LTA's Bus Service Enhancement Program - BSEP (Part 3)

last SG · 2014-07-12T20:05:53+00:00

You are WRONG.242 serves people on st 72/71/ave 5 where there is no other feeder service to interchange. St 75 has 181/243. If you observe PM peak at Boon La...

SBS2601D SG

quite disappointed with what I observe on 291P/293P/358P. a sad use of taxpayers' money.

1. LTA insists PTOs getting low-floor, WAB buses. then now, with taxpayers' money, these private operators use such high floor buses. ppl with pram cannot board coz' even if they do board, their pram has to hog the aisle. the elderly has to climb 4-5 steps to get on the bus. but of course, during peak hours there are few commuters who have prams or are the elderly. either schoolchildren or the working crowd.....

2. honestly, 358P? did the private operator stand to profit by using small buses or were they indeed allocated less $$ to operate 358P with the use of small buses.

3. private operators using their buses with only 1 door. *facepalm*

seems like a rushed effort, not thought through.

Just this: GE2016.

Not sure if such rush-rush efforts will really really help in the long-run like you pointed out.

But what we do now is just a reflection of populist tactics in the wider world.

But as a broader picture, I would think that the PPSS was a way to bolster pte bus operators' confidence in bidding for the future competitive tenders in the long future.

Right now as you can see, its quite............

I can only say I dont envy the poor fellow at LTA managing the PPSS stuff with directions from up there and there....and there.

SBS9C SG

Can mini 358P ferry all passengers,may i ask? Or sme r stranded waiting for SBST?

Some are stranded.

SBS9C SG

I'm not sure if it's just for my neighbourhood, but in Pasir Ris, none of the posters printed for the PPSS of 358P & 359P ever mentioned about the fact that those 2 svcs' fares are distance-based. I think this is the main issue that has prevented many commuters from boarding the PPSS svcs.

Because if LTA hadn't bothered to mention in the poster that the PPSS svcs have distance-based fares (ie, same fare as when you take the SBST version of those feeder routes), then high chance isn't it that people would assume that they've to pay premium fares to sit on those coaches deployed on the PPSS? Especially when you compare the difference in the seats on the coaches vs the SBST ones.

So if you had that misconception, then very likely the commuters would just choose to wait for the SBST buses on those feeder routes even though the PPSS coaches come. Because they want to avoid paying the premium fares (which they assumed to be charged on PPSS) for the feeder route.

Yes, a concern from the commuters are the fares. The BCs of almost all the PPSS services I have talked to said that there is no mention of fares, hence commuters are scared that they would have to pay a premium price to ride a coach.

However, it depends on what bus is deployed. Commuters will not hestitate to board city buses especially those with EDS. The exact reason why ex-SMB137A can depart with a full load + standees and why Tong Tar swopped out 2 Isuzu coaches for 2 more Zhong Tong Sunny city buses.

Acx1688 SG

The PPSS,CDS n their funny names was used as a trial for LTA to check,test the bus contracting tender model

Replies fr official hint tt Low floor, WAB was not even considered when contract was awarded...

Those awarded for these svcs DID NOT HAVE ADEQUATE, PROPER resources for LTA 's master plan of full WAB fleet as they know they will nev make e cut when local bus routes up for tender... Before LTA announce they will take over whole bus fleet to reduce barriers to entry which LTA will prob make a policy u turn in e future as you know its tax payers money when buying buses n a lot of SGreans have private tpt, cars,bikes,etc...

MOT hinted in the speech of non sustainability of throwing money at bus ops...

UK,HK n many oth operators own their own fleet for EOS n relationship w manufacturers...

Y is tt SBST still announce to buy WEG IIs, citaros when LTA taking over all buses? Do enlighten me if anyone knows the answer, please

SBS2601D SG

Anyone knows the length of the PPSS contract?

That might be the key.

Acx1688 SG

2 yrs...

Acx1688 SG

From LTA web

News Releases 21 Jan 2014

4 Services to be launched progressively from 2nd quarter 2014

Three private bus operators (PBOs) have been awarded contracts with a total value of about $5 million to operate four Peak Period Short Services (PPSS) for two years under the Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP). The four PPSS will overlay existing feeder bus services to connect residents in Ang Mo Kio, Bedok, Boon Lay and Woodlands to nearby bus interchanges and/or MRT stations. The PPSS will be launched progressively from the second quarter of 2014.

Routes Awarded

Commute Solutions LLP has been awarded two PPSS – one from Ang Mo Kio MRT station to Ang Mo Kio Avenue 9 to complement Service 268 and one from Woodlands bus interchange to Woodlands Street 41 to complement Service 912 – for about $1.17 million and $1.15 million respectively.

Tong Tar Transport Services Pte Ltd has been awarded the PPSS from Lakeside MRT station to Boon Lay MRT station, complementing Service 240, for about $1.7 million.

ComfortDelgro Bus Pte Ltd has been awarded the PPSS from Bedok MRT station to Chai Chee Drive to complement Service 222, for a sum of about $1 million.

