Scheme B Bus Services

Scheme B Bus Services (part of Supplementary Bus Services) complement existing basic bus services by providing additional capacity primarily during peak hours. These services are provided by private bus operators, such as private-hire or school bus operators.

Born out of the Supplementary Public Transport Scheme implemented in 1974, the scheme allowed school bus operators to provide revenue-earning service during the peak hours after fulfilling their obligations to school students, while also reducing the pressure on then-overcrowded SBS buses.

These bus services are subject to a different regulatory framework by the Public Transport Council (PTC) as compared to regular basic and basic-plus bus routes operated by public transport operators. Information on these bus services (exact routing, fares and departure times) is not readily published, making them notoriously difficult to find. While these reflect greater flexibility on the part of private bus operators, these services often go unnoticed by the general public due to low outreach and infrequent departures.

List Of Scheme B Bus Services:

As of 2024, only one Scheme B bus services is in regular operation.

History:

Scheme B bus services were introduced under the Supplementary Public Transport Service implemented in 1974 to supplement overcrowded SBS bus routes. As the regular reporting/dismissal time of primary schools in Singapore partially fell outside the typical office peak hours of 7.30 am–9.00 am and 5.00 pm–6.30 pm, there was an opportunity to introduce additional bus services to relieve SBS bus routes.

There were two groups of scheduled services under Scheme B. One group catered to commuting from residential areas to industrial zones, while the other facilitated travel from residential areas to the city centre. These school buses were authorized to follow predetermined routes of SBS services and could pick up and drop off passengers at designated bus stops. They were permitted to offer these services only after fulfilling their responsibilities to the students and during peak periods, allowing for approximately two trips per period. Generally, their fares were slightly lower than regular SBS services.

Initially, the program began with 55 services using more than 800 buses, which alleviated the strain on the already crowded SBS buses at that time. Conductors were initially employed but later switched to one-man operations with fare payment at boarding. Scheme B also took over four unidirectional peak-hour services operated by SBS in the late 1970s, with 247A, 249A, 250A and 251A operated as unidirectional peak-hour services from Boon Lay Garden Bus Terminal to the Jurong & Tuas Industrial Estates, replacing lost transport links when many existing services were amended to the then-newly opened Jurong Bus Interchange.

In 1997, all existing Scheme B bus routes were renumbered into the 6XX series.

Scheme B bus services were reflected on the old bus stop poles on white background metal plates. When the bus stop poles were all replaced in 2009 by LTA, the bus services reflected on these poles initially did not include the Scheme B bus services; they were only reflected in October 2014.

Scheme B’s prominence had also greatly diminished due to significant improvements in the bus and rail network over the subsequent decades. As of 2005, there were only 14 such services employing around 50 buses. In 2023, only 3 such services remain.

As cited in the Bus Services Industry (Non-Regular Route Service) Order 2016, Scheme B bus services can be operated during the following hours on days that are not public holidays:

• (a) from 6.00 a.m. to 9.45 a.m. and from 4.15 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. on weekdays;
• (b) from 6.00 a.m. to 9.45 a.m. and from 11.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. on Saturdays;

Since there was no readily available and updated information about these bus services, the Land Transport Guru Admin Team appreciates more information about these Services. If you have information about these services, please contact us by filling out the form below. Your contribution is greatly appreciated.

External Links & References

• 50 Years Of Transportation In Singapore: Achievements And Challenges (Tien Fang Fwa, 2016)
• Bus Services Industry (Non-Regular Route Service) Order 2016 – Singapore Statutes Online (agc.gov.sg)