bas dan teksi

fatz2

MASIH ADA PEMANDU TEKSI LANGGAR ATURAN

PEMANDU teksi masih dikesan melanggar peraturan yang melarang mereka daripada menurunkan atau mengambil penumpang di luar perhentian teksi di dalam kawasan pusat bandar (CBD).

Perangkaan daripada Penguasa Pengangkutan Darat (LTA) menunjukkan seramai 14 pemandu teksi dikesan melanggar peraturan itu setelah pihaknya menguatkuasakan peraturan baru itu pada 1 Mei lalu.

LTA menyatakan jumlah itu adalah lebih rendah daripada purata 24 kes sehari yang dikesan pada Mac lalu dan 15 kes pada bulan lalu.

Semasa tempoh penyesuaian selama dua bulan, pemandu terbabit diberi amaran sekiranya dikesan melanggar peraturan berkenaan.

Menurut LTA, isu keselamatan adalah sebab utama mengapa peraturan itu diperkenalkan pada 1 Mac lalu.

Ini kerana perbuatan pemandu teksi yang berhenti dan menukar lorong secara mendadak di sepanjang laluan yang sibuk untuk mengambil dan menurunkan penumpang menimbulkan bahaya kepada pemandu dan pengguna jalan raya lain.

Peraturan itu memerlukan pemandu teksi mengambil dan menurunkan penumpang di perhentian teksi yang disediakan di CBD.

LTA kemudian memberi kelonggaran dengan membenarkan teksi-teksi di CBD mengambil dan menurunkan penumpang di tepi-tepi jalan yang tidak dilalui bas awam.

Pemandu teksi diberi tempoh masa dua bulan sehingga bulan lalu untuk menyesuaikan dengan peraturan itu.

Mereka yang melanggar peraturan itu akan didenda $100 dan diberi tiga mata demerit.

Browneyes

celaka mana yg buat peraturan ni... nampak sah bangang!! satu hari memintak dia kena langgar teksi

fatz2

:re:


*******************
May 6, 2008         
Hundreds of bus-fare cheats caught daily
By Yeo Ghim Lay



OVER 300 commuters are caught cheating on their bus fares every day, and it appears that thousands more get away with it.

SBS Transit, which runs the majority of bus services here, said it detects about 10,000 cases of cheating every month - which works out to more than 330 cases a day.

'Fare evasion is a serious problem for us,' said its spokesman Tammy Tan.

Meanwhile, SMRT said it had about 1,470 cases every month last year - almost 50 cases a day.

According to statistics in 2005, cheats cost the bus companies $9 million in fares each year.

To help stem the losses, the Public Transport Council (PTC) announced that from July 1, commuters caught not paying or under-paying their bus and train fares will have to pay a $20 penalty.

Currently, the penalty for cheating on trains is $50, but from July, the same penalties will be imposed for both modes of public transport to remove the disparity.

Those who use a concession card they are not eligible for will have to pay $50.

Among those caught cheating by SBS Transit, half paid less than what they should by tapping their ez-link cards at the exit way before they were due to alight.

One in three caught was misusing concession cards, while one in four did not pay fares at all, said SBS.

In one case of fare cheating two years ago, a woman was caught using a primary school pupil's concession card while boarding an SBS bus.

But even though bus drivers and ticket inspectors weed out hundreds of fare cheats every day, many more get away.

In the latest available statistics from 2005, TransitLink estimated there are about 42,000 cases of fare evasion on buses every day.

It derived this number by multiplying the total number of trunk service trips by the average number of cases of fare evasion on each trip.

The average fare lost is 60 cents.

Before the penalties kick in, bus operators will issue advisories to fare cheats and put up posters at interchanges and MRT stations to inform commuters of the tougher action.

From July 1, those who are caught cheating on their bus and train fares can either pay up on the spot or at TransitLink's ticket offices and Add Value Machines within 14 days.

Those who do not do so by then can be fined up to $1,000. Subsequent offenders can be fined up to $2,000 and/or be jailed up to six months.

While cheating on buses is rampant, it is less common on trains.

SMRT said it sees about 105 cases of train fare evasion a month, while SBS, which runs the North-East Line, gets about three cases every month.

Those caught usually follow closely behind paying passengers to get through fare gantries.

