Every time an MRT failure occurs, we are met with the same government refrain: “We are monitoring” “We are trying to fix the issue” “we will work on improving public transportation.” Yet for the daily commuter, this statement is becoming less of a promise and more of a punchline. Trains remain delayed, breakdowns still happen very often, they are overcrowded, and infrastructure crumbling.
The core issue is the structure
Government, by its very nature, lacks the incentives that drive performance and accountability. When politicians declare improvements without delivering results, they aren’t just misleading the public, they’re illustrating why monopolized services fail.
Public transport is often run by bloated bureaucracies shielded from market pressures. If a private company ran at the level of inefficiency many transit systems operate under, it would be bankrupt in weeks. Yet, transit authorities continue to receive subsidies, bailouts, and political cover while riders suffer.
Public Transport Is a Right, Not a Profit Center
Public transportation is a vital public service, not a business model. It should be funded, maintained, and improved not based on profit margins, but on its capacity to reduce inequality, cut emissions, and connect communities.
When officials make empty statements, the solution isn’t to abandon public transit to market forces, but to hold those in power accountable and demand better governance. Public transport failures often stem from underfunding, political meddling, and short-term thinking. Chronic disrepair is not a reason to privatize—it’s a reason to reinvest.
Look at cities where transit works: Tokyo, Zurich, Seoul. These systems aren’t market-driven—they’re meticulously planned, publicly funded, and politically prioritized. If we treated public transit the way we treat highways and defense budgets—with long-term commitment—we wouldn’t need to endure these cycles of delay and disappointment.
Maybe the awards that our train service providers receive should actually be based on performance
Public transport isn’t just about getting from point A to B. It’s about accessibility, and quality of life.
