LTA's Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP) (Part 2)
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Originally posted by sgbuses:
The government is still hesitant on a common government livery because they still want to project the perception that bus operations are still in the hands of private operators (i.e. any blame can be deflected to the private sector).
However, the recent BSEP stickers provides some clue to the government toying with and accepting such an idea if it gives them credit and benefits them politically.
Quite a few cities have moved towards adopting a common government livery for its buses (see below, Melbourne). And personally I do want a model where the government owns and lease public buses as well.
Common livery has been in use by Transperth for quite a long time. It doesn't matter if the routes are operated by Swan Transit, Path Transit or Veolia Transdev.I feel SG bus fleet should be nationalised and re-contracted out according to sectors. In SG, there are roughly 7 sectors that can be tendered out, with WTS getting an outside chance of having PTO status like SBS & SMB. To avoid discontent, however, Sembawang (WDL/SBW/YSN route groups) and Hougang (HGN/SKG/PGL route groups) contract areas should remain with their existing operators.
Other contract areas include East Coast (EUN/BDK/TAM/PSR), Tanglin (City area, Redhill, Whampoa), West Coast (QUE/CLE/JUE/BNL), Bukit Batok (BBT/BPJ/CCK) and Ang Mo Kio (AMK/SER/BSH/TPY). These can be farmed out by competitive tender process.
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Actually, in my opinion, I feel that the bus services should be tendered out based on depots - instead of which area they run in.
Since there has been new depots (bus parks) created over the years, the Government should review the allocation of bus services to every bus depot. Thereafter, it should contract out the bus depot, where bus companies would bid to operate bus depots, and run bus services that are allocated to the bus depots.
Currently, SBS Transit has 6 bus depots [page 80] (bus parks) and SMRT has 3 bus depots [page 200] - of which SBS Transit can use its Soon Lee bus depot until 2030, its Bukit Batok bus depot until 2026 and its Ang Mo Kio bus depot until 2020, and SMRT can use its Woodlands bus depot until 2027. In addition, SMRT can use the Wenya/Bulim bus depot from 2015.
The bus depots (bus parks) at Defu Ave 1, Ang Mo Kio Street 62 and Kranji Road can be used until 2016, whereas the ones at Bedok North Ave 4 and Ayer Rajah Crescent are under Temporary Occupation Licence.
Based on the expiry of leases, I guess the two depots (Bedok North and Ayer Rajah) on Temporary Occupation License will be the first to be opened for bus contracts model, followed by the three depots (Defu, Ang Mo Kio [SMRT] and Kranji) that would have the leases expired in 2016.
After 2016, SBS Transit will probably continue to operate the bus depots (and associated bus services) at Soon Lee, Bukit Batok and Ang Mo Kio - until their respective leases expire.
After 2016, SMRT will probably continue to operate the bus depots (and associated bus services) at Woodlands and Wenya/Bulim - until their respective leases expire.
In short, the contract areas with most bus services from the above 5 bus depots (that will probably continue to be operated by the respective operator) will most likely have the bus services remain the same in the initial phase of Bus Contracts Model; for a start, around half of the bus services in Singapore will be opened for competitive bidding, while the other half will be opened up progressively thereafter as the current leases expire.
Meanwhile, I guess the liveries on the buses owned by both SBS Transit and SMRT will very soon start to be re-painted to a common livery (based on Downtown Line, I guess the livery will spot the LTA logo, instead of Transitlink logo). I guess the government will plan carefully and start re-painting the buses (if it decides on common livery) and (possibly) give the buses new registration plates by a certain time, such that when the contracts model begins, a certain percentage of the buses would already have the common livery. (With that, I think SMRT can halt the painting of its new livery on buses already, to avoid wasting money.)
