It's about time, say MRT passengers

RULE BREAKERS: Commuters have been spotted eating a variety of food on trains. An SMRT officer (right bottom) on Wednesday caught an errant passenger.

They give thumbs up to SMRT blitz on errant commuters but they also want more to be done

EVEN as commuters applaud the move by the SMRT to clamp down on inconsiderate train commuters, many are eager for more to be done.

In a two-hour blitz on Wednesday, SMRT went after commuters who ate and drank on the trains, and served eight passengers with a Notification of Offences, which meant they would have to pay a fine to the Land Transport Authority.

Each could be fined up to $500. The number of inconsiderate commuters caught has been rising since 2006 from 276 to 550 in 2007, to 595 last year.

To drive home the message that it means business, SMRT will deploy 500 employees on roving duty on trains to look out for commuters who eat or drink.

And, as long as such inconsiderate behaviour persists, the company will not let up on its efforts to stamp it out.

Yesterday, Mr Raymond Tan, 29, a sales manager, was all praise for the officers but added that there were other issues that the SMRT should look into as well.

"Ungracious behaviour will be a more difficult issue to tackle. Despite public campaigns, there are many who just turn a blind eye and hog seats meant for the elderly or those who are pregnant. That's just plain rude, but I know it's not something which one can deal with by imposing fines or punishment," he said.

For months, Stompers have groused, criticised and lambasted inconsiderate MRT commuters who eat and drink on trains, engage in public displays of affection or ignore commuters who need seats more than they do.

Miss Geraldine Lim, a 20-year-old student, believed that citizen journalism has spurred SMRT to take stricter measures against offenders.

She told my paper: "Stompers act as another pair of eyes for the public and even government bodies. Whatever these people have captured on their cameras, be it public displays of affection or commuters eating on trains, could be useful."

She added: "The many pictures of commuters eating and drinking on trains must have made SMRT see the gravity of the situation."

Student Suffian Hakim, 23, said: "Finally, the chances of seeing cheese or chilli on the train floor will be slimmer. I guess the sign that warns commuters that they'd be fined $500 is not enough, so it's good that SMRT is stepping up its efforts."

Another commuter, Miss Vivien Chong, 32, an administrative manager, said she hoped that the days of the ugly train commuter would be over.

"What the SMRT officers do is a good start. But what matters more is that we learn to be more considerate to others. What does it say about us if, day in, day out, commuters continue to hog the seats meant for those who need them more?" she said.