Mana Rapid Transit is an app that lets you report train breakdowns in Singapore

Don't get the reference? Ask around.

Recently, Singaporeans have been getting hot and bothered by the rapid succession of train breakdowns on their once faultless Singapore Mass Rapid Transit (SMRT) system.

Ever since the two major disruptions last year, which has led to the resignation of SMRT CEO Saw Phaik Hwa, the problems have not ceased. In fact, it has almost become a way of life for commuters.

Now, there’s even an iPhone app, called Mana Rapid Transit, that uses crowdsourced data to inform you where and when a train breakdown is happening, or how crowded a train service is. Mana is ‘where’ in Malay, and I guess the app’s name is meant to sound more like a question, as in, “Where got Rapid Transit?”

That’s Singlish for “Our Rapid Transit network isn’t what it used to be”, in case you’re wondering.

As you can probably tell by the name, the app is entirely tongue-in-cheek, made to be useful and at the same time poke fun at the broken public transport network system. It is created by the folks at Singapore-based Buuuk, a mobile app development company that has created apps for the Straits Times, Maybank, and many other clients.

I’m not sure how practical the app is though. Sure, the app allows you to report on train breakdowns and gauge how crowded it is, as well as tell from one glance what others are reporting. But I’m not sure if there are enough responses to make this feature useful:

It did, however, send me a push notification about the breakdown of one of the Light Rapid Transit lines yesterday. So I might keep it just for that feature.

But the app did give me a laugh or two. Look out for a surprise guest appearance by Phua Chu Kang, a well-known comedic character from Singapore.

Should you download this app? Hell yeah, if only for its mild entertainment value.