New Routes, Old Issues

Poor regulation of bus departure times and drivers’ unfamiliarity with new routes attributed as reasons for shuttle bus frequency problems.

By Ng Jian Yang, Esther Lam, Ng Yan Xiang, Josephine Tan
Infographic: Jonathan Chan, Sheena Tan

NTU’s new campus shuttle bus system has cut down waiting time. But in exchange, students find themselves walking longer distances between stops, and experiencing longer commuting times.

The Nanyang Chronicle monitored bus frequencies and travelling time during peak and off-peak periods over one week, and found that bus frequency has generally improved.

The new routes by NTU Students’ Union (NTUSU) and the Office of Housing and Auxiliary Services (HAS) were introduced in July to reduce waiting and travelling times.

Campus Loops Red and Blue operate 10 stops each  – spanning the North and South Spines, and the hall clusters — in opposite directions.

The Campus Rider and Campus Weekend Rider run from Pioneer MRT station to NTU routes.

NTUSU said the new routes will reduce waiting time by up to two minutes in each direction.

WAITING TIME: Long queues aplenty as students clamour to get to class under the new bus route system.
PHOTO: FELIX CHEW

The Nanyang Chronicle observed that the average waiting times for the Red and Blue lines were about four and five minutes respectively. This met NTUSU’s projected timings of five to six minutes.

But, a separate survey of almost 500 students by NTUSU found that most students disagreed that waiting or travelling time had improved.

Jonathan Tan, a second-year Biological Science student, said that while the buses arrived on time, they were often congested and he was unable to get on them.

The 23-year-old said: “Campus Loop Blue buses are always packed to the door at the bus stop opposite Halls of Residence 4 and 5 during the morning rush hour.

“The next few buses might be the same. And sometimes I’m forced, after a long and futile wait, to cross the road to take Campus Loop Red, which takes a huge detour to reach my school.”

The Nanyang Chronicle also found that the frequency of buses varied significantly. This is most apparent during off-peak periods.

 On one day of surveying from 7-8pm, the first Blue line bus took nine minutes to arrive at the Innovation Centre bus stop. The next day, the bus arrived after a 49-minute wait.

Prior to its implementation, NTUSU tested the new routes.

“We timed everything and confirmed that the current plan will increase the frequency of buses and hence improve waiting times,” said outgoing Student Relations Executive of NTUSU Cheryl Lee, 21. However, she stressed that the system is new and still had teething problems that need to be ironed out.

She attributed the erratic bus frequency to “poor regulation of the departure times of buses from the bus depot” and “bus drivers still being unfamiliar with the new routes”.

Urging for patience, Lee said that NTUSU has convened a task-force to review and improve service standards.

“NTUSU is also exploring the possibility of having a temporary shuttle bus service for ADM students,” she added.

Chief HAS Officer Mr Jimmy Lee confirmed that the university is “looking into feedback from ADM students requesting for sheltered access from the school building to other parts of the campus”. However, he said that there are currently no plans to bring back the removed bus stops.

“All buildings and facilities on campus can be accessed within a short walk,” said Mr Lee.

He encouraged students to adopt an open mindset about the new system, “It is only natural that some commuters will need time to adjust to these changes.”

“We seek everyone’s understanding regarding the relocation of several bus stops,” he added.

For ADM student Nadia, there is one silver lining in the new bus system — a shorter waiting time for  the Campus Rider. Even though the queue snakes from the start of the pick-up point to the overhead bridge at Pioneer MRT, the line moves quickly as buses come every five minutes.

“The queue in the morning is much shorter due to the increased frequency of the buses. I hardly have to wait at all now,” she said.