On-Demand Public Bus (ODPB) services in the Marina – Downtown area were offered between 17 December 2018 and 14 June 2019, during off-peak hours on weekdays (except public holidays). Buses operated with the service number MD-1, MD-2 or MD-3.
The trial for the Marina – Downtown area covered Shenton Way Bus Terminal, the Central Business District, Promenade, Bayfront and Marina South areas, serving bus stops served by Bus Services 400 & 402 then.
This bus service is reflected as Service 341 on the Bus Ticketing System.
| Technical Information | |
| Catchment Area | Promenade, Bayfront, Downtown, Marina South |
| Operator Information | |
| Current Operator | SBS Transit Ltd |
| Current Depot |
Ulu Pandan Bus Depot (UPDEP) |
| Current Fleet | 12-metre Single Deck Buses – Mercedes-Benz Citaro – Scania K230UB |
| Operating Hours |
1100hrs – 1500hrs & 2030hrs – 2345hrs (Weekdays, except Public Holidays) |
| Frequency | On-demand during Operating Hours |
| Fare | Flat fare equivalent to journeys under 3.2km. Distance-based fare rules and concession rates apply. |
| Booking App | BusNow (Android/iOS) |
As part of the On-Demand Public Bus trial, Services MD-1, MD-2 and MD-3 serves the Central Business District area near Promenade, Bayfront, Downtown, Marina South, as well as Shenton Way Bus Terminal during the weekday off-peak hours, namely 1100hrs – 1500hrs & 2030hrs – 2330hrs. Buses dispatched follow a flexible route, depending on demand, as directed by the BusNow mobile application developed by Ministry of Movement (Swat).
Bus Stops served by the On-Demand Public Bus Service for the Marina – Downtown area are also served by SBS Transit Bus Services 400 or 402. As such, these regular bus services operated at a reduced frequency of 40 minutes during ODPB trial hours.
Booking a Ride
Commuters who wish to book a trip on the on-demand bus must first download the BusNow app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
During the booking, commuters are required to indicate:
- Boarding Stop (within trial area)
- Alighting Stop (within trial area)
- Number of Passengers (1 to 5)
- If any passengers are wheelchair-bound
With a successful booking, the Bus Registration Number and the Unique Bus Service Number (MD-1, MD-2 or MD-3) will be relayed to the commuter via the app.
Upon boarding, commuters are required to flash their unique boarding number to the Bus Captain through the BusNow app. They will then need to pay their fare (via contactless card or cash) no differently from other bus services. Additional commuters not accounted for in the booking may be denied boarding by the Bus Captain.
Commuters may be banned from the On-Demand Public Bus trial for up to 48 hours if he or she cancels or does not show up for a confirmed booking, for up to 3 times within 24 hours. The duration of the ban is at the discretion of the Land Transport Authority (LTA).
Bus Stops Served
The following bus stops may be used as a boarding or alighting point for the On-Demand Public Bus (Marina -Downtown Area) service.
Promenade & Bayfront Area
List of Bus Stops (Click to expand)- 02101 – Raffles Avenue – Aft S’pore Flyer
- 03501 – Bayfront Avenue – Marina Bay Sands Theatre
- 03509 – Bayfront Avenue – Bayfront Stn Exit B/MBS
- 03511 – Bayfront Avenue – Aft Bayfront Stn Exit E
- 03519 – Bayfront Avenue – Bayfront Stn Exit A
Downtown Area & Shenton Way Bus Terminal
List of Bus Stops (Click to expand)- 03222 – Anson Road – Hub Synergy Pt
- 03223 – Anson Road – Tanjong Pagar Stn Exit C
- 03151 – Cecil Street – Opp GB Bldg
- 03339 – Central Boulevard – Aft Marina Gdns Dr
- 03539 – Central Boulevard – Marina Bay Stn
- 03529 – Central Boulevard – Downtown Stn
- 03381 – Marina Boulevard – The Sail
- 03391 – Marina Boulevard – Marina Bay Financial Ctr
- 03331 – Marina Boulevard – Bef Marina Gdns Dr
- 03059 – Raffles Quay – One Raffles Quay
- 03111 – Robinson Road – Aft Capital Twr
- 03071 – Robinson Road – Opp SO Sofitel S’pore
- 03219 – Shenton Way – UIC Bldg
- 03217 – Shenton Way – Opp AXA Twr
- 03218 – Shenton Way – Opp MAS Bldg
- 03239 – Shenton Way – Shenton Way Ter
(Boarding Only)
Service 400: Marina Gardens Drive
List of Bus Stops (Click to expand)- 03341 – Marina Gardens Drive – Bef Gdns by the Bay
- 03371 – Marina Gardens Drive – Gdns by the Bay
- 03369 – Marina Gardens Drive – Marina Barrage
- 03349 – Marina Gardens Drive – Aft Gdns by the Bay
All other stops served by Service 400 listed above.
Service 402: Marina Coastal Drive
List of Bus Stops (Click to expand)- 03419 – Marina Coastal Drive – Marina Sth Pier
- 03421 – Marina Coastal Drive – Marina Bay Cruise Ctr
- 03411 – Marina Coastal Drive – Opp Marina Sth Pier
All other stops served by Service 402 listed above.
Fare
During the ODPB Trial, a promotional flat distance fare for 3.2km regardless of distance travelled applies for all passengers. Distance-fare transfer rules apply and concessionary fare travel is allowed.
- Adult Card: $0.83
Adult Cash: $1.50
Senior Citizen / Persons with Disabilities Card: $0.55
Senior Citizen / Persons With Disabilities Cash: $1.00
Student Card: $0.38
Student Cash: $0.65
Workfare Transport Concession Scheme Card: $0.64
Workfare Transport Concession Scheme Cash: $1.50
Service Disruption
On 20 February 2019, the On-Demand Public Bus Service for Marina-Downtown was disrupted during the AM Off Peak session (11.00am – 3.00pm) due to a technical issue with the BusNow Application. Commuters were informed through an app notification that the service was unavailable, while regular service (20 min frequency) was restored on Bus Services 400 & 402. The technical issue was resolved later at around 3.15pm.
ODPB Infrastructure:
The On-Demand Public Bus (Marina-Downtown) trial uses Mercedes-Benz Citaro and Scania K230UB buses only, and both buses have separate mounting positions for the tablet. Citaros have the tablet mounted on the left, while K230UB buses mount it on the right.
The iPad, which runs the BusNow driver app, provides Bus Captains with travel directions and bus stop locations.
Gallery (Buses):
Operator History:
- 17 December 2018 – 14 June 2019: SBS Transit Ltd
This bus service was part of the On-Demand Public Bus Service trial.
References:
- Six-Month Trial for On-Demand Public Buses to Start on 17 December 2018 – LTA
- Coming soon: Buses on demand in Marina-Downtown, Joo Koon, and from CBD to the east – Today Online
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