SINGAPORE — For 24-year-old Glenc Soh, travelling by bus is much more than just a way to get to his destination. It is also his passion.

He had developed a profound love for buses as a child, as his parents would often take him out on bus rides from Ang Mo Kio, where they live.

“My parents often took me to Toa Payoh on (bus) service 88 and Chinatown on service CT8. I love taking the double-decker buses on service 88 and would often choose the front seat on the upper deck, probably because of how nice the view was from up there.”

Years later, buses continue to play a big role in Mr Soh’s life, and he has even turned his passion into his livelihood.

The private bus driver told TODAY: “If I have the time to spare, I would definitely choose the bus (over travelling by MRT) as there would be a high chance for me to be able to get a seat and enjoy the passing scenery. It is also more relaxing than a train ride.”

Mr Soh belongs to a community of bus spotters, transport enthusiasts passionate about spotting models of buses on the roads.

Another member of the community, 24-year-old Matthew Tay, who lives in Hougang and had been previously featured by TODAY, said: “On many occasions when I needed to head to the West, I would rather change three to four buses than take that long MRT ride which requires me to change lines two to three times, because I can get a seat (on the bus) and enjoy the views outside, while learning about the bus route.”

He added that unlike the majority of commuters, he does not wear any earpiece on his bus journeys, because he enjoys simply looking out the window and hearing “the natural sounds of (his) surroundings”.

“Sometimes, I can tell if the bus has a mechanical problem just by hearing how the engine sounds and the gear shifts,” Mr Tay added.

Even for commuters who may not share as deep an emotional connection with buses as Mr Soh and Mr Tay, the mode of transport still has its own allure for practical reasons.

Ms W Rita, a 75-year-old cleaning attendant, said that buses are sometimes a “more convenient” option than the train.

For example, getting to her workplace at Serangoon North is quicker by bus, as the office is just three bus stops away from where she lives.

Currently, there is no MRT line serving the Serangoon North neighbourhood, though the station is expected to be a part of the upcoming Cross Island Line. Passenger service for the line’s first phase, which will include Serangoon North, is slated to start in 2030.

Another regular bus commuter, Mr Lam K L, told TODAY that given the choice, he would usually opt to take the bus over the MRT.

“The train network is extensive, but sometimes it may take two or three train changes to reach your desired stop. So if there’s a direct bus, then of course, I will take the direct bus,” said the 38-year-old, who works in the technology sector. 

Mr Lam, who has an 11-month-old daughter, added that it is generally easier to get a seat on the bus, as well as bring his child’s stroller onboard. 

“For the train, when you push the pram, you cannot push it up the escalator. You have to wait for the lift (and) able-bodied people will also take the lift.”

He estimates that about 70 per cent of the trips he makes by public transport are by bus.

Given the continuing appeal of buses despite the proliferation of the MRT lines, it was perhaps not surprising that the Land Transport Authority’s (LTA) announcement on Nov 17 that it would withdraw bus service 167, due to a decrease in its ridership, triggered an outcry from commuters.

The authority later reversed its decision on Nov 28, saying in a Facebook post that it would retain the bus service “for now” and instead operate it at 30-minute intervals throughout the day.

Still, such incidents of bus service rationalisation — where services are withdrawn, merged or have their operating frequency or hours reduced due to low commuter demand — are not new.

In its annual report for 2021/2022, LTA noted that bus rationalisation is “an inevitable process” as the country grows its land transport system. According to the authority’s website, there are currently more than 300 bus services plying the island.

In the case of bus service 167, LTA said that it had seen more commuters shifting their travel to the MRT since the third stage of the Thomson-East Coast Line opened in November 2022. This meant ridership for parallel bus services, like bus service 167, “dropped significantly” and there was a need to reduce duplication and “reallocate finite bus resources”.

In 2020, changes were also made to some bus services plying Bukit Panjang, as ridership for these bus routes — which ran parallel to the Downtown Line — dropped sharply since the opening of the MRT line’s second phase in December 2015.

