Summary Draft 2 + Thesis Statement

In the article, “Dubbed 'the best in class': 6 things about Hong Kong's MTR rail system.”, Lee (2015) has stated that Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan, thought highly of Hong Kong’s Mass Transit Railway (MTR) and suggested that local transportation sectors should use MTRC as a guideline for its “reliability standards”. Based on MTR’s and SMRT’s  annual reports, comparing Hong Kong to Singapore, New York and London, Hong Kong’s subway system yields the highest “system’s farebox recovery ratio”. Looking at both the MTR and SMRT’s railway systems, the length of MTR’s railway surpasses SMRT’s by 59km. The punctuality of SMRT trains is 3.9% lesser than MTR even though both countries face the same amount of significant hold ups. Looking at the expenditure of profits on enhancing train systems, MTR invested a larger amount of their earnings compared to SMRT. MTR also ensures that their passengers enjoy a safe and smooth ride by having much higher inspection frequency compared to SMRT and being meticulous in examining the railway lines. MTRC aims to rectify any issues or faults that arises under two minutes with the introduction of the “Super Operations Control Centre” which oversees the entire railway system, resolving emergencies with their fast reaction.

Lee Min Kok (2015, October 29). Dubbed 'the best in class': 6 things about Hong Kong's MTR rail system. The Straits Times. Retrieved from http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/dubbed-the-best-in-class-6-things-about-hong-kongs-mtr-rail-system#xtor=CS1-10

Thesis:

Based on the comparisons between Hong Kong’s MTR and Singapore’s SMRT, there are many aspects which SMRT can improve on. During the train disruption in July 2015, it was mentioned in a news report that it was Land Transport Authority (LTA)'s crisis management team which led the facilitation of responses. SMRT staff from various departments were required to report to the assigned MRT stations to usher and service commuters, Since staff were dispatched from various places, it takes more time for the crew to assemble and assign roles, There were also confusion and overcrowding issues which sparked unhappiness within commuters. Hence, in order for SMRT to be able to compete with MTR, a rapid response team should be formed and implement crowd control plans and training to improve efficiency during breakdowns.