In September 2021, the Sembawang-Yishun Bus Package will be progressively taken over by Tower Transit.
| Current Term (PT213) | Upcoming Term (PT217) | |
| Bus Operator | SMRT Buses | Tower Transit Singapore |
| Contract Term | Negotiated Contract: 01 Sep 2016 – 04 Sep 2021 (extended by 1 year from 2020) |
Tendered Package 1st Term: 05 Sep 2021 – 2026 |
| Bus Services | 167, 167e, 169, 171, 656, 663, 825, 853/853M, 854, 854e, 855, 856, 857, 858, 859/859A/859B, 882, 883/883M, 963, 963e, 963R, 965, 966, 969, 980, 981, NR1 & NR2 (26 bus routes)
Note: All services (except 663) operated by SMRT Buses. Express 167e was withdrawn in December 2020. |
167, 167e, 169, 171, 656, 663, 825, 853/853M, 854, 854e, 855, 856, 857, 858, 859/859A/859B, 882, 883/883M, 963, 963e, 963R, 965, 966, 969, 980, 981, N1 & N2 (26 bus routes)
Note: Express 167e was withdrawn in December 2020 |
| Bus Depot | Ang Mo Kio Bus Depot | Mandai Bus Depot |
| Bus Interchanges | Sembawang Bus Interchange, Yishun Bus Interchange, Lorong 1 Geylang 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 Sembawang-Yishun Bus Package is one of fourteen bus packages under the BCM, and the fifth package to be tendered out, following the Bulim, Loyang, Seletar and Bukit Merah bus packages.
The Sembawang-Yishun Bus Package package comprises 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.
Having secured the tender, Tower Transit will take over 25 existing bus services operated by SMRT Buses progressively from 5 September 2021. Bus operations for the Tendered Package would be based out of the new Mandai Bus Depot, located off Mandai Road and integrated with Mandai Train Depot.
See also: Gearing up for 2021: Things to expect ahead of the Sembawang–Yishun Bus Package transition
Ramping Up
Redeployment of Buses
In March 2021, MAN A22 (Euro 6) & MAN A95 (Euro 6) buses were drawn from the LTA storage bus fleet and leased to Tower Transit in preparation for the commencement of operations in September 2021.
On 19 March 2021, a Mercedes-Benz OC500LE, Volvo B5LH and MAN A24 (1 unit each) were transferred from SMRT Buses to Tower Transit to facilitate training and familiarisation of Bus Captains and Technicians leading up to the takeover.
More buses are expected to be transferred to Tower Transit for training purposes in the near future.
| Bus Registration | Bus Model | Transferred From |
| – March 2021 Transfers – |
||
| SG6105E | MAN A95 (Euro 6) | LTA Storage |
| SG1821D – SG1833U | MAN A22 (Euro 6) | LTA Storage |
|
SG1809R – SG1811H, SG1834S – SG1836L & SG1861M
|
MAN A22 (Euro 6) | LTA Storage |
| SMB8015R | MAN A24 | SMRT Buses |
| SMB9L | Mercedes-Benz OC500LE | SMRT Buses |
| SG3016Z | Volvo B5LH | SMRT Buses |
| SG1837J – SG1839D, SG1845K – SG1847E, SG1859X, SG1860R, SG1862K – SG1878R | MAN A22 (Euro 6) | LTA Storage |
Tower Transit is the first operator of the MAN A22 (Euro 6) buses with registration:
- SG1821D – SG1835P
- SG1839D, SG1847E, SG1859X, SG1860R, SG1862K – SG1878R
These buses have sitting disused in storage since their registration in December 2018 & April 2020 respectively.
Mandai Bus Depot
Back in October 2020, Tower Transit began outfitting works at the new Mandai Bus Depot in preparation for the commencement of its term of the Sembawang-Yishun Bus Package.
SMRT Buses – Internal Re-deployments
In the months leading up to the September 2021 transition date, SMRT Buses shuffled buses between its depots in preparation for the handover of these buses to Tower Transit.
The gradual process of internal redeployments leaves the Mandai Zone with a stable fleet of buses that will be immediately transferred to Tower Transit on the transition date. As a general trend, the majority of buses being transferred from SMRT to TTS will be Government-owned buses purchased under the BSEP or BCM.
In March 2021, the first of many redeployments was carried out, with SG-plated MAN A22 (Euro V) buses transferred to the Mandai Zone, in exchange for SMB-plated Mercedes-Benz Citaro buses.