And it is likely that more bus services will be rationalised over time, given the Government’s plan to ensure eight in 10 households will be within a 10-minute walk of a train station by 2030.

Transport analysts told TODAY that the opening of new MRT lines could lead to a shift in commuters’ travel and usage patterns — with some riders opting to shift their commute from bus to MRT. 

Some degree of rationalisation would hence be necessary to prevent duplication and to not waste resources, they added.

Yet, while the public may understand that this needs to be done, Members of Parliament (MPs) and bus commuters interviewed by TODAY said that the impact and inconvenience of such rationalisation ought to be minimised.

This could be done through a gradual phasing out of the bus service as opposed to a complete withdrawal following a notice period, or having the authorities consult affected commuters on the proposed changes, prior to finalising and implementing them, they added.

BUS ADJUSTMENTS DUE TO ‘NEW CHANGING TRAVEL PATTERNS’

Singapore adopts a hub-and-spoke model for its public transport network, relying on buses or Light Rapid Transit to serve as feeder services, bringing commuters to MRT stations or bus interchanges.

Under this model, the rail network would remain as the “backbone” of the country’s public transport system, given its higher speed and capacity.

There are no official statistics on the number of bus services that have been rationalised.

According to the Land Transport Guru blog, which was set up by self-professed “transport enthusiasts”, more than 30 bus services were rationalised between 2019 and this year. This includes the withdrawal of night and leisure bus services, and changes to the operating hours of express bus services like 12e, 851e, and 960e. 

Responding to TODAY’s queries, an LTA spokesperson did not provide figures but said that the authority “periodically reviews and makes adjustments” to Singapore’s bus network in response to “new developments and changing travel patterns”.

For example, when a new MRT line or station opens, commuters in the area would “often see time savings for their journeys”, which would in turn impact their travel patterns, as more consumers make the switch from buses to the MRT.

As the ridership changes and stabilises, the authority would “review and make adjustments to relevant bus services” to ensure that the bus and rail networks “continue to complement each other”.

Nevertheless, the spokesperson reiterated that buses continue to play an “important role” in Singapore’s transport system.

“Besides complementing the rail system by connecting commuters to MRT stations, our bus services connect residents to community amenities and serve commuters along corridors which are currently not well-served by the rail network,” the spokesperson said. 

Making adjustments to the bus network would help to ensure that “finite resources, including financial subsidies, as well as buses and bus captains, are allocated appropriately to serve the needs of commuters”.

“In this way, LTA is able to introduce or amend bus services to cater to new estates or improve first- and last-mile connections while maintaining cost discipline on behalf of commuters and taxpayers, who would otherwise have to pay higher fares and taxes if the subsidies for bus services keep on increasing over time,” the spokesperson added.

Dr Lim Wee Kiak, an MP for Sembawang Group Representation Constituency (GRC), whose residents would be affected by changes to bus service 167, said: “By and large, residents are familiar with the reasons, that with MRT lines built, there is a need for LTA to review existing bus services to reduce duplication of services, ensure resources are optimised, and (to) keep operations more cost efficient.”

Nevertheless, these changes still “tangibly” affect residents, he added. 

For example, if bus service 167 had been withdrawn, a group of residents would lose the use of the bus service along Sembawang Road that takes them to the MRT station. Other residents along Canberra Link would also lose the service, Dr Lim noted.

And while bus service 859 would be amended to serve this group of residents, with the “added benefit” that bus service 859 now directly connects them to Chong Pang market on the revised route, the residents would still have to transfer to bus service 980 if they were headed towards the city, he added.

“There are other residents who are affected by the changes, whether big or small, which may not be addressed. Any changes will change existing travel habits and will cause inconveniences,” said Dr Lim.

To this end, Dr Lim said that he and his team actively seek out feedback on the ground and convey these to LTA, “to consider ways to address the feedback, without losing the rationale of the review exercise”.

