Land Transport Review
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TIBS the way to go!
-thinks of fast ride on S67 after 11pm years ago- -
Really miss TIBS & CSS...SMRT make life miserable for buses side
If really the merger happen then why they(SMRT) order 66 O500LE with SMRT livery? -
TIBS really went well under Tan Hup Foi and gang.Originally posted by carbikebus:Really miss TIBS & CSS...SMRT make life miserable for buses side
If really the merger happen then why they(SMRT) order 66 O500LE with SMRT livery?
TIBS gave many people an impression that it is a friendly bus company and courteous drivers. Their service guides were nicely desgined, SMRT bus guides looks so dull. They were willing to invest on large number of Habits which cost a lot. What did SMRT invested on? Majority on their SMRT trains and only ordered 66 buses. SBST is now much better, although they are now acquiring cheaper bodyworks. TIBS also had courteous campaigns etc.
No doubts Tibs also had their flaws too, but a least I had better impression of Tibs than SBST. Times have changed and I've changed my choice too. SBST is better than SMRT.
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Agreed , Nothing is better now for SMRTB , things change a lot when SMRTB came in. Back then when TIBS and SBST were around we can hardly choose which favourite companyOriginally posted by sbs&tibs:TIBS really went well under Tan Hup Foi and gang. TIBS gave many people an impression that it is a friendly bus company and courteous drivers. Their service guides were nicely desgined, SMRT bus guides looks so dull. They were willing to invest on large number of Habits which cost a lot. What did SMRT invested on? Majority on their SMRT trains and only ordered 66 buses. SBST is now much better, although they are now acquiring cheaper bodyworks. TIBS also had courteous campaigns etc.
No doubts Tibs also had their flaws too, but a least I had better impression of Tibs than SBST. Times have changed and I've changed my choice too. SBST is better than SMRT. -
Tibs was way better before it got under SMRT. Buses were cleaner then and frequency was much better.Originally posted by sbs&tibs:TIBS really went well under Tan Hup Foi and gang. TIBS gave many people an impression that it is a friendly bus company and courteous drivers. Their service guides were nicely desgined, SMRT bus guides looks so dull. They were willing to invest on large number of Habits which cost a lot. What did SMRT invested on? Majority on their SMRT trains and only ordered 66 buses. SBST is now much better, although they are now acquiring cheaper bodyworks. TIBS also had courteous campaigns etc.
No doubts Tibs also had their flaws too, but a least I had better impression of Tibs than SBST. Times have changed and I've changed my choice too. SBST is better than SMRT.
Now... sigh. -
Don't forget they also invested in repainting the CSS Nissans!Originally posted by sbs&tibs:What did SMRT invested on? Majority on their SMRT trains and only ordered 66 buses.
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Mr Tan think now Chairman of some organisation leOriginally posted by sbs&tibs:TIBS really went well under Tan Hup Foi and gang. TIBS gave many people an impression that it is a friendly bus company and courteous drivers. Their service guides were nicely desgined, SMRT bus guides looks so dull. They were willing to invest on large number of Habits which cost a lot. What did SMRT invested on? Majority on their SMRT trains and only ordered 66 buses. SBST is now much better, although they are now acquiring cheaper bodyworks. TIBS also had courteous campaigns etc.
No doubts Tibs also had their flaws too, but a least I had better impression of Tibs than SBST. Times have changed and I've changed my choice too. SBST is better than SMRT. -
today is the release of speech.
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SMRT confirmed buy O500LE oredi ?Originally posted by carbikebus:Really miss TIBS & CSS...SMRT make life miserable for buses side
If really the merger happen then why they(SMRT) order 66 O500LE with SMRT livery?
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Transport minister announces major changes in land transport
18 January 2008 1248 hrs (SST) 0448 hrs (GMT)
SINGAPORE: Major changes are expected in land transport after a more than year-long review to improve the situation.
In the first of what will be a series of major announcements, Transport Minister Raymond Lim zoomed in on changes to the bus system, which serves two-thirds of all commuter trips today.
Speaking at the opening of the Land Transport Authority (LTA) gallery, he outlined the urgency of the problem, stressing that with trips poised to increase 60 per cent between now and 2020, the only option is to steer people towards using public transport more often.
For that to happen, Mr Lim said, not just the quantity, but also the quality of public transport would have to improve tremendously.
Currently, the system is fragmented between two operators - SBS and SMRT - which plan the routes primarily based on commercial considerations.
