July 16, 2007
15 premium bus services take to the roads
today
By T. Rajan
STARTING today, some commuters heading to their offices downtown
will be able to ride in comfort on 15 premium bus services.
The new bus services by transport operator ComfortDelGro guarantee
passengers a seat and will take specially selected routes to keep
travel times down. Fares will range from $2.70 to $5 for each trip
before transfer rebates.
More such services can be expected soon, with ComfortDelGro planning five more
routes. Meanwhile, transport operator
SMRT will launch two
premium services, from Simei and River Valley to Shenton Way, later
this month.
In addition to these, another 49 new services are still being
evaluated by the Public Transport Council
(PTC).
The council told The Straits Times that it has received 78 new
applications for premium services since it relaxed the rules
governing such buses earlier this year.
The services being launched today represent the first major roll
out of premium services as part of the Government's plan to give
people more alternatives to driving into the congestion-prone city
area during peak hours.
Premium bus services are intended to fill the niche demand for
mid-tier public transport: More comfortable than basic bus services
and trains, but cheaper than taxis and cars.
They are aimed at commuters who are willing to pay higher fares for
faster, more direct rides to the city.
Operating from 11 HDB towns and private estates such as Jurong
West, Serangoon Gardens, Bedok and Pasir Ris, the services will
take the various expressways and bypass areas prone to traffic jams
in a bid to travel a faster, more direct route to the Central
Business District (CBD).
Catering specifically to
the morning rush-hour crowd, the premium bus services will only
operate in the morning peak hours and travel only in the direction
towards the city.
Flat fares on these services can be paid by cash or ez-link
card.
All the trips are scheduled to arrive in the CBD just before 9am,
when most people start work.
ComfortDelGro spokesman Tammy Tan said demand for the new premium
services will be monitored before more services and routes are
added.
She said: 'If demand for
the morning peak services is strong, we will consider rolling out
evening peak services as well.'
Restrictions governing premium bus services were eased in February
to allow operators greater flexibility in operating hours, arrival
times and routes.
Among other things, it allowed the use of non-certificate of
entitlement paying vehicles such as school buses to double as
premium buses. The PTC also did away with fixed operating hours and
the stipulation that routes cannot overlap.
In addition to the new services, 11 other premium bus services had
been operating since before the revised rules took effect.
Government Parliamentary Committee for Transport member Cynthia
Phua welcomed the new services.
She said: 'For less than $100 a month, commuters now have a better
alternative to driving to the city, taking the taxi to work and a
more comfortable ride compared to trains and buses. I hope, based
on demand, operators can provide more such services.'
[email protected]
Copyright © 2007 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.