Others do not pay for children travelling with them.

[email protected]

fatz2

Singapura : 9 Mei 2008        
  
DIJEL KERANA PUKUL DREBAR BAS

SEORANG penumpang, Muhamad Fairus Abu Bakar, 32 tahun, dihukum penjara tiga minggu kerana memukul seorang pemandu bas.

Di mahkamah semalam, Fairus mengaku salah menumbuk dan menendang Encik Wong Hing Keong, 44 tahun, di Moulmein Road pada 6 Jun tahun lalu.

Mahkamah diberitahu, beberapa penumpang, termasuk Fairus, sedang menaiki bas SBS nombor 81 di depan Hotel 81 apabila Encik Wong menyuruh Fairus, yang sedang merokok dan berbual dengan seorang rakan, agar cepat.

Selepas kedua-duanya berada dalam bas, Encik Wong terdengar Fairus memakinya. Apabila Encik Wong bertanya apa yang dikatakan Fairus, dia naik marah dan menendang pintu kabin pemandu.

Pertengkaran berlaku antara mereka dan berterusan apabila Encik Wong memberhentikan basnya di Moulmein Road. Fairus kemudian menumbuk kepala dan menendang badan Encik Wong serta menarik uniformnya.

Di bawah undang-undang, dia boleh dipenjara sehingga satu tahun dan/atau didenda sehingga $1,000.

Browneyes

Originally posted by fatz2 at 10-5-2008 12:50 AM
Singapura : 9 Mei 2008         
  
DIJEL KERANA PUKUL DREBAR BAS

SEORANG penumpang, Muhamad Fairus Abu Bakar, 32 tahun, dihukum penjara tiga minggu kerana memukul seorang pemandu bas.

Di mahkama ...

melayu tunjuk terer...

mesti baru keluar dari hotel 81.. duit habis tapi tak syok

fatz2

ada2 jer

****************

May 12, 2008
Shortage of bus drivers expected to worsen
Operators, unions to rebrand job to make it more attractive
By Yeo Ghim Lay

BUS operators SBS Transit and SMRT are now short of about 200 drivers each.

And because they have to shorten waiting times for commuters by August next year, they will need even more drivers. SBS Transit projects it will need another 100 more by then.

About 1,500 bus drivers have been hired over the past three years, but the National Transport Workers' Union (NTWU) has said this is still not enough.

Among these hires, only a quarter are Singapore citizens, while the rest are permanent residents and Malaysians. Earlier this year, both operators started hiring mainland Chinese drivers.

To tackle the shortage, the union and bus operators have set up a committee to look into how the job can be made more attractive to Singaporeans by 'rebranding' it to highlight its positive aspects.

It is also looking into making the job 'more competitive', said NTWU executive secretary Seng Han Thong.

And to further widen the pool of bus drivers here, it also plans to look into enticing more women and older workers into taking the job.

The committee expects to roll out some of these plans in the next six months.

Mr Seng noted that the job now had a largely negative image - one that was dead-end and demanded that the person put in long, irregular hours for a low salary.

He told The Straits Times: 'We hope to rebrand the whole industry and increase awareness among Singaporeans that bus drivers do get many benefits.'

He pointed out that, for example, bus drivers get allowances and about three months in bonus on top of their minimum basic monthly pay of $1,200. They also get CPF and medical benefits.

A check with private bus companies showed that while some also offered their drivers CPF and leave, they paid less and did not offer full medical benefits.

Private bus drivers who ferry children to school, for example, take home less than $2,000 a month, but their hours are shorter.

SBS Transit's bus drivers earn between $1,600 and $3,500, including overtime pay, perks and allowances.

More than half the company's 5,200 bus drivers earn more than $2,500; over a fifth draw more than $3,000.

Among the higher earners is senior bus captain Tay Tiang Hui, 51, who has been driving for 29 years. He now earns more than $2,600, a sum he is satisfied with.

However, there are others unhappy with what they earn. One bus driver, who cannot be named as he has not been cleared to speak to reporters, said he earned just over $2,000 a month.

Now 60, after having driven a bus for more than 30 years, he said: 'The pay is very little, but I have no choice. What else can I do when I am so old already?'

But if bus operators were to raise the salaries of drivers, their operating costs would go up, and this could translate into fare increases for commuters.

