. This service allows the commuters to head towards areas like Bugis or North Bridge Road and transfer to the Circle Line and East-West Line, but it does not provide direct access to the transfer of the new Thomson-East Coast Line.

3. Learning Points

To say I have learnt a lot is an understatement. These are my main takeaways from this internship experience, in terms of skills and content.

1. Bus Infrastructure

Content wise, I learnt more about the transport infrastructure of Singapore, in terms of how routes are planned and how buses are scheduled. I learnt how LTA policies contribute to the provision of a more efficient service by Public Transport Operators. Looking at the work of the bus schedulers and planners, I got an insight into the jobs of our unsung heroes.

The Bus Contracting Model (BCM) is quite important to Singapore. The Model allows greater responsiveness to changes in ridership and commuter needs. Within the industry, there is increased competitiveness, which ultimately results in better service standards for all commuters.

Under the BCM,

• LTA will own all bus assets: buses, depots, interchanges etc.
• LTA will become the central bus planner, deciding on bus services to be provided, and the service standards which operators have to meet.
• Bus operators will bid for bus route packages through a competitive tendering process, and be paid service fee to operate the bus services. (Bus services are grouped into packages based on their location, e.g. services from Upp East Coast, Bedok region in Bedok Bus Package)
• Incentives/disincentives will be paid out to PTOs depending on their performance; with regards to how punctual services are.
• All fare revenue will be retained by the Government and to ensure the affordability of public transport fares.

In short, the BCM will provide better service standards for all of us.

2. Data analysis

We had to work with a lot of data during this internship, analysing commuter travel patterns. This included bus loading (how full it is), Origin-Destination data (where people board and alight), and the actual timetables themselves. We were presented with new forms of data that we had not seen before, so interpreting it was a challenge at first. As we pored over the data, we began to make sense of it, slowly but surely.

Another thing we had to note was to take care and caution when requesting for and looking into this data because they were confidential and sensitive. We needed to make sure that our data was used ONLY for this project and nothing else.

Data analysis skills are very important, especially for Data Response Questions or even in Project Work.

3. Presentation skills

Through the bosses' comments, I learnt what it takes to make a good presentation. On the part of the presentation slides, they needed to have more pictures and be less wordy. Headings, page numbers and fonts all needed to be standardised. After presenting to our mentor, we were shocked at the amount of amendments we needed to make, in terms on content and in terms of how we had structured the slides. I learnt that it is good to always start with a problem statement so that the entire presentation will be clear and focused.

On the part of the speakers, we need to know our content very well, or make it seem like we do. A confident speaker can get the message across better and leave a more lasting impression. Our mentor suggested to us to try not to look at our scripts when presenting, instead just going with the flow. We did that, and it turned out very well.

Again, this is a good start for Project Work in JC1.

4. Rewarding aspects

1. Working in a government post

Through this internship, I got to have a look into a department that not many are privy to. Furthermore, we're working for the Singapore government and Singaporeans. Here, every action can and will have repercussions on the general public, who rely on LTA. Hence, we needed to approach this project with a lot of sensitivity. Whatever we propose here could, one day, change Singapore.

Working here requires you to have lots of empathy, as you need to think for Singaporeans. Intensity is another thing, as you deal with lots of sensitive data. Holding a job here can allow you to have an impact on society. I feel this is very prestigious, considering not many people can say that they work for the Singapore government.

2. Exposure to work culture

This was a new experience for me, having been in education for 13 years. Initially, I expected the work to be very mundane as it was an office job, but the people there brought to life what could easily have been a very dull experience.

The people we worked with were very friendly and very willing to help us out. We talked to many people for advice, and their support really motivated us to do our best. Essentially, we had the whole department behind us. I guess the culture at a workplace is not necessarily always toxic as I thought it to be, where everyone is super competitive. We can bring this supportive attitude anywhere we go, and guide those who need our help. I wonder if the office is not such a lifeless place after all.

5. Final takeaways

Holistically, I think I have grown as a person too. Working life is a huge difference from school life, yet the same values apply too. I have learnt about these qualities at school, but now I get to apply them to a real-life context.

1. Be Proactive

When in need, one must not remain silent. If we need help and do not speak up, then no one will offer their help. In this internship, we consulted many people for data and advice. Conversely, when someone else is in need of help, we should also do our best to help them. When we help one another, we can move forward faster.

2. Be flexible

Work life will never be smooth. When faced with adversity, we need to know how to improvise, adapt and overcome. If we do not do so, we will be left behind easily. Learning how to adapt to different situations is so important especially in a competitive environment such as work. When a new task comes in, quickly attending to it would result in quicker completion.

3. Be receptive to feedback

Feedback is so important. It can check our progress, to see if we are actually progressing or not. If we do not welcome feedback or criticism from others, we may just view ourselves through rose-tinted glasses, and not be aware of flaws in our plans. Through this internship, our colleagues helped us along the way by asking questions and giving feedback on our ideas.

All in all, WOW was truly an eye-opener for me. I learnt what it takes to work for Singapore. I realised that a job here requires knowledge in Geography, and I am considering having a career here as I wish to pursue Geography in University. The memories I made here will definitely last a lifetime.