We all hate waiting for the subway. Why is it taking so long? Did it get lost somewhere along the way? To make sure that the trains run on time, the City of Shenzhen is thinking of ways to ensure subway operators toe the line and maintain a punctual schedule.

An operating subway train that incurs long delays will be fined a maximum of RMB 2 million, reports the Yangcheng Evening News.

According to the “Proposal of Operation of Public Transportation for City of Shenzhen (Public Proposals)”, subway trains must adhere to a strict timetable and have a detailed procedure to follow if delays are encountered.

• Any delays in operation, expected delays of five minutes or less, or when changing direction and exchanging front or rear trains, the subway operator should inform the onboard passengers and the public at large of the specific reason.
• Any delays of eight minutes and up incurred by the subway operator should be promptly reported to their operations manager.
• No subway operators can arbitrarily stop operation of the subway for any reason. If they have to stop, it must be done with the approval of the subway operations manager.
• If long delays are expected, the city government should be asked for approval because of the huge impact a stopped train will have.

Exceptional delays will have equally heavy punishments with a fine levied of somewhere between RMB 50 and RMB 2 million.

While that may seem stiff, it’s worth remembering that making the trains run on time is the high bar for establishing an ideal society that works. As the policy itself says,

…if the obstruction cannot be promptly resolved, then operational service must be resumed as soon as possible by taking specific procedures such as to evacuate passengers, exchange passengers, limit the flow of passengers etc… the executive manager must issue the order to correct this problem, give warnings, or else fines from RMB 1,000 to 10,000 may be handed out.

Shenzhen Metro: staring at a smartphone only works for about an hour—get us to our destinations without delay!

Photo: 60 Malaysia