LTA to start 6-month trial for On-Demand Public Buses on 17 Dec
Come 17 December, bus commuters can try out an On-Demand Public Bus (ODPB) service for six months at three areas by booking their ride through a mobile application.
Commuters can book the ride by requesting for pick-up and drop-off at any bus stop within designated areas and hours during the trial even if the bus stop is currently not served by the same bus service, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said in a statement on Monday (3 December).
The three areas are in Joo Koon as from 17 December, Marina-Downtown as from 17 December and from the Central Business District (CBD) to Bedok and Tampines, with the latter service only available at night as from 4 January next year.
The operational hours during the trial are: Joo Koon from 11am to 3pm and from 8.30pm to 11.30pm (weekdays excluding public holidays); Marina-Downtown from 11am to 3pm and from 8.30pm to 11.45pm (weekdays excluding public holidays); and CBD from 11.30pm to 2am (Fridays, Saturdays and eve of public holidays).
Commuters have to download the app “BusGo” via Transportation Inc and “BusNow” via Ministry of Movement from Apple App Store or Android Play Store.
Commuters will get an e-boarding ticket after making a booking. This ticket has to be shown to the bus captain before fare payment.
The app will alert a commuter when a bus is approaching the pick-up and drop-off points. It will also allow group bookings of up to five passengers as long as they are travelling between the same pick-up and drop-off points.
During the trial, commuters taking the weekday ODPB services will be charged a fare based on a fixed distance of 3.2km, regardless of actual distance travelled. The fare will be 77 cents for adults, 54 cents for senior citizens and 37 cents for students. The fare will be revised to 83 cents for adults, 55 cents for senior citizens and 38 cents for students as from 29 December in line with the 2018 Fare Review Exercise.
The LTA said several regular bus services will be running at lower frequencies during the operating hours of the trial. Services 253, 255 and 257 in Joo Koon will run at intervals of 30 minutes while Services 400 and 402 in Marina-Downturn will run at intervals of 40 minutes.
NightRider NR7 will be suspended during the trial from 4 January to 15 June.
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