Stuttgart Auto, Ngee Ann Poly to groom talent in automotive industry

Students of Mechanical Engineering at Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) will get to work with some of the best in industry, under a partnership between Stuttgart Auto and NP.

The students will get the chance to work as interns at Porsche Centre, and will be exposed to the latest technology, including the state-of-the-art engine systems driving Porsche's hybrid supercars.

Staff of the polytechnic will also be offered opportunities for industrial attachment.

These have been made possible under a five-year partnership with Stuttgart Auto, which is part of Eurokars Group of Companies.

Both sides also aim to create awareness and promote interest in the study of automotive technology.

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What a great opportunity for young car enthusiasts. How I wish there was such a programme a decade ago when I was still a student. This will be very good exposure to local students about automobile and perhaps one day Singapore will have its own car manufacturing plant.

 

1,684 COEs available for first open bidding exercise in Jan

Details for January's first open bidding exercise for Certificates of Entitlement (COE) have been released.

The total quota available for this tender is 1,684.

There will be 410 COEs for Cat A (small cars), 363 for Cat B (big cars) and 462 for Cat D (motorcycles).

For Cat E (open), 256 COEs will be available, while Cat C (goods vehicles and buses) will have 193 COEs.

The tender opens on January 7 at noon and closes at 4pm on January 9.

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After the record breaking final COE bidding in 2012, what other surprises are installed for us in the first bidding of 2013? Will the $100k premium be breached in the Category B COE? 

Pedestrian involved in motorcycle accident recovering in hospital

A female pedestrian involved in a motorcycle accident that occurred last Saturday is recovering at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.

The pre-dawn accident happened at the junction of Woodlands Avenue 6 and 7.

The motorcyclist who hit her was arrested on the spot for riding dangerously.

A video of the accident, captured moments before the pedestrian was hit, has gone viral on the internet. The motorcycle which hit her had beaten a red light.

The woman was flung a distance on impact, with the motorcyclist involved eventually returning to the scene.

The pedestrian, who is in her late 40s, was conscious after the accident and brought to a hospital.

Police investigations are ongoing.

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Why are Singapore roads getting so dangerous nowadays? It seems that no matter how long have the red light come on, there will still be idiotic drivers/riders wanting to dash through it. It is lucky that the lady survived. Hope she'll have a speedy recovery.

COE premiums for small cars hit S$81,889

Certificate of Entitlement (COE) premiums for vehicles rose in most categories, with the premium for small cars hitting another all time high, at the end of the latest bidding exercise today.

The premium for cars 1,600 cc and below (Category A) finished at S$81,889, up for the previous high of S$78,523 which was recorded at the last bidding exercise.

The COE premium for big cars (1,601cc and above) also rose by 3.7 per cent from S$90,200 in the earlier bidding exercise to S$93,501 while the premium for motorcycles increased by 5.5 per cent to S$1,701.

In the Open category, where COEs can be used for any vehicle type, the premium dropped by 1 per cent to S$95,990 from S$97,000 at the beginning of this month and the premiums for commercial vehicles also saw a 1.3 per cent dip to finish at S$62,201.

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What a record breaking year we've had. In the final bidding exercise, Cat A broke the record again. Very soon, the COEs will be able to buy a HDB flat in Singapore.

Fare increase not just to raise salaries of bus drivers: Lui Tuck Yew

It's not just driver salaries, but the need to improve and maintain public transport systems for the long-term that necessitates fare revisions, said Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew in a message posted to his Facebook page today.

He was writing in response to the discussion generated over his comments made on the 6th of December. Then, he had said that increased salaries for bus drivers would be taken into account in future fare revisions for buses.

However, he said his comments were made in view of a "wider perspective".

"We need to go well beyond the one-time increase earlier this year which raised salaries by up to a few hundred dollars a month," Minister Lui wrote in the Facebook post. He cited the need to attract more local drivers as a reason for sustained increases of wages for bus drivers.

"Locals currently make up slightly more than half (57 per cent) of our 7,500 bus drivers, a sharp decline from almost 80 per cent just 6 years ago. Most local drivers are already in their 50s and 60s. Clearly we should continue to welcome foreign bus drivers within limits. But we also need to attract more locals to take up bus driving if we do not want to rely overly on foreigners." he wrote.

He also stressed that fare increases were not to boost the short term profits of public transport operators. Instead, they should be used "not just to improve salaries of bus drivers but to improve service to commuters while keeping public transport operations commercially viable." This includes the upgrading and maintainance of fleets, as well staff salaries.

PROPER BALANCE NEEDED

Minister Lui acknowledged that as fares increased, the Government would have an increasing role to keep public transport affordable. Examples he cited of Govenrment help included expanding the rail network, as well as the S$1.1 billion Bus Service Enhancement Programme introduced earlier in the year.

However, he said that even with Government help, improving public transport would be a costly endeavour. He wrote: "Somebody has to pay for these costs, either commuters in fares, or taxpayers in government subsidies, or the PTOs.

