新加坡将开放公共巴士市场

2014年05月21日 21:44 新浪财经
新浪财经讯

北京时间2014年5月21日晚间消息，新加坡陆路交通管理局(LAT)周三发布公告称，将于今年下半年向更多竞争对手开放其公共汽车服务市场，以改进服务并减少乘客等车时间。

该公告称，投标成功的巴士运营商将根据LAT规定的路线和标准来运营巴士。新加坡现有的两大巴士运营商SBS Transit与SMRT的经营牌照将于2016年8月底到期。

新加坡政府正投入600亿新元建设新的地铁线路，并在公共汽车和高速公路上另外投入至少120亿新元，以减少拥堵并留出未来的增长空间。但由于这些项目将在未来16年内逐渐展开，目前交通拥堵和延误状况正开始损害其模范城市的形象。(羽箭)

New contracting model for public bus sector: What it means for commuters

PUBLISHED ON MAY 21, 2014 6:09 PM
The Straits Times

On Wednesday, the Government announced its plans to overhaul the public bus sector by shifting from the existing privatised model to a “Government contracting model”. Under the model, which will be introduced from the second half of 2014, operators have to meet higher service standards, including ensuring that buses arrive at intervals of no more than 15 minutes during the morning and evening peak periods.

We sum up the changes for you:

What it is:

– Government to own buses and bus infrastructure, contract out packages of routes for operators to run

– Under a gross cost model, operators are paid a fee to operate and maintain services

– Government retains fare revenue, bears revenue risk

– Model is different from nationalisation, as Government does not take over operation of system

Why the change:

– To improve service quickly and sustainably. Operators must meet higher service standards, such as intervals of no more than 15 minutes during peak periods.

– New model to allow LTA to respond faster to changes in ridership, commuter needs and expectations. Under privatised model, operators unable to increase capacity quickly enough

How it will be rolled out:

– The Land Transport Authority to split bus routes into 12 area-based packages, each package to have 300 to 500 buses

– Contracts for packages to last 5 years, with possible 2-year extension

– 3 to 5 operators running 12 packages in the long term (2022 and beyond)

What it means for commuters:

Operators have to meet higher service standards, including ensuring that buses arrive at intervals of no more than 15 minutes during the morning and evening peak periods, with at least half of the bus services having even shorter intervals of no more than 10 minutes.

An estimated 45 per cent of bus services will have shorter intervals during peak periods.

公共巴士业将采政府外包模式

在新的市场模式下，政府将接管所有巴士基础设施以及车队，从2016年下半年起让标得经营权的业者经营巴士路线，而所有车资收入将归公家。

本地公共巴士领域将进行大改革，政府将接管所有巴士基础设施以及车队，并从今年下半年开始以外包形式将巴士路线开放给国内外业者竞标，长远目标是到了2022年，由三到五家业者经营本地公共巴士。希望通过更激烈的竞争，整体提高巴士服务素质。

交通部昨天针对政府施政方针发表附录，公布陆路交通管理局下来的工作计划。当局从2016年下半年起采纳“政府外包模式”（Government contracting model），获得经营权的业者将获政府支付承包费，而所有车资收入将归公家，这意味着政府将完全承担成本风险。

换言之，业者未来在新模式下或无须向公共交通理事会申请车资调整。陆交局指出，虽然有关车资调整的作业流程尚待敲定，但可以确定的是，车资下来继续由公交理事会监管和制定，而车资调整也将如常定期进行，以维持“公交系统在财务上可持续”，车资也会维持在民众负担得起的水平。

政府曾在2008年陆路交通发展总蓝图中表示有意逐步开放市场，采用竞标方式把有利可图和盈利较低的路线“捆绑”起来供业者投标经营。在2012开始落实的改善巴士服务计划下，政府便通过招标将“直达市区”巴士服务外包给私人业者，车资收入也全归政府。

陆交局指出，在现行的私营化模式下，得承担成本风险的公交业者或因成本问题，不愿经营无利可图的巴士路线，也难及时注入资源提升服务素质。

随着外包模式逐步落实，政府将在改善巴士服务方面拥有更大主导权，例如在合约中设下更严格的巴士服务标准，缩短乘客在尖峰时段等候巴士的时间，把出车间隔时间低于10分钟的路线比率从目前30％提高到50％。确保巴士间隔更有规律的奖罚机制也会列入合约。

