It has been a few months since SMRT bus service 656 took over from a private transport provider to ply the express route between Sembawang and the Central Business District.

Due to the layout of single-deck SMRT buses, the seating capacity is limited and inadequate. As a result, many commuters are left standing throughout the journey.

From my observations, the number of commuters standing is significantly more on the SMRT buses than on the coaches utilised by the private operator.

Compared to SMRT buses, the private coaches are noticeably more spacious and come with more seats, thus contributing to a larger seating capacity. The seats are also more comfortable.

To address the woes of Sembawang commuters, I sincerely urge SMRT to arrange additional trips during the peak hours every morning.

At the same time, considering the huge demand for this express service, SMRT should seriously contemplate deploying double-deck buses, rather than the single-deck ones used presently.

Joe Teo Kok Seah