SINGAPORE – From June 13, 2027, SMRT Buses will run 26 bus services in Eunos and Serangoon from the new Kim Chuan Bus depot.
Under the new five-year contract, SMRT Buses will also manage Eunos, Serangoon and Woodleigh bus interchanges, as well as Sims Place Bus Terminal.
The bus services include 11, 53, 90, 101, 146 and 317.
It will take over from SBS Transit (SBST), which has operated the Serangoon-Eunos bus package since 2016.
SMRT Buses won the tender to operate the package with a bid of $599.5 million, the lowest among those submitted by the three participating public transport operators.
SBST submitted a base bid of $635.2 million and an alternative bid of $630.3 million, while Tower Transit Singapore put in a $644.6 million base bid and a $639.3 million alternative bid.
Tender submissions were evaluated using a two-envelope process, under which proposals were assessed before the price submissions.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said in a press release on July 16 that SMRT Buses was awarded the contract because it received the highest overall score for its proposal, while also offering cost savings compared with the current contract. LTA noted that it had placed greater emphasis on the quality of proposals, particularly operators’ capabilities in electric bus operations and maintenance, given the large-scale roll-out of electric buses under this package.
The Eunos-Serangoon bus package will be served by about 410 buses, although the number of electric buses in the fleet has not been publicly stated.
According to LTA, SMRT Buses’ proposal included the roll-out of attractive workforce recruitment initiatives to grow and diversify its pool of local bus captains, including offering high sign-on bonuses and licence sponsorship.
The operator will also improve bus safety and systems maintenance via the roll-out of fleet-wide artificial intelligence-powered fatigue detection technology. In addition, it will implement systems to reduce the time taken to resolve faults and improve maintenance turnaround times.
SMRT Buses will also work on enhancing the commuter experience through community-focused programmes tailored to the local profile of each interchange.
This includes introducing a placemaking initiative that features the heritage of Kampung Eunos, as well as extending community piano and busking sessions at Woodleigh, said LTA.
The authority noted that current SBST employees working under the Serangoon-Eunos bus package will be offered jobs by incoming SMRT Buses on employment terms – including remuneration – on a par with those of their current contracts.
Affected employees can choose to join SMRT Buses or be redeployed by SBST where feasible.
SBST currently operates six bus packages across the island, excluding the Eunos-Serangoon package. Meanwhile, SMRT will run a total of four bus packages once this package is handed over in June 2027.
SMRT Buses will be paid $599.5 million by LTA over the duration of the contract.
However, the amount may be adjusted for factors such as inflation, change in wage levels, fuel costs, changes to services and incentive payments during the contract period. The authority has the option to extend the contract by two to five years at the end of the five-year term.
In a separate press release, SMRT Buses said it was honoured to be awarded the tender, adding that it would work closely with LTA, the union and SBST to ensure a smooth transition for affected employees.
As the package will operate from Kim Chuan Bus Depot, SMRT Buses added that the depot will provide closer integration between its bus and rail operations, including stronger operational support for bus bridging services during disruptions on SMRT-operated rail lines, when it opens in 2027.
SMRT operates the North-South, East-West, Circle and Thomson-East Coast Lines.
It was previously reported that Kim Chuan Depot was slated for completion by 2026, when the Circle Line extension opens.
Grace Wu, SBST spokeswoman, expressed disappointment at not being awarded the tender, adding that the operator had worked hard to put in a competitive bid that included several industry firsts to strengthen innovation, resilience and inclusivity in public transport.
She said SBST respected LTA’s decision and congratulated SMRT Buses on its successful bid, adding that it would work with the authorities to ensure a smooth transition of the bus package.
Under the bus contracting model adopted by LTA in September 2016, bus services are bundled into 14 packages by geographic area, and operators are paid to run them at standards set by LTA through a competitive bidding process. The Government owns all operating assets and collects fares.
Contracts run for an initial five years, with an option for an extension of two to five years.