INDUSTRY AND REGULATORY
FRAMEWORK
The
PTC licenses a comprehensive range of bus services to meet the diverse
mobility needs of the community. These services provide an affordable
means of transport for commuters to gain easy access to centres of
economic, educational, social and recreational activities. The various
types of bus services licensed by the PTC are as listed below;
Basic Bus Services
Basic
public bus services in Singapore are provided by two major operators, SBS Transit Ltd
(SBST) and SMRT
Buses Ltd (SMRTB) (formally known as Tibs or Trans-Island Bus Services
Ltd). Such services include trunk, feeder, and intra-town services.
The two
major basic bus operators have each been assigned with separate areas of
responsibility for bus operations. Each operator is responsible to plan
and put in operation their respective bus network and services to meet the
mobility needs of commuters in its own Area of Responsibility. In
addition, the buses deployed must comply with specific vehicle standards
imposed by the Land Transport
Authority.
To
protect commuters, the PTC regulates SBST and SMRTB in the areas of bus
routes, service standards and fares. In particular, it sets quality of
service standards for compliance by the basic bus operators and imposes
the Universal Service Obligation (USO) upon them. The USO requires SBST
and SMRTB to provide a comprehensive network of scheduled bus services to
within 400 meter radius of any development where there is at least a
minimum level of daily passenger demand. Such scheduled bus services run
on predetermined routes and cannot charge fares higher than the fares
approved in accordance with the fare review mechanism.
The current
regulatory framework ensures that all commuters are able to enjoy quality
basic bus services at affordable fares. This is as the basic bus operators
are able to balance the profitable routes with unprofitable ones.
The
current framework also facilitates better integration of services,
ticketing and information within the public transport network. Transit Link Pte Ltd
(TransitLink), a service company jointly owned by SBST and SMRT Corporation (the
holding company of SMRTB), undertakes public transport modelling and
forecasting to facilitate bus network planning and integration with the
Rapid Transit System (RTS) network. The company also provides integrated
ticketing and passenger information services to the basic bus and RTS
operators.
Supplementary Bus
Services
Supplementary bus services
complement 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 that operate Scheme B
services.
Premium Bus Services
Premium bus services are
positioned as niche services that are distinct from basic bus services,
with the aim to promote greater use of public transport. They complement
the basic bus services by offering commuters a choice of a faster and more
direct journey, a more comfortable ride and considerable time saving at a
fare higher than the equivalent basic bus/Rapid Transit System (RTS)
services. The revised guidelines for
the premium bus service scheme came into effect on 1st February 2007.
Please click here to be re-directed to the LTA's
website for a list of premium bus services currently in operation, or if
you want to suggest a route for a new premium bus service.
Basic-Plus Bus
Services
Basic-Plus bus services are
non-basic services designed to serve selected niche markets and charge
fares that are different from basic bus services. These services are only
operated by the two basic bus operators, SBS Transit Ltd
and SMRT Buses
Ltd. Unlike premium bus services, standees are allowed and Basic-Plus
bus service routings generally fall within the basic bus service
operators' Area of Responsibility. Examples of such services include the
Express and Fast Forward services.
Special Bus Services
Special bus services provide
public transport during specific time periods, to specific locations and
for special occasions and events. They can be temporary/ad-hoc. Examples
of such services include night services and point-to-point shuttle
services between condominiums, shopping centres, industrial parks and MRT
stations, as well as ad-hoc services for special events and during festive
seasons.
BUS SERVICE & BUS OPERATION
LICENSING
Bus Service License (BSL)
All bus services that charge
fares and operate on pre-determined timetables and routes have to be
licensed by PTC through the requirement of a Bus Service Licence (BSL),
unless exempted by the PTC.
Bus operators are required to
submit an application to the PTC for consideration and approval either to
introduce new bus services or to amend existing services in response to
changes in demand patterns or traffic schemes. To protect commuters'
interests, bus operators are also required to seek PTC's approval before
withdrawing their existing bus services.
BSLs are granted for a period
of up to two years. All regular bus services are normally issued with a
2-year BSL which is renewable upon expiry. Temporary bus services are
licensed for a period of up to six months.
To safeguard commuters'
interest and ensure satisfactory performance, bus operators are required
to comply with a set of licensing conditions. In particular, they are
required to place a security deposit with the PTC. The deposits will be
forfeited in part or in whole in the event of non-compliance with the
licensing conditions.
Bus Service Operator's License
(BSOL)
In addition to the bus service
licences regulating individual bus routes, any bus operator which runs 10
or more bus service routes is required to have a Bus Service Operator's
Licence (BSOL), unless otherwise exempted by the PTC.
Currently, the two main basic
bus operators, SBS
Transit Ltd and SMRT Buses Ltd, have been issued with the BSOLs, while
smaller bus operators, e.g. Bus-Plus Services Pte Ltd, have been exempted.
The licence period of a BSOL is 10 years. BSOL holders are required to
comply with licence conditions (including the QoS standards), codes of
practice and directions as may be issued by the PTC under the PTC Act.
Financial penalty may be imposed for any breach of licence conditions.
The PTC's main concern is to
ensure that the scheduled bus services provided by the two main basic bus
operators remain comprehensive, integrated and serve the needs of
commuters.
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