The Jurong West Bus Package will be progressively taken over by SMRT Buses in September 2024.
The transfer of bus services will take place across two tranches as detailed below. This gradual transition process allowed the incoming operator to build up its operational competency in stages while minimising any potential effects on commuters.
| Former Term (PT212) | Upcoming Term (PT218B) | |
| Bus Operator | SBS Transit Ltd | SMRT Buses |
| Contract Term | Negotiated Contract: 01 Sep 2016 – 15 Sep 2024 |
Tendered Package 1st Term: 01 Sep 2024 – 2029 |
| Bus Services | 179/179A, 181/181M, 182/182M, 185, 192, 193, 194, 199, 240/240M, 241, 242, 243G/243W, 246, 247, 248/248M, 249, 251, 252, 253, 254, 255, 257, 258, 405, 502/502A & 974 (26 bus routes) |
|
| Bus Depot | Soon Lee Bus Depot | |
| Bus Interchanges | Boon Lay Bus Interchange, Joo Koon Bus Interchange, Tuas Bus Terminal | |
Under the Bus Contracting Model (BCM), bus routes are bundled into bus packages, consisting of a single bus depot, several bus interchanges/terminals, 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.
The successful tenderer operates these bus routes and collects fares on behalf of LTA, while maintaining the associated bus infrastructure (buses & onboard equipment, depots, interchanges & terminals). In return, the operator is awarded an operating fee from LTA, and potential bonuses via an incentive framework.
The Jurong West Bus Package is one of fourteen bus packages under the BCM, and the sixth package to be tendered out.
Bus services in the Jurong West Bus Package mainly originate from Boon Lay & Joo Koon Bus Interchanges, as well as Tuas Bus Terminal.
As the awarded operator, SMRT Buses will take over the 26 existing bus services operated by SBS Transit in two tranches on 1 September 2024 & 15 September 2024.
Bus operations for the Tendered Package would be based out of the existing Soon Lee Bus Depot, which was sold by former operator SBS Transit to the Land Transport Authority in September 2024.
Special Wrap
A special advertisement wrap was done up on several Volvo B9TL Wright buses for the takeover event.
Transitioning Dates
Similar to previous bus packages, bus services under the Jurong West Bus Package will be transferred to SMRT Buses in stages, starting from Sunday, 1 September 2024.
| Tranche | Implementation Date | Bus Services | No of Routes |
| 1 | 1 Sep 2024 | 179/179A, 181/181M, 192, 193, 194, 199, 240/240M, 241, 242, 243G/243W, 246, 249, 251, 252 & 405 | 15 |
| 2 | 15 Sep 2024 | 182/182M, 185, 247, 248/248M, 253, 254, 255, 257, 258, 502/502A & 974 | 11 |
| Total: 26 | |||
Operator Logo
In late August 2024, the operator logo on buses (SBS Transit) to be handed over to SMRT Buses were removed progressively.
Training Fleet
To facilitate the training of SMRT Buses staff to the Scania K230UB buses for the Jurong West Bus Package, 10 buses from SBS Transit were transferred to SMRT Buses in March 2024.
Main Article: Transfer of Scania K230UB Buses to SMRT Buses
Back to Jurong West Bus Package
Any possibility that SMRT Jurong West package and SBST Seletar package can do a bus swap? So that SMRT liveried SD and DD buses at Seletar can come to Jurong West, and SBST liveried SD and DD buses at Jurong West can come to Seletar. I believe this is something that can be considered.
Seletar is all lush green fleet now. The pixel buses are mostly with Bedok North. In theory yes, it is possible to swap all the MAN buses in Seletar and BN to JW and likewise for the Citaros and B9TLs in JW to Seletar and BN.
Last time I mentioned that 79, 174, 198 and 651 should join jurong west bcm. But no i think its ok for 79 and 651 to remain in their bcms and 174, 180 & 198 shld join jurong west. (180 no change in operator just depot change). In exchange for 180 cck-bpj can take 974
I do not know why would people support SMRT.
SMRT was badly managed until government has to privatise it. It is never an equal playing field between SBS Transit and SMRT which the former has to maintain a balance as a listed company.
When SMRT was doing badly, government refused to transfer the train asset to SBS Transit. SBS Transit is doing well as a train company and by its own merits won rights to operate metro lines in international cities. Likewise it won rights to operate bus services in UK.
Today with LTA’s bus packages, SBS Transit no longer has the room to innovate. It has to watch the bottom line carefully as a listed company unlike SMRT who can offer to bid more competitively. LTA on the other hand knows that only SBS Transit is capable of running > 50% of bus services and do not want to upset the status quo.
SMRT is owned by Temasek, which is owned by the Singapore Government. That is why, SMRT bus and MRT services tend to be better than SBS Transit.
After much contemplation, I think the SMRT wecare counter will be at the area between the alighting berths and the first sawtooth boarding berths. However, this would mean that the two push cart stalls would have to move to another location, probably next to the NTWU canteen, to create synergy among the f&b outlets at Boon Lay Bus Interchange.