Government contracting model for public bus industry
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Personally, in my opinion, I feel that LTA should consider setting a limit in how many bus packages a bus company can operate at any one time.
Because there may be a possibility that one bus company will always be better than the other bus companies, or it is always the same two bus companies winning bus contracts. If so, wouldn't we see a monopoly forming, or continue to have a duopoly in our public bus industry?
Anyway, I am only against monopoly. I am alright if there are only two bus companies operating bus services under the Government Contracting Model, because even so, there will still be (greater) competition, unlike today.
My prediction for the first package: either SBS Transit or SMRT, or any other local bus company, will win. Local bus company may stand an advantage over foreign bus companies, since they already have experience in operating bus services here.
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I would love if SBST 45%,SMRTB 35% and 20% goes to the new operators instead,SBST 7 depots,SMRT 5 depots and 3 depots for the new company...
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i hope LTA rebrand to give a new name with new logo and livery for the buses. pls dont put lta logo with livery just like the lta cars.
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BBT better to be tendered along with BPJ & CCK as Bukit Timah contract area. CLE & JUE are better off in the same package as BNL and BNV as West Coast contract area. Sembawang (WDL/SBW/YIS) and Hougang (HGN/SKG/PGL) contract areas should remain with their respective operators in the meantime.
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Originally posted by JurongWestresident:
Personally, in my opinion, I feel that LTA should consider setting a limit in how many bus packages a bus company can operate at any one time.
Because there may be a possibility that one bus company will always be better than the other bus companies, or it is always the same two bus companies winning bus contracts. If so, wouldn't we see a monopoly forming, or continue to have a duopoly in our public bus industry?
Anyway, I am only against monopoly. I am alright if there are only two bus companies operating bus services under the Government Contracting Model, because even so, there will still be (greater) competition, unlike today.
My prediction for the first package: either SBS Transit or SMRT, or any other local bus company, will win. Local bus company may stand an advantage over foreign bus companies, since they already have experience in operating bus services here.
How about WTS and Tong Tar? Do you rate them highly? -
Originally posted by SBS3688Y:
i hope LTA rebrand to give a new name with new logo and livery for the buses. pls dont put lta logo with livery just like the lta cars.
Personally, I want all buses rebranded with "Transitlink" livery, like Transperth and DarwinBus. -
Originally posted by iveco:
BBT better to be tendered along with BPJ & CCK as Bukit Timah contract area.
CLE & JUE are better off in the same package as BNL and BNV as West Coast contract area.
Sembawang (WDL/SBW/YIS) and Hougang (HGN/SKG/PGL) contract areas should remain with their respective operators in the meantime.
The first priority is that on their feedbacks it is supposed to reduce overcrowding on KJDEP and SLBP.
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Originally posted by iveco:
BBT better to be tendered along with BPJ & CCK as Bukit Timah contract area.
CLE & JUE are better off in the same package as BNL and BNV as West Coast contract area.
Sembawang (WDL/SBW/YIS) and Hougang (HGN/SKG/PGL) contract areas should remain with their respective operators in the meantime.
Loyang Depot will be the next followed by Ang Mo Kio, the only depot who had height restrictions.
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Originally posted by TPS Timothy Mok:
Loyang Depot will be the next followed by Ang Mo Kio, the only depot who had height restrictions.
Waaaa.
Your friend at LTA tell you this ah?
I can imagine this sort of info is very sensitive you know.
But its ok la.
There are a lot of people who dont mind getting into trouble from time to time!
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Originally posted by carbikebus:
First 26 service and buses all tio LTA livery with a bit of either SBST,SMRTB or the new stickers,PTOs are allowed to have ads on the buses or trains body though..Whatever it is the two incumbents will have nothing to lose cause all under same father,hahaha
True but freaking ugly LTA livery for sure...
People working in the Agency only know how to copy wholesale from other countries rather than maintain status quo on livery...
Most SGreans know SBST/SMRT are belong to Ah Gong, so why waste taxpayers money to repaint!? -
agree the LTA livery on the LTA cars and pickups are freaking ugly and also they look like police cars. if use this kind of LTA livery and LTA logo are used on public buses then its a big disgrace. better get a creative professional rebrand completely.
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Originally posted by SBS3688Y:
i hope LTA rebrand to give a new name with new logo and livery for the buses. pls dont put lta logo with livery just like the lta cars.
Originally posted by iveco:
Personally, I want all buses rebranded with "Transitlink" livery, like Transperth and DarwinBus.Originally posted by Acx1688:True but freaking ugly LTA livery for sure...
People working in the Agency only know how to copy wholesale from other countries rather than maintain status quo on livery...
Most SGreans know SBST/SMRT are belong to Ah Gong, so why waste taxpayers money to repaint!?Originally posted by SBS3688Y:agree the LTA livery on the LTA cars and pickups are freaking ugly and also they look like police cars. if use this kind of LTA livery and LTA logo are used on public buses then its a big disgrace. better get a creative professional rebrand completely.
It seems that the concern is only on the livery.
I have a suggestion:
LTA can organise a drawing competition on livery design, and adopt ideas/concepts from the best entries into the common LTA livery.
Alternatively, LTA can consult SOTA, NAFA, the Design schools in our Polytechnics, etc. on how to design the common LTA livery.
Either suggestion would at least ensure that the common LTA livery looks nice. If very well designed, it may become our national identity, similar to the iconic red livery at London.
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Originally posted by iveco:
Which Australian operator? Swan Transit? I'm glad Kalamunda went over to Path Transit.Yes. Also glad that Kalamunda is now under Path Transit's hands as well.
