Look at how many new buses will be out on the road by 17 September

26 bus services will roll out new vehicles.

In a release, as announced by the Minister for Transport, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) will partner the bus operators, SBS Transit Ltd and SMRT Buses Ltd, to roll out the Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP) from the third quarter of 2012.

More than 50 bus services will be improved and 5 new bus services will be introduced by the end of this year through the introduction of more than 90 new BSEP buses. The improved bus services will benefit many residents as they are geographically spread across the island.

From 17 September, new BSEP buses will be introduced to 26 bus services with heavy ridership during the morning and evening peak periods. Commuters on these services can expect more frequent, more reliable and less crowded buses. New BSEP buses will be added to another 25 bus services in the 4th quarter.

Mr Chew Hock Yong, LTA’s Chief Executive said, “Under the BSEP, the Government will partner the PTOs to add a total of 800 buses to the existing bus fleet. This is a significant increase in bus capacity and will allow the PTOs to bring about meaningful enhancements to bus service levels and bus network connectivity for commuters’ benefit. We will continue to work closely with the bus operators to ramp up bus capacity progressively over the next 5 years.”

As part of the BSEP, commuters can also expect better connectivity with five new bus services to be rolled out in the fourth quarter of 2012. Two of the five new bus services – new Service 860 and an extension of the bus route for Service 119 - will start as early as 21 October 2012.

The remaining three bus services will be progressively introduced in November and December this year. The three new routes will improve the connectivity in Punggol, Sengkang, Hougang, Serangoon, Ang Mo Kio, Bishan and Tampines. Details of these new routes are being worked out and the PTOs will provide more information closer to implementation dates.

Under the BSEP, the Government will partner the bus operators to significantly ramp up bus capacity and current bus service levels by providing funding for 550 buses. Over the next 5 years, the buses funded with Government assistance will be deployed to reduce crowding and improve bus frequencies of existing basic bus services, and run about 40 new bus routes.

Tthe two operators have added a total of 190 more weekly trips during peak hours for these 30 services.

With the additional capacity, commuters can expect better service levels. By end 2014, the PTOs will be required to reduce the loading levels for all basic bus services to 85%, down from today’s 95% of their licensed capacity.

Peak hour frequencies for feeder and trunk bus services, will also be improved. Today, under the existing quality of service standards, all services have to operate within 30-minute scheduled intervals, of which 80% must be within 10-min scheduled intervals. Under the BSEP, all services will operate within 20-minute scheduled intervals, with another 10% of services having intervals brought down even further to within 12-minutes.