Additional SG-Plated MAN A22 (Euro V & Euro 6) buses in storage (formerly operated by SMRT Buses) were leased again to SMRT Buses and deployed to Mandai Zone in April 2021.
| Month | Transfer In (to Mandai Zone) | Transfer Out (from Mandai Zone) |
| March 2021 | SG1706D SG1707B SG1708Z SG1712K SG1713H SG1717Y SG1718U SG1719S SG1724B SG1725Z [MAN A22 Euro V] |
SMB139U SMB142J SMB143G SMB144D SMB148T SMB153C SMB154A SMB155Y SMB157S SMB158P [Mercedes-Benz Citaro] |
| March 2021 | SG1726X SG1727T SG1734Y SG1735U SG1736S SG1737P SG1740D SG1741B SG1742Z [MAN A22 Euro V] |
SMB159L SMB160G SMB161D SMB162B SMB163Z SMB164X SMB166R SMB167M SMB168K SMB188C [Mercedes-Benz Citaro] |
| April 2021 | SG1703L SG1704J SG1705G SG1709X SG1710R SG1711M SG1714E SG1715C SG1716A SG1722G [MAN A22 Euro V] |
SMB140P SMB145B SMB146Z SMB147X SMB150K SMB151H SMB152E SMB156U SMB165T SMB166R [Mercedes-Benz Citaro] |
| April 2021 | SG1738L SG1743X SG1744T SG1745R SG1746M [MAN A22 Euro V] |
SMB169H SMB170C SMB171A SMB173U SMB174S SMB175P SMB176L SMB177J [Mercedes-Benz Citaro] |
| Apr 2021 | SG1752U SG1753S SG1754P, SG1755L, SG1808T, SG1851S & SG1852P [MAN A22 Euro 6] |
Transitioning Dates
Similar to previous route packages, bus services under the Sembawang-Yishun Bus Package will be transferred to Tower Transit in stages, starting from Sunday, 5 September 2021.
| Tranche | Implementation Date | Bus Services | No of Routes |
| – | – | 663 | 1 |
| – | To Be Announced | 167, 169, 171, 656, 663, 825, 853/853M, 854, 854e, 855, 856, 857, 858, 859/859A/859B, 882, 883/883M, 963, 963e, 963R, 965, 966, 969, 980, 981, N1 & N2 | 25 |
| Total: 26 | |||
No operator change for City Direct 663 as it is currently operated by Tower Transit.
See Also:
- Gearing up for 2021: Things to expect ahead of the Sembawang–Yishun Bus Package transition
- Tower Transit awarded Bulim and Sembawang-Yishun Bus Packages
- Bulim and Sembawang-Yishun Bus Packages put up for tender
If only LTA can revised the bus package.
Service 825,853/M,854 & 854e can exchange with Seletar’s 850E,851,851e & 852.
AC7 in future can renumbered as 870 and let TT operate.
My predictions, I’ve factored in SG5545A, more OC500LE, and 3-door DDs as a part of the Mandai package. OC500LE: 10 – 20 Citaros (SG batch): 90-100 MAN A22 (Euro 5) (SG batch): 20-35 MAN A22 (Euro 6): 34-44 Volvo B9TL (includes SG5545A): 45 MAN A95 (Batch 2): 25 MAN A95 (Batch 3): 37 to 40 MAN A95 (Batch 4): 60 MAN A95 (Batch 5): 12 – 17 ADE 500 (Diesel, Euro V): 24 – 36 3-Door MAN A95: 5-15 3-Door ADE 500: 12 – 13 BYD C6: 4 MAN A24: 5 + some more (p.s. this is only my opinion, welcome to have productive questions and suggestions)
Active SD>171 units
Active BD>5 units(858)
Active DD>211 units
Active MD>3-4 units
Excluding spare buses.
I don’t think B1 or B2 MAN A22 E5 will be involved.
There are 48 storage Citaros,10 A22 E5 SG.
Yishun Temp Int also got 4 A22 E6 and Budep got 1.
All SMRT do is transfer 20 units A22 E5 SG,30 units of B3 E5,30 units of OC500LE and 30 units of SG Citaro cause the balance need to transfer to Sengkang package for svc 110.
For bendy probably only 7-8 units.
BYD C6 to be confirmed as it’s leased by LTA not buy.
For DD,As usual around 40 units of E500 B1,5 units of B2,20 units of MAN A95 B2 E5,10 units of B3 E5,80 units of E6 A95 B1,20 units of B9TL and balance can lease the B2 E6 A95
I hope IF GAS or SMRT wins Sengkang,There is no more extension.TTS winning Mandai is a great example that no matter how duopoly you are,If competition means competition
Prediction
Single-deckers
50 MAN NL323F EuroV B2
15 MAN NL323F EuroV B3
50 MAN NL323F EuroVI B1/B2
50 MB O530 Citaro B3
30 MB OC500LE B1/B2
10 Volvo B5LH
Articulated buses
8 MAN NG363F
Double-Deckers
30 MAN ND323F EuroV B2
20 MAN ND323F EuroV B3
80 MAN ND323F EuroVI B1
10 MAN ND323F EuroVI B2
40 ADL Enviro500 B1
5 ADL Enviro500 B2
35 Volvo B9TL WEG2 B4
Hopefully the following packages there will be no more extended like the SBW-YIS package.More Singaporeans are applying for BC jobs nowadays except that SBST & SMRT are too choosy.This is what happens when you promote Malaysians as management and supervisor jobs..