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Originally posted by Bus Stopping:
For the last point regarding recruitment of drivers, there is apparently a large enough supply of people willing to be bus captain, but most are being held back by red tape and lack of resources.
From what I understand from a friend, the current next training slot for sbst drivers starts 3 months away in december, while smrt recruitment is overloaded with applicants that the lead time from application to contract signing is at least a month.
This is where it gets worrying. The training period by the two incumbents were comprehensive to make sure they cover most ground.
Would training time be sacrificed to put more drivers on the road more quickly, especially for new operators who have to create local training programs from scratch? Inadequate training can result in serious operational problems:
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/hsc-students-worry-as-bus-drivers-get-lost-20131015-2vjuw.html
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/berejiklian-sorry-as-commuters-in-west-hit-by-bus-chaos-after-handover-20131015-2vkub.html
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Originally posted by JurongWestresident:
It seems that the concern is only on the livery.
I have a suggestion:
LTA can organise a drawing competition on livery design, and adopt ideas/concepts from the best entries into the common LTA livery.
Alternatively, LTA can consult SOTA, NAFA, the Design schools in our Polytechnics, etc. on how to design the common LTA livery.
Either suggestion would at least ensure that the common LTA livery looks nice. If very well designed, it may become our national identity, similar to the iconic red livery at London.
We can pray hard for that to happen on LTA's own initiative but I think it is more likely that public outrage would eventually drive such a change.
After all, PPSS/CityDirect tickets have been printing similar tickets and Downtown Line trains were painted with the livery without any complaint so far.
It doesn't take too much imagination to think how the LTA livery could look like. Omnibology has even created an "artist's impression".
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Originally posted by sgbuses:
Yes. Also glad that Kalamunda is now under Path Transit's hands as well.
At least Path got something back after losing their monopoly on the northern timetables.
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Originally posted by iveco:
How about WTS and Tong Tar? Do you rate them highly?My 2 cents:
Woodlands Transport sure has the capability to run such an ops, but i'm afraid their lack of experience with public transport operations (scheduling, frequency adjustment, policies) will cause them to have to start researching from scratch on what's best to do. Established operators from abroad already have such an operation elsewhere and could simply adapt it to local conditions. This puts them at a disadvantage, but I do hope they put up a strong fight and learn from this first tender so as to win the upcoming ones.
Tong Tar won't be able to meet the 250 buses fleet requirement, as would many of the smaller operators here.
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Originally posted by Bus Stopping:
My 2 cents:
Woodlands Transport sure has the capability to run such an ops, but i'm afraid their lack of experience with public transport operations (scheduling, frequency adjustment, policies) will cause them to have to start researching from scratch on what's best to do. Established operators from abroad already have such an operation elsewhere and could simply adapt it to local conditions. This puts them at a disadvantage, but I do hope they put up a strong fight and learn from this first tender so as to win the upcoming ones.
Tong Tar won't be able to meet the 250 buses fleet requirement, as would many of the smaller operators here.
Maybe WTS and foreign operator can tie up, like Carbikebus predicted.
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Originally posted by Bus Stopping:
My 2 cents:
Woodlands Transport sure has the capability to run such an ops, but i'm afraid their lack of experience with public transport operations (scheduling, frequency adjustment, policies) will cause them to have to start researching from scratch on what's best to do. Established operators from abroad already have such an operation elsewhere and could simply adapt it to local conditions. This puts them at a disadvantage, but I do hope they put up a strong fight and learn from this first tender so as to win the upcoming ones.
Tong Tar won't be able to meet the 250 buses fleet requirement, as would many of the smaller operators here.
why wouldnt they be able to meet the 250 buses fleet requirement?
you do understand that the government is gonna provide the buses (current bus assets owned by SBS Transit and SMRT) to these operators (should they win it) to operate on the bidded services right?
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Originally posted by SBST163:
you do understand that the government is gonna provide the buses (current bus assets owned by SBS Transit and SMRT) to these operators (should they win it) to operate on the bidded services right?
That is not what he meant.
The clause refers to the fact that you must already be operating a fleet of 250 buses or more to be eligible to bid for the contract.
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Originally posted by sgbuses:
That is not what he meant.
The clause refers to the fact that you must already be operating a fleet of 250 buses or more to be eligible to bid for the contract.
i see. apologies for the misinterpretation =)
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Originally posted by Bus Stopping:
My 2 cents:
Woodlands Transport sure has the capability to run such an ops, but i'm afraid their lack of experience with public transport operations (scheduling, frequency adjustment, policies) will cause them to have to start researching from scratch on what's best to do. Established operators from abroad already have such an operation elsewhere and could simply adapt it to local conditions. This puts them at a disadvantage, but I do hope they put up a strong fight and learn from this first tender so as to win the upcoming ones.
Tong Tar won't be able to meet the 250 buses fleet requirement, as would many of the smaller operators here.
OT abit, but does Woodlands Transport runs the Sentosa shuttle bus?
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Originally posted by TIB429E:
OT abit, but does Woodlands Transport runs the Sentosa shuttle bus?
yes; sentosa buses belong to WT. WT also operates a number of free shuttles including the Punggol Plaza minibuses.
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some foreign transport consultants criticised saying the bus routes should be kept up to max 18km only to ensure service reliability. I disagree. If a short bus route ends up in traffic bottleneck; it will still cockup the bus schedule no matter what. Will a short bus route bring greater customer satisfaction? i dont think so. what we need is a series of semi-express buses from mid to relative long haul. Semi-express buses to avoid traffic bottlenecks whenever possible or kept to a minimal to ensure better reliability. how about building flyover bus lanes above busy roads and expressways?