AN ESSENTIAL PART OF LIFE IN SINGAPORE

Commuters who regularly travel by buses told TODAY that a main draw for them is the convenience of the direct connectivity that buses provide to their destinations, even if it may sometimes translate to a longer travel time.

For senior citizens like Ms Rita, travelling by MRT means possibly having to walk from the train station to her destination after alighting, if it is still located a distance away. 

Additionally, travelling by MRT means she has to go through the station’s gantry before making her way to the platform, which could be rather cumbersome, she said. 

In other instances, these bus journeys not only provide point-to-point connectivity, but could even be quicker than their rail alternatives, due to the availability of express buses plying the route.

This is the case for Mr Lam, who has the option of an express bus that goes directly from his home to his workplace.

Agreeing, 26-year-old Naz Farihin said: “Usually, I would go by the most convenient way, but not many know that a 100 per cent bus (journey) can actually be the fastest way to get around, like from Sengkang to the airport via (bus service) 110 or from Woodlands to Sengkang via (bus service) 161.”

Beyond merely connecting commuters to their destinations, buses also hold a special place in the hearts of bus spotters like Mr Naz, Mr Soh, and Mr Tay.

They told TODAY that they are largely drawn to the “huge variety” of bus types — different models each with their own unique bodyworks, gearboxes, manufacturer types, and engine performances.

For each of them, the vehicle also carries a unique slice of nostalgia, as they could still recall key moments in their childhood that sparked their love for the mode of transport.

Mr Tay, who grew up in Hougang near a now-defunct bus interchange, remembers taking an interest in the buses that plied the streets near his home.

“They sounded loud, and the different variety of them — double, single deck, air conditioned, and non-air conditioned, caught my attention. I started to draw them on pieces of scrap paper, and my parents took notice of this and fuelled the hobby by buying me bus toys and bringing me to different bus interchanges to experience long bus rides and collect bus service guides. 

“This interest evolved over the years to collecting bus models, and then bus memorabilia by heading to the scrapyard when I was about 14 to 15 years old, with a group of friends, and more recently, the interest to drive buses when I was 22 years old,” said Mr Tay, who now works as a bus operations supervisor.

For Mr Naz, it began when he was five years old — when his father used to bring him out for “joyrides” around the island, by bus. Going on these trips amplified his love for buses, as he gained exposure to the different bus models and service routes.

This eventually led him to pursue a career in the industry — starting off as a bus captain for public buses, before progressing to the role of an operations support officer with a private bus company, that he holds today.

Mr Jemond Lee, 22, told TODAY that he became intrigued by buses as a child, after his aunt frequently took him to Chinatown from his home in Choa Chu Kang, on bus service 190.

“In those days, there were ‘bendy buses’ deployed on service 190 which was the highlight of my trip to Chinatown, as ‘bendy buses’ were very fun to ride, and … (it) felt like riding a ‘rollercoaster’ over the bumps on the road,” said Mr Lee, a private bus driver. 

‘Bendy buses’ refer to articulated buses — single-deck buses that comprise two or more sections linked by a pivoting joint.

Because of their love for the vehicles, the bus spotters make an effort to “chase, snap, and ride” old buses that were due for retirement — at times, even making trips overseas to try and chase these buses.

And while theirs may be a special connection, they told TODAY that the public outcry over the changes to bus service 167 suggested that buses and long bus rides have their own practical appeal.

Though he was not directly affected by the changes, Mr Naz added: “Withdrawing 167 and pushing the crowd to utilise the MRT to its fullest extent just restricts the level of convenience that is faced by commuters and residents alike along the route. 

“Service 167 has been operating since 1974, (for) close to 50 years, across four different operators. Why take away a piece of heritage when it still serves a purpose?” he said.

Several MPs told TODAY that they frequently receive bus-related feedback from residents.

At Bedok Reservoir, for example, residents’ common concerns involve decreased bus frequencies for services that connect them to Bedok Reservoir MRT station and Bedok Interchange — issues that arose after the “removal of several bus routes” in late 2021, said Aljunied GRC MP Gerald Giam, who oversees the ward.