交通部长吕德耀昨天在面簿上说，当局自2008年便仔细研究采用外包模式的伦敦和珀斯的经验。他以伦敦为例，指出这个模式能确保巴士业者“不敢懈怠”。他说：“相信这个新模式能让我们更快速地对乘车规律及乘客需求的变化做出反应，并为乘客提供更好的服务。”

根据新模式，当局将按车厂位置把全岛所有巴士路线“捆绑”成12个配套供市场竞标。每个配套将涵盖由300至500辆巴士川行的25至30条主干和支线路线。当局将率先推出占总路线数量20％的三个配套，从7月起陆续开放让有意者竞标。成功获得经营权的业者合约为期五年，若表现良好可延长两年。当局将在下周公布首个配套的路线组合。

至于其余九个配套，陆交局将与新捷运和SMRT进行协商，由这两家业者在现行巴士经营执照于2016年8月到期后经营。合约为期五年，到期后将开放竞标。

新捷运和SMRT的股价近期因市场传出当局将为本地公交领域进行改革而上涨。新捷运和SMRT昨天分别发表声明对改革表示欢迎，并指出将与当局紧密合作，商讨有关过渡到新模式的问题，包括资产转移和巴士司机权益等。当局尚未敲定收回巴士资产的方式，但由财政部兼交通部高级政务部长杨莉明领导的“公共交通三方委员会”（Public Transport Tripartite Committee）将确保巴士业员工能够顺利过渡到新公司。

研究交通的新加坡国立大学土木与环境工程系教授李德纮认为，虽然这相当于“半私营化”的巴士经营模式有助于改善整体巴士服务素质，但伴随而来的还有许多不确定性因素。

他以伦敦为例说：“伦敦的监管单位每年提供业者相当庞大的津贴，新加坡也会不会出现大幅津贴业者的情况？政府得拿捏是要承担多点开销，还是把车资调高由乘客分担，这都要进一步研究。”

联合早报
黄顺杰
2014年05月22日

采纳“政府外包模式” 乘客可享更高水平巴士服务素质

2014年05月21日 1803

（联合早报网讯）陆路交通管理局采纳“政府外包模式”（Government contracting model）后，乘客可以享有更高水平的巴士服务素质。

当局将在招标书中，设定更高的服务标准。例如：在上午和傍晚尖峰时段，所有巴士服务的间隔时间将不得超过15分钟。目前尖峰时段的间隔时间必须不超过30分钟。

此外，在上午和傍晚的尖峰时段，至少一半的服务路线的间隔时间将在10分钟以内。目前的巴士服务只有约30％的间隔时间在10分钟以内。

为了保障巴士司机及技术人员等的工资和员工福利，政府将规定成功得标者，必须以至少相同的条件，继续雇用在现有业者旗下、服务同一个路线组合的所有员工。员工可以在选择接受新合同后，转投新公司，继续服务原本的路线。

由财政部兼交通部高级政务部长杨莉明领导的“公共交通三方委员会”将确保巴士业员工能够顺利转投新公司。（本报记者：黄顺杰、叶伟强、陈紫筠、游润恬）

（联合早报网编辑：游桂娥 )

Govt to buy up buses to crack riding riddle

Published on May 22, 2014

JERMYN CHOW
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

IN THE boldest move yet to shake up the public bus industry and raise service standards, the Government will take over the ownership of all buses and depots, collect fare revenue, and tender out bus routes to private operators.

Competition among bus operators will most likely hot up, with new players and foreign firms bidding for bus routes which, for now, are run by SMRT and SBS Transit.

The two publicly listed incumbents, which currently buy buses and collect fares set by the Public Transport Council, have been racking up hefty losses in their bus operations.

Despite spiralling costs and the pressure to operate more services, public transport fares had not been adjusted in the last two years until last month.

The switch to a “Government Contracting Model” later this year is aimed at ensuring that bus operators run more efficient bus services, without having to worry about fare revenue, especially for unprofitable routes, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA).

