The National University of Singapore Students’ Union has initiated a meeting with SBS Transit as a first step to improve the welfare of students commuting on bus service 151.

However, the exact date and period of implementing the recommended measures made by SBS Transit to improve the overall quality of travel on its buses remains unclear.

Some of the recommended measures, including increasing the number and frequency of air-conditioned service 151 buses, were made in response to complaints posted by students on the “SBS 151” forum.

Complaints from students include long waiting times, irregularity and overcrowding of service 151 buses.

The forum was organised by NUSSU and held on the Integrated Virtual Learning Environment in February.

After the closure of the forum on Feb. 22, representatives from NUSSU, Office of Estate and Development and SBS Transit met on an unspecified date to highlight the concerns of improving the overall quality and regularity of buses for commuters travelling on service 151.

The findings of the IVLE forum and the results of the meeting between the three parties were revealed in a March 03 e-mail mass circular by Donald Koh, president of the 29th NUSSU executive committee. 

But it did not give any specific details regarding the dates and the periods that the recommended measures were to take effect. 

In the e-mail circular, Koh wrote, “SBS has since decreased the number of non-air conditioned buses to one in its fleet of 24 serving this route.

“Also, eight brand new Scania buses, which have more standing space, will be included in this fleet serving the (service) 151 route.” 

Based on the e-mail circular, it is not known whether the frequency and regularity of service 151 bus has been amended yet.

Before the release of the e-mail circular, NUSSU declined to comment on the issue when queried to reveal details about its meeting with SBS Transit.

In a Feb. 28 e-mail reply to decline an interview request by The Observer, Ryan Tan, NUSSU welfare secretary, wrote, “Information on the (service) 151 issue, if any, will be released to the student population at a later date.”

Since the March 03 e-mail circular was released, no further information has been made available regarding the monitoring of student feedback. 

Tan also did not respond to another e-mail request made by The Observer on March 17 for an interview.

Yeoh Wenhui, a third-year literature major and regular service 151 commuter, said she is not sure if any measures to improve the service have taken effect because the peak hour situation during the late mornings has remained unchanged. 

Yeoh, said, “I can’t tell the difference even though I was told that something might have been done. Peak hour traffic is still quite bad.”

A check by The Observer on Thursday evenings over the past several weeks revealed that the peak-hour waiting time for service 151 has been shortened.

The waiting time was about 15 to 20 minutes during the period between 6.30 p.m. and 7 p.m. last week.

This was an improvement compared to the waiting time of about 30 to 40 minutes at the same period during weekday evenings at the start of the semester. 

But it is not known whether the shortening of waiting time was the direct result of negotiations between NUSSU, OED and SBS Transit.

Increasing the frequency of service 151 arrivals is expected to become an issue about SBS Transit managing the high demand by providing students an alternative service that travels a different route.

Yeo added, “I think (service) 151 would always be packed because many students (from Ngee Ann Polytechnic and Singapore Institute of Management) take that same bus. And the long distance it travels does not help the situation.”