That was quick at Deadpoet’s Cave

Nothing to do with me, of course.

Just a few days after I suggested the implementation of more rigourous service standards, the Public Transport Council releases New Service Standards for Basic Bus Services [pdf].

While it’s an improvement, I’d like to see that these standards are openly displayed and easily accessible. Also, there need to be clear guidelines on what the public can do if they see that these standards are not being met. There is also no mention of customer compensation in cases where these standards are not met.

And can we have something similar for our our mass and light rail services too?

These are the standards as spelt out by the PTC (extracted from the news release). I might comment on them later.

Operating Performance Standards (OPS)

1) Reliability

1.1 Scheduled bus trips operated on each bus services
At least 96% monthly.

1.2 Bus service should adhere to not more than 5 minutes of its scheduled headway (frequency) upon departure at the bus interchanges and terminals
Not less than 85% daily.

1.3 Bus breakdown rate on all bus services
Not exceeding 1.5% monthly.

2) Loading

2.1 Bus loading during weekday peak periods on each bus service
Not exceeding 95% daily.

3) Safety

3.1 Accident rate on all bus services
Not exceeding 0.75 per 100,000 bus-km per month.

Service Provision Standards (SPS)

4) Availability

4.1 Access to any bus service To run at least one bus service within 400m radius of any development if demand justifies.

4.2 Provision of direct bus service connections
To run direct bus services:
a) Between an HDB neighbourhood and a nearby bus interchange or MRT station.
b) Between major employment/ activity centres and a nearby bus interchange or MRT station.
c) Between HDB towns and the Central Business District, and Jurong Industrial Estate. These requirements are subject to demand being justified. The requirements may not be applicable where there are available MRT/NEL/LRT services.

4.3 Bus service operating hours At least 18 hours daily, unless otherwise stipulated by the PTC.

4.4 Bus service scheduled headways (frequencies)
a) At least 80% of bus services to operate at headway of not more than 15 minutes during weekday (excluding pubic holidays) peak periods, unless otherwise stipulated by the PTC.
b) At least 85% of bus services to operate at headway of not more than 20 minutes during off-peak periods, unless otherwise stipulated by the PTC.
c) 100% of bus services to operate at headway of not more than 30 minutes, unless otherwise stipulated by the PTC.

5) Integration

5.1 Bus service integration in HDB Towns
a) At least one bus service to depart from the bus interchange/terminal at 6.00 am or earlier, daily.
b) At least one bus service to depart from the bus interchange/terminal at 12 midnight or after the last train service, whichever is later, daily.

6) Information

6.1 Availability of up-to-date information
a) To provide hotline and information on internet website for convenient trip planning;
b) To display information at all bus interchanges/terminals with passenger boarding activities;
c) To display information at all bus stops with display facilities; and
d) To provide timetables at bus stops for bus services with long headway (i.e. more than 20 minutes headway for more than 20% of the bus trips)

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