Bus Contracting Model (BCM) Route Package #5:
“Sembawang–Yishun Bus Package” (25 bus routes)
First announced on 11 August 2016, the Sembawang–Yishun Bus Package is one of fourteen bus packages to be released by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) as part of the transition to the Bus Contracting Model (BCM). Currently, SMRT Buses operates all bus services in this package under a Negotiated Contract (NC) model until Year 2020.
This package comprises 25 existing bus services mainly originating from Sembawang Bus Interchange, Yishun Bus Interchange and Woodlands Bus Interchange, with a handful originating at Yio Chu Kang, Resorts World Sentosa and Marina Centre.
All bus operations would be based out of the new Mandai Bus Depot, located off Mandai Road and integrated with Mandai Train Depot.
This bus package has been referred to as “Mandai Bus Package” by staff from SMRT Buses.
On 29 November 2019, the tendered contract for Sembawang-Yishun Bus Package was released, along with the 2nd term for the Bulim Bus Package in a joint contract.
Contract Details (Tendered Contract):
| Name | PT217: Bus Contracting – Bulim and Sembawang-Yishun Bus Packages |
| Awarded | To Be Announced |
| Duration | Five years, with two-year extension granted based on good performance |
| Published | 29 November 2019 |
| Closed | 30 March 2020 |
| Scope | |
| Services | 167, 167e, 169, 171, 825, 853/853M, 854, 854e, 855, 856, 857, 858, 859, 882, 883/883M, 963, 963e, 963R, 965, 966, 969, 980, 981, NR1, NR2 |
| Bus Depot | Mandai Bus Depot |
| Anchor Interchanges / Terminals | Sembawang, Yishun |
- Note: As the Land Transport Authority did not state the various bus services under Bulim Bus Package & Sembawang-Yishun Bus Package in its recent Bus Contracting Tender in response to news outlets, or through any press releases, bus services listed here (25 Routes) may vary with the actual bus services up for tender (27 Routes).
Bus Services:
Sembawang–Yishun Bus Package contains 25 existing bus services, all of which are currently operated by SMRT Buses.
| Service | Route | Type |
| 167 | Sembawang ↔ Bukit Merah | Trunk |
| 167e | Sembawang ↔ Shenton Way / Anson Road | Express |
| 169 | Woodlands ↔ Ang Mo Kio | Trunk |
| 171 | Yishun ↺ Upper Bukit Timah Road | Trunk |
| 825 | Yio Chu Kang ↺ Lentor Loop | Trunk |
| 853 | Yishun ↔ Lorong 1 Geylang | Trunk |
| 854 | Yishun ↔ Bedok | Trunk |
| 854e | Yishun → Bedok | Express |
| 855 | Yishun ↔ HarbourFront | Trunk |
| 856 | Yishun ↔ Woodlands | Trunk |
| 857 | Yishun ↺ Temasek Avenue | Trunk |
| 858 | Woodlands ↺ Changi Airport | Trunk |
| 859 | Sembawang ↺ Yishun | Trunk |
| 882 | Sembawang ↺ Sembawang Road | Trunk |
| 883 | Sembawang ↺ Yishun Central 2 | Trunk |
| 963 | Woodlands ↔ HarbourFront | Trunk |
| 963e | Woodlands ⇄ HarbourFront | Express |
| 963R | Woodlands ↔ Resorts World Sentosa | Express |
| 965 | Woodlands ↺ Sengkang | Trunk |
| 966 | Woodlands ↺ Marine Parade Road | Trunk |
| 969 | Woodlands ↔ Tampines | Trunk |
| 980 | Sembawang ↔ Lorong 1 Geylang | Trunk |
| 981 | Sembawang ⇄ Senoko Loop / Senoko Road | Trunk |
| NR1 | Resorts World Sentosa → Yishun Ring Road | Night |
| NR2 | Marina Centre → Sembawang Drive | Night |
Short Trip & Supplementary Bus Services
These services do not add to the overall service count.
