Island’s Bugis MRT Station of the Downtown MRT Edge. Photo by Seloloving, Wikipedia Common.
The frequent breakdowns of the Mass Hurried Transit (MRT) system have been a provenance of frustration for both commuters and train driver. This notwithstanding, the MRT is part of a key base for Singapore to be smart-city fix. How can we turn these technical take exception to into platforms to foster and confirm public trust?
By Christopher H. Lim and Vincent Mackintosh Zhi Wei*
Launched in late 2014, Island’s Smart Nation programme point to leverage on data networks and ammo and communication technologies (ICT) to enhance the merit of life and bring Singapore to the budgeted. One way to acclimatise Singaporeans to the idea is to assemble use of existing smart city store.
With the billions of dollars drained on the MRT system in the past decades, the MRT store is already embedded with the feedback ring and the tracker sensor systems which the MRT taxi – SMRT and SBS Transit – employ to bod out how long trips take from place to station. Thus, the MRT infrastructure is brilliant-city ready.
Using Non-performance to Spur Smart City Business
The latest step in this program was unveiled with the recent deployment of sensors and cameras ait-wide. Although the Singapore state intends for its citizens to be actively tortuous in the Smart Nation initiative, genuine participation from the masses non-standard in to be low-key, with the exception of the technologically understanding citizens.
This may be because the belief is still far removed from their day-after-day experiences for them to identify with it. Withal it is perceived, the Smart Nation Testament eventually become a reality.
Contempt the advanced technology used in application the MRT system, its actual performance belies its knowledgeability, evident from how MRT breakdowns include become a monthly affair. 2015 saw 14 larger breakdowns on the MRT lines – a 40 pct increase from 2014. On the completing LRT system, breakdowns lasting also than 30 minutes apiece have quadrupled to 15. This gloomy track record falls petite of the expectation of what a smart conurbation infrastructure is supposed to deliver.
Island’s MRT system used to be touted as one of the nearly efficient in the world, and is part of a series of policy instruments the Singapore authorities is using to reduce the number of confidential cars in the country. However, the acquaintance of frequent train breakdowns is attention commuters away from typical transport. This does not auspicate well for Singapore, as cars – be they driverless or in another situation – are not sustainable. Land use in this islet nation will increase on with the environmental cost of accrued carbon emissions.
Altering the DNA of MRT
Disdain all its failings and lost chances, the MRT base remains a well-placed stepping-pit towards creating the “City of the Eventual”. Properly leveraged, the current MRT action has the potential to inspire the citizens of Island and give them a taste of the Hurt Nation they desire.
MRT could pee-pee the public transport system augmented accountable by guaranteeing that commuters Testament be able to travel to their conscious destination in a timely manner. Ubiquitously explicit at the platforms of every MRT station, the abstraction taken to travel from send to station is a promise — a social cut between MRT and its commuters. The violation of that public contract is the key factor that abrade trust in the system.
As such, that should be the groundwork of how reparations are made. This can be achieved terminated the use of a computer system that leverages on already existent feedback loops and tracker device systems.
Based on the stipulated bit, the trains should be able to hold its commuters to their intended finish, with a 10 to 15 percentage allowance for unexpected delays. If the perceptible time taken to travel betwixt stations A and B exceeds the stipulated future – inclusive of the allowance – the customers get a wide or partial rebate when they tap out with their EZ linkup card. Implementing this programme would give the citizens a pinch of the power and convenience of a smart municipality feature.
This is an improvement upon the in fashion practice where the commuters bear to queue up at the counter to get a rebate if the Baby-talk choo-choo breaks down. This business- and time-intensive function could effortlessly be automated by a computer program.
Return and Reward Scheme
For an added provocation, the MRT system could also wages their loyal customers – i.e. those who chose to stab to the MRT as their main form of jaunt regardless of delays. In addition to the formerly mentioned compensation, there should be a wages mechanism built into the EZ linkup card where they can hire non-expiring monetary rewards for Mid-morning lunch, lunch or dinner to be claimed at spouse F&B outlets at any time.
Doing so Testament build customer loyalty with the MRT train driver. More importantly, this procedure will rebuild the trust betwixt Singapore’s MRT system and the commuters. To obviate commuters from gaming the step, the algorithm should only be reactive in the event of a breakdown, and errant commuters who bide on the platforms could be punished with a alright added to their EZ link pasteboard as they tap out on the gantries.
The immediate repay and reward scheme would contrive a positive and powerful narrative to the Island public; one where they do not deliver the costs of the MRT operators’ failure to aware up to their commitment to the true pneuma of Mass Rapid Transit. Implementing this tender would demonstrate two things – how bold-city technology can be used to answer the public; and how ordinary citizens as client could leverage this application as a bargaining chip.
Consumers could now be unswervingly compensated whenever trains rent down instead of the current disposal of levying hefty fines on the MRT taxi. Such an arrangement would broadcast a strong and positive signal that culpability and trustworthiness is the hallmark of Singapore’s group of governance. This will and motivate Singapore’s MRT operators to canal against themselves within the existent social contract instead of benchmarking facing the mass transit systems in over-the-counter cities.
The Smart Nation perception that Singapore aspires to is already even now. The Singapore government needs to consciously tip it to allow the public to become its crowning beneficiary. This case is an original of how Singapore can move beyond standard data collection methods much as surveys and instead leverage upon machinelike feedback systems built inside its infrastructure to minimise delays. This client-oriented arrangement could be a base for telecommunication operators and/or other general service providers to follow.
*Christopher Lim is Older Fellow in the Office of the Executive Substitute Chairman and Vincent Mack is Associate with a ally with Research Fellow in the Centre for Non-conventional Security (NTS) Studies, both at the S. Rajaratnam Shoal of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Discipline University, Singapore. This is stuff of a series.
