A migrant worker staying in the Coastal Dormitory at Tanah Merah Coast Road says he had to wait 3 hours for a shuttle bus to send him back to his dormitory.
Syed Abu said he has contracted the flu and needed to see a doctor.
Saying that he had “no choice” because the dormitory had “no medical facilities”, the 31-year-old said that he waited for the shuttle bus despite how tired he was.
The dormitory is located in a security zone beyond Changi Airport’s runways and is highly inaccessible.
Workers pay S$1 to take the shuttle bus to an drop-off point near the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, walk 10 minutes to the terminal, then proceed to their next destinations from there.
The journey to the terminal alone is a 30 minute bus ride.
The typical wait for the shuttle bus, according to non-profit organisation Transient Workers Count Too, can take span from 35 to 45 minutes, to hours during “peak periods” such as weekends and holidays.
Coastal Dormitory said that the long queues were due to workers returning to the dormitory at the same time on Sunday, leading to a greater demand for the bus service.
“This is similar to Singaporeans going to work at peak time in the morning and evening after work,” the dormitory operator said.
Coastal Dormitory is run by Changi East Dorm Dwall, a subsidiary of engineering and logistics company Huationg Global.
The dormitory operator said that the long queues were due to workers returning to the dormitory at the same time on the weekend, comparing it to Singaporeans going to work during “peak hour”.
It said that it is engaging with its residents and receiving feedback on the number of workers taking the bus on weekends before adjusting its frequency.
