The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has put up a call for a tender for the Bulim and Sembawang-Yishun Bus Packages on 29 November 2019.
The Sembawang-Yishun Bus Package marks the fifth tendered contract for the bus contracting model, while the Bulim Bus Package is currently up for its second term under the bus contracting model.
Under the Bus Contracting Model, 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 contract out the bus package, select a bus operator (through a competitive tendering process), and lease these assets to the new operator.
As part of the transition, all existing bus services in Singapore (previously operated by long-standing duopoly between SBS Transit and SMRT Buses) were divided up into 14 route packages, operating under a negotiated contract with the incumbent operator until the Bus Package is tendered out competitively.
The Bulim Bus Package was first awarded to Tower Transit in May 2015, while the Sembawang-Yishun Bus Package has been operated by SMRT Buses under a negotiated contract since September 2016.
In a response by LTA to The Straits Times, this contract includes 29 routes in the Bulim Bus Package and 27 routes in the Sembawang-Yishun Bus Package. However, the bus service numbers of these routes were not mentioned back then.
Contract PT217: Bus Contracting – Bulim and Sembawang-Yishun Bus Packages involves three components, where tenderers are required to submit bids for.
- Bulim Bus Package
- Sembawang-Yishun Bus Package
- Combined bid for Bulim Bus Package & Sembawang-Yishun Bus Package
The tender closed on 30 March 2020, at 4:00pm sharp.
Bidding Procedure
According to tender details as published on government procurement portal GeBIZ, bids were submitted by 5 hopeful operators. namely:
| S/No | Country | Tenderer |
| 1. | China | Guangzhou Public Transportation Group No.3 Bus Co., Ltd |
| 2. | Local | SBS Transit Ltd |
| 3. | Local | SMRT Buses Ltd |
| 4. | Local | The Go-Ahead Group Plc |
| 5. | Local | Tower Transit Singapore Pte. Ltd. |
This is the first time that Guangzhou Public Transportation Group No.3 Bus Co., Ltd is participating in a local bus package tender. Chinese companies have participated in all previous rounds of bus package tenders, either tendered as standalone companies or in joint venture with local companies.
All four other tenderers (SBS Transit, SMRT Buses, Go-Ahead and Tower Transit) are incumbent operators.
See Also:
Tender Award
On 30 September 2020, the tender was awarded to Tower Transit Singapore Pte Ltd.
Main Article: Tower Transit awarded Bulim and Sembawang-Yishun Bus Packages
Very likely that there could be no change in operators and it makes things easier to manage.
You wouldn’t know… Yishun swop from SMRT to SBST
If SBST wins every single package, then there’s no point in having this BCM system, then LTA might as well just scrap this system for good and declare monopoly.
That’s why..
LTA people also full of pro-SBST.I don’t get why no European operators bid for the tenders?Because they learned from the past 2 tenders?
Who knows GAS has a chance of winning this tender given their good performance.
Enough of SBST la deyy,2 packages in a row not enough is it?Let other operators win la..Then 2021 Sengkang-Hougang you all already say it’s status quo..Everything wanna monopoly then what’s the use of BCM?
I also think it’s enough, just give GAS a chance… The only real competition I see in BCM currently is between SBST Seletar and GAS Loyang.
60%>Ass BST
50%>SMRT
40%>TTS
30%>GAS
20%>Guangzhou
Not likely the Guangzhou operator. Choose an incumbent operator instead, but make sure that is not SBST.
Really hope that SMRT Buses will win the bulim bus packages than TTS will win sembawang-yishun bus packages.
Don’t let SMRT win, would rather they focus on trains instead.
TTS don’t deserve to win too, they have screwed Bulim up and you want them to screw up more? No thanks
You want SMRT to monopoly the train lines? Possibly a huge no-no, because SMRT has taken most of the lines.
Hopefully SBS Transit or Go Ahead Singapore will win the two packages.
I suggest Go A Head will take over yishun. So I can transfer to yishun near to my house.
Great, let them expand and bring better services to Sembawang and Yishun residents.