Bus tenders to benefit riders?
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there is this article in the Sunday Times today regarding the upcoming bus tenders. The article is isnt complete in the straits time website. Can read through the sunday times for more details of this article. (copy right of SPH)
http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_350383.htmlBUS TENDERS TO BENEFIT RIDERS
In about a year's time, the Government will take the first baby step towards liberalising the duopolistic public transport market, now controlled by SBS Transit and SMRT Corp.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA), which will assume the role of central route planner, is expected to put up the first parcel of bus routes for tender by the second half of next year. Previously, the two incumbents planned their own routes.
The idea is to keep operators on their toes by introducing a system that will make them compete for the market, so as to better serve commuters.
Currently, the two incumbents do not compete directly. In fact, one could say they do not compete at all as they ply different routes. If there is any overlap, it is negligible.
They operate under the watch of the LTA and the Public Transport Council. Even so, the Government feels standards could be improved if competition is introduced.
Details of how the market will be opened up are still being worked out, but the burning question being asked now is: Will the commuter be better off?
Read the full story in The Sunday Times today.
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Limit the number of players to 3 at most. Having too many players will cause the system to collapse since SG is too small. It is not a metropolis like London or Melbourne.
In short, let one more operator in, then watch over all the players and make sure they do a good job.
Competing head-on is not the solution, but mutual cooperation is.
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ai ya.. tighten their standard rather than letting more operators in and after that close down 1 by 1. SMRT would lose out with the current standard..
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SMRT is confirmed at the losing end. First, their fleet is stretched.. secondly manpower shortage... Then parking is also an issue. Even if SMRT suddenly want to expand their fleet by few hundred buses they have no place to park.
Even SBS Transit is facing some of these issues as we speak.
Hopefully before any of the tender starts, LTA can have all the basic infrastructures ready (e.g. more depots or expand existing ones). -
Originally posted by off_service:
SMRT is confirmed at the losing end. First, their fleet is stretched.. secondly manpower shortage... Then parking is also an issue. Even if SMRT suddenly want to expand their fleet by few hundred buses they have no place to park.
Even SBS Transit is facing some of these issues as we speak.
Hopefully before any of the tender starts, LTA can have all the basic infrastructures ready (e.g. more depots or expand existing ones).
Can start looking for space in Loyang for another bus park to house PSR route group. -
Originally posted by off_service:
Hopefully before any of the tender starts, LTA can have all the basic infrastructures ready (e.g. more depots or expand existing ones).
think of PIW access at interchanges and bus stops. we may see a similar issue above. -
Originally posted by iveco:
Can start looking for space in Loyang for another bus park to house PSR route group.
i seriously think you should go to google map and check the land at Loyangso long never see you your lines are still the same.
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Are the new operators required have some history and pre-requisites?
- operational/management history
- bus fleet age and accessibility
- resources for the bus routes
something like that. Im wondering if there's gonna be some bus fans here wanting to set up a new bus company and whack SBST/SMRT back
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Originally posted by TIB537B:
something like that. Im wondering if there's gonna be some bus fans here wanting to set up a new bus company and whack SBST/SMRT back
U think its as easy as starting a hotmail account ?
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Originally posted by sBs_boy:
U think its as easy as starting a hotmail account ?
well of course not! but i do get the impression that when people complain about SBST and SMRT's standards they seem that they know what is the "better" standards. So i wondering if anyone want to try outclassing this two giants. -
Originally posted by TIB537B:
Are the new operators required have some history and pre-requisites?
- operational/management history
- bus fleet age and accessibility
- resources for the bus routes
something like that. Im wondering if there's gonna be some bus fans here wanting to set up a new bus company and whack SBST/SMRT back
so who have got S$100 million to spare and lend to the bus fans? If not, just lend S$10 million to me also can..:)not that easy to be a new operator... Each bus cost S$360 000. So imagine u bid for 5 routes (as a package) and each route need 10 buses. So you need at least 50 new buses x S$360 000 = S$18 000 000 )excluding SP). and some bus fan even talk about give 1 min or 2 mins frequency for certain services.. Who is going to loan you this amount if you are a newcomer with no financial backing? unless another temasek linked company come in or foreign company? But then i dun think any foreign company want to come in when our own transport company have been expanding overseas. If woodland transports or other local bus companies wish to come in, they will have to buy new WAB buses and cant use their existing bus fleets, which does not meet the LTA requirement at all.
still need to talk about depot space to park the buses? manpower to operate /maintain the buses etc etc etc?
TIBS was started without much working capital as well and it is the Japan bus manufacturer (Hino?) who agree to sell the bus to TIBS first ,and let TIBS pay back later when they got the money.
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Originally posted by lemon1974:
so who have got S$100 million to spare and lend to the bus fans? If not, just lend S$10 million to me also can..:)not that easy to be a new operator... Each bus cost S$360 000. So imagine u bid for 5 routes (as a package) and each route need 10 buses. So you need at least 50 new buses x S$360 000 = S$18 000 000 )excluding SP). and some bus fan even talk about give 1 min or 2 mins frequency for certain services.. Who is going to loan you this amount if you are a newcomer with no financial backing? unless another temasek linked company come in or foreign company? But then i dun think any foreign company want to come in when our own transport company have been expanding overseas. If woodland transports or other local bus companies wish to come in, they will have to buy new WAB buses and cant use their existing bus fleets, which does not meet the LTA requirement at all.
still need to talk about depot space to park the buses? manpower to operate /maintain the buses etc etc etc?
