B: We all know that the Public Transport Council in Singapore is responsible for regulating bus services and public transport fares. What are the specific functions of this institution?

S: 我们这个部门的主要作用就是对收费的公共交通服务进行审批、规定公共交通的服务标准以及公共汽车和火车票的价格。

B: What are your key objectives then?

S: 我们的目标就是既要保护公众的利益也要保护汽车公司的经济利益。

B: Currently in Singapore, you have only two major operators. Why is that?

S: 新加坡的市场很小，如果公司太多，每个公司的日常开销加起来就会比现在要高很多，而这些开销最后都要算在乘客的身上。

B: But some MPs and members of the public have felt that full competition in bus services will be better. They have felt that it will improve services and fares may even come down. What do you think about this?

S: 引进竞争是一个很重大的事件，因为结果会直接影响到那些长期乘客们的日常生活。我们还是认为目前的模式最适合新加坡。但是我们也会考虑在适当的时候试行一下那些议员的建议。

B: Last year bus fares didn't go up at all. How did you manage that performance?

S: 汽车和火车公司去年没有要求提价，这显示了他们的一种社会责任。去年新加坡的经济受到了SARS的影响，维持原有的票价会帮助国家渡过经济难关。