MP Ong Kian Min, deputy chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Transport, is all for rebranding the bus driver's job.

'Many people are not prepared to accept the job based on perceptions of what it is like. Changing the image will help in this case,' he said.

But an advertising industry man pointed out that rebranding can only come after substantial changes are made to the job itself.

Mr Mark Fong, creative director of advertising agency Young & Rubicam, said: 'There is only so much image can do. Job redesign has to take place first before you go into branding.'

[email protected]

fatz2

May 12, 2008         
Odd hours, long shifts, but he still has the drive
Why are so few Singaporeans signing up to be bus drivers? The answer may lie in the long, irregular hours and low pay. SBS Transit senior bus captain Teo Cher Soon, 43, earns $1,700 a month after eight years. Reporter Yeo Ghim Lay tails him through a typical nine-hour day


MAKE ROOM, BUS IS PACKED: On one of his trips, Mr Teo has to get off the driver's seat to ask passengers to move to the rear to make room for others. -- ST PHOTOS: LIM CHIN PING

A GOOD SWEEP: Mr Teo routinely cleans the bus in between trips when it is parked at the interchange.

ROUTINE CHECKS: No 94A number plates? Mr Teo picks up a set.

ROUTINE CHECKS: Before starting his bus, he checks the oil level.

5am: He has breakfast at a coffee shop near his Serangoon North home. He checks his schedule and learns that he will drive services 94 and 94A today. He has to be at the Eunos interchange to start the first of the day's nine trips by 6.32am.

He and a few other drivers are picked up by a bus for SBS employees and driven to the Braddell Road depot.

5.45am: Mr Teo reports to the office, scans his employee pass and picks up a timesheet, which contains the start and end times for the day's trips. He also picks up a checklist he will use as he inspects the bus he is to drive.

After checking for dents and the fuel and water levels, he is satisfied it is road-worthy. He boards the bus and 'logs on' with his pass. He prints out a sample ticket. The ticket machine is working fine.

6.07am: He drives the service 94 bus to Eunos interchange, the starting point. This service runs to the Republic of Singapore Air Force airbase in Paya Lebar and loops back to the interchange.

6.35am: At the Eunos interchange, more than 10 commuters are waiting. The bus fills up en route. (On his second run an hour later, more than 20 commuters are waiting.)

By the third stop, the bus is packed. Mr Teo has to get off his seat a few times to ask commuters to move to the rear to make room for others. He gives the next few stops a miss.

8.17am: He drops off his last load of passengers at the airbase and drives back to the interchange. After he checks to see that commuters did not leave anything behind, he goes to the interchange office, where he clocks in. Then, a five-minute toilet break.

8.22am: He is back on the bus to drive service 94A (the route is half that of service 94's). It plies between Eunos interchange and the airbase, and makes no stops on the return leg.

9.02am: He gets back to the interchange, slowed down by congestion en route. He takes a two-minute break.

Lunch hour: This comes after his fifth trip of the day. He has 25 minutes to eat - and not much choice by way of food at the interchange canteen. He gulps down mixed vegetables with rice and has a cup of coffee. Another toilet break and it's back on the bus.

2.40pm: He calls it a day at Eunos interchange after four more trips. It has been more than eight hours since he started work. He clocks out at the interchange office, and walks to the bus stop at Eunos MRT station to wait for the bus that will take him home.

En route, he looks at his timetable for the next day's shift, which is longer. He will drive service 63, a three-hour route.

Home!: He lies down for a one-hour nap - 'but only for an hour. If not, I won't be able to fall asleep tonight'.

His single day off a week is usually spent with his wife and daughter, who is in Secondary1.

Over the years, he has met his share of unreasonable commuters - those who take it out on him because they think they have waited too long, even when his bus is on time.

Once, he had a commuter who was so drunk that he vomited and passed out on board. Mr Teo had to call the police, who arrived with an ambulance to check on the man. Mr Teo got home later than usual that night.

Among the 10 drivers who started work the same year he did, about half have left, with most having quit or retired.

Some days, he works 13hours, depending on the shift he is assigned. Overtime pay kicks in after eight hours.

Despite the hours, Mr Teo says he does not mind the job, as he does not bring his work home. Also, the job has given him a stable income and Central Provident Fund savings, which pay for his flat.