"The proper balance is something we have to study very carefully. But we should not simply take the populist approach of avoiding any fare increases completely, and just push it onto the PTOs or rely on more and more government subsidies. Not only would this require additional public money, but it would give operators no incentive to be efficient, or to provide good services to commuters."

Minister Lui emphasised that the Government is "fully committed to an affordable public transport system" for vulnerable groups, and he wants PTOs to consider what more can be done for such groups as part of the next fare adjustment.

He also said that there would be a fuller debate in Parliament about fare revisions, once the fare review committee completes its work early next year.

"It is a matter of all the stakeholders - the PTOs, the Government, and yes, commuters too - coming together to ensure we enjoy a reliable, high-quality and affordable public transport system," he wrote.

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Singaporeans have come to a stage where whatever the minister say, we will rebut, especially so in the public transport factors. And who can blame them? Fare increment has become almost a yearly affair for the past decade and while the PTOs continue to make handsome profits, they continue to cry for help when it comes to providing better services and salaries.

However, there isn't much we can do once they have decided to raise fares. We can make all the noises we want but we still have to use the public transport and continue paying.

Lucky draw to attract more cabbies to airport

Cabbies who pick up passengers from Changi Airport this month stand a chance to win up to $1,888 in cash.

The weekly lucky draw has been introduced by the airport's operator, Changi Airport Group, in a bid to attract more taxis to its terminals as December is its busiest month of the year.

It hopes the incentive will draw about 10 per cent more cabs and keep waiting time at the taxi stands to no more than 10 minutes, said Mr Yeo Kia Thye, the company's senior vice-president for airport operations.

Last December, Changi handled 4.5 million passengers - an average of 146,000 a day.

The lucky draw from Dec 3 to Jan 1 will see one cabby taking home a grand prize of $1,888 each week and six others winning $88 each.

Every cab that enters the taxi holding areas at Changi is eligible for the contest.

Their in-vehicle unit number will be tracked by the operator.

Cabbies that make trips between 4pm and 6pm and between 11pm and midnight - the periods just before the start of fare surcharges - will triple their chances of winning.

Those who drive to Changi between the peak arrival period of 6pm and 11pm will earn two chances to win.

Said Mr Yeo: "We wanted to find something that appeals to drivers and is also fun. The prize had to be something that resonates with the drivers and is substantial enough for them to be interested."

He added that Changi Airport Group had mulled over other options such as raising the airport surcharge, which ranges from $3 to $5 depending on the time.

"But if we go down that route, what is going to stop the others from raising theirs as well?" he said, referring to the $3 surcharge passengers pay to take a cab at the two integrated resorts.

Cabby Quah Seh Hong, 55, estimates that he drives to the airport at least 20 times a week.

He is confident that the chance to win money will attract more cabbiesthere.

Agreeing, cabby Lee Yew Kiak, 54, said: "Having a chance to make extra money by picking up passengers is a good incentive."

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This is interesting. Definitely a more creative way to draw more taxis to the airport during this festive season which will boost overseas travels and tourist visitors.However it is strong enough to pull the cabbies there? In fact the queue of taxi during the wee hours at the Changi Airport is already pretty amazing. But then this lucky draw will add extra incentive for cabbies to go there during other times.

If it works, i think CAG deserves a prize man.

Who wants to be a bus driver?

Driving a bus may be among the things young boys dream of doing, but everyone soon wakes up to the bleak reality.

Bus drivers are among the lowest-paid workers in Singapore, making more than cleaners but a bit less than factory operators - two of the lowest-paid groups of people here.

After this year's round of adjustments, the average Singaporean driver takes home between $2,000 and $2,500 monthly after overtime and allowance.

Drivers from Malaysia and China make even less.

Salaries aside, working hours can be daunting. They wake up as early as 4am if they are on the morning shift, and knock off after 1am on the late shift.

A split-shift system also means they can be rostered to drive during the morning and evening peak hours on the same day; and days off are not as predictable as those of, say, office workers.

It is no wonder then that SBS Transit and SMRT find it increasingly difficult to hire Singaporean drivers.

In the 1990s, they started sourcing from Malaysia.

Soon, with rising education levels and growing affluence, even Malaysians were hard to come by.

In 2008, the two operators started hiring drivers from China.

There are currently about 7,300 bus drivers between the two operators.

About half are Singaporeans or permanent residents, followed by Malaysians and Chinese.

Chinese drivers make up 11 per cent and 22 per cent of SBS' and SMRT's drivers respectively.

According to the two firms, drivers typically have secondary school education and are between 21 and 65 years old.

Prior to joining, they must have held a Class 3 (car) driving licence for at least a year.

An understanding of simple English is about the only other criterion needed for application.

Successful applicants undergo training of between 31 and 60 days, depending on their familiarity with Singapore roads.

On average, 15 per cent of the 7,300 drivers leave each year.

But some make a long-term career of it. SBS says its longest-serving Singaporean driver has been on the job for 44 years, while a Malaysian has been at it for 38.

While some used to be drivers in previous occupations, others have held various jobs, such as being cooks and policemen.