| Service | Route | Type |
| 169A | Woodlands → Yishun Avenue 2 (Opp Yishun Stn) | Short Trip |
| 169B | Woodlands → Woodlands Avenue 8 (Bef Admiralty Rd West) | Short Trip |
| 853M | Yishun ↔ Upper East Coast | Supplementary |
| 856A | Woodlands → Woodlands Centre Road (W’lands Train Checkpt) | Short Trip |
| 857A | Yishun → Yio Chu Kang Road (Opp Sunrise Gdns) | Short Trip |
| 858A | Woodlands → Yishun Avenue 2 (Opp Yishun Stn) | Short Trip |
| 858B | Jalan Kayu (Bef Seletar Camp G) → Jalan Kayu (Aft Seletar Camp G) | Short Trip |
| 859A | Sembawang ↺ Admiralty Link | Short Trip |
| 859B | Sembawang ↺ Sembawang Crescent | Short Trip |
| 882A | Sembawang → Montreal Link (Blk 592A) | Short Trip |
| 883A | Sembawang → Canberra Way (Blk 129A) | Short Trip |
| 883B | Yishun Ave 2 (Yishun Stn) → Canberra Way (Blk 120A) | Short Trip |
| 883M | Sembawang ↺ Sembawang Road | Supplementary |
| 965A | Woodlands → Yishun Avenue 2 (Opp Yishun Stn) | Short Trip |
| 969A | Tampines → Yishun Avenue 2 (Yishun Stn) | Short Trip |
Scope of Tender:
As part of the tender, the new Operator will be required to fulfill responsibilities as such:
- Operate the twenty-five (25) bus services in the areas in accordance with specified EWT performance standards
- Operate and maintain the buses and their onboard equipment provided by LTA
- Operate and maintain Sembawang, Yishun and Woodlands Bus Interchanges, and Mandai Bus Depot, including all equipment and systems provided therein
- Charge and collect the fares approved by the Public Transport Council, on behalf of the Government
- Provide bus service information at all bus stops and bus interchanges served by the 24 bus services
- Provide customer management services, such as lost and found service, and a hotline for commuter feedback and enquiries.
All bus services will have scheduled headways of no more than 15 minutes for both directions during the morning and evening peak periods, with at least half of them having even shorter scheduled headways of no more than 10 minutes. Of these, the feeder services will run at even shorter intervals of 6-8 minutes. An estimated 45% of bus services will come at shorter intervals during peak periods when compared to the expanded BSEP.
More guidelines can be found in the main Bus Contracting Model (BCM) article.
Bus Interchanges & Terminals under the package:
Bus Depot under the package:
Route Package Timeline:
- 2016 (11 Aug): Sembawang–Yishun Bus Package mentioned as one of 11 Negotiated Contract (NC) Packages operated by SMRT Buses.
- 2018 (13 Aug): Renumbering of Express Services 854E & 963E to 854e and 963e respectively.
- 2018 (25 Nov): Express Service 167e added to the Sembawang-Yishun Bus Package.
- 2019 (08 Sep): Bus Service 853# (Sunday & Public Holiday variant of 853) renumbered to 853M.
- 2019 (29 Nov): Sembawang-Yishun Bus Package tendered contract released with a combined contract for Bulim Bus Package.
- 2020 (12 Jan): Supplementary Bus Service 883M added to the bus package.
- 2020 (30 Mar): Tender closed with 5 bids received.
- 2020 (08 Apr): Bus Services 167e, NR1 & NR2 temporarily suspended due to Singapore COVID-19 Circuit Breaker Measures.
- 2020 (15 Apr): Bus Services 854e, 963e & 963R temporarily suspended due to Singapore COVID-19 Circuit Breaker Measures.
- 2020 (02 Jun): Resumption of Bus Services 167e, 854e & 963e. Bus Services 963R, NR1 & NR2 remain suspended.
- 2020 (30 Aug): Bus Service 171 shortened to loop at Upper Bukit Timah Road (Bukit Panjang MRT)
External Links & References:
Back to Bus Contracting Model