For commuters, this will mean buses will arrive more frequently and on time.

Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew said in a Facebook post yesterday that the new contracts model would enable the bus industry to “respond more speedily to changes in ridership patterns and commuter needs and provide a better service to commuters”.

The LTA also assured commuters that fares would continue to remain affordable.

Under the new contracts model, all bus services have to arrive within 15 minutes during morning and evening peak periods, with at least half arriving within 10 minutes. Feeder services will run at intervals of between six and eight minutes.

The Government will also offer cash incentives to bus operators who ensure their buses arrive at bus stops on time, but penalise them if buses arrive later, or even earlier, than scheduled.

Bus bunching and long gaps between buses have been a perennial bugbear, even as bus ridership climbed 3.4 per cent last year to 3.6 million a day.

Following efforts to boost bus fleets under the $1.1 billion Bus Service Enhancement Programme, bus frequency has improved by one to five minutes on average and buses are less congested, the LTA said recently.

Under the new contracts model, bus operators with the most competitive bid and best track record will be paid a fee to run the services for between five and seven years.

LTA will carve up bus routes into 12 packages, with about 300 to 500 buses for each area.

For a start, it will tender out three packages of bus services, with the first package going out in the second half of this year.

SBS Transit and SMRT will run the remaining nine packages, which comprise about 80 per cent of existing buses.

In the long run, LTA expects three to five operators to run the bus services islandwide.

The Government started experimenting with bus contracting last year when it tendered out over a dozen fixed routes – a mix of express and feeder services.

The rail industry was opened up when the Government awarded the Downtown Line tender to SBS Transit in 2011.

Going forward, existing lines, as well as new ones such as the Thomson Line and future Eastern Region Line, will be tendered out.

Cedric Foo, who chairs the Government Parliamentary Committee for Transport, said introducing more contestability in the bus industry would create market discipline.

“With contracts up for review every five years, the fear of (contracts) not being renewed will keep operators on their toes,” he said.

But Mr Foo, who has championed the opening up of the industry since 2007, said that putting contracts up for tender would make the cost and subsidies transparent, creating a double-edged sword.

“With people aware of the cost elements, there will then be political pressure on the Government not to increase fares, although it will allow the Government to better justify how and why they need to adjust fares.”

jermync@sph.com.sg

陆交局采纳“政府外包模式”　 开放巴士路线供市场竞标

黄顺杰

本地公共巴士领域将如市场预期进行改革，政府将掌管公共巴士业的基础设施和系统，并以外包形式将巴士路线推出市场开放供国内外业者竞标，长远目标是让3到5家业者经营本地公共巴士服务。这意味乘客未来可在巴士市场竞争更激烈的情况下，享有更高的服务素质。

交通部昨天针对政府施政方针发表附录，公布陆路交通管理局下来的工作计划时指出，当局从2016年下半年起采纳“政府外包模式”（Government contracting model），开放所有巴士路线供市场竞标，得标业者将获政府支付的一笔承包费，而所有车资收入将归公家，意味着政府将完全承担经营巴士服务的成本风险。

换言之，业者未来在新模式下或无需向公共交通理事会申请车资调整。陆交局指出，车资下来仍由公交理事会订定，定期车资调整也将如常进行，以维持“公交系统的可持续性”，车资会维持在民众负担得起的水平。

政府首次在2008年陆路交通发展总蓝图中表示有意逐步开放市场，采用竞标方式把有利可图和盈利较低的路线“捆绑”起来供业者投标经营。在2012开始落实的改善巴士服务计划下，政府便通过招标将“直达市区”巴士服务外包给私人业者，车资收入也全归政府。

陆交局指出，在现行私营化模式下，得承担车资风险的公交业者或因成本问题而不愿经营无利可图的巴士服务，同时也难以及时注入资源或提升服务素质。

随着外包模式逐步落实，政府将在改善巴士服务方面拥有更大主导权，例如在合约中设下更严格的巴士服务标准，缩短乘客在尖峰时段等候巴士的时间，把间隔时间低于10分钟的路线比率从目前的30％提高到50％。确保巴士间隔更有规律的奖罚机制也会列入合约。

交通部长吕德耀昨天在面簿上说，当局自2008年便仔细研究实行类似外包模式的伦敦和珀斯的经验。他以伦敦为例，指出这个模式能确保巴士业者“不敢懈怠”。他说：“我相信这个新模式能让我们更快速地对乘车规律及乘客需求的变化做出反应，并为乘客提供更好的服务。”

在巴士路线外包模式下，当局将按车厂位置把全岛所有巴士路线“捆绑”成12个路线组合供市场竞标。每个路线组合将涵盖由300至500辆巴士川行的25至30条长途主干以及短程支线路线（占总数20％）。其中，3个路线组合将从下月起陆续开放让本地两家公共巴士业者新捷运和SMRT企业、本地私人巴士公司以及外国业者竞标。合约为期5年，业者若表现良好可延长合约2年。当局将在下周公布第一个路线组合详情。

至于其余9个路线组合，陆交局将在外包模式下与新捷运和SMRT进行协商，由这两家业者在现行巴士经营执照到期后经营。合约亦为期5年，到期后将开放让其他有兴趣的业者竞标。两家业者的巴士经营执照将于2016年8月到期。

新捷运和SMRT昨天分别发表声明对这项改革表示欢迎，并称将与当局紧密合作，商讨有关过渡到新模式的问题，包括资产转交和巴士司机的权益等。当局尚未敲定收回巴士资产的方式。

我报

Shift to contracting model for buses ‘vital’

Royston Sim | The Straits Times | Thursday, May 22, 2014

THE shift to a contracting model for buses is a necessary move that should plug gaps in the public transport system, experts believe.

However, they caution that expected improvements in service standards may not come cheap.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said the current model is not sustainable for a high standard of bus services, as fare increases have not kept up with costs, while bus passengers are likely to switch to taking the MRT after the rail network expands.

Under the new model, the Government will put up 12 packages of routes for competitive bidding, and pay operators a fee to run services for up to seven years. It will retain fare revenue, thus freeing operators from the risk of losing money on unpopular routes.

Dr Park Byung Joon, an urban transport management expert at SIM University, said this means the quality of bus services will no longer be constrained by profitability concerns of private operators. Instead, it will be determined by how much the Government is willing to spend on improving service standards.

The LTA said commuters can expect shorter waits for 45 per cent of bus services during peak periods from 2016.

It will require at least half of all buses to arrive within 10 minutes, up from 30 per cent of buses today.

In addition, all buses will have intervals of no more than 15 minutes, down from 30 minutes.

Dr Park said: “If it is achieved, the difference will be significant enough for commuters to feel.”

Mr Cedric Foo, who chairs the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Transport, said the new model will help determine the best price for bus services through competition – a process which he currently describes as “shooting in the dark”. He noted there is no way to know what the best price is now as SBS Transit and SMRT operate monopolies in different parts of Singapore. It is also the Government’s duty to keep fares affordable, he added.

The Government first mooted competitive tendering in its 2008 Land Transport Master Plan. It rolled out a $1.1 billion Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP) in 2012 to boost bus capacity. The programme has since been expanded to put 1,000 state-funded buses on the road.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan, a member of the Transport GPC, flagged irregular bus services as one gap that has to be addressed.

And while the BSEP has helped address this concern, it has not been enough, he said. “The situation has improved, but commuters wish more buses could arrive more regularly.” He believes the “bold move” to introduce competition should lead to better and more efficient bus services. Professor Lee Der Horng, a transport academic from the National University of Singapore, agreed with the Government’s move to assume ownership of all buses and bus infrastructure.

“After we remove this barrier, new and potential operators are more likely to come,” he said.
Still, he noted that the amount of government subsidy will be substantial.

In London, the bus network subsidy amounts to several hundred million pounds a year, though the amount has fallen from £563 million (S$1.19 billion) in its 2009 financial year to £377 million last year.

In the long term, the LTA plans to introduce a common livery for all buses, similar to London where all buses are painted red.

While all basic trunk and feeder routes will be bundled into packages, the LTA said premium bus services run by private operators will not be affected.

City Direct services will likely remain as well, though peak-period short feeder routes could be added to the packages of routes.

Retiree and Chai Chee resident Gan Ah Soy, 68, hopes the increased competition can help keep fares low. He said: “For people like us who don’t work, it’s hard to cope. Of course, if buses come faster, it’s better too.”

Royston Sim | The Straits Times | Thursday, May 22, 2014
roysim@sph.com.sg

Industri bas awam dirombak bagi pertingkat khidmat

Adli Yashir Kuchit
Berita Harian
Thursday, May 22, 2014

PEMERINTAH telah merombak industri bas awam dalam usaha memperbaiki perkhidmatan bas mulai pertengahan tahun ini.

Di bawah Model Kontrak Pemerintah itu, pemerintah akan memiliki semua prasarana bas awam seperti bas, depoh dan pusat pertukaran bas.

Pemerintah akan turut menentukan rangkaian khidmat bas yang diperlukan penumpang dan meraih pendapatan daripada tambang bas.

Namun, operasi khidmat bas akan ditawarkan kepada firma swasta tempatan atau antarabangsa, yang dipilih menerusi proses tender.

Pengendali akan menerima bayaran daripada pemerintah bagi khidmat yang dijalankan.

Tender khidmat bas juga akan dibuka kepada pengendali antarabangsa.

Perubahan dasar itu terkandung dalam Adendum Amanat Presiden yang dikeluarkan Kementerian Pengangkutan semalam.

Menurut Penguasa Pengangkutan Darat (LTA), model baru itu berbeza daripada model sedia ada, dengan kini pengendali bas swasta bertanggungjawab menyediakan prasarana bas dan menjalankan operasi.

“Sekarang, pengendali swasta menghadapi masalah mempertingkat khidmat dan keupayaan, kerana mereka perlu meraih keuntungan daripada pendapatan tambang untuk membiayai pelaburan prasarana dan kos operasi.

“Akibatnya mereka tidak akan menawarkan khidmat jika ia tidak menguntungkan,” kata LTA.

Di bawah model baru, pemerintah bertanggungjawab atas prasarana bas. Ini membolehkannya membuat keputusan dengan cepat – sama ada menawarkan khidmat baru atau menambah bilangan bas, bergantung kepada keperluan penduduk.

Pengendali swasta pula tidak perlu memikirkan tentang kos pelaburan prasarana yang tinggi. Mereka kelak boleh tumpukan usaha memberi khidmat kepada penumpang, contohnya, memastikan keselesaan penumpang dan bas tiba ikut jadual.

Model baru juga diharap dapat menggalak persaingan. Pelan jangka panjang ialah bagi industri bas awam mempunyai antara tiga dengan lima pengendali, berbanding dua pengendali masa kini.

Penumpang bas juga boleh menjagka lebih banyak khidmat bas di lebih banyak tempat dengan masa menunggu lebih singkat. Sebelum ini, LTA telah mengkaji model bas awam di London dan Australia, yang didapati berjalan lancar.

Pada 2012, pemerintah memperkenal Program Peningkatan Khidmat Bas (BSEP) untuk mempertingkat khidmat.

Tahun lalu, LTA juga mencuba model baru dengan menawarkan Khidmat Langsung ke Bandar (CDS) dan Perkhidmatan Singkat Waktu Sibuk (PPSS).

Ia kini ingin memperluas model baru itu secara bertahap dengan menawarkan tiga pakej khidmat bas kepada pengendali swasta – yang pertama pada separuh kedua tahun ini.

Ketiga-tiga pakej tersebut merangkumi 20 peratus khidmat bas sedia ada, dan baki 80 peratus khidmat akan terus dikendalikan dua pengendali sedia ada.

LTA akan berunding dengan pengendali sedia ada untuk mengendalikan baki khidmat bas, mengikut model baru, selepas Lesen Pengendali Khidmat Bas (BSOL) tamat pada 31 Ogos 2016.

Selain itu LTA turut melahirkan keprihatinan tentang kebajikan pekerja industri bas awam yang mungkin terjejas akibat perubahan dasar. Sehubungan itu, ia sedang bekerjasama dengan pihak berkepentingan seperti kesatuan sekerja dan pengendali bas, demi melindungi kepentingan pekerja.