Out of the five PPSS that were tendered out in September 2013, the PPSS from Woodlands bus interchange to Marsiling Road was not awarded as the bids submitted were either not compliant with the tender requirements or not competitively priced.

All four PPSS will run at least five trips per hour during peak periods on weekday mornings and evenings, excluding public holidays. More trips may be added depending on the demand for these services. Further details will be announced closer to the implementation dates.

This initiative is in line with the Ministry of Transport’s announcement at the Committee of Supply 2013 to tap on the resources of PBOs to run shorter bus services to augment the resources of the public transport operators (PTOs). The tendering process will allow the most cost-efficient operators to win the rights to operate the services. Successful operators will have to apply for bus service licences from the Public Transport Council (PTC), which regulates bus services.

Annex: Route maps of the four Peak Period Short Services

SBS2601D SG

2 yrs...

Then my guess is that the PPSS is just a stop-gap measure.

With competitive tender, elements like PPSS can be specified anyway and included in the contracts.

Acx1688 SG

Then my guess is that the PPSS is just a stop-gap measure.

With competitive tender, elements like PPSS can be specified anyway and included in the contracts.

Yes Bro, trial, MIW policies always trial before full implementation...

iveco SG

I agree. 115 has to be extended/amended. I was thinking this was the Hougang route enhancement that LTA mentioned. Current ridership on 115 is v low. It is unlike 84 that does have decent loading. This is how LTA wastes money. Hope not!

I am hoping there will be a route change announcement. At least 115 should go to the inner part of HG Ave 1 HDB flats that don't have any service, and people have to walk 400-500m to closest stop. That's why this stop sees 40-45 pax boarding at once on 45A DD in AM.

115 better to start from HGDEP and utilise the derelict bus stops along Defu Ave 1.

iveco SG

You ask new service somemore later that Lui Taik You say must increase fares again to sustain men in white opps bus contract models bla bla bla..

Speaking of new services, we need more @ EUN. If can ply Haig Rd it'd be great. MRT dun go there. Dakota station not even close by.

JurongWestresident SG

Personally, I feel that the PPSS buses should go into the respective bus interchanges to pick up passengers, instead of stop at the bus stops near the bus interchanges/MRT station. Because some bus interchanges and MRT are not near to any bus stop.

It could be because of this that's why some PPSS are not effective, and why not all heavily-utilised feeders have PPSS to complement.

JurongWestresident SG

It isnt!

It's a disgusting scheme that generally wastes taxpayers money.

And also the buses they used are like shit. I really wanna laugh when I see them using Isuzu coaches!

Somemore some hard-necked users wanna defend the usage of these buses here...

actually, which is cheaper - buying (and maintaining) new buses under BSEP to run only during peak hours, or paying bus companies to provide complementary services during peak hours?

personally, I feel that if PPSS buses can also pick up passengers at bus interchanges, instead of at surrounding bus stops, there will be a lot more people using the services and this will help relieve the loading off the feeder service more effectively.

SMB128B SG

It could be because of this that's why some PPSS are not effective, and why not all heavily-utilised feeders have PPSS to complement.

Not true.

358P and 359P picks up pax in PSR Int.

Reason why 222P does not go into int is becoz it is quite a distance to the int from the MRT station and Bedok Mall. Besides, 222 already stops at the bus stop which is next to the station. Thus it is more effective to stop at the bus stop in this scenario.

SMB128B SG

actually, which is cheaper - buying (and maintaining) new buses under BSEP to run only during peak hours, or paying bus companies to provide complementary services during peak hours?

Sorry - but I'll have to say it's the latter in this case.

Acx1688 SG

115 better to start from HGDEP and utilise the derelict bus stops along Defu Ave 1.

Suggestion was made to extend 119 fr st 21 to HG DEP covering exactly withdrawn 323...

Hub n spoke as LTA wanted n promoting but rejected...

Commuters can ... fr HG Ave 3, depot no ... full svc bus rt. to ...

SBS5010P SG

Back few years ago PTC approved the merger of Sv 113 and Sv 119 but SBST did not implement the approved merger wad makes ppl think that they would merge 115 and 119 together when 113 and 119 when merged has more potential in demand?

BusAnalayzer SG

115 better to start from HGDEP and utilise the derelict bus stops along Defu Ave 1.

This has been suggested multiple times before... lta will rather introduce new service to Defu but not make change to 115.. that's how rigid it is... hope it will start changing its way of thinking.

BusAnalayzer SG

Merging 113 and 119 would be a very good decision. I feel at least the 119 DDs can be timed for AM/PM peak load between Kovan and Lor Ah Soo and provide better connectivity between these areas.

Today 62 and 113 route is heavily duplicated, where intra-town people from Lor Ah Soo, HG Ave 1 prefer 62 to other parts of HG compared to more fares/longer ride time on 113.

With 119, they will get direct service to other areas within HG on Upper Serangoon Rd, Punggol Road and Rivervale areas.

Acx1688 SG

OT SBS6419M on 16 juz saw it M Parade Rd tao nan bs twds BTM around 1745hrs...

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