Guest blogger, Johan Tabora, my supportive and loving husband, weighs in on his perspective on the Lion City:
My first guest blogger and first husband, Johan Tabora.
We’ve been in Singapura (“singa” from a loose translation of “singa” – Lion, “pura” – city) for over a month and it’s been a crazy cool time for all of us. While I know the city well enough to get from point A to B and back without getting lost (the transit system here is AMAZING! – more on that later) there is so much more to this city state that meets the eye.
First impressions. The city is cosmopolitan, vibrant, a true melting pot in every sense of the word. I hear numerous languages spoken at any given time much akin to ethnically diverse ‘hoods in Chicago or New York or LA. Everyone speaks some English but it isn’t heard everywhere contrary to my prior conceptions. I struggled at first to understand what people at the hawker center said but I got used to it. Just listen carefully lah! More on the food scene later but let me get to one of my favorite topics…urban transportation.
As some of you may know, I love to get around using my bike and public transportation. Growing up in the urban center of Manila instilled this in me. I thought Chicago’s was pretty good but it pales in comparison to the system here. The SMRT is a central entity that manages Singapore’s mass transit system. It comprises the MRT, the bus system, and the taxis. The fact that the whole system is centrally operated (compared to the free market driven systems in the US) speaks to the culture – and while this may have disadvantages, the positives are remarkable.
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To say that the transit system here is world class is an understatement. A famous line goes something like this…”Singaporeans complain if the train takes more than 5 minutes to arrive.” The system is designed for MASS transportation. Trains are clean and on-time (for the most part). Each train has at least six cars and on the East-West Line (EW or Green Line – see link above) some of the cars are without seats. According to a friend most of lines except the EW and North-South (NS) were built in just the last 15 years and these newer lines don’t even have drivers.
As a result of this push for mass transit train stations are modern and clean (especially the new ones) . The signs are strategically-placed and easy to follow. One feature baffled me until recently. On the floor of all the bus and train stations were these little nubs/pegs that reminded me of flat Lego plates (think the 8×4 plates) arranged in various lines (see figure below). At some spots these pegs would terminate into square arrangements (think 8×8 Lego plates). Turns out that these pegs are tools to help the visually-impaired. They use their canes to feel for the pegs and follow them. Square arrangements means they’ve reached a corner or an elevator.
The buses are clean and I always take a double decker (DD as we call it) when I can. It seems like the DD’s are used to high volume routes like the 14, and 65.
Like I mentioned above, the system was designed and built for mass transportation. Evidence abounds: double decker buses, trains that come every 1-2 minutes, seatless train cars so people can squeeze like sardines. But despite this, I was amazed at the quality and quantity of cars that I see.
Government regulations encourage people take mass transit. One only has to look at the process to buy a car to get a feel for this. The first step is to acquire a Certificate of Entitlement (COE) which allows a person to buy and operate a vehicle. According to the people I talked to it can cost anywhere from S$30k to S$50k and upwards depending on the vehicle type. I looked up our ride back home, a 2010 Toyota Prius and it cost upwards of S$100k which doesn’t include the COE. One of these week’s headlines was the increase of the COE and price of motorcycles. A high-end Ducati or MV Agusta retails upwards of S$70k!
Despite this push, I was taken aback by the traffic and the volume of vehicles on the road. I guess this policy forces people to take care of their cars. I haven’t seen a car belch smoke like I’ve seen in the States or in Manila. Speaking of cars, I find the types of cars here refreshingly new. It’s obviously a different market. SUV’s aren’t that many and I haven’t seen a pickup truck yet. The Honda Odyssey here is ¾ the size of a US Odyssey. Toyota minivans are Alphard, Vellfire, and Sienta. And I haven’t seen this many luxury and uber-luxury cars abound. I came up with this analogy to highlight Singaporeans’ love for cars and the wealth here.
This is based on the frequency of what I see on roads. USA -> Singapore: Lexus, Acura, Infiniti -> Mercedes, BMW, Audi; Mercedes, Audi, BMW -> Porsche, Maserati. Aston Martin. One any given day, I may see at least two Ferraris , maybe a Bentleys or a Lamborghini, and if I’m lucky, a Rolls Royce Phantom. Along one of my bus routes (think Western or Ashland) there is a Bentley and Ferrari parked on the street everyday.
On a smaller scale, two modes of mobility are prominent. One way of getting around for distances too close for a bus but might be a stretch to walk is by scooter. I don’t think I’ve seen this many adults use this mode of transportation in any city I’ve been. Commuting by bike is gaining popularity as a way to get around. I had thought of bringing my cargo bike but upon seeing the infrastructure here, I’m glad I didn’t. People ride on the side of the roads. There are no designated bike lanes anywhere. The number of people I see cycling to work everyday might suggest that this is safe, and I’ve seen motor vehicles follow patiently behind bikes.
To support this movement is a burgeoning bike infrastructure. There are bike racks in abundance especially in commercial areas and transit terminals. The Parks Connector Network (PCN) is about to be interconnected so one can theoretically get anywhere via bike. There is a nascent bike sharing culture here started by oBike. It’s a bit different from the Divvy system in Chicago in that you could pick up and leave a bike in any public parking area.
I’ve heard people say that bike lanes are in the works and I foresee the “bike as legit mode of transportation” growing here. Needless to say, I look forward to coming back here with our bikes for work and play!
Necessary But Insufficient 
Johan, I loved your blog. I didn’t realize that you have such a gift for writing. (Another one of your many talents.). You really provided a vicarious experience of travel in Singapore. It’s sad that you don’t have you Yubi (sp?) but it will be waiting for you four months from tomorrow!