Satu kumpulan kerja diterajui Menteri Negara Kanan Pengangkutan, Cik Josephine Teo, akan menangani usaha tersebut.

Sweeping changes to public bus sector

Move seen as addressing fundamental issues plaguing the system

PUBLISHED MAY 22, 2014

BYNISHA RAMCHANDANI
nishar@sph.com.sg
@Nisha_BT
The Business Times

[SINGAPORE] The Land Transport Authority (LTA) yesterday announced sweeping changes to the public bus industry, in a move seen as addressing fundamental issues plaguing the system.

In a shake-up that overhauls Singapore’s bus industry, the current, privatised model – where operators SBS Transit (SBST) and SMRT own their buses and keep all fare revenue – will give way to a government contracting model starting from the second half of 2014. Under the new system, the government will own the buses as well as bus infrastructure such as depots, while contracting bus routes out in 12 packages via a tender process to both local and foreign players. Operators will be paid a fee to run and maintain the services, while the government will retain all fare revenue.

The restructuring is largely aimed at raising service standards by increasing competition and creating a more flexible system where the government can make tweaks more swiftly and nimbly in response to changes in ridership and commuter needs.

Higher service standards will be built into the contract as operators will be expected to run bus services at shorter intervals during peak hours, with at least half of all bus services to operate at intervals of no more than 10 minutes. Such improvements, if pulled off, would be substantial enough for commuters to feel the difference, said industry observers.

“The quality of the public transport service (would) now (be) determined by . . . how much money (the government) is willing to spend on improving service standards, rather than profitability concerns for private operators,” said the head of SIM University’s urban transport management programme, Park Byung Joon.

At the same time, Dr Park warned that the pursuit of enhanced service standards could potentially end up proving costly for taxpayers. “Public transport with a high service standard does not come cheap. It is very unlikely that the whole expense will be passed onto commuters in the form of fares,” highlighted Dr Park, adding that Seoul’s government has faced a steady increase in operating subsidy payments to bus operators since 2003.

In a Facebook post yesterday, Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew said: “Any changes to a system that we’ve been running for many years means that there will be adjustments needed at various levels and possibly some transitional issues. We will pay careful attention during implementation to minimize inconvenience to commuters.”

Foreign firms such as France’s Keolis, Australia’s Tower Transit and Britain’s Go Ahead have been mooted as possible entrants into the market. Woodlands Transport Service, which has one of the largest private transport fleets in Singapore, said that it would be keen to look into the tender and study the details.

Meanwhile, the incumbent operators will have to work even harder if they want to remain in the business and maintain their scale, Lee Der-Horng, deputy head (research) at NUS’ Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, pointed out. But income streams for the two transport operators would also be more predictable with the new model in place.

SBST described yesterday’s development as a “more sustainable option for the future”, although it acknowledged it would have a “major impact” on the way it operated. “We are, however, prepared and will be able to tap on the experience of our sister companies in London and Sydney which operate in a similar tender regime,” SBST added. Meanwhile, SMRT said that it is geared up to participate in the tendering exercise, and will continue to prioritise service excellence and operational performance in its existing bus operations.

Analysts expect an asset-light SBST and SMRT, with depreciation off their balance sheets, to be strongly positioned even with the introduction of competition. NUS’ Prof Lee does not rule out a joint venture between a local and overseas player either.

To start, three packages – or 20 per cent of the existing bus routes – will be offered up for tender starting from H2 2014, with the new operators to start handling the routes from H2 2016. The contract for each package will last five years, with a possible two-year extension based on performance.

Over the last two years, LTA has studied other markets, such as London and Australia, where similar models have been implemented successfully.

When their bus service operating licences expire on Aug 31, 2016, SMRT and SBST will initially continue to operate the remaining nine packages under the contracting model to minimise disruptions to service. Progressively, these too will be offered up for tender. After 2022, all packages will be tendered out, with the aim of having at least three to five bus operators in the market.

Details of the first bus package will be released next week.

To safeguard the interests of staff employed by existing bus operators, the government will require new operators to make job offers to all workers servicing the tendered bus routes at similar terms and conditions to their current contract. This will be overseen by the Public Transport Tripartite Committee which comprises LTA, the Ministry of Manpower and the National Transport Workers Union.