A total of eight private bus operators have submitted bids to Singapore’s LTA to operate a parallel bus route from Jurong West to the city. This is the first route to be awarded under a S$1.4 billion Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP) initiated in 2012. Based on the LTA’s plans, private operators will run nine parallel bus routes under the BSEP. Singapore-based Woodlands Transport is among the bidders that have made a bid for the City Direct route. Under the City Direct operating model, operators will receive a fixed sum for the duration of the contract, while the LTA will collect the fare revenue. The two-year City Direct contract will be from September 2013 to August 2015, with an option for a one-year extension. The winning firm will have to obtain a bus service licence from the Public Transport Council and meet standards such as operating at least 96 per cent of monthly scheduled trips. Non-compliance with any of the bus service licence conditions can lead to the imposition of a fine of up to S$123,990.
