SBS Transit

[CityFarmer]

Do they ever publish the outcomes of the investigation?

To be fair, yes, LTA did, but sufficient? That is another issue. That probably the reason the maximum fine was raised to 10% of revenue.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) intends to impose financial penalties of $860,000 on SMRT for four separate incidents on the North-South and East-West Lines (NSEWL), the Circle Line (CCL) and the Bukit Panjang LRT (BPLRT). Separately, LTA intends to impose a financial penalty of $250,000 on SBS Transit (SBST) for a service disruption on the North East Line (NEL).

Ref: http://app.lta.gov.sg/apps/news/page.asp...cfe06c5ec7

Maximum fine for rail disruptions raised to 10% of line's annual fare revenue
Ref: http://www.straitstimes.com/microsites/p...-revenue-2

[GPD]

Do they ever publish the outcomes of the investigation?

To be fair, yes, LTA did, but sufficient? That is another issue. That probably the reason the maximum fine was raised to 10% of revenue.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) intends to impose financial penalties of $860,000 on SMRT for four separate incidents on the North-South and East-West Lines (NSEWL), the Circle Line (CCL) and the Bukit Panjang LRT (BPLRT). Separately, LTA intends to impose a financial penalty of $250,000 on SBS Transit (SBST) for a service disruption on the North East Line (NEL).

Ref: http://app.lta.gov.sg/apps/news/page.asp...cfe06c5ec7

Ref: http://www.straitstimes.com/microsites/p...-revenue-2

While the title said "LTA working together with Public Transport Operators to put in place corrective measures", for most of what I read, LTS is simply exercising their right to penalize the PTOs.

[CityFarmer]

Do they ever publish the outcomes of the investigation?

To be fair, yes, LTA did, but sufficient? That is another issue. That probably the reason the maximum fine was raised to 10% of revenue.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) intends to impose financial penalties of $860,000 on SMRT for four separate incidents on the North-South and East-West Lines (NSEWL), the Circle Line (CCL) and the Bukit Panjang LRT (BPLRT). Separately, LTA intends to impose a financial penalty of $250,000 on SBS Transit (SBST) for a service disruption on the North East Line (NEL).

Ref: http://app.lta.gov.sg/apps/news/page.asp...cfe06c5ec7

Ref: http://www.straitstimes.com/microsites/p...-revenue-2

While the title said "LTA working together with Public Transport Operators to put in place corrective measures", for most of what I read, LTS is simply exercising their right to penalize the PTOs.

LTA can't penalizes the PTOs at free-will. It must be base on the existing framework. LTA has the right, and it had exercised it, with the limitation of existing framework.

[pianist]

Tan Tam Mei | The New Paper | Wednesday, Apr 30, 2014 SINGAPORE - She remembers more than 40 bus routes by heart. Madam Elizabeth Lim Poh Suan, 56, who has been a SBS Transit bus captain for almost 33 years, said: "I've been driving buses in the West (division) for so long that the routes are all at my fingertips." RELATED STORIES Transport award winners: He reaches out to injured commuters Two weeks ago, Madam Lim was rewarded with a Land Transport Excellence Award for her excellent service as the only female chief bus captain in SBS Transit. The grandmother of four said: "I was honoured to get the award. I was so happy that I even smiled in my sleep." As a chief bus captain since 2011, Madam Lim is usually on "standby" and will fill in for any bus captains who call in sick or cannot make it for their duties. She also has duties to train and mentor new bus captains and to give out assigned services to bus captains when they report for work. Driving a bus has always been her childhood aspiration and she is happy to have fulfilled it. "I saw those bus uncles driving big buses when I was little, I was in awe of them and wanted to be like them. So I decided to drive a bus and have been driving ever since," Madam Lim recounted. She started driving a bus in 1981 and has never found it a problem being a woman in a male-dominated industry. "What men can do, I can do too," she said. She said that people compliment her, saying that they are impressed that she is a female bus captain. She shared with The New Paper an incident some time back, where a child vomited on the bus. Instead of being annoyed, Madam Lim offered the parents medicated oil for their child and even helped to clean up. The parents were so grateful for Madam Lim's assistance that they wrote to her company, complimenting her. DAILY ROUTINE On a typical day, depending on her shift, Madam Lim wakes up at 3.30am so that she can reach Boon Lay Bus Interchange for her duties, which start at about 4.30am and usually end around lunchtime, with breaks in between. Although she has encountered some challenging passengers, Madam Lim is confident that as long as she continues to approach customers with a smile, they will be infected by her cheerful attitude. She feels that her positive attitude and cheerful disposition is something that gives her passion for her job. Said Madam Lim: "I love my job and I love driving. I want to work until I retire." The Land Transport Excellence Awards The Land Transport Excellence Awards take place every two years and recognise parties that play an important role in Singapore's transport system. The awards started in 2008 and are given to individuals and companies who are customer-focused and exhibit the best industrial practices in safety, project management and service excellence. This article was published on April 28 in The New Paper - See more at: http://ride.asiaone.com/news/general/sto...e2BUr.dpuf