So firstly, the LTA will take over the central planning of the bus network, with the commuters' ease of journey as the main focus.
Buses will also get more priority on the roads with more full-day bus lanes, and making it mandatory for cars to give way to buses at bus bays.
More integrated public transport hubs, like the ones at Toa Payoh and Ang Mo Kio, will be upgraded to make transfers easier.
And more travel information will be made available via panels, text messages and websites.
The second big change will be to introduce competition among operators, including opening the market to new players.
The island will be carved up into different regions and potential operators will bid for these in a competitive tender.
The third major change is for the LTA to keep its pulse on the community's transport issues through regular dialogue with grassroots members.
More changes, including those to the ERP system, are expected in the following weeks. - CNA/ac -
Jan 18, 2008
Public bus market to be liberalised
Govt takes bold initiative to increase competition so as to provide more efficient bus services
By Christopher Tan, The Straits Times (Online)
BUS commuters have long been second-class road users. Not anymore. Transport Minister Raymond Lim on Friday unveiled a slew of initiatives that will make commuting by bus much faster and more comfortable than it is today.
First off, the Land Transport Authority will assume the role as centralised bus route planner, so that commuters in all areas of Singapore are better served and waiting times are cut.
'Currently, the two public transport operators plan the bus routes within their areas of operation based on commercial considerations, subject to minimum service obligations,'' the minister said. He said this has led to some services running at intervals of more than half an hour.
After LTA has taken over as central bus route planner by end-2009, it will open up the bus market to more players. Today, the market is dominated by SBS Transit, with SMRT Buses as much smaller second player. The LTA will invite tenders from any company keen to ply specific 'route parcels' to be drawn up.
Secondly, fares will be purely distance-based, and the current transfer penalty will be removed. So if a commuter decides to change bus (or go from a bus to a train) so as to get to his destination faster, he will pay the same fare as someone who does not break up his journey.
This is because the new bus services structure ahead will be a 'hub-and-spoke' system (as opposed to the current system of many direct services), and might require more transfers. 'Transfers are part and parcel of a hub-and-spoke system,' Mr Lim said.
Then, the Government will roll out measures to ensure that buses get right of way on the road. There will be more bus lanes, with the length of full-day bus lanes trebling from 7km today to 23km by June.
It will be mandatory for motorists to give way to buses exiting bus bays†; and buses will have priority signal lights at major junctions. With these moves, it hopes to raise the average speed of buses to 20-25kmh by next year - from 19kmh today.
The Government will also build more integrated transport hubs - where bus and rail services meet. There are currently three (Ang Mo Kio, Toa Payoh and Sengkang), with two more (Boon Lay and Clementi) coming up in the next couple of years. Five more will be built over the next decade.
Finally, integrated transport information, which will help commuters plan their journeys as well as let them know when their buses are arriving.
'By 2015, our target is for 80 per cent of public transport commuters to complete their journeys within an hour, from the point they set off, to arriving at their destination - up from 71 per cent today,' the minister said.
He added that by 2020, travelling by public transport should not take more than 1.5 times than a journey by car - down from the current 1.7 times. - SPH
Key changes to improve land transport in S'pore
• Distance-based fares to allow transfers
Commuter will no longer be penalised when they transfer from one bus to another while still on the same journey. The fare will be calculated based on the total distance travelled instead and the commuters will pay less for the distance. For example, a trip from Sin Ming in Thomson to the Singapore Management University at Bras Basah will cost $1.09 instead of $1.31 now.
• Buses will get more priority on the road
There will be more full-day bus lanes so that buses can have unimpeded travel. It will be mandatory for all other vehicles to give way to buses exiting from bus bays by end of 2008. By June 2008, network of normal bus lanes will be extended from 120 km to 150 km, and full-day bus lanes will treble from 7 km to 23 km. Bus drivers now spend 9 per cent of their time on the roads waiting for others to give way. These measures to give priority to buses will increase bus speeds to 20 to 25 kph by 2009, up from the current 16 kph for feeder buses and 19 kph for trunk buses.
• More competition to operate buses
LTA will open up the market and tender out parcels of bus routes to anyone who can deliver the services at the standards it spells out. Cities in Europe, Australia and Hong Kong have moved towars making their bus services more contestable. They found that introducing some form of competition, or even just the real threat of competition, is an effective way to keep bus operations efficient and raise service standards. There are now two public transport operators - the SMRT and SBS Transit - in Singapore running about 3,700 buses on the roads. This has lead to a situation where out of more than 250 bus services, only 35 per cent are run at intervals of 10 minutes or less. Some even run at intervals longer than 30 minutes. The feeder buses make huge, circuitous loops before they get to the MRT station or bus interchange. There is no integrated travel information from the two operators.