Mr Giam added that he has also made “multiple appeals” to LTA to increase the frequency of the remaining bus service 228.

“The key question is what is an acceptable frequency of feeder bus services to the closest MRT station?” he said. 

“To establish public transportation as the favoured travel mode, especially in our pursuit of environmental sustainability, we must ensure that commuters do not experience a reduction in service levels because of a decrease in the frequency of bus services,” he added.

Bukit Panjang MP Liang Eng Hwa – whose ward was affected by the withdrawal of bus services 700 and 700A in 2020 — said that despite the need for bus rationalisation, there continues to be a “very strong case to have trunk services — to have buses that go directly to town areas or a certain more distant location”.

“The MRT at Bukit Panjang is actually… located on the further end of the town, so those (residents whose homes) are not near the MRT station count on the buses to directly get to where they need to,” he said. 

He added that it was “not quite intuitive” for some residents to head towards the interchange or MRT station before travelling to town, “because it’s like going back the other way — you go further away, before you go forward to your destination”.

While a hub-and-spoke model would be the “most efficient way to work”, he added that one should also not be too “dogmatic” about it.

“You should (try to adhere to the model and bring commuters to the MRT line) as much as possible, but there are situations where it actually makes sense to have trunk services that take people directly out, so that you ease the pressures on the hubs,” said Mr Liang.

BALANCE BETWEEN RATIONALISATION AND BUILT-IN REDUNDANCY 

Transport analysts interviewed said that even as more train stations continue to dot the island, buses would continue to play a “very integral” role in Singapore’s public transport network because they serve a complementary role to the MRT lines. 

Buses provide direct connectivity and a “much more intimate reach” to neighbourhoods and areas where it is not cost-effective to have a rail service. In such areas, the volume of travel may be too low to justify rail investment, yet high enough to support a direct bus service, the analysts said. 

Buses also crucially serve to connect the train stations to its surrounding areas as a first or last mile service – or what is commonly known as feeder service.

Dr Raymond Ong, associate head of research in the department of civil and environmental engineering at the National University of Singapore (NUS), said: “If we treat it like a human body, basically the MRT lines are just like our arteries and our veins, and buses … (are like) our capillaries and those blood vessels that actually go down to the individual units."

He added: “You can see that our rail lines are never designed to give a door-to-door service, or even… a precinct-to-precinct service. But our buses are different. Our bus networks are designed to go to the individual precinct, so that we serve almost every corner where there is a need for travel."

In the process, some bus services may “inevitably offer redundancy” to the MRT system for at least part of their routes, said Associate Professor Walter Theseira from the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS).

“However, the main aim of these bus services should be to connect routes poorly served by MRT, rather than to provide redundancy per se,” he said. 

Buses should not completely replicate the rail network like a parallel rail service, he added. 

To prevent duplication and the wastage of resources, some rationalisation of parallel bus routes would be inevitable when a faster MRT alternative is made available, said transport engineering consultant Gopinath Menon.

Yet, at the same time, some duplication should be “tolerated” for commuters who still prefer to travel by buses because bus stops are closer for them to get to, or if they are making short trips, he added.

In deciding which bus services should be rationalised, Mr Menon said a main factor could be the number of passengers that the service carries per day.

“It may not be desirable to get all (these) bus passengers on the MRT, which is crowded during the peak periods,” he said. 

Additionally, the availability of such duplicated popular bus routes could also prove useful in the event of an MRT breakdown. 

Ultimately, “reasonable choices should always be given in any public service” including public transport, said Mr Menon. 

For SUSS’ Assoc Prof Theseira, a guiding principle in planning the public transport network lies in balancing the cost of its operations with the service quality offered to the public.

“You want to try to provide good services to as many commuters as possible, but you eventually run into routes which are relatively expensive to operate, and which only make a small difference in service quality, for a small number of commuters,” he said. 

