THEME - Transport: From MRTC to SMRT & SBS Transit

Yesterday's disruption of the NS and EW train services was unprecedented. Never has it happened before that two major train lines would be disrupted at the same time. Has the worst yet to come? What will it be? Are we ready for it?

I will be writing a series of blogs to reflect my thinking on a couple of topical issues. I have chosen the acronym, THEME, to represent the 5 major topics. 

The letter "T" stands for Transport and with the massive train disruption yesterday, it is timely for me to start with our Mass Rapid Transport ("MRT") system. To get a better grasp of the topic, it's always good to put things in perspective.

From MRTC to SMRT & SBS Transit 

Our rail-based urban transport system or MRT was once the toast of our people, praised for its comfort and speed. But in recent memory, it has been the cause of much unhappiness in a nation where most people commute by train.

When our MRT system was built, the regulator of train services was also the operator. It was known as the Mass Rapid Transport Corporation ("MRTC"). Formed in 1983, MRTC took over the role of the provisional Mass Raid Transit Authority ("MRTA") to oversee all roles and responsibilities of the train network. It would later be combined with the Registry of Vehicles and Roads & Transportation Division to form the new Land Transport Authority ("LTA") in 1995. 

The initial cost of building the MRT was S$ 5 billion and on 7 November 1987, the first line (NSL from Yio Chu Kang to Toa Payoh) was launched. On 6 March 2000, the Singapore Mass Rapid Transport Corporation was formed and it became the operator of the MRT lines. It was set up as a public-listed company to be a multi-modal public transport operator, providing rail transport services, taxis, engineering and commercial services. 

On 20 June 2003, when the NEL was completed at a cost of S$ 4.6 billion, SBS Transit Ltd (previously known as Singapore Bus Services Ltd) was appointed by LTA as the second train operator to foster competition with SMRT. Currently, SBS Transit Ltd runs the NEL and DL ("Downtown LIne") whilst SMRT runs the NSL, EWL and CL ("Circle Line").

Train disruptions

Prior to 7 July 2015, there has been a number of disruptions in train services. The NSL and EWL broke down due to power traction failure. As many as 250,000 commuters were affected and this was not the first time a major disruption has occurred. 

In December 2011, 2 major disruptions in the NSL led to the formation of a Committee of Inquiry ("COI") to investigate the causes of a series of disruptions that had occurred over a period of time. If you wish to appreciate the severity of the problems that plague our MRT system, the COI report provides a good start. Here's the link http://www.mot.gov.sg/news/COI%20report%20-%20Executive%20Summary.pdf

(To be continued).