Commuters living in Tampines will soon see better and faster connections to public transport, as the Land Transport Authority announced that seven new bus services will be introduced in the coming months. One of the key additions is a peak-period bus service aimed at helping residents reach the Tampines MRT station more efficiently.
Service 460 will operate during peak hours and serve residents living along Tampines Boulevard. The new route is designed to shorten travel time to the Tampines MRT station, especially for residents who have recently moved into the area.
Speaking to the media at Tampines North Bus Interchange, Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow said the new service supports one of Singapore’s newest Build-to-Order housing estates. He explained that the area has “big transportation plans”, especially with the upcoming Tampines North Integrated Transport Hub, which is expected to be completed by 2030.
“Many residents are already moving in, and we are trying to build up the bus network so as to support the transport needs of the residents that are already here,” Mr Siow said.
More Peak-Hour and Direct Bus Services
Alongside Service 460, four other peak-period services will also be launched. Services 457, 458, and 459 will serve residents in Hougang, Sengkang, and Punggol, respectively. These services will provide direct connections to the Circle Line and the employment hub at Tai Seng.
Service 461 will serve Yishun East residents, giving them faster access to the Khatib MRT station.
In addition, a new city direct service, Service 684, will link Brickland and Bukit Batok West directly to the central business district. A new feeder service, Service 831, will also begin operations in Tengah on Mar 8.
Two existing services, 97 and 97e, will be extended from Jurong East to Tengah on the same date, with Service 181 expected to follow in the coming months.
Part of a Wider Bus Enhancement Programme
The new and extended routes were introduced under the Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme, which was launched in July 2024. LTA said the changes were made after consulting grassroots advisers and community leaders, and following a review of bus network coverage and ridership patterns.
Since the programme began, 27 new and extended bus services have been introduced, and 62 existing services have been enhanced. These include express routes to the city and limited-stop services that offer faster travel to MRT stations.
LTA said close to 244,000 commuters have benefitted so far. The programme is expected to cost S$900 million over eight years.
Challenges in Expanding the Bus Network
While announcing the new services, Mr Siow also spoke about challenges in expanding the bus network, especially in recruiting local bus drivers.
“I would like to add as many buses as possible, more bus services as possible, but it is not easy,” he said.
He added, “For every one local bus driver that we recruit, we usually lose about two due to resignations or retirement.”
The median age of local bus drivers is currently 56 years old. Although drivers receive a S$20,000 sign-on bonus and earn about S$3,600 a month with overtime, Mr Siow said the job remains difficult to attract locals to.
ETA System Update
Mr Siow also shared an update on the Expected Time of Arrival system, which had faced technical issues since Jan 10. LTA said the system has now been restored to more than 90 per cent.
“The good thing is that we brought the system back to where it should be, and we continue to improve the availability and the accuracy of the system over time,” he said.
He stressed that bus operations were not affected during the system disruption.