'I plan to continue driving as long as I am able to,' he says.

[email protected]

fatz2

May 14, 2008         
SBS Transit drivers can now work till they are 65
Bus operator introduces new retirement age in face of severe driver shortage
By Keith Lin


THEY'VE GOT DRIVE: Senior drivers (from left) Lim Boh Cher, 60, Leow Keow Lye and Loh Choe Kheng, both 64, are all smiles at the news. -- PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO

BUS drivers with SBS Transit can continue working beyond the official retirement age of 62 without suffering any loss in pay or benefits.

They can now work until 65, the company's new retirement age for drivers - who are in short supply here.

However, they can opt to switch to a different role, such as coaching new drivers on how to navigate a crowded road.

The new retirement age was announced yesterday by SBS Transit, which pinpointed the high-level skills of these older drivers as the reason for its move.

Its chief operating officer, MrGan Juay Kiat, said: 'We've noticed that older bus captains tend to be more patient and careful when driving. The experience they have gathered over the years also means they can pass valuable pointers to new bus captains.'

The company's move comes amid a worsening shortage of bus drivers. Already short of 200 drivers, it has come under further pressure as it will need 100 more to comply with the Public Transport Council's new requirement, which calls for bus operators to shorten commuters' waiting times by August next year.

SBS Transit is one of two main bus operators here, the other being SMRT.

To ease the shortage, the company hires permanent residents and Malaysians, and is looking into employing mainland Chinese.

In all, two in three of the 5,200 SBS Transit drivers are aged 40 and older.

One of them is Mr Lim Boh Cher, 60, who has been ferrying commuters for 37 years. He was pleased with the latest announcement.

'I love my job too much to think about retirement,' said Mr Lim, whose monthly pay, including overtime, is about $2,600.

'Besides, staying home is boring.'

Praising SBS's new move, labour chief Lim Swee Say said it marked a mindset change that employers must adopt ahead of a new law on re-employment. The law, which will take effect in 2012, requires companies to offer jobs to workers when they turn 62.

Said the labour chief: 'Some companies say if you want to continue working beyond 62, it must be subject to health, job performance and so on. Here (at SBS), it's the opposite. You can work until age 65, provided you are healthy, perform well and so on.

'That is a big change in mindset,' he said after touring its East district headquarters in Ang Mo Kio, accompanied by 40 union leaders.

To coax more bosses to rehire older workers, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) groups companies on a four-tier scale based on the re-employment measures they have taken. So far, 433 out of 1,000 unionised companies have introduced such measures. Of these, 15 per cent are at the top two levels, NTUC said.

Mr Lim Swee Say said NTUC's immediate goal is to convince companies to 'at least take the first step'.

'Eventually, we want them to recognise that re-employment is the way to go, and to look at mature workers as a source of expertise and experience,' he said.

[email protected]

fatz2

LTA says smaller buses tend to suffer more damage in accidents
By Hoe Yeen Nie, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 14 May 2008 2032 hrs



SINGAPORE: The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said smaller buses tend to suffer more damage in accidents, compared to bigger vehicles.

The issue of school bus safety is expected to be debated further when Parliament sits in two weeks. Some MPs said they want to make seatbelts mandatory on all school buses.

At Yu Neng Primary School, teachers regularly remind students about the importance of road safety and the need to belt up. The students seem to be getting the message.

"We must wear seatbelts, because if the bus jerks, we may fall and (get) injured," said a student.

Another said: "If you never wear seatbelts, the driver could jam the brakes, and you may fly out of the window."

Yu Neng Primary School's buses all have safety belts, but not all public schools require their buses to have seatbelts installed. Even schools that engage buses with seatbelts do not make it mandatory for students to wear them.

Some schools said they are taking a wait-and-see approach, before making the move.

LTA said in countries where seatbelts are mandatory, the requirement is usually limited only to small buses because studies have shown that big buses can better absorb the impact of a collision due to their design, size and weight.

Bus operators have pointed out that not all seatbelt systems are suitable for minibuses, and older vehicles will take longer to retrofit. They added that enforcement would remain a practical problem.

"Singapore kids won't wear seatbelts. You have to make them do it. Once the bus leaves the school gates, they'll remove the belts," said a school bus driver.

