SINGAPORE (April 19): SBS Transit on Wednesday won the contract by Singapore Land Transport Authority (LTA) to operate the Seletar Bus Package — the third set of public bus services put up for tender under the Bus Contracting Model.

At an estimated total fee of S$480.3 million, the five-year contract, which can be extended by another two years, is the first bus tender award for SBS Transit under the new model.

Under the contract, SBS Transit, which is 75% owned by ComfortDelgro, will operate 26 two-way bus services from Ang Mo Kio, Yio Chu Kang and Yishun Bus Interchanges, to Bukit Batok, Bukit Merah, Eunos Bus Interchanges and Shenton Way Bus Terminal.

Two new routes will be added under the Seletar bus package. SBS Transit currently operates 13 of the 24 existing bus services.

It will take over services in the Seletar bus package in five tranches starting from the first quarter of 2018.

In a media statement on Wednesday, LTA says SBS Transit was awarded the contract as it had “the highest combined total score for both quality and price evaluation”.

SBS Transit says it plans to hire about 330 more drivers and staff for the Seletar bus package.

“For affected Bus Captains, who are driving the existing routes operated by SMRT, we will work closely with the National Transport Workers’ Union for their transition if they opt to join us,” SBS Transit says in a press release.

“We are delighted that the LTA has given us this vote of confidence based on the quality of our proposal and price competitiveness,” says SBS Transit CEO Gan Juay Kiat.

Under the terms and agreement of the tender, better services and facilities will be made available at the bus interchanges. These include handphone charging stations, more fans and water coolers, as well as an air-conditioned canteen at Yio Chu Kang Interchange.

In addition, SBS Transit says all buses plying the 26 services will be fitted with a smart anti-collision system which detects, analyses and monitors road conditions while the buses are on the move.

“We will invest more in both hardware and software to deliver quality bus services to our commuters and look forward to rolling out the 26 services under the BCM from 1Q 2018,” Gan says.

Shares of SBS Transit closed 3 Singaporean cents higher at S$2.76 on Wednesday.