I was 45 minutes late for work yesterday because something went wrong with Circle Line. It literally went round in a circle. After around 20 minutes of a futile ride, I was back in the station which I started out in. Took an alternative train route to Jurong East, but by then the last shuttle service to my company had already left. So I had to spend a little extra to ride on 193 (which is a snail on weekday mornings) to work. Could have taken a cab but that idea was not at all tempting due to the taxi fare hike this week itself. So I just texted my supervisor and proceeded to go to work the slow and sure way.
Today the one of the trains in North-South Line (red line) broke down, and passengers were stranded in the underground tunnel for more than one hour because the doors couldn't be opened. I was eating a (company sponsored) buffet dinner with my colleagues, and we were appalled by pictures of people smashing MRT glass windows (because we didn't know that they were stuck in the train for so long, with no air-con)! An after-effect of this was a terrible jam along Orchard roads and affected areas. Of course the cabbies got a booming business despite the fare hike.
News spread like wildfire, and despite negative images and comments on the line, I am still glad to read a FB comment posted as such: " Why ask for grace, if one can't even show grace towards a system that has been loyal in serving for years?" Of course things like this are easier said outside an MRT than inside it; but still it's a start. Not that such occurrences are excusable (Singapore won't survive if they happen so frequently), but from the point of view of a consumer, shouldn't we be a bit more forgiving towards these occurrences considering the irreplaceable service the MRT has provided in the past?
All that said I think Singapore ought to start investing heavily in getting more trains, and providing for emergency servicing for existing trains. They have been so over-used that they break down a lot, especially now. And with the expanding population, the need for public transport is higher than ever (not all can afford cars). Frankly speaking I'll rather do without all the new MRT lines coming up if they'd instead enhance the existing services we have right now. The butterfly effect of one day's service break-down towards the working class in particular is very significant.