School bus drivers also said that with the seating capacity reduced, some costs will be passed on to parents. But even so, some said they expect to make at least 20 per cent less.

"No choice, what to do? No choice. We hope they (the parents) can give a bit to us," said a school bus driver.

Some said if losses are too high, they may switch to ferry more workers and international students instead.

School bus drivers currently charge students at local schools between S$65 and S$170 a month, about half of what international students pay. - CNA/ac

fatz2

May 15, 2008          
90 buses fitted with cameras to catch errant bus lane drivers
By Maria Almenoar


This van will not be allowed to unload in the bus lane along South Bridge Road from June 2 as this will be one of the new full day bus lanes are in operation from 7.30am to 8pm on weekdays and Saturdays, except on public holidays. -- PHOTO: FRANCIS ONG

DON'T try cutting into the bus lanes from June 2. You may be caught on camera - from a bus.

Ninety buses on 12 services will have cameras fitted on the front to help the authorities catch errant driver violating the bus lane rule, which is to ensure buses get an uninteruppted run down their lanes.

The buses with cameras will ply both the city areas and the heartlands, on services which cover the new areas designated as full day bus lanes, said LTA on Thursday.

Some cameras have already been fitted on SBS buses on a trial basis last year. Previous cameras on buses, introduced in the 1990s, proved unreliable and traffic wardens were then needed to enforce the bus lane rule.

Those motorists who are caught flouting the bus-lane rule will be fined $130.

Eleven stretches of road in the city, which are already designated normal bus lanes - operating only in the morning and evening - will be converted to full day bus lanes.

Full day bus lanes are in operation from 7.30am to 8pm on weekdays and Saturdays, except on public holidays.

All the new full-day bus lanes are in the Central Business District and include stretches on Grange Road, Bencoolen Street, South Bridge Road, Victoria Street, New Bridge Road, Hill Street, Robinson Road, Shenton way, Fullerton Road and Collyer Quay.

fatz2

SMRT puts up bus services maps at six towns
By Hasnita Majid, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 15 May 2008 1939 hrs



SINGAPORE: From 15 May, commuters at six HDB towns will know the exact routes of bus services that ply to and from the bus interchanges, all thanks to the bus travel information put up by transport operator SMRT.

The HDB towns involved are Choa Chu Kang, Woodlands, Yishun, Bukit Panjang, Bukit Batok and Sembawang.

The bus services maps which are available at areas under SMRT's responsibility provide commuters with an overview of the bus and train connections from and within the towns such as how the bus services, including feeder services, connect with each other.

It also shows the connections with the MRT and LRT stations and other landmarks. And commuters welcome the move.

"This is very useful because you can compare the time and the distance and you will know if it is better to travel by bus or by MRT," said one commuter.

Another commuter said: "It uses red and blue to 'signal' the bus routes. So I think that will be helpful - to tell people how far away from the place you want to go."

The bus service travel information is the result of feedback from commuters who want an easy reference of the buses that can take them to their destinations.

Besides putting up panels, SMRT had also given out brochures which contain similar information, in 2007.

A survey done at Woodlands and Yishun two years ago showed that one in eight respondents found this information useful. Two-thirds are likely to use bus routes that they are unfamiliar with after looking at the maps, while 61 per cent said they are likely to travel on SMRT buses.

77 such maps have been put up at MRT and LRT stations, interchanges and bus shelters - with nine installed in MRT/LRT stations, 14 at interchanges and 54 at bus shelters.

The bus services maps can also be found on SMRT's website at www.SMRT.com.sg.

SMRT said the move is part of its efforts to encourage and facilitate the use of public transport. - CNA/vm

fatz2

May 16, 2008         
Driving in that bus lane could get you caught on film
Cameras installed on buses will record illegal moves by motorists from June 2
By Maria Almenoar


ROAD SPY: Wrong moves will be captured at the touch of a button. -- ST PHOTO: JOYCE FANG


CUT in front of a bus which has the lane all to its own and you risk getting yourself on tape - and a $130 fine.

Last year's Land Transport Authority (LTA) trial of video cameras fixed on buses to capture those who stray into bus lanes will go full steam ahead from June 2.

Eleven new stretches of road - all in the Central Business District (CBD) - will be made full-day bus lanes by then as part of efforts to get bus speeds up.