[GPD]

Tan Tam Mei | The New Paper | Wednesday, Apr 30, 2014 SINGAPORE - She remembers more than 40 bus routes by heart. Madam Elizabeth Lim Poh Suan, 56, who has been a SBS Transit bus captain for almost 33 years, said: "I've been driving buses in the West (division) for so long that the routes are all at my fingertips." RELATED STORIES Transport award winners: He reaches out to injured commuters Two weeks ago, Madam Lim was rewarded with a Land Transport Excellence Award for her excellent service as the only female chief bus captain in SBS Transit. The grandmother of four said: "I was honoured to get the award. I was so happy that I even smiled in my sleep." As a chief bus captain since 2011, Madam Lim is usually on "standby" and will fill in for any bus captains who call in sick or cannot make it for their duties. She also has duties to train and mentor new bus captains and to give out assigned services to bus captains when they report for work. Driving a bus has always been her childhood aspiration and she is happy to have fulfilled it. "I saw those bus uncles driving big buses when I was little, I was in awe of them and wanted to be like them. So I decided to drive a bus and have been driving ever since," Madam Lim recounted. She started driving a bus in 1981 and has never found it a problem being a woman in a male-dominated industry. "What men can do, I can do too," she said. She said that people compliment her, saying that they are impressed that she is a female bus captain. She shared with The New Paper an incident some time back, where a child vomited on the bus. Instead of being annoyed, Madam Lim offered the parents medicated oil for their child and even helped to clean up. The parents were so grateful for Madam Lim's assistance that they wrote to her company, complimenting her. DAILY ROUTINE On a typical day, depending on her shift, Madam Lim wakes up at 3.30am so that she can reach Boon Lay Bus Interchange for her duties, which start at about 4.30am and usually end around lunchtime, with breaks in between. Although she has encountered some challenging passengers, Madam Lim is confident that as long as she continues to approach customers with a smile, they will be infected by her cheerful attitude. She feels that her positive attitude and cheerful disposition is something that gives her passion for her job. Said Madam Lim: "I love my job and I love driving. I want to work until I retire." The Land Transport Excellence Awards The Land Transport Excellence Awards take place every two years and recognise parties that play an important role in Singapore's transport system. The awards started in 2008 and are given to individuals and companies who are customer-focused and exhibit the best industrial practices in safety, project management and service excellence. This article was published on April 28 in The New Paper - See more at: http://ride.asiaone.com/news/general/sto...e2BUr.dpuf

Rare gem.

[CityFarmer]

Tan Tam Mei | The New Paper | Wednesday, Apr 30, 2014 SINGAPORE - She remembers more than 40 bus routes by heart. Madam Elizabeth Lim Poh Suan, 56, who has been a SBS Transit bus captain for almost 33 years, said: "I've been driving buses in the West (division) for so long that the routes are all at my fingertips." RELATED STORIES Transport award winners: He reaches out to injured commuters Two weeks ago, Madam Lim was rewarded with a Land Transport Excellence Award for her excellent service as the only female chief bus captain in SBS Transit. The grandmother of four said: "I was honoured to get the award. I was so happy that I even smiled in my sleep." As a chief bus captain since 2011, Madam Lim is usually on "standby" and will fill in for any bus captains who call in sick or cannot make it for their duties. She also has duties to train and mentor new bus captains and to give out assigned services to bus captains when they report for work. Driving a bus has always been her childhood aspiration and she is happy to have fulfilled it. "I saw those bus uncles driving big buses when I was little, I was in awe of them and wanted to be like them. So I decided to drive a bus and have been driving ever since," Madam Lim recounted. She started driving a bus in 1981 and has never found it a problem being a woman in a male-dominated industry. "What men can do, I can do too," she said. She said that people compliment her, saying that they are impressed that she is a female bus captain. She shared with The New Paper an incident some time back, where a child vomited on the bus. Instead of being annoyed, Madam Lim offered the parents medicated oil for their child and even helped to clean up. The parents were so grateful for Madam Lim's assistance that they wrote to her company, complimenting her. DAILY ROUTINE On a typical day, depending on her shift, Madam Lim wakes up at 3.30am so that she can reach Boon Lay Bus Interchange for her duties, which start at about 4.30am and usually end around lunchtime, with breaks in between. Although she has encountered some challenging passengers, Madam Lim is confident that as long as she continues to approach customers with a smile, they will be infected by her cheerful attitude. She feels that her positive attitude and cheerful disposition is something that gives her passion for her job. Said Madam Lim: "I love my job and I love driving. I want to work until I retire." The Land Transport Excellence Awards The Land Transport Excellence Awards take place every two years and recognise parties that play an important role in Singapore's transport system. The awards started in 2008 and are given to individuals and companies who are customer-focused and exhibit the best industrial practices in safety, project management and service excellence. This article was published on April 28 in The New Paper - See more at: http://ride.asiaone.com/news/general/sto...e2BUr.dpuf