“These are the routes which are prioritised for service rationalisation. Now, these routes might be very, very important for those commuters. But from the system perspective, they end up costing a lot and deliver relatively little on the margin.”

In Singapore’s case, what the authorities are also gradually working towards is “redundancy in terms of the high capacity MRT system, rather than redundancy in the form of bus services that parallel the MRT lines,” said Assoc Prof Theseira.

For example, the growth in new MRT lines mean commuters in the north now have two ways of reaching town by MRT — via the North-South and Thomson-East Coast lines — and can use one if the other is down, he added.

“The reason (for building redundancy through the MRT network) is that the MRT system is far better positioned to accommodate the commuter volumes resulting from one line being disrupted, than the bus system is,” he said. 

MANAGING BUS SERVICES CHANGES AND PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS 

While rationalisation is unavoidable, how changes to bus services are implemented and conveyed to the public are key to how they are received, said transport analysts, MPs and commuters.

Ideally, the authorities should announce the proposed changes to bus services and routes, and consult affected commuters, before finalising and implementing the changes based on these feedback, they told TODAY.

The LTA spokesperson said that prior to adjusting bus services, it would carry out a review to “assess the impact (of the change), and ensure alternatives remain available to commuters”. Stakeholders are also consulted on their feedback and suggestions.

After the adjustments are implemented, the authority would continue to “monitor the situation closely” and make further adjustments where necessary, the spokesperson added.

Dr Lim, the Sembawang GRC MP, noted that while LTA conducted “some public consultation” before announcing the proposed changes to bus service 167, he believes that more could have been done prior to its actual implementation.

For example, the authority could have announced the proposed changes and collected feedback from existing commuters, before finalising them.

This would give LTA a better understanding of how commuters may react, while also allowing the latter more time to provide their feedback and make the necessary adjustments, Dr Lim added.

Agreeing, Mr Soh, the 24-year-old bus enthusiast, said that if changes must be made, they should also be executed in a way that does not inconvenience regular passengers too much.

He cited from personal experience the example of the withdrawal of bus service CT8, which was a “great link for Ang Mo Kio residents to connect to Chinatown quickly and easily”. 

“LTA did suggest Service 851e as an alternative, but unfortunately the coverage area for Service 851e in Ang Mo Kio just isn’t as great as compared to what Service CT8 provided,” he said. 

Should bus rationalisation be necessary, commuters interviewed also said that a gradual reduction of the bus service’s frequency would be preferred — instead of a complete withdrawal of the service. 

However, reducing a service’s frequency also has its own drawbacks.

Ms Rita, the 75-year-old commuter, said that having too long a waiting time would also not be ideal as one would “get irritated if you have to wait half an hour for a bus”.

Assoc Prof Theseira from SUSS pointed out that while cutting frequency could save costs while also maintaining the service, there remains a “very important lower limit”. This is because the services could end up “not being useful to anyone” if their intervals were too long, as a missed connection would mean a huge penalty in waiting time. 

They also cause a lot of difficulties for occasional commuters who do not expect the unusually low service frequency.

“However, as a transitional measure, lower service frequency can be used to nudge some commuters to alternatives which might be better for them, and then you can see who is left who really needs the service,” Assoc Prof Theseira said.

All things considered, how the changes are communicated to commuters before implementation is crucial.

NUS’ Dr Ong believes that grassroot and community outreach would be “very important”, as buses cater to a “huge demographic spread”. This includes retired seniors whose main commute mode may be the bus, as they travel within the town and do not make regular long-distance travel.

“(For) our elderly in such a demographic… it is generally acknowledged that they are not the sort to go online, read emails…They will actually watch television or news, but they may not even catch the news,” he said. 

For some like Mr Tay the bus spotter, while they understand the logic and rationale for removing bus services, there is an emotional impact that is hard to overcome.  

“MRT trains are spacious, they can carry more people, and they can be automated. (Using trains instead of buses) would be good for the public as they can get to destinations quicker... but for me, I would be sad,” said Mr Tay.