Ninety buses which use these lanes will have the cameras installed in front, next to the bus captain's seat.

Bus captains who spot other motorists in their way need only press a white button to record the scene unfolding in front of them.

The time and date will be recorded as well, followed by a five- to 10-minute clip. The video will go to the LTA and the errant motorist can expect a summons within two weeks.

Mr Jeremy Yap, LTA's group director for vehicle and transit licensing, said such cameras mounted on buses on the move will give 'greater coverage'' of offences committed by motorists.

'We also don't want a complicated system where it will affect the normal operations,' he said.

The LTA tested these cameras last year to determine how effective the coverage was and whether it would inconvenience bus captains.

The cost of maintaining the cameras will be shared between SBS Transit and the LTA.

SBS Transit chief bus captain Joseph Yap said he has motorists in front of him all the time, especially along Robinson Road and Collyer Quay: 'It's frustrating when we see cars stopping or waiting in the bus lane but we cannot do anything about it. At least now we can.'

Every month, about 2,000 people are fined for flouting the bus-lane rule.

Four in five are caught straying into bus lanes where entry by other vehicles is barred in weekday mornings and evenings.

The rest venture into full-day bus lanes, which now cover six stretches of road, including Orchard Road and Eu Tong Sen Street.

The ban on other vehicles on these lanes is between 7.30am and 8pm, except on Sundays and public holidays.

Besides announcing tougher enforcement of bus-lane rules, the LTA yesterday gave details of which stretches of roads will be converted into full-day bus lanes.

They include parts of Grange Road, Collyer Quay and Robinson Road, where at least 40 to 50 buses ply the road every hour, even during off-peak hours.

Before bus lanes were introduced in 1974, buses along some stretches of roads moved at between 10kmh and 15kmh. Bus speeds have since gone up to 25kmh.

Smooth flow of buses, especially in the CBD area, is one reason for the 'cabstand only' rule started in March.

On roads plied by buses, taxis can pick up or drop off passengers only at taxi stands, to avoid getting in their way.

Motorists can expect even more roads designated as bus lanes by the end of the year.

The LTA said it is looking at roads in Ang Mo Kio, as well as Commonwealth Avenue and Simei Avenue among others.

[email protected]

fatz2

LTA to roll out 4 new road safety initiatives
Fri, May 16, 2008

       
THE Land Transport Authority (LTA) is trying out four new safety initiatives on the roads.

This includes an electronic signboard to tell motorists their speeds, lane markings to indicate an upcoming pedestrian crossing, triangular lane markings to get motorists to slow down and dotted lines at pedestrian light crossings.

The trial will last for six months before LTA decides whether to use these safety initiatives islandwide.

fatz2

May 17, 2008         
New minibuses to be fitted with seat-belts: Govt
By Dhany Osman and Nur Dianah Suhaimi

THE green light has finally been given for seat belts on mini schoolbuses.

The government will 'soon' make it compulsory for all new minibuses to be fitted with seat belts, Transport Minister Raymond Lim said on Saturday.

As for minibuses already on the road, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) will need some time to study how best to have seat belts retrofitted, he said, speaking on the issue for the first time.

Speaking to Fengshan residents at a community dialogue session in Tanah Merah yesterday, he said 'the issue is not whether to do it but how best to implement' it.

He explained that LTA will need three to six months to study how to have seatbelts fitted to the 1,550 minibuses now on the road.

This is because these buses come in different designs and seat configurations. The issue here is that any change must be 'effective in enhancing safety'.

But if 'they (LTA) can do it sooner, they will do so,' he added.

LTA also needs to take into account schoolchildren who may face some disruption when minibuses are retrofitted with seat belts, he said.

Only mini buses will be fitted with seat belts. Bigger school buses will be exempted.

Said Mr Lim: 'If you look at countries that had mandated seat belts, they have done so only for small buses. That is the international practice, we will follow that.'

[ Last edited by  fatz2 at 17-5-2008 09:52 PM ]

SweetCandy

Bagus jugak LTA implement rule gini.. safety come first

fatz2

Operators may switch to bigger buses to cope with seat belt rule
By Hoe Yeen Nie, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 18 May 2008 2019 hrs



SINGAPORE: Some transport operators said they may switch to bigger buses to cope with the new seat belt rule.

