Channel NewsAsia - 1 hour 4 minutes ago
For the past eight years, they have rescued nightbirds and provided party—goers and nightshift workers a cheaper alternative to get home after hours.
Now, while demand is on the up for one operator and fares have been increased for the first time by the other, night bus services here are at a crossroads.
Regular users of these services Today spoke to want the services to be extended to Sundays and public holidays, frequencies shortened and more routes to be added.
But improvements are unlikely to be on the horizon, industry observers say.
The two existing operators, SBS Transit and SMRT, are currently short of drivers and fuel costs have risen. Smaller bus operators, meanwhile, are also not keen to cash in on this growing segment.
While ridership has been “fairly stable over the years” for SMRT, SBS Transit has seen ridership doubled from about a year ago, to about 1,000 each night.
“The Nite Owl services are increasingly becoming more popular with commuters and ridership is rising every month,” SBS Transit spokeswoman Tammy Tan told Today.
“This is partly due to population growth as well as a buoyant economy which has led to more malls and retail outlets extending their operating hours on Fridays, Saturdays and even on public holidays.”
In May, operator SMRT increased fares on their seven NightRider services by 50 cents to $3.50. The fare adjustment — the first since the services were rolled out in 2000 — was to mitigate an increase of costs, said a SMRT spokesperson. SBS Transit’s services remain at $2.50 and $3 if you pay by ez—link payment and cash respectively.
According to both operators, commuters who frequent the bus services are mainly teenagers and young adults returning home after a night out, and workers performing late shifts. Current night bus services run on Fridays, Saturdays and eves of public holidays from 11.30pm to 4.35am. They connect the downtown areas, like Orchard and Marina, to major residential areas, such as Ang Mo Kio, Woodlands, Jurong West and Pasir Ris.
With taxi fares rising last December, night buses have become a cheaper way to travel home for some commuters.
Polytechnic student Jeremy Teo, who works part—time at a pub in Clarke Quay, saves about $12 in taxi fares when he catches a nightrider service to his home at Yio Chu Kang. “It is definitely cheaper if you don’t mind the wait,” said the 19—year—old, who counts a 30—minute wait as his longest.
The long wait is often cited by commuters for giving the night bus a miss. Another common complaint is that buses occasionally miss passengers who could have been waiting at bus stops away from the city centre.
Store assistant Koh Ee Meng, who waited at Tiong Bahru Road during Christmas Eve last year, gave up on his 25 minute wait after a bus failed to stop as he tried to flag it down. “I was tired and didn’t want to risk being missed by another bus,” he said.
There are a total of 15 night bus services, running at intervals of 16 to 30 minutes, plying the roads now. During the service’s peak in 2001, there were at least 22 night bus services on the roads.
Under the current bus service licensing framework, night buses are classified by the Public Transport Council as “Basic—Plus bus services”. Unlike premium bus services, the “Basic—Plus bus services” are operated by two basic bus operators, SMRT and SBS Transit, and the routes generally fall within the basic bus service operators’ area of responsibility.
Given that smaller bus operators are entering the premium bus market, will they be keen, if invited, to run night buses?
Unlikely, said those Today spoke to. The industry is facing a severe shortage of bus drivers, said Bus Hub director Mr V Anilan.
“Everyone wants an eight—to—five job. It is already tough getting drivers now and will be even more difficult if you want them to work in the graveyard shift,” he said.
In 2001, members of the Singapore School Transport Association were roped in to provide bus services during the Chinese New Year period, said chairman Wong Ann Lin. But he would not encourage his members to enter the business. Many of his members are already driving in the day so safety will be an issue if they do double shifts, he said.
So, will the existing two operators expand their services? “We will introduce more Nite Owl services if there is demand,” said SBS Transit’s Ms Tan. For SMRT, the operator’s spokesperson said it is always looking for ways to serve commuters better, pointing to an extension of two NightRider services to HarbourFront last year to serve patrons of St James Power Station.
Assistant Professor Terence Fan of the Singapore Management University’s Lee Kong Chian School of Business feels that both operators should still be able to increase frequencies for the night buses.
“Some other round—the—clock service—oriented industries do offer some shift allowances for night shifts. That could be an enhancements for bus drivers. If more passengers are taking the service, that should help the operators pay,” he said. — TODAY/sh
Shall we move the article to the newspaper thread at sticky.
NiteOwl and Nightrider are really good alternatives to Taxis in some sense.
Although the Owls can be long winded when they travel to the south of the city, their speed matches those of SMRT NR, thanks to the uninterrupted express routes to the heartlands.
On a personal note, whenever I go out to the city late at night on Fridays and Saturdays, I can be sure to stay later than usual thanks to the bus service home. The wait can be long, but who can expect good frequency in the wee hours?
I can always remember when i finish part time work in 2006, like the student interviewed, I took night services home, and 8N had always been my choice, even when I knock off early. When the SBST services were re-organized into 1N-8N, the initial ridership was quite low; I could always get a seat even if I board at Orchard. But just last Saturday, the 8N I was on (3854J, board at Esplanade at 0139hrs) was fully seated as it left Little India on the express section and there were standees as well. 8N alone have progressed much from the first (early) morning that I took the service for the first time 2 years back.
NR8 have not lost out as well. The recent time I took the service last month, the bus (605M, board at Esplanade at 0155hrs) was packed as it left Orchard around 2 AM.
Except for traveling at high speed along sections of low/nil passengers, the section of Clarke Quay is one challenge for bus captains; having to dodge taxis and occasional awake/half awake/drunk drivers in cars rushing out from the stand and exits near MOS (Ministry of Sound) just before Liang Court. Many a times it was a close call. People driving at night is much different from those in day time, especially if they are under influence of alcohol, high from party or just rushing home.
The music of the engines, especially the OM447A, have been a routine on 8N. Throwing aside any maintenance issues, buses which have served on the service are somewhat memorable, especially SBS3852P with noisy/spoilt hub-reductors and speeding, well, on normal N service speeds. Recently, SBS191H serving the route was also a surprise.
I really hope these night services are able to stay though these difficult times. Night entertainment and relaxation is reassured with the fact that only a few coins is necessary to bring a drowsy from sleep/drunk person home.
Originally posted by TIB1224Y:NiteOwl and Nightrider are really good alternatives to Taxis in some sense.
, the 8N I was on (3954J, board at Esplanade at 0139hrs) was fully seated as it left Little India on the express section and there were standees as well. 8N alone have progressed much from the first (early) morning that I took the service for the first time 2 years back.
The music of the engines, especially the OM447A, have been a routine on 8N. Throwing aside any maintenance issues, buses which have served on the service are somewhat memorable, especially SBS3852P with noisy/spoilt hub-reductors and speeding, well, on normal N service speeds. Recently, SBS191H serving the route was also a surprise.
SBS 3854J right? SBS 3852P is noisy when they the bus speed but this bus chiong very fast. Now gone liao, so sad. SBS 191H should be the better one but it is a cameo on Express 502 which also had buses crossover and do 8N. Take SBS 3872G and you would be delighted.