• Centralised bus planning
The public transport system serves two-thirds of all commuter trips in Singapore, thus, rail and buses must work in close partnership. By 2009, LTA will take on central planning of the bus network so that there will be only one agency handling the land transport planning, which will integrate the bus, rail and the road network.
• Speeding up travel by public transport
By 2015, the target is for 80 per cent of public transport commuters to complete their journeys within an hour - up from 71 per cent today. Gap between public transport and car journey times will be narrowed. By 2020, journeys on public transport should not take more than 1.5 times that by car, a drop from the current 1.7 times. At least 80 per cent of bus services must be run at peak frequencies of 10 minutes or less by August 2009, compared with 15 minutest today.
• More niche services
Expect more niche bus services like the premium buses from housing estates to the city centre. Over 60 are running and another 40 more are awaiting approval.
• Integrated public transport service information
Travel information is a missing link in the commuting chain until recently. To reduce the anxiety of waiting and provide more certainty on journey times, dynamic, real-time information will be made available to commuters on the go. To help people plan their journeys better, LTA and Transitlink will come up with an enhanced integrated public transport journey planner, which also has basic map features by July 2008. There will also be an interactive electronic map of the island where commuters can get information on bus service routes, bus stops and rail stations, arrival information and landmarks at a glance - at home or on office computer, and mobile devices.
† finally following australia's lead. -
Full transcript of speech here.
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36. As LTA works with the operators to refine the fare system, it will also work towards making available an integrated season pass for travel on both bus and rail regardless of operator.
44. We will therefore embark on a programme to build more integrated public transport hubs as well as upgrade existing bus interchanges. We have already started building two more integrated bus interchanges at Boon Lay (2009) and Clementi (2011) which will be ready in a few years, bringing the total number of integrated bus interchanges to 5 (Ang Mo Kio, Toa Payoh and Sengkang). Over the next 10 years, we will upgrade another 5 interchanges at Bedok, Jurong East, Serangoon, Joo Koon and Marina South in tandem with the re-development in these areas, to better integrate our transport hubs with the surrounding facilities.
47. Going forward, to reduce the anxiety of waiting and provide more certainty on journey times, we will make available dynamic, real-time travel information to commuters on the go. Last year, LTA piloted real-time bus arrival information panels at 30 bus stops in the CBD and two HDB towns (Yishun and Ang Mo Kio). This has worked well and LTA will install these panels at another 20 bus stops by May 2008. In addition, from July, LTA will embark on a trial to use SMS to provide real-time bus arrival information to commuters at these bus stops. -
36. Very obvious
37. Joo Koon and Marina South? :S -
Wow...I have to say that the change is much more 'radical' than was expected. I really applaud the plan for the Government itself to handle the bus route planning, not leaving it to SMRT and SBST.
The introduction of the bus season pass for Public Transport as a whole and also the Distance based fare structure also has to be applauded.
For the first time in years, it is indeed changes for the better. Of course, we cannot be celebrating just yet as the plans have not been fully unveiled. There may be "catches
Well, this is a review that has come out to an extent above satisfactory. -
Originally posted by ^tamago^:
[b]Jan 18, 2008
Public bus market to be liberalised
Govt takes bold initiative to increase competition so as to provide more efficient bus services
By Christopher Tan, The Straits Times (Online)
[/b]
Government so many goals..o.o i dun think they plan to fulfill all -
Hmm...I beg to differ with your opinion. Over the years through my observations, the government seem to always mean what they say, and for most cases, initiate what they plan. Our government is considered to be quite efficient in these areas...we're not like our neighbours across the causeway; so many plans, do halfway, then suddenly stop work.Originally posted by SBS9888Y:
Government so many goals..o.o i dun think they plan to fulfill all -
47 needs to be a free service for it to work.
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Reuters - 2 hours 51 minutes ago
Singapore to open public bus sector to competition
SINGAPORE, Jan 18 - Singapore intends to open up its bus service sector to more competition following a review to improve public transport, the government said on Friday.
This could raise the number of bus operators in the city-state from the current two, ComfortDelGro's 75-percent owned SBS Transit and rail operator SMRT , which is 54-percent owned by state investor Temasek Holdings [TEM.UL].