Transport Minister Raymond Lim announced on Saturday that seat belts will be mandatory for all new mini-buses that have up to 15 seats.

The issue of seat belts on school buses has seen much public airing in recent weeks and some transport operators have started installing seat belts on their buses.

But many operators are still unsure if two-point or three-point belts work best for children and for some of them, the effectiveness of safety belts is secondary to aesthetic concerns.

Tan Siau Heng, Heng Bus Transport, said: "I have some buses which are 20-seater ones with seat belts, but I have removed them because seat belts make the bus look messy

fatz2

May 20, 2008         
Cabby sees carjacking, chases and nabs thief
Due for an award today, he says: 'I just helped out'
By Yeo Ghim Lay


BRUISED AND CUT: Cabby Tan Chin Teck was hurt in the carjacking, witnessed by his colleague Mohamed Rapi. -- ST PHOTO: AZIZ HUSSIN

A TAXI-DRIVER turned hero is getting an award today for helping to nab a car thief.

Driving along Sims Avenue early last Tuesday, cabby Mohamed Rapi, 37, thought he was witnessing a dispute between a fellow cabby and a passenger.

A man was trying to open the driver's door, even as the blue Comfort taxi was pulling away.

He then hung on for a few seconds to the handle of the passenger door, before falling onto the road in front of Mr Mohamed's cab. The other taxi sped off towards Jalan Eunos.

The cabby of five years did not realise he was witnessing a carjacking.

Cabby Tan Chin Teck, 46, had left the key in the ignition when he went to the toilet at Geylang Serai market at 5.40am. Minutes later, he had returned to find a stranger in the driver's seat.

Figuring that something was wrong, a stunned Mr Mohamed decided to follow the runaway taxi.

The man was no cabby, he thought. He was in a sleeveless T-shirt. He kept glancing at his side and rear-view mirrors. He was driving erratically.

Mr Mohamed dialled 999 and tailed the taxi to the Circuit Road area. But the carjacker suspected he was being followed; he started driving in circles to shake off the other cab.

The cabby lost his quarry at Balam Road, but soon spotted the hijacked taxi at a carpark at Block 65, Circuit Road. The man, still in the driver's seat, appeared to be ransacking the cab.

But then he caught sight of Mr Mohamed. Abandoning the vehicle, he clambered over the bonnet of Mr Mohamed's taxi and ran off.

What came next was a 30-minute chase on foot through the neighbourhood's housing blocks that only ended near the Institute of Technical Education College Central.

Two policemen who had arrived at the scene helped Mr Mohamed pin the man, who was in his early 40s, to the ground.

Mr Tan, whose taxi was hijacked, was bruised and cut by his fall on the road. Although shaken by the experience, the father of a two-year-old daughter told The Straits Times that he does not intend to give up driving a cab.

'I need this job to make a living and take care of my family,' he said.

His employer ComfortDelGro will waive his portion of the rental fee and arrange his medical claims.

ComfortDelGro will also commend Mr Mohamed with the Crystal Award, given to cabbies who have performed 'extraordinary acts', merit points and $200 cash, said its spokesman.

Shrugging off the recognition, the cabby said: 'I was just helping my colleague.'

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Browneyes

Originally posted by fatz2 at 19-5-2008 03:12 AM
Operators may switch to bigger buses to cope with seat belt rule
By Hoe Yeen Nie, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 18 May 2008 2019 hrs

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/imagegallery/store/phpUvh2HC. ...

tak perlu lah to me.. incase of fire masa accident lagik susah bebudak tu nak selamat kan diri.. badan dah kena ikat

fatz2

abis takkan nak biarkan jer budak2 tu tercampak sana sini bila bas/van belanggar....
budak2 ni pulak, walau ada attenden dlm bas/van, dorang bukan boleh duk diam .....

Browneyes

Originally posted by fatz2 at 20-5-2008 10:05 PM
abis takkan nak biarkan jer budak2 tu tercampak sana sini bila bas/van belanggar....
budak2 ni pulak, walau ada attenden dlm bas/van, dorang bukan boleh duk diam .....

biasa lah, nama nya budak..   best kan jejalan dlm bas...

tapi bas/van sekolah jarang ah accident.. compare to taxi.. almost everyday