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
My gut feeling tells me TTS will probably win this one unless LTA is fine with TTS losing control of their only package and practically close shop if they lose the bid. Although I kind of hope LTA will give SMRT a chance considering they already lost all 4 previous bids. It will be pretty nostalgic to see SMRT regaining control of Bukit Batok after 4 years and maybe subsequent bids such as Sengkang-Hougang can awarded to TTS.
Who knows, even a dark horse may emerge as a winner for this joint bid…
As long the package doesn’t have any cross border service then the chances of dark horses winning is as good as incumbents unless the authority play favouritism.SMRT need not so worry as they have other core businesses like the MRT,Media,Taxis etc and so does SBST.We need to give chance to foreign operators as the BCM is still going on.Let them win 2 or 3 packages each and the majority still goes to SBST.I wonder why Keolis,RATP doesn’t want to bid thia round?Because of COVID19?Then what about the China Company?My gut feeling says SMRT will retain the Mandai package and Go-Ahead will win Bulim instead.Sengkang-Hougang will goes to SBST and Go-Ahead will retain Loyang.
Come 2023,A foreign operator will win Bedok and SBST will sweep Seletar,Bukit Merah and Choa Chu Kang-Bukit Panjang while SMRT will retain Woodlands.
2024 might see Bedok winner wins Jurong West and SBST retain Tampines.
2025 might see SMRT wins both Clementi & Serangoon-Eunos while GAS might snatch Bishan-TPY in 2026.
Wonder how they are going to handle 665 974 if they were to lose bulim…
Hougang and Loyang are likely to be tendered out together. It makes sense for both contracts to be operated by the same bidder (GA) as both areas are contiguous and allows for global running. More resources can be saved that way.
Additionally, Bulim is best operated alongside Clementi (TT), not to mention Jurong, CCK, Woodlands and Sembawang ideally should have one operator (SMB).
SBST should just be content with Bukit Merah, Seletar, Bishan, Serangoon, Bedok and Tampines packages. At least they still have most of the service miles.
For economic sake just temporarily scrap the BCM system which for me is redundant if they keep on awarding SBST.
Just let SBST control Bukit Merah,Choa Chu Kang-Bukit Panjang,Sengkang-Hougang,Tampines,Seletar & Bishan-Toa Payoh.
SMRT control Woodlands,Bulim,Bedok & Serangoon-Eunos.
TTS control Sembawang-Yishun & Jurong West
GAS control Loyang & Clementi.
I really hope n pray SMRT buses or sbstransit win this tender.
Don’t tell me that they will be changing Operators.
No matter who is awarded the tender, there will be a change in operator for some services.
Be it Bulim, Sembawang-Yishun or both.
So majority of you all prefer duopoly which directly defeat the purpose of BCM?Haizz…Might as well LTA eradicate the BCM and let SBST control all bus service better.
I also prefer duopoly for this package,Woodlands and CCK-BP packages. If not there will be no way.