The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has called for a tender for the Bukit Merah and Jurong West Bus Packages on 23 November 2022, under Contract PT218: Bus Contracting – Bukit Merah and Jurong West Bus Packages.
The Jurong West Bus Package is the sixth contract to be launched for competitive tendering under the Bus Contracting Model. The Bukit Merah Bus Package is currently up for its second tendered term under the bus contracting model.
Under the Bus Contracting Model (BCM), bus routes were bundled into bus packages, consisting of a single bus depot, several bus interchanges, the bus routes and the buses themselves. With all bus infrastructure belonging to the Government, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) would select a bus operator to run the bus package (through a competitive tendering process), and lease these assets to the new operator.
As part of the gradual transition which commenced in September 2016, all existing bus services in Singapore (previously operated by a long-standing duopoly between SBS Transit and SMRT Buses) were divided into 14 route packages. These existing routes remain operated by their incumbent operators under a negotiated contract model until their respective Bus Package has been tendered out.
Bukit Merah Bus Package
Bukit Merah Bus Package was awarded to SBS Transit in February 2018 as part of an open tender. SBS Transit was previously also the incumbent operator under a negotiated contract since the start of the BCM in September 2016.
As of November 2022, existing bus services covered by the Bukit Merah Bus Package are:
Services 5, 16/16M, 57, 93, 120, 121, 122, 123/123M, 131, 145, 160/160M, 170/170X, 195, 198, 272, 273 & 400 (17 bus routes)
Jurong West Bus Package
Jurong West Bus Package has been operated by SBS Transit under a negotiated contract since the start of the BCM in September 2016.
As of November 2022, existing bus services covered by the Jurong West Bus Package are:
179/179A, 181/181M, 182/182M, 185, 192, 193, 194, 199, 240/240M, 241, 242, 243G/243W, 246, 247, 248/248M, 249, 251, 252, 253, 254, 255, 257, 258, 405, 502/502A & 974 (26 bus routes)
Combined Bus Package Tender
Similar to the previous combined Bulim and Sembawang-Yishun Bus Package tender in November 2019, tenderers may submit bids for either of both of the items:
- Bukit Merah Bus Package
- Jurong West Bus Package
- Bukit Merah & Jurong West Bus Package
Tenderers
As of tender closing date, 6 companies have submitted bids for this tender. These are:
- Go Ahead Singapore Pte Ltd
- National Express Group PLC
- SBS Transit Ltd
- SMRT Buses Ltd
- Tower Transit Singapore Pte Ltd
- Transdev Group S.A.
Tender Award
Main Article: SBS Transit and SMRT Buses awarded Bukit Merah and Jurong West Bus Packages
On 18 August 2023, LTA awarded the contracts to the following operators:
- Bukit Merah Bus Package – SBS Transit Ltd
- Jurong West Bus Package – SMRT Buses Ltd
I feel like Jurong should be better off combined with CCK and WL.
Bukit merah package most likely is either sbstransit or smrtbuses. Jurong west package most likely tower transit and transit or new player.
Most likely, SBS Transit will retain the packages. Seeing how LTA favours them a lot. No difference in putting out for tender.
I believe SBS Transit will bid for both packages but LTA maybe will award them with Bukit Merah Package. Coz of the cross-border service operations. But if SMRT/Tower Transit wins the bidding then, I hope they can buck up with regards to their frequency not like when they are currently operating two packages with the frequency of the buses at such atrocious frequency
Jurong West and Bukit Merah put together, means no need to play already la.
It can only be SBS Transit win the 2 packages, cuz of the cross border bus services 160 and 170 in the Bukit Merah bus package.
But why Jurong West bus package can only go to SBS Transit? Is it because of Soon Lee bus depot? Or is it because Jurong West bus package may have a new cross border bus service launching soon? (Which I hope not, cuz any cross border bus using Tuas would have to incur 40km of mileage per round trip, which is a huge waste of taxpayers money, better to just let Malaysia’s CWL operate those cross border bus services.)
Anyway, considering the tender was put up on Wednesday evening, I would suppose an official announcement by LTA would be tomorrow (Thursday). Maybe will have new depot built to replace the SBS Transit soon lee depot.
Hopefully it can be democratic, and not just do for show and actually the winner can only be SBS Transit.
It may only be SBST, SMRT or TTS, but judging at it:
SBST – Because of the physical experience building on for the industrial bus services (246, 249, 251, 252, 253, 254, 255, 257) and the trunk-lite service (258) and also the cross-border bus services (160, 170). Best of all; no change to company name for JIS and APAD-registered buses.
SMRT – The expansion will be good although 160 and 170 will continue to be well-planned together with the distinct fleet of MAN NL323F that inherited the orders from SMRT Buses. Industrial bus services will continue to have dormant area of my planning areas.
TTS – I really doubt so; because of their physical experience from Jurong West and Bukit Merah areas.