The Straits Times understands that those who leave usually go on to drive trucks.

Demand for truck drivers - who typically earn 60 to 70 per cent more - has soared with the construction boom.

Malaysians typically start their own businesses back home.

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As a Singaporean, do you want to be a public transport bus driver? Or would you rather be a cabbie?

SUV in Orchard Road turns turtle on 7/12/12

What do you think? Recently there has been alot of such videos/accidents surfacing on Singapore roads; drivers dashing through red traffic lights. 

Volkswagen dominates small-car COE category

Almost one in four cars sold with Category A certificates of entitlement (COE) this year wore a Volkswagen badge on its grille.

In the first 10 months, the German mid-range manufacturer accounted for 2,352 of the total 10,142 registrations in Cat A (for cars under 1,600 cc). This was 23.2 per cent of the market share for this so-called small-car segment.

From January to October, the top VW model was the Jetta compact sedan, with 744 registrations, followed by the Scirocco sports hatch (416) and the Golf hatchback (408).

But in Cat B, VW is a small player. There, German luxury makes BMW and Mercedes-Benz take the top two spots.

In this COE category, VW has managed only 595 units or 4.5 per cent in a total big-car market of 13,327 new registrations.

VW's domination of the small-car COE category has come at the expense of the traditional Japanese favourites; for now, the German car has pushed them all out except for one - Toyota.

Japan's biggest carmaker was Singapore's best- selling brand between 2002 and 2010, before it was overtaken by BMW and Mercedes-Benz last year. Today, it is still the third most popular make here, with VW in fourth position.

VW sales could, however, expand further amid the tight COE quota, under which the popularity of premium and near-premium makes has risen in tandem with COE prices.

VW could also clock even better sales through its full range of diesel models, which make their debut next month to take advantage of the upcoming Carbon Emissions-based Vehicle Scheme (CEVS).

The 11 Volkswagen "TDI Clean Diesel" models are the Polo, Beetle, Scirocco, Touran, Jetta, Tiguan, Passat, Sharan, CC, Touareg and Phaeton.

Under CEVS, which comes into effect on Jan 1, buyers of cars with carbon dioxide emissions of 160 g/km or below are entitled to rebates of between $5,000 and $20,000.

VW is already in a strong position to benefit from this; in the first nine months of this year, 82 per cent of its cars sold already had emissions of 160 g/km or less.

So even though Euro V diesel models attract a diesel tax of 40 cents per cc next year - down from $1.25 per cc currently - the CEVS rebate may more than make up for this surcharge.

Volkswagen's PR manager Colin Yong said: "For most Volkswagen models, the additional CEVS rebate earned by the TDI models more than covers the slightly higher annual road tax, which includes the diesel surcharge."

For example, the road tax for the Jetta 1.6 TDI is $762 more a year than that of the 1.4 TSI model, but the Jetta 1.6 buyer will get $5,000 off upfront when registering the car - which equates to more than six years' worth of the road tax difference.

Mr Yong said: "Additionally, TDI cars also have even lower fuel consumption than our already economical TSI models, and customers pay less for diesel fuel at the pumps."

The TDI cars here will be sold at the same price as their equivalent petrol models. In Europe, diesel models usually cost 10 per cent more than their petrol versions.

Mr Yong said that VW expects Singaporean motorists to be curious about diesel technology and the potential savings, so it will open a TDI Clean Diesel Experience Centre in its Alexandra showroom.

Most motorists here have not had the opportunity to drive a modern TDI car, so the showroom will give them a shot at feeling the performance and the quiet running of a TDI Clean Diesel car for themselves, Mr Yong added.

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When the CEVS scheme kicks in in 2013, diesel powered cars will be very popular and one of the first makers to benefit from this is definitely Volkswagen.

Diesel engines give high torque, good fuel efficiency and diesel prices are lower in Singapore. The only worry comes in when more and more people move into diesel cars and its price starts rocketing, causing our public transport to succumb to price pressures and the consumers will bear the extra fuel costs again.

20 arrested for drink driving

The Traffic Police's blitz against drink driving saw 20 motorists arrested early this morning.

In the pre-dawn operation, road blocks were set up at Ganges Avenue, Clemeanceau Avenue, Jalan Bukit Merah, Mountbatten Road and Sims Avenue from 1.30 am to 4.30 am.

More than 72 drivers were stopped and tested for alcohol consumption. Of these, 20 motorists - 18 men and 2 women aged between 23 and 53 - were arrested for drink driving.

The highest Breath Evidential Analyser (BEA) test result was 106 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath which is more than 3 times the prescribed legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

Acting Commander of Traffic Police, Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Police Poh Lye Hin, said: "Drink drivers who failed the BEA test will be prosecuted in court. Pleading ignorance of our laws or having perceptions such as drinking two glasses of beer will be within the legal alcohol limit will not absolve you of the drink driving charge."

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I urge all drivers to be responsible for your own actions. By the time you see that flashing red/blue lights, it's too late. Leave the vehicle at home if you're heading out for a drink.

Have a safe and enjoyable festive season.