"There are limited economies of scale for bus operations above a fleet size of 500 buses. Hence, our current bus industry of about 3,700 buses could potentially support more than the current two operators," Transport Minister Raymond Lim said in a speech to announce the results of the year-long review.
Lim said the intention is for operators to compete periodically for the right to provide bus services, adding that these operators "will have to fulfil service obligations or risk being replaced when their term is up".
The introduction of competition will be implemented after another year or so of studies, Lim said.
The review will also change the way bus operators plan their service networks, putting the decision into the hands of the government.
SBS Transit currently operates more than 2,800 public buses while SMRT has 860.
The government in 2003 liberalised Singapore's taxi industry by issuing new licenses to private operators, ending the duopoly also held then by government-linked ComfortDelGro and SMRT.
But ComfortDelGro continues to dominate the industry with about 16,000 of the 23,000 taxis plying the city-state, while SMRT has 3,000 and four other private operators split the remainder. -
Future Joo Koon Int for 252 and Marina South to replace Marina Ctr Ter + Serve Integrated resort?Originally posted by sbs&tibs:36. Very obvious
37. Joo Koon and Marina South? :S
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When Joo Koon Stn/Ter opens, there wll be a very high passenger traffic so need better integrate our transport hubs with the surrounding facilities.Originally posted by sbs&tibs:37. Joo Koon and Marina South? :S
Marina South - New CBD + IR + New Ferry Ctr -
and possibly Shenton Way as well.Originally posted by SBS9889U:Marina South to replace Marina Ctr Ter + Serve Integrated resort? -
LTA to plan new bus routes instead of Bus Companies...
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somehow i feels like LTA will be messing up the bus system in sg
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alrite another one of my reviews
juz watched the news on this issue
1) LTA to plan bus routes
Boo...
super bad idea. the bus operators will have all the market research survey data and travel pattern data for planning fo bus routes with them and very well established data this is. this means the local bus operators do start satisofactory new routes based on their current data collected.
there is no need for a refresh of the process and for LTA to take over the work which has been done excellently by sbs. however it woould be best if LTA had smrtbuses under its control.
2) buses 10 mins per bus
yay
But not enough. given the projected 5.5 million population figure, the freq has to be much better than 7 mins per bus. 7 mins per bus will bring us on par with korea or Hong Kong. however do note that in UK bus freq are on par with Singapore. its a matter of demand. iif they want 70 percent people taking bus then it has to be 7 mins.
3) bus lanes
boo...
more bus lanes. but is it enough? u have to consider the bus start n stopped by traffic light junction. true more B prority lights but point is bus already get stopped by the light.
in this case I propose converting all T junctions with a full bus lane (first lane) ACROSS the entire junction without a traffic light applying to bus will work better. howwever a traffic lane divider has to built across all junction so cars and vehicles dun stray into the bus lane whilst turning.
all day bus lanes wun solve the problem unless bus lanes are segregated from mainstream traffic like korea. people simply do not give way to bues here. esp taxis.
the idea of contra flow traffic bus lanes was not raised. pity
4) more bus hubs
boo...
yes more air-con, more food court, more malls. but do we need this?do we have to tear down bedok int? do we want our memeories of old bedok int to be gone with the wind? me? i treasure history so demolishing our history is not the way.
5) more next bus arrival panels
yay
but they will have to notice that the current panels are faint in light and no one can see it clearly. proof is when u see the news and they show the panels u cant see a thing.
6) more WAb
yay
but pls no more shaking Gemilang bodied buses. try european made models made CBU in europe instead of relying on local bus builder soon chow to output superior products. however not mind if many bus built by Soon Chow as they the best in the region.
well i give example: MAN Lion's City in integrated Lion's City bodywork made in germany shipped over to Singapore.
7) more competition, more bus companies.
yay
maybe can ask well established players like Stagecoach or KMB to run a franchise bus co in Singapore. or redbus or Arriva.
8 ) more niche routes
boo...
somehow i dun like these expensive, low demanded routes. no doubt Premium to shenton way has good loads but City Shopper...erm erm
9) throough fare
Yay X10
raised by many through the years. esp by sv 966. whom raised the idea up first. then suppoerted by me and my ZYXbus. today the issue has finally come true. Singapore will be the first country in the world to boast the fairest bus fare payment system _ THE THROUGH FARE SYSTEM (pay for what u travel, the way u travel and the dist u travel) . i wd like to thank sv966 for writing in the Straits times forum for the raising up of this cool fare system.
ZYX