LTA: Please support private premium svc operators

tintinspartan SG

This is going to be a bit of a rant so forgive me.

This year, we have seen many new services by public operators being introduced like Service 731 (Serangoon Gardens - Orchard (loop)), Service 745, 746 and 744. These services are struggling because of low ridership and lack of support from LTA.

For Sv 731, the company has applied for route change to MBS but no response and amazingly, isn't allowed to publicise the service at bus stops. The only thing that LTA done was put the service number on the plate and that's it. For Sv 745, 744 and 746, their notices that are posted at the busstops are illegal.

So while SMRT and SBS is happily gaining passengers, these private operators aren't. There are a couple of reasons I would assume for this and one being to prevent private companies from invading the public bus scene. If i am not wrong, in the 1950s, there were many bus companies competing for passengers but now, we have only public operators; SMRT and SBST.

Since the rulling of allowing private bus operators to operate public bus routes of their own was implemented, many have started to jumped on the bandwagon like Sv 722 (Bukit Panjang - Shenton Way) which duplicates part of Sv 700/190, Sv 728 (Fidelio St - Harbourfront) among many others. Trouble is, i am thinking that if the rule was true, then why some services when new like Sv 722 posted notices at the busstops? Are they risking a possible violation of a rule for benefit of passengers? I'm not sure but it sounds that the world of private operators is different than the world of public operators.

I am just expressing my displeasure here so that whoever who wants a say in this issue can say it here. I'm not trying to find trouble but rather ask for your opinion on the matter.

CSS608 SG

It is true that for private operators to publicize their services, they need to pay Transitlink SGD12 for every bus stop - Transitlink is owned by SMRT and SBST.

We had our challenges in our forsaken housing estate too and we had to fight very hard to have the premium service 567 re-instated but pay a higher cost. When we challenged LTA and PTC on why bus stops are being run by Transitlink and where is the 'real competition' when the purpose of LTA is to allow fair competition; something similar that they did was to take back bus route planning from the bus operators. They said they are opening up bidding for a private operator to run the operation of bus stops instead. No updates so far.

Bottomline is that premium buses are considered private services, not the basic services that LTA will provide subsidy and support to bus operators. Hope this helps clarify some of the questions.

^tamago^ SG

Actually it seems that the harder to operate routes are always left over for private operators.

sbst275 SG

If I'm not wrong, the RWS premium did got bus stop route details later on. DBTF one not so sure.

Think cos gotta pay.

I think high time call for standardised bus stop route detail charges. Say $20 per route or sort.

sbst275 SG

Actually it seems that the harder to operate routes are always left over for private operators.

Same goes for the Scheme B svs.

Remember 206/ 636, 149/ 646?

The latter is suay cos of Sv 31's integration at Toa Payoh - Kallang Airport Estate leg.

Come to think of it, Fidelio St passable for standard SBS buses?

Yusry SG

Transitlink is owned by SMRT and SBST.

SMRT and SBSTransit have sold TransitLink to LTA. I think this transaction took place last month.

SGCar SG

In my opinion, LTA should support private bus operators. Since LTA approved their routes, LTA should allow them to publicise at bus-stops, and also allow service time-tables to be put up at bus-stops. Although service numbers already displayed at at bus-stop poles, but not enough to made known to commuters. For instance, I only get to know premium 731 thru here, and luckily that time-table was available online, if not I would not know that there's service to Orchard right from my door-step.

I actually own a car, and premium 731 is a good initiative to allow a car owner like me to park my car at home to take this service to Orchard, and I believe this can convince other car owners too, if LTA would allow publicised at bus-stops.

Bus company should also publicise by sending flyers to areas covered by their services; no flyers were received when premium 731 started. Also posters and time-tables can be put up at notice boards at HDB flats.

It will be a win-win situation, and private operators would consider increase no. of buses if ridership increases, and garmen would be able to solved their traffic jams.

Cheers.

wsy1234 SG

The bus company should has it own web site online and give away flyers to people living near the bus stops. and let people have on line booking for the bus service. also it should try to operate whole days depend on the online booking.

SGCar SG

It do have it's own website, except that not much publicity done for this service:

http://www.flydirectbus.com.sg

http://www.flydirectbus.com.sg/731_info.pdf

Bro TTS posted here before on this service:

http://buses.sgforums.com/forums/1279/topics/395241

Hope more publicity can be done.

Cheers.

105090 SG

I always try to avoid private, scheduled buses, Why? because of their high MIA rate, and terrible frequency. Price may be attractive, but the risk of missing the bus is high.

for this service, the vehicle used may not make people think that its a scheduled bus service, but rather a chartered coach.

of course, the frequency is another issue.

next, is the route. The forward trip calls at serangoon gardens estate, but the return trip does not, only at the circus.

Furthermore, the return trip calls at Upper Paya Lebar and boundary road. imagine people who stay there can only take the return trip but not the forward trip!