My respect to Madam Lim, a rare service staff that providing excellence service quality.

[pianist]

I just wondering what does it means for govt to own all the bus assets..re they gg to buy the buses from sbs as well? anyway there was already "rumors" about this news about one year ago, congrats to those who acted on "rumors" fast enough before today official announcement. huat ah..

SINGAPORE: Analysts say the new bus contracting model -- under which the Government will own all bus assets -- is good news for the two incumbent public transport operators SMRT and SBS Transit.

With repair and maintenance costs making up a fifth of the operating costs, analysts say the new model will lift a load off the firms, enabling them to provide better service.

SBS Transit said the new model will have a major impact on the way it operates.

But it is optimistic that it can draw on its experience of running buses in London and Sydney under a similar tender regime.

SBS Transit CEO Gan Juay Kiat said: "This is one of the most significant developments in the local bus industry in recent times. We look forward to working closely with the authorities as we transition into the new operating environment."

Competition is expected to increase, but with the incumbents still guaranteed 80 per cent of the market share until 2022, analysts said it is good news for now.


Edison Chen, investment analyst at DMG & Partners Research, said: "Going forward, even if they lose this 20 per cent, in the early tender (that will be implemented) in 2016, they still have 80 per cent market share which guarantees that they will be able to negotiate at a price that will be able to at least make them money.


“So I definitely am positive about this news flow, and I believe that the market should react positively."


The other half of the public bus duopoly, SMRT, said that it is geared up to participate in the competitive tendering exercise.


SMRT in a statement said: "Regardless of the outcome for SMRT however, there will be transition issues that will need to be worked out through the Public Transport Tripartite Committee so that the interests of affected staff will be looked after.


“We will continue to place the highest priority on service excellence and operational performance in our existing bus operations."


Foreign players that could enter the fray are likely to be multinationals which have experience with bus contracting models.


Those foreign players include French firms Veolia and Keolis, British company Go Ahead, and Australia’s Tower Transit.


The share prices of the two incumbent transport firms have rallied in recent weeks amid market talk of possible changes that will improve their bottomlines.


SBS Transit’s shares are up 8.4 per cent, while SMRT’s shares are up 24 per cent year-to-date.


Gabriel Yap, executive chairman of GCP Global, said: "If you look at the current models, the profit deterioration in both companies has been very significant.


“For example, SBS Transit -- three years ago they were generating S$54 million in profits, and now profit has plunged to S$11 million as of last year. More importantly, this current model -- based on 2 per cent operating margins -- is definitely not sustainable."


According to the Land Transport Authority, contracts will not be won by the lowest bidder. Instead, transport companies will be evaluated on factors such as service levels and its track record.


Under the bus contracting model, analysts say companies can expect to earn an operating margin of around 8 to 10 per cent.

[LLI]

http://infopub.sgx.com/FileOpen/LTA%20Ne...eID=298241

http://infopub.sgx.com/FileOpen/SBST%20N...eID=298244

New Bus Model release

[GPD]

Supposedly GOVT needs to compensate SBS Transit/SMRT for every route they acquired into the package?

[CityFarmer]

Supposedly GOVT needs to compensate SBS Transit/SMRT for every route they acquired into the package?

The current contract ends around 2016, so no compensation needed for early termination, base on current plan. But the GOV should acquire the assets from current PTOs, which including the buses, terminal etc.