TIBS was started without much working capital as well and it is the Japan bus manufacturer (Hino?) who agree to sell the bus to TIBS first ,and let TIBS pay back later when they got the money.
Don't underestimate any new operators. Look at the taxi market. We have about double the operators and they have decent financial backing. Who knows, someone might really go with the idea of higher frequencies with shorter buses, maybe 7m Dart SLF or Hino Ribbon.
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Originally posted by sgbuses:
Don't underestimate any new operators. Look at the taxi market. We have about double the operators and they have decent financial backing. Who knows, someone might really go with the idea of higher frequencies with shorter buses, maybe 7m Dart SLF or Hino Ribbon.
Bro Taxis different la,4.5 Sonatas price is the same as a Scania KUB.Taxi companies earn from the Taxi driver itself where the bus company is not.I dun really think that a third company would improvise to a better standard.Expand fleets,Manpower and possibly depot could do just fine.Listen to the seniors here,They got more knowledge.
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With regards to the opening of the bus industry to newcomers, i do not expect to see any new local players but instead players from overseas instead.
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Originally posted by carbikebus:
Listen to the seniors here,They got more knowledge.
So am I not allowed to voice my opinon - I am not a kid! What's with this senior thing.
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Originally posted by sgbuses:
Don't underestimate any new operators. Look at the taxi market. We have about double the operators and they have decent financial backing. Who knows, someone might really go with the idea of higher frequencies with shorter buses, maybe 7m Dart SLF or Hino Ribbon.
thing is, if you're have a bigger fleet, you've more flexibility over deployment and maybe cheaper to buy them under bulk purchasefurthermore investment in bigger buses needs big capital, hence even if those private operators are interested, they might not be up to e beat for heavy demand routes yet they're not interested in non profitable routes
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Originally posted by sgbuses:
So am I not allowed to voice my opinon - I am not a kid! What's with this senior thing.
If i treat you like a kid i wouldn't bother to call you Bro,Yes you can voice out your opinion whether its constructive or not.The senior bus enthu has more knowledge.Some of them work for the bus companies also.Just my 2.5 cents.Like it or not i don't give a damm. -
I think everyone just wants more seats
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How to get more seat is a question.
Increase the bus frequency need to purchase more bus and hire bus captain.
Purchase Bi-articulated bus. The bus length is more than 18m! This is impossible, our road space is limited.
What else can your suggest?
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I think new bendy buses not allowed anymore on the roads.
Not to say a triple bendy bus. -
Originally posted by shinkansen:
How to get more seat is a question.
Increase the bus frequency need to purchase more bus and hire bus captain.
Purchase Bi-articulated bus. The bus length is more than 18m! This is impossible, our road space is limited.
What else can your suggest?
i think that most bi-articulated buses have mid-mounted engines...and that means, high floor...
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Originally posted by shinkansen:
How to get more seat is a question.
Increase the bus frequency need to purchase more bus and hire bus captain.
Purchase Bi-articulated bus. The bus length is more than 18m! This is impossible, our road space is limited.
What else can your suggest?
bi-artics cannot run properly on Singapore roads due to road space constraints. Even though they may be high floor due to the engine, they stop at raised platforms bus stops with the necessary PIW equipment and steps for passengers to achieve full accessibility. This kind of bus will also have automated ramps for the passengers/PIW to board with zero steps.actually LTA should reconsider bendies. Unless they want to start asking DD makers to think out of the box. For example, using A380 idea and build another entrance and exit on the second deck. (jkjk haha)
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Originally posted by lemon1974:
there is this article in the Sunday Times today regarding the upcoming bus tenders. The article is isnt complete in the straits time website. Can read through the sunday times for more details of this article. (copy right of SPH)
http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_350383.htmlBUS TENDERS TO BENEFIT RIDERS
In about a year's time, the Government will take the first baby step towards liberalising the duopolistic public transport market, now controlled by SBS Transit and SMRT Corp.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA), which will assume the role of central route planner, is expected to put up the first parcel of bus routes for tender by the second half of next year. Previously, the two incumbents planned their own routes.
The idea is to keep operators on their toes by introducing a system that will make them compete for the market, so as to better serve commuters.
Currently, the two incumbents do not compete directly. In fact, one could say they do not compete at all as they ply different routes. If there is any overlap, it is negligible.
They operate under the watch of the LTA and the Public Transport Council. Even so, the Government feels standards could be improved if competition is introduced.
Details of how the market will be opened up are still being worked out, but the burning question being asked now is: Will the commuter be better off?
Read the full story in The Sunday Times today.
Keep companies on their toes? How so?
If they have to abide by LTA's weelies and neelies then what's there to compete? So to speak? You can't do much to keep companies on their toes by making them offer homogeneous products.....
So what now?
First come first serve? Is that the way to "compete"?
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Originally posted by TIB537B:
bi-artics cannot run properly on Singapore roads due to road space constraints. Even though they may be high floor due to the engine, they stop at raised platforms bus stops with the necessary PIW equipment and steps for passengers to achieve full accessibility. This kind of bus will also have automated ramps for the passengers/PIW to board with zero steps.actually LTA should reconsider bendies. Unless they want to start asking DD makers to think out of the box. For example, using A380 idea and build another entrance and exit on the second deck. (jkjk haha)
double decker bus stops
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How about this: