Tower Transit to run Sembawang and Yishun bus interchanges, taking over from SMRT

SINGAPORE — Tower Transit Singapore has been awarded contracts for the Bulim and Sembawang-Yishun bus packages for a five-year period, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said in a news release on Wednesday (Sept 30).

The contracts are worth about S$1.03 billion, said LTA, adding that they will progressively start from the second quarter of 2021.

The Sembawang-Yishun package, currently operated by SMRT Buses, consists of 27 bus services. They will operate from the new Mandai Depot, which will be handed over to Tower Transit by October.

Tower Transit will also manage Sembawang and Yishun bus interchanges.

The Bulim package, which consists of 29 bus services, is already being operated by Tower Transit. It will continue to manage Bukit Batok and Jurong East bus interchanges.

TRANSITION OF AFFECTED WORKERS

LTA said SMRT employees affected by the changes must be offered jobs by the incoming operator, adding that their employment terms should not be worse than the terms they were under before the transition.

"Affected SMRT employees of the Sembawang-Yishun bus package will be protected by the Guidelines on Good Employment Practices in the Public Bus Industry," LTA said.

"All employees affected by new tender or change in bus service contracts must be offered a job by the incoming operator."

In a Facebook post, Executive Secretary of the National Transport Workers' Union (NTWU) Melvin Yong said the union will work closely with SMRT and Tower Transit to ensure a "smooth transition" for affected workers.

"The union is committed to working with the different public transport operators to take care of our bus workers and create a safe working environment for them," Mr Yong said.

The tender for the Bulim and Sembawang-Yishun bus packages was called in November last year, and bus operators had the option to bid for either bus package or for both.

Tower Transit was awarded the contract for the combined package, because it received the highest total score taking into account both price and quality factors in its proposal, said LTA.

"If TTS (Tower Transit Singapore) performs well during the five-year term, LTA has the option to extend the contract term by another two years at the end of the five-year contract," added the authority. CNA 

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