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Ah Sorry folks, no need to speculate, it will follow Tfl's style of "parceling" bus routes out...
will be implemented at limited phases after the BSEP buses have been deployed on the roads... -
When the Bus Contracts Model is here, there is something I wish can happen:
the labor (workers) of both SBS Transit and SMRT that work in the depots and/or drive the bus can become workers of LTA - similar to the revenue assets (bus and depot) taken over by LTA.
because in bus contracts model, the bus companies compete with each other to bid to run bus services.
If bus company change (another bus company run the bus service) and if the workers belong to the first bus company, the workers from the second bus company will come in and take over the job of the workers of the first bus company, leading to unemployment of the first bus company's workers. This may result in many people not having a long-term job, as they will only have job when their bus company win the license to run bus services and they are needed to man (drive, maintain, etc.) the buses. If their bus company lose the license, they themselves also will lose their job.
To prevent unemployment (or at least minimize it) and to ensure (most of) the workers of SBS Transit and SMRT can continue to have long-term employment, I wish the workers can be taken in by LTA and work for LTA (the wages and salary also standardized and from LTA), instead of work for SBS Transit or SMRT.
Similar to the buses, the workers can become fixed assets of LTA, as they sign on employment contacts with LTA.
This way, the workers can have a stable rice bowl. Even if change bus company as a result of Bus Contracts Model, it would not affect their rice bowl, since they are working for LTA, not the bus company.
After all, the Bus Contracts Model is meant "to drive efficiency and for the market to discover the best prices for a set of services". The emphasis is on how the bus company manages its operations and employs the assets it is allocated.
Some may argue that this may result in workers taking sides (working hard for the bus company if they like it, while they give a terrible work for the bus company if they do not like it) or simply become complacent, since their rice bowl would not be affected when another bus company takes over the operation of the bus services.
Well, if the workers dare to deliver a horrible service, they will face the consequences - just that it will be from LTA, instead of the bus company. After all, the buses and workers are assets of LTA.
If a bus is destroyed in accident, LTA will replace it with a new bus. Likewise if a worker does not work or has failed to do a proper job, LTA will ask the worker to resign. Since the bus and workers would belong to LTA, LTA will be the one making sure they are suitable for operations. For instance, LTA can itself employ "auditors" to review the data recorded by the Intelligent Bus Management System to check for flaws and ensure coherence. Should the "auditors" realize that a particular driver has been late or too early when driving the bus, LTA will have that driver replaced with another driver. For the workers at bus depot, LTA can do regular checks on the quality of their service, such as collecting data on how many buses return to depot for un-planned maintenance (which indicates how well the technicians upkeep the buses). Whereas for the workers at bus interchanges - which work as counter staff and/or service ambassadors - LTA can check on them like how 7-Eleven does it, by sending "mystery shoppers" to observe their services. The workers will be monitored by LTA, while the bus company manage the bus operations and decide the deployment of buses and workers.
In short, I wish that the workers of SBS Transit and SMRT can be taken over and become workers of LTA, just like the buses, when the Bus Contracts Model is here.
In the Bus Contracts Model, the LTA should be the one procuring the equipment and hiring the workers, and subsequently monitor and handle them.
The bus company should instead emphasize on managing the deployment of assets (including managing how many workers work in a shift), how the bus services should run (eg. add more trips during peak hours, reduce trips during periods with lower demand, having short trips [I believe the bus company is allowed to do this], etc.), and other aspects of the bus operations, such as bus advertising and finding ways to lower expenses through out-sourcing.
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Bro, the bus workers will belong to the bus coy,NT LTA follow london style..
Anyway if all dun realise,DD77 has gone MIA foe a long time... muz b bz takin notes to report high up
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Dupdup77 will be like our voice to speak to those bus operators..
Seriously if govt wanna local to work as bus captain then the 2 Days off per week rotation package is good enough..When SMRT still with 2 days off per week there's at least 35% Singaporeans BCs working but that number has declined since they change back to 6 days work per week scheme.Foreigners is different,they don't have families here and their priority is to earn and squeeze more money here
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Originally posted by carbikebus:
Dupdup77 will be like our voice to speak to those bus operators..
