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New webpage for real-time MRT and LRT updates, including rail delays, to launch on Dec 13
The webpage will consolidate information on lines operated by both rail operators SMRT and SBS Transit, and provide live information during disruptions. PHOTOS: LTA
Summary
- New webpage, mytransport.sg/trainstatus, launches Dec 13 at 6pm, providing real-time updates on Singapore's MRT and LRT lines and incidents.
- Delays are classified as "yellow" (under 30 minutes) or "orange" (over 30 minutes).
- LTA is developing tools with Google Maps for real-time, journey-specific info during delays, improving journey-time estimates.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said on Dec 12 that the webpage at mytransport.sg/trainstatus will go live at 6pm on Dec 13.
Delays would be classified in two broad categories – “yellow” for minor delays, where services are expected to resume in less than 30 minutes, and “orange” for major disruptions that will likely take more than 30 minutes to resolve. Classification is based on historical data on how long similar faults have taken to resolve.
The webpage will consolidate information on lines operated by both rail operators SMRT and SBS Transit, and provide live information during disruptions. It will be updated as delays are resolved – “orange” advisories will be downgraded to “yellow” and then to “green” once service resumes. “Yellow” advisories can be upgraded to “orange” if a fault is more complicated than expected and requires more time to fix.
LTA said there will also be indicators for planned delays, which will be progressively introduced.
LTA’s announcement came more than a week after it said on Dec 3 that SMRT and SBS Transit will prioritise on-site communications to passengers who are directly affected by minor delays of under 30 minutes, rather than broadcast a social media advisory on maximum travel time.
Some commuters were frustrated by the absence of updates on SMRT’s social media channels during two separate train disruptions on the Thomson-East Coast Line on Nov 18 and the East-West Line on Dec 2.
They said finding out about a delay only when they get to a station would prevent them from making other transport plans, and could cause them to be late or force them to spend on private-hire car services.
LTA said delays broadcast on the webpage would be classified as minor if they affect only a short stretch of the rail network and occur during off-peak hours. Passengers can continue using train services during a minor delay.
Major delays affect a larger sector of the rail network, and happen during peak hours. In such instances, passengers will be advised on the next-best alternative, such as using other MRT lines or free bus services at affected stations.
Each advisory will include a timestamp, the affected rail line and sector, and the type of incident (minor or major). It will also indicate whether passengers can continue to use the train service, or if they should divert their journeys.
In the event of a major delay, rail operators SMRT and SBS Transit, as well as LTA, will also put up social media posts on their respective accounts.
A yellow icon means passengers can stay in the rail system, as the delay will be resolved within 30 minutes. An orange icon means that they may have to find other ways to continue their journeys. When lines are running normally, a green icon will be displayed.
LTA said other metro systems, such as those in London and Paris, also provide commuters with a centralised webpage to check the real-time operating status of their metro systems, in addition to messages and announcements at affected stations during delays.
The authority said it is developing other tools, including an app, to provide real-time, journey-specific information – such as using geolocation to pinpoint a passenger’s location – to help them plan what to do during rail delays.
For instance, it is working with Google Maps to provide source data to improve journey-time estimates, making it easier for passengers using the mapping service to adjust their journeys during an incident.
More details will be announced when these tools are ready, LTA said.
The webpage will give passengers more accurate information, as social media posts may not always appear on a person’s feed in a timely manner, LTA noted. This may result in passengers making unnecessary or costly detours if train services have resumed.
“We will continue to improve our approach to communicating information on the status of our rail network,” it added.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singap...tes-including-rail-delays-to-launch-on-dec-13
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