Originally posted by droco:
If we look at why SBS Transit will introduce new services in a way that can hurt SMRT business is that most of the train services are operated by its rival SMRT. By doing so, they can steal some passengers from the train.
Explanation: By providing direct link implies there is no longer a need to take SMRT train or take SMRT train and transfer to a SBS Transit bus, thus this can reduce the number of passengers onboard SMRT trains.
The winners will be those living in places like Clementi, Toa Payoh, Tampines as they can choose to take SMRT trains or SBS Transit buses to their destination. This is what I mean by there is "real" competition!
For once there's someone who explained why SMRT die die wont introduce anymore new services. Anyway to add on, other than affecting the profits, it would mean more manpower required to operate the new buses if they do purchase them. Another resource constraint is land - all 3 depot are bursting in addition to the 2 interchange bus parks.
Though I may agree with you the new SBST services compete with the MRT, it also takes passengers away from current services as well. This is in a bid to free up pax load on existing services so that they need not adjust freq or do fleet adjustment when more people start to take the service. Nevertheless the new services emphasize on direct links as well as creating new links that are not present in the current bus network.
A few illustrations here.
S59 takes S8 pax between Toa Payoh Central and Eunos Link/Tampines Ave 2. S59 takes away train pax travelling between Bishan/Braddell/Toa Payoh and Eunos/Bedok/Simei/Tampines. Why so many stations?
Bishan St 12 - Tampines St 45
Before: 56/410 - Train - 28 at Bedok or 28/29/293 at Tampines
After: 59 direct, alight opposite the Esso Station at Tampines Ave 7
Toa Payoh - Tampines St 11/22
Before: Train - Walk from Simei or 292 from Tampines OR 8 direct and walk in
After: 59 direct, alight at Tampines Ave 2 and walk in (nearer than walking from Simei MRT)
S52 helps the loads of Clementi - SIM/NP load, helping S154 and stealing pax from S184
. It also helps the Bishan St 22 - Bishan MRT load and vice versa. S52 takes away train pax travelling between Bishan and Clementi/Jurong East
Sin Ming Ave - NP
Before: 410 to Bishan MRT - Train - 154/184 at Clementi or 74 at Dover
After: 52 direct
Toh Guan Rd - Upp Thomson Rd
Before: 105 to Jurong East/Clementi - Train to Novena for 162/166/167/980 or 410 from Bishan or 163 from Toa Payoh
After: 52 direct
S5 helps the loads of S16 (Bt Merah - Paterson/Scotts Rd) S143 (Scotts Rd - Jln Toa Payoh) and S59 (Jln Eunos - Tampines Ave 1). It takes away pax from S21 (Novena - Bedok Reservoir/Tampines Ave 1) and the Train (Simei - Orchard).