CRITICAL EVALUATION OF CONTRACTING SCHEMES FOR BUS SERVICES IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

With plans set by LTA to achieve 75 percent of all journeys in peak hours to be undertaken on public transport by 2030, public transport in Singapore must be expanded to meet this goal. In recent years however, Singaporeans' overall satisfaction with the public bus services has dipped and according to the LTA, satisfaction depends on "waiting time, reliability, travelling time and customer service.” The government has recently announced plans to shift from the existing system of Bus Service Operating Licenses to government contracting model. Under the new contracting model, LTA will (1) determine the bus routes to be provided, (2) draft service standards to be adopted and (3) select bus operators through competitive bidding. This new model aims to make public bus services more responsive to changes in ridership and commuter needs, and also to inject more competition into the industry. Critical evaluation was performed using qualitative and quantitative research method, focusing not just on Singapore’s existing and the proposed new model, but also those of London and Perth, as Singapore drew extensively from the experience of these two cities. It includes examining the current bus operation scheme of London, Perth and Singapore, comparison of the geographic, demographic and economic factors to identify reasons the 2 cities were selected and identifies the key features which the new contracting model should have to address the current shortcomings Based on the factors, conclusion was arrived that the London and Perth model was chosen because of other factors instead of the three identified. With the successful features of the London and Perth model being incorporated into the new Singapore contracting model, issues of reliability and inadequate service quality will be addressed. This should address the current shortcomings and propel the new model towards success.