The Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme, or BCEP for short, was launched on 30 July 2024 by the Land Transport Authority (LTA).
The BCEP will allocate an additional $900 million from 2024 to 2032, for the purchase of new buses and infrastructural improvements, and to fund the operating cost of new bus services.
Initiatives under BCEP for Bus Services are:
- Improvement to bus services to address changing travel patterns
- Introduction of more peak-hour express bus services
- Speeding up the introduction of new bus services in new estates
- Introduction of “express feeder” bus services
As of March 2025, the BCEP has introduced 10 new services and enhanced 36 services. LTA plans to introduce another 15 bus services in 2025 across different towns, including Punggol, Bidadari, Yew Tee and Tampines.
The BCEP logo was first unveiled within the City Direct 673 poster in September 2024, carrying the tagline “Connecting People, Improving Journeys”.
BCEP – Bus Services
Bus Service Improvements
Under the BCEP, bus services will be improved in response to changing travel patterns through measures such as:
- Adding more trips
- Adjusting routes
- Introduction of new bus services
An example cited by LTA was the extension of Bus Service 230 to connect residents in Toa Payoh East to Caldecott MRT Station. Initially announced for the end of 2024, the implementation was delayed to February 2025.
Peak-hour Express Bus Services
More peak-hour express bus services will be introduced under the BCEP to complement busier MRT lines. These include City Direct services, which connect residential estates with the CBD via expressways.
The first of these peak-hour services introduced was City Direct 673, which commenced service in October 2024, connecting Punggol with the CBD.
New Bus Services in New Estates
Under the BCEP, residents of new housing estates would be better served by the expedited introduction of new bus services in anticipation of growing demand.
An example cited by LTA was the introduction of Bus Service 861 on 15 September 2024, which connects residents in new and upcoming BTO developments in Yishun East to nearby Khatib MRT station.
Express Feeder Bus Services
A new category of bus service, the “express feeder”, was launched under the BCEP to enhance connectivity for residents in estates with areas located farther away from major transport nodes and town centres. These services will take more direct routes with fewer intermediate stops than regular feeder bus services, reducing residents’ travel time for the first and last mile of their journeys from major transport nodes.
An example cited by LTA was Express Feeder 298X in Tampines North, which commenced service on 9 December 2024, providing a more direct connection for residents in Tampines North to Tampines MRT station in December 2024.
In late February 2025, supplementary Bus Service 979X was announced, to be launched under the BCEP on 24 March 2025. Unlike Service 298X, which is a feeder service, Service 979X is a supplementary express service (while charging regular distance fares as a trunk service), plying a more direct route with fewer stops compared to its parent trunk service, Service 979.
Rollout
The list of BCEP Bus Services includes those announced by the Land Transport Authority during implementation or those featuring the BCEP logo in publicity posters. Other bus service improvements may be made under BCEP without any press releases by LTA.
With Implementation Posters
| S/N | Date | Bus Service | Category |
| 1 | 15 Sep 2024 | Bus Service 861 | New Bus Services in New Estates (Yishun East) |
| Short Trip Service 861A | |||
| 2 | 14 Oct 2024 | City Direct 673 | Peak-hour Express Bus Service |
| 3 | 11 Nov 2024 | City Direct 654 | Peak-hour Express Bus Service enhancement (Route extension to Anchorvale Crescent) |
| 4 | City Direct 660M | Peak-hour Express Bus Service | |
| 5 | City Direct 671 | Peak-hour Express Bus Service enhancement (Route extension to Bayfront & Suntec City) | |
| 6 | City Direct 672 | Peak-hour Express Bus Service enhancement (Route extension to Bayfront & Suntec City) | |
| 7 | 25 Nov 2024 | City Direct 666 | Peak-hour Express Bus Service enhancement (Route extension to Bayfront & Suntec City) |
| 8 | City Direct 674 | Peak-hour Express Bus Service | |
| 9 | 9 Dec 2024 | Express Feeder 298X | Express Feeder Bus Service |
| 10 | 2 Jan 2025 | City Direct 675 | Peak-hour Express Bus Service |
| 11 | City Direct 676 | Peak-hour Express Bus Service | |
| 12 | City Direct 677 | Peak-hour Express Bus Service | |
| 13 | City Direct 678 | Peak-hour Express Bus Service | |
| 14 | 12 Jan 2025 | Bus Service 967 | New Bus Services in New Estates (Woodlands) |
| 15 | 26 Jan 2025 | Bus Service 230 | Improvements to Bus Services (Extension to Caldecott MRT) |
| 16 | 10 Feb 2025 | City Direct 660 | Peak-hour Express Bus Service enhancement (Additional Morning & Evening Trip) |
| City Direct 660M | |||
| 17 | 24 Mar 2025 | Bus Service 979X | Express Feeder Bus Service (supplementary express service) |
Without Implementation Posters
| Bus Service | Category | Remarks |
| Short Trip Service 129A | Improvements to Bus Services | Mentioned as part of LTA’s press release in Dec 2024. Implemented on 26 Aug 2024 without BCEP logo in publicity poster. |
| Short Trip Service 129B | ||
| Bus Service 33 | Improvements to Bus Services | Mentioned as part of a written reply to Parliamentary Question in February 2025 |
On 5 March 2025, Minister For Transport, Mr Chee Hong Tat, mentioned at the MOT Committee of Supply Debate 2025 that 36 bus services were enhanced under the BCEP, exceeding the known number of bus services that have received enhancements. A full list of bus services was not published.
Upcoming
A new bus service is planned to be launched as part of the BCEP under the Tampines Bus Package in 2025, as revealed by a LTA spokesperson in response to queries by Lianhe Zaobao in December 2024.
At the MOT Committee of Supply Debate 2025, Minister For Transport, Mr Chee Hong Tat, mentioned that LTA plans to introduce another 15 bus services in 2025 across different towns, including Punggol, Bidadari, Yew Tee and Tampines.
Update on future BCEP services:
Leaked info of a new Service 148 has been revealed. Apparently a feeder-like trunk, details of route unclear but either for Joo Seng or Potong Pasir
(I mean, if for Potong Pasir, yeaahhh everyone who were hoping 142 extension is gonna be disappointed)
43M renumbering to 104 may be under BCEP also (for more details about this, visit the Woodleigh Bus Interchange page comments)
New Express Feeder 302X leaked, similar route style to 979X. 801X currently no news yet, likely will launch only when Ave 6 BTO are complete
New Tampines Feeder (many suggested the number is 299), leaked to bus enthus, also hinted by LianHeZaoBao. The supposed confirmed general route is Tampines North – Tampines St 96 (Loop). Bus stops at Tampines St 94/96 are already complete.
Observations in Redhill suggest a new Bukit Merah Feeder (or trunk variant) is underway, as many have spotted route familiarisation buses going via BM Int – 63 route (excluding Rumah Tinggi) – Redhill MRT (Loop)
Whether 146 extension to Kovan Hub/MRT via Hougang Ave 1 is part of BCEP (again, go to Woodleigh ITH page comments for more details) is part of BCEP is not known but it’s likely
Then there’s 383, the useless Punggol Feeder from Punggol Coast looping at Punggol Temp Int, directly duplicating the LRT, if they include this as BCEP, jialat eh, LTA would be messing up
138M, 258M and 861M not under BCEP?
CHT has announced 15 new services to be operational by 2025 in Punggol, Bidadari, Yew Ter (YAY), Tampines and more!
How many of these do yall bet are CDS?
Probably like 10 out of the 15 will be CDS. Useless services that don’t put a strain on resources. Smart marketing on their part, then still want to build more MRT lines