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
Bus Fleet
SMRT Buses operates the following bus models from Soon Lee Bus Depot as part of the Jurong West Bus Package:
Single Deck Buses
Double-Deck Buses
Back to Jurong West Bus Package
I may have a different opinion than a lot of people.
The different opinion:
Actually, SMRT logo hasn’t changed since its inception as Singapore MRT.
Whereas SBS logo changed to the current SBS Transit logo, after transforming from the original Singapore Bus Service to SBS Transit.
Yes, SMRT and SBS should be regarded as same entity in the past. Just that the shake up in the early 2000s had made SBS relaunched into a new company called SBS Transit.
Whereas SMRT still remained relatively OG, and had even formed two subsidiaries SMRT trains and SMRT buses instead of lumping them together as SMRT. Really can’t say the same for SBS Transit, other than SBS Transit DTL.
That’s why now, the logo change to SMRT logo, kinda bear resemblance to last time SBS logo. All red skeletons one.
It may be back to the good old SBS days again. SBS Transit, frankly, has changed into something else already, after years of being pampered with NEL, DTL and the SK-PG LRT. Nolonger the same SBS as last time.
SMRT may help to recover Jurong West bus services back to their former glory.
Sorry SBS, but the above is my honest opinion. You guys are not the same anymore, whether for better or worse.
Scarcely, SBS Transit, 1st September and 15th September say bye bye Jurong West, December come back say hello Jurong West, Jurong East and the rest of the Jurong Region, as the operator of the upcoming MRT Jurong Region Line.
DTL reference:
29 August 2011 awarded license to SBS Transit.
22 December 2013 stage one begin service.
(2 years 4 months)
Possible JRL timeline:
2027 March opening.
2027 March – 2 years = 2025 March
2025 March – 4 months = 2024 December
2024 December announce operator appointment.
I have a feeling, although SBS Transit has “lost” the Jurong West Bus Package, they will soon make a “big comeback” via the Jurong Region Line, in just 4 months.
Really will be a future motivational story about bouncing back.
Im happy to see SBST lose bus package although I don’t really like SMRT either.But at least SBST didn’t monopolies West area anymore.
There’s a theory:
SBS, a major player with about 60% share when include JW bus package, is so large that, there’s some kind of diseconomies of scale. Meaning, the eastern part of SBS (eg. Tampines, Bishan) seems to preserve the high quality of SBS, whereas the western part of SBS (eg. Jurong West, Clementi) seems to be neglected in terms of quality.
When SMRT takes over JW bus package, it is going to be one of the three smaller players, with about 12% market share only. The ratio of operator attention to every bus route under its care will be much higher. This will make it easier to provide better service. This is probably how BCM will actually improve service standards, via having more operators.
Therefore, it is actually a win-win to everyone:
1. SMRT, for getting larger market share.
2. JW commuters, for getting higher quality service.
3. SBS other commuters, since SBS can operate more efficiently with smaller scale.
With that, looking forward to SMRT taking over JW bus package.
Expect the return of SMRT format on Hanover and Coolair EDS after the retirements of TIB1034D and TIB597C