SBS IRIS SYSTEM

[davidtch]

I m not sure whether all of u realised that there is tis IRIS SYSTEM for SBS Bus.  U can use it on ur mobile phone & only available 2 Singtel user (i don't know why).  D step is as follows:
1. Sent a msg to 74744.  Content of Msg: [Bus stop no-(Available on d pole wif all d service no)][Space][Service No].
    For eg, 02089 56
              [Bus    [Bus
               Stop    Service
               No]      No]
2. Wait 4 d reply. For eg, Bus stop 02089,Svc 56, NextBus: 3 mins , Subsequent bus: 30 mins.  Brought to you by SBS Transit. For T&Cs, pls check SBS Transit Website.

Cost: $0.05

U can also check out SBS website: http://www.sbstransit.com.sg/iris/mobile_devices.aspx#sms

[awcute]

I dunno why SBS goes with this. I would think bus search will be more popular. However Singapore has a uniquely difficult problem where road name are different for different direction, eg: eu tong sen st & new bridge rd. Almost all solution take an easy way out of asking you to specify the bus stop number assuming you will be going around the area to find all nearby bus stops. These can be easily solved by "shortest path" algorithm taken from discreet math. The computation can be expensive since most implementation are brute force, but you can be smart by applying probabiliy (or more like popularity). unfortunately sbs is a bus company that does not want to invest much in computers. I have no idea why nobody ever integrate SBS bus route and SMRT bus route. I have strong suspicion on intellectual property barrier, and if it is true then it is really really stupid!

The best fuzzy bus finder I can find for singapore is the one on www.streetdirectory.com. It is even better than SBS, but again, only sbs busses.

[davidtch]

U will hav 1 online bus guide when 2 bus co become 1. I m not sure how accurate is d timing, but, i benefited LW from bus timing sch. provided on SBS Website.  Anyway, tis is a "big" leap as compared to good old days.

[minkhunk]

Who is to be blamed for this?!?! LTA. Seriously, taboleh tahan sia. They could simply put a few restrictions and rules to state that in order to get better visibility and ease of use for all commuters they will have to combine resources to create a one-stop website for travelling. And LTA should be spearheading this! Well tell you wat guys: What else are you unhappy about?!?! I will be working with a professor for the annual LTA Satisfaction survey on public transport system, and I will be involved in drafting the survey and in the analysis of the results. So haha GIVE ME YOUR COMPLAINTS!!!  (and I will see how I can incorporate these real issues into the survey and smack them)

[awcute]

Minkhunk, here are a list from me:
1. AMK avenue 6, bike route & pavement. Old ah ma and ah kong like to walk on the bike route. Why? bike route is even futher in, it is like road, then pavement then bike route. Cmon, then just swap the bike route and pavement lah. (I will post picture)
2. AMK avenue 3. Stupid traffic jam after AMK hub opens. Why? obviously not enough planning.
3. AMK avenue 8 near MRT station. 1 traffic light at junction with avenue 3 (this is OK). Another at the AMK hub bus entrance/exit from the terminal, which is about 200 m from that, then ANOTHER traffic light for pedestrian to cross to AMK central (near blk 510A)
4. However, there is no traffic light at the T-junction of AMK street 41 and AMK avenue 8, when in the morning parents who bring their children to school cause a little jam there.

I am not sure now if all those new buildings in orchard road now will do later when they are open. More people, more traffic. Now already jam so bad, what will it be later?

Scrap the taxi night surcharge. Taxi driver sure complain but now here is a twist. That scraping should be implemented with increase of taxi fare during the day, so it will even out.
Implement a rule for taxi driver not to change shift during busy hour like 5-6pm but has to be between 4-5pm. In the morning change shift should be between 4-5am too. That way, by the time the crowd comes, all of them can pick up passenger rather than running empty because has to change shift.