complicated simplicity

It is often said that the private enterprise out-wits government enterprises when it comes to innovation. This is no doubt a case in point. LTA today launched a (beta) portal for public transport users in Singapore called Public Transport @ SG, which was supposed to be a one stop portal for all public transport users.

It generally provides a decent guide for all the general information you want about the public transportation system in Singapore. Generally. It has a rather comprehensive guide for everyone from students to motorist, no doubt an attempt to switch people into using public transportation.

Interesting concept to provide bus estimated arrival timings. But how about this? I rather you make sure buses arrive on time instead. What’s the point of having estimated time of arrivals which may not be accurate (from my previous experiences with those billboards that provide an ETA).

Now for the biggest issue: No one wants to hop through ten thousand hoops to find out how to get from point A to point B. According to the new website, if I want to do that, I will be…

1. redirected to the Transitlink website
2. know the address of my destination, roughly.
3. key it in the appropriate form
4. select enough options.

How about this. Learn from GoThere.sg. I have been using this page since it launched a couple of months ago. It is easy to use, fast, and efficient. Gives me EVERYTHING I need to get to my destination in ONE easy step. Idiot-proof. Don’t like your destination? Easy, just drag and move your destination arrow, and the website re-calculates the new route for you! Simple click and drag!

Learn from the private enterprise, or perish into the obscurity of the Internet blackhole.

For everyone else, I recommend GoThere.sg over LTA’s new offering. And no, I’m not being paid to advertise for them. I just happen to like their service.