Tower Transit Singapore is a contracted bus operator operating in Singapore. It commenced operations on 29 May 2016 and it is a subsidiary of Kelsian Group.
In May 2015, the Land Transport Authority awarded Tower Transit Singapore the contract with operations to commence in May 2016, with services based at the Bulim Bus Depot.[2][3] On 31 July 2015, the Land Transport Authority handed over Bulim Bus Depot to Tower Transit Singapore, allowing preparations such as fitting works on the depot and training of its staff to be carried out earlier.[4]
On 6 December 2015, the Bulim Bus Depot was officially opened by MP for Hong Kah North, Amy Khor and then-CEO of Tower Transit, Adam Leishman. A Bulim Carnival Day was also held on the same day to allow the public to tour the depot and learn more about Tower Transit.[5]
Tower Transit Singapore commenced operations on 29 May 2016,[6][7][8] introducing new technologies and practices to public buses in Singapore. It became the first bus operator to use driver telematics[9] to give Bus Captains feedback on their driving standards and to incentivise safe and smooth driving. It was also the first to install wheel nut covers.
On 10 December 2016, Tower Transit Singapore became the first bus operator in Singapore to award an employee with a leisure trip. Mr Kumaran joined Tower Transit Singapore in May after 16 years with SMRT Buses, and received a pair of return tickets to London and five nights’ accommodation worth S$4,500 for excellent service.[10]
On 13 February 2017, Tower Transit Singapore became the first bus operator in Singapore to celebrate Valentine's Day. Tower Transit buses all had Happy Valentines Day programmed onto their buses' Electronic Destination Signages (EDS) and ran an article in The New Paper regarding the couples working in Tower Transit.[11]
On 1 March 2017, Tower Transit Singapore rolled out its signature scent on 100 buses operating on routes 66, 97 and 106. Tower Transit is the first bus operator in Singapore to have such an initiative.[12]
On 13 March 2017, Tower Transit Singapore started operating Singapore's first 3-door double-decker bus for a six-month trial period.[14][15]
On 30 September 2020, the Land Transport Authority awarded the Sembawang-Yishun Bus Package to Tower Transit Singapore, along with the second 5-year term of the Bulim Bus Package.[16]
Operations for the Bulim and Sembawang-Yishun packages commenced in May and September 2021 respectively,[17][18] with Mandai Bus Depot handed over to Tower Transit Singapore for the Sembawang-Yishun Bus Package.[19]
Tower Transit Singapore is currently the only public bus operator in Singapore to operate minibuses (BYD C6), which only serves Service 825. Previously, SMRT Buses operated the minibuses until the bus package takeover.
Tower Transit Singapore currently operates 60 bus services under the Bulim and Sembawang-Yishun Bus Packages, consisting of 31 