Seriously if govt wanna local to work as bus captain then the 2 Days off per week rotation package is good enough..When SMRT still with 2 days off per week there's at least 35% Singaporeans BCs working but that number has declined since they change back to 6 days work per week scheme.Foreigners is different,they don't have families here and their priority is to earn and squeeze more money here
I pity sia when i talk to the SL who drove 858 for both AM and PM drivers, they said working SL is very hard leh now, they told not to become SL, 6 days work 1 day off, After off svc back to depot for refueling also not considered OT.
Wake up 3am and at times back home also 3am. Very tiring job, sounds easy but its not.
But certain split drivers like have 2 days off leh
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6 days work meaning a lot of OTs cause the pattern is likely 8hrs work or less per day..Don't trust those BC words,Some rosters you can see start from 0510 ends at 1240(change shift) and you guess how many hours only?Of course next following week will be jialat la
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Originally posted by carbikebus:
6 days work meaning a lot of OTs cause the pattern is likely 8hrs work or less per day..Don't trust those BC words,Some rosters you can see start from 0510 ends at 1240(change shift) and you guess how many hours only?Of course next following week will be jialat la
I have never seen BC change shift at like 1240pm. I would normally see that from 1.30-4.30pm timeframe but jialat must wake up damn early. Normally from what i have seen example 911 perm SL drive on Sunday 486P and they will drive 1032J from Mon-Fri and Saturday off :/
858 also the same Sunday to Friday work
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There's one S67 shift starts at CCK 0510 ends at Tampines 1240 dunno now still have or not?But of course off service from Amdep at 0412
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After the PPSS services were announced, there will be an upcoming new service (or rather extension of existing service) in Q2 2014
According to the BSEP map (jan-jun 2014 at LTA FB), that extension of existing service will be from kallang/geylang area.
hmm, Lor 1 Geylang terminal? and i wonder what service will that be...
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Originally posted by azharjj:
After the PPSS services were announced, there will be an upcoming new service (or rather extension of existing service) in Q2 2014
According to the BSEP map (jan-jun 2014 at LTA FB), that extension of existing service will be from kallang/geylang area.
hmm, Lor 1 Geylang terminal? and i wonder what service will that be...
They stated only 1 service will be extended at the moment... Maybe to Sims Place?
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Originally posted by azharjj:
After the PPSS services were announced, there will be an upcoming new service (or rather extension of existing service) in Q2 2014
According to the BSEP map (jan-jun 2014 at LTA FB), that extension of existing service will be from kallang/geylang area.
hmm, Lor 1 Geylang terminal? and i wonder what service will that be...
could be 853, 961 and 980.
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Joint News Release - Improvements to 25 Bus Services in First Quarter 2014:
Joint News Release by the Land Transport Authority, SBST & SMRT - Improvements to 25 Bus Services in First Quarter 2014
Less Crowding, Shorter Waiting Times and Better Connectivity1. By end March 2014, a total of 339 of the 550 Government-funded buses under the Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP) have been deployed to improve 125 existing bus services and introduce 18 new bus services. This has helped reduce crowding, improved bus frequencies and provided better connectivity for commuters. Peak hour loading has improved, and scheduled intervals have decreased by about 1 to 5 minutes on average.
Better connectivity with new bus services
2. In addition to the 18 new bus services operated by the public transport operators (PTOs), seven City Direct Services (CDS) were added to the bus network by tapping on the resources of private bus operators.
3. From today, Peak Period Short Service (PPSS) 912P will begin operation to serve residents in Woodlands during weekday peak periods. Starting from Woodlands Regional Interchange, the service will overlay on existing Bus Service 912 and ply Woodlands Avenue 5, Woodlands Avenue 2, Woodlands Avenue 1 and loop at Woodlands Street 41 before going back to the bus interchange.
4. Another three PPSS will be introduced in Ang Mo Kio, Bedok, and Boon Lay in April and May 2014 respectively. Besides, one bus route will also be extended in the second quarter of 2014 to enhance connectivity for residents in Kallang. More information will be provided closer to the implementation date.
Improved bus services
5. To reduce crowding and waiting times, additional buses have been added to 25 bus services with heavy ridership during morning and evening peak hours in the first quarter of 2014. In all, 240 additional weekly peak hour bus trips have been added in the first quarter.
6. For example, SBS Transit Service 195 now runs more frequently at intervals of 8 to 12 minutes during morning peak period, from 10 to 13 minutes previously. Similarly, for evening peak period, the service now runs at 8 to 12 minute intervals instead of 8 to 15 minutes previously.
7. SMRT Service 972 now runs at 8 to 10 minute intervals during morning peak period, compared to the 11 to 12 minute intervals previously. It now runs at 10 to 12 minute intervals, instead of 13 to 15 minute intervals during evening peak period.
8. In addition, as part of the on-going quarterly bus service review process, the PTOs have also improved 20 bus services by deploying higher capacity buses and/or adding more bus trips along sectors that experience heavy ridership to better match demand along these sectors. In total, the operators have added 135 weekly trips during peak hours for these 20 services.
Expanded BSEP
9. As announced by the Minister for Transport during the 2014 Committee of Supply debate, the Government will expand the BSEP and introduce another 450 buses from 2015 to 2017, with the bulk of the improvements to be completed by end 2016. This will bring the total number of Government-funded buses to 1,000. Together with the buses injected by the PTOs, as well as the CDS and PPSS operated by private bus operators, this will increase Singapore’s total bus fleet available for public bus services by 35%. The expanded BSEP will provide more resources to double the number of new routes from 40 announced previously to 80, and allow LTA to improve frequencies of feeder services as the next priority focus for the BSEP.Enhancement to Existing Bus Services:
BSEP Mapping - Jan 2014 <> Jun 2014:
http://app.lta.gov.sg/data/apps/news/press/2014/20140414_Annex_B_Map_BSEP_Improvements.pdf
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Possible Extension of Lor 1 Geylang Svc
Service 11: Sims Place/Upp East Coast/Shenton Way/Marina Centre to Stadium Walk
Service 125: St Michael’s to Lor 1 Geylang
Service 141: Toa Payoh to Sims Place/Upp East Coast
Service 853: Yishun to Upp East Coast (Sunday>Daily)
Service 961: Least possibility
Service 980: Sembawang to Sims Place/Upp East Coast
Service 985: Choa Chu Kang to Sims Place/Upp East Coast
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Originally posted by TIB1096A:
Possible Extension of Lor 1 Geylang Svc
Service 11: Sims Place/Upp East Coast/Shenton Way/Marina Centre to Stadium Walk
Service 125: St Michael’s to Lor 1 Geylang
Service 141: Toa Payoh to Sims Place/Upp East Coast
Service 853: Yishun to Upp East Coast (Sunday>Daily)
Service 961: Least possibility
Service 980: Sembawang to Sims Place/Upp East Coast
Service 985: Choa Chu Kang to Sims Place/Upp East Coast
After thoughts...
sv11/141 could be merged for EoS to terminate at NS or become a loop service
sv853 could be extended to UEC(which is currently doin on Sun/PH) for greater/added connectivity
sv175,961,980,985 existing routes are long imo...
Guys forgot sv64 at Sims Place... the lone ranger there OR
existing Lorong 1 Geylang services are progressively extended so as to phase out/redevelop the terminal for other use(in some master plan if i am not wrong) -
Originally posted by TIB1234T:
Peak-Period Short Service (PPSS):
Living in Woodlands, Boon Lay, Bedok or Ang Mo Kio? Look out for four new Peak Period Short Services (PPSS) in your neighbourhood!
From:
14 April - Service 912P in Woodlands
22 April - Service 240P in Boon Lay
29 April - Service 222P in Bedok
6 May - Service 268P in Ang Mo KioThese services run by Private Bus Operators (PBOs)will overlay on existing stretches of feeder bus services 222, 240, 268, and 912. All four PPSS will operate at least five trips per hour during weekday morning and evening peak periods (except on public holidays) connecting commuters to nearby MRT stations and bus interchanges. PPSS will help reduce crowding, reduce commuter waiting times and will improve reliability during peak hours. The bus services will charge distance fares similar to current feeder services.
What bus the bt& tan use? one look like a volvo bus for 912p, how about the other 2 buses?
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I think LTA should allow now for PTE company to run feeder buses service at the seng kang parallel to LRT line.
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Svc 11 probably starts from Upp East Coast loop at NS
Svc 141 maybe will loop at Lor 1 from Toa Payoh or Upp East Coast loop at TPY
Svc 175 most probably ends at Sims Pl
Svc 980,985,961 the most ends at Sims Pl...Sims place can park at least 6-7 buses
Svc 853 ends at Eunos better..
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Originally posted by wsy1234:
What bus the bt& tan use? one look like a volvo bus for 912p, how about the other 2 buses?
If i'm not wrong, all are same new China branded buses: 2274, 2430, 3888...
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Originally posted by Acx1688:
After thoughts...
sv11/141 could be merged for EoS to terminate at NS or become a loop service
sv853 could be extended to UEC(which is currently doin on Sun/PH) for greater/added connectivity
sv175,961,980,985 existing routes are long imo...
Guys forgot sv64 at Sims Place... the lone ranger there OR
existing Lorong 1 Geylang services are progressively extended so as to phase out/redevelop the terminal for other use(in some master plan if i am not wrong)Yes can make svcs terminate at NS... There is a coach stand there with proper boarding facilities and connection to Stadium MRT... There is even a room with windows that is apparently sealed up...
Believe it is an abandoned bus int
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Does the new service mean:
1. Extension of existing service terminating at Lor 1
or
2. Extension of existing service to Lor 1.
I think it would be the latter.
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Originally posted by TIB1234T:
If i'm not wrong, all are same new China branded buses: 2274, 2430, 3888...
Which is the Yutong ZK6107H. Nice coach actually, it is using a Cummins engine coupled to an auto ZF gearbox, really changed my views on MIC buses, it is actually quite smooth and comfortable.
My review of 912P: Frequency is reliable, unlike the SMRT operated 912. Some passengers were quite confused about the new service 912P, but the drivers were friendly enough to help. At the interchange, flyers were given to passengers boarding the 912 route.
Looking forward to more PPSS services.
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Originally posted by SBS9C:
Which is the Yutong ZK6107H. Nice coach actually, it is using a Cummins engine coupled to an auto ZF gearbox, really changed my views on MIC buses, it is actually quite smooth and comfortable.
My review of 912P: Frequency is reliable, unlike the SMRT operated 912. Some passengers were quite confused about the new service 912P, but the drivers were friendly enough to help. At the interchange, flyers were given to passengers boarding the 912 route.
Looking forward to more PPSS services.
Yutongs are not really bad actually.
Had a good time riding ex-SMRT Yutong on BT svc 621.
It is the only China brand I would say would be barely on par with some of the international bus manufacturers here.
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Originally posted by SBS9C:
Which is the Yutong ZK6107H. Nice coach actually, it is using a Cummins engine coupled to an auto ZF gearbox, really changed my views on MIC buses, it is actually quite smooth and comfortable.
My review of 912P: Frequency is reliable, unlike the SMRT operated 912. Some passengers were quite confused about the new service 912P, but the drivers were friendly enough to help. At the interchange, flyers were given to passengers boarding the 912 route.
Looking forward to more PPSS services.
may as well take over the full route. i think it a matter of time when lta let pte operator take over a feeder service route. maybe let the pte operator take over smrt buses and run the service full time.