In the recent tightening of the basic bus QoS standards, the focus of the Public Transport Council (PTC) was to drive improvements in attributes that matter most to the majority of commuters, namely, long waiting time and crowding on buses.

Mr Seah and Mr Ng suggested increasing bus service frequencies during off-peak periods.

In its review, the PTC had to strike an appropriate balance in setting service standards. Based on the feedback it has received, the PTC identified waiting times during the morning and evening peak periods as an area of priority which the QoS standards should address.

Hence, the PTC decided to shorten the scheduled headway for the peak periods, while being mindful not to increase the cost of compliance unduly by also requiring higher bus frequencies during the off-peak period when passenger demand is much lower.

To effectively improve service reliability and resolve issues such as bus bunching and long waiting time, other measures such as giving buses priority on the roads through extending bus lanes are also required.

Motorists also have a role to play by giving way to buses exiting bus stops.

Commuters can do their part in helping buses keep to their schedules by moving to the rear of buses, so as to allow other passengers to board expeditiously.

Passenger comfort is also an area of concern as highlighted by Mr Sharma. To ensure their roadworthiness and reliability, all buses have to pass regular vehicle inspections prescribed by the Land Transport Authority (LTA).

The LTA also reviews the design and features of our public buses, taking into account standards and practices adopted in Europe and Japan. This is to ensure that the requirements for our buses remain relevant.

The bus operators are also responsible for maintaining comfortable travelling conditions as part of their customer commitment.

The PTC will continue to refine the basic bus QoS standards periodically, taking into account commuter feedback and changing circumstances.

Members of the public may visit our website at www.ptc.gov.sg if they wish to know more about the standards.

Looi Teik Soon Secretary

Public Transport Council