Transitioning to Seletar Bus Package

SBS Transit has taken over all Bus Services under the Seletar Bus Package in March 2018. The takeovers were carried out in three tranches: on 11, 18 & 25 March 2018.

As the awarded tenderer of PT202: Bus Contracting – Seletar Bus Package, SBS Transit has won the right to operate the 26 Bus Services under the package. These 26 Bus Services are: 24, 70/M, 71, 76, 130, 133, 135, 138, 162/M, 261, 262, 265, 268, 269, 800, 803, 804, 805, 806, 807, 811, 812, 850E, 851, 852 & 860.

The bus services under the Seletar Bus Package will have their Bus Service Operating Licenses (BSOL) renewed for 5 Years (Starting from March 2018) under SBS Transit. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has an option to extend SBS Transit’s operating license for the Seletar Bus Package for another 2 years, before calling for another open tender for the Seletar Bus Package.

Ramping Up

Seletar Bus Depot

Seletar Bus Depot was officially handed over to SBS Transit in August 2017 for outfitting, following the completion of the main depot building.

On 23 December 2017, SBS Transit bus services under the Seletar Bus Package started refuelling and garaging at Seletar Bus Depot. This is in addition to the other bus services such as 13, 72, 128, 168 & CT8 which were then already garaging at Seletar Bus Depot. The non-Seletar Package bus services are likely to be shifted back to Ang Mo Kio Bus Depot upon the first transition phase on 11 March 2018.

On 27 January 2018, during the Seletar Bus Depot Carnival, Seletar Bus Depot was officially opened by Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure & Minister for Transport Mr Khaw Boon Wan. The bus depot was then already outfitted, and its Bus Operation Control Centre (BOCC) was coordinating the Seletar Bus Package services under SBS Transit.

Bus Captains

In SBS Transit’s bid for the Seletar Bus Package, they forecasted a manpower requirement of 925 staff members, inclusive of 777 Bus Captains.

As of January 2018, SBS Transit’s Seletar Bus Package Bus Captain breakdown are as follows:

• 503 Existing SBS Transit Bus Captains driving Seletar Bus Package services with SBS Transit
• 124 Affected SMRT Buses Bus Captains driving existing Seletar Bus Package services who have opted to transfer to SBS Transit
• 150 New Hires

The hiring process for new Bus Captains under the Seletar Bus Package was completed in October 2017 and Bus Captains were attached to the various SBS Transit Bus Depots to undergo training prior to the commencement of the Bus Package.

Bus Fleet

SBS Transit operated Volvo B9TL, MAN A95 and Mercedes-Benz Citaro buses prior to the transition. They will be reallocated to the Seletar Bus Package on the transition date.

On 30 September 2017, SBS Transit received several MAN NL323F rigid buses and MAN NG363F articulated buses for training purposes in the lead up to the Seletar Bus Package takeover in March 2018. More buses are expected to be handed over to SBS Transit when they take over SMRT Buses Bus Services on 18 & 25 March 2018.

SBS Transit will be operating an initial fleet of 390 buses for the Seletar Bus Package across the five bus models mentioned above.

See Also: MAN A24 Articulated Buses for SBS Transit

Transitioning Dates

In an interview with the media on 27 Jan 2018, SBS Transit CEO Mr Gan Juay Kiat mentioned the Seletar Bus Package takeover dates as follows. These transition dates were only confirmed through SBS Transit press releases days before the implementation of the first tranche.

These takeover dates were changed from the LTA-planned 5-tranche takeover, as SBS Transit is already operating the Seletar Bus Package services from Ang Mo Kio & Yio Chu Kang.

Bus Service Changes

• Short Trip Service 265A will also be withdrawn from 12 March 2018, as part of the Seletar Bus Package transitioning. SBS Transit will operate additional trips to Bus Service 265 instead.
• Operating hours for Bus Service 807 will also be extended daily from 18 March 2018.
• Intratown Bus Services 811 & 812 will be rebranded as Townlink Bus Services 811 & 812 upon their handover to SBS Transit.
• 2 additional morning trips will be operated on SBS Transit Express Bus Service 850E from 26 March 2018. Operating hours revised to 0710hrs – 0750hrs in the morning.

References:

• 车厂开幕 新聘和过档车长274人 新捷运分段接管实里达巴士路线 – ZaoBao Online, Retrieved on 28 Jan 2018
• Extension of Operational Hours for Service 807 from 18 March 2018 – SBS Transit
• Withdrawal of Service 265A from operation from 12 March – SBS Transit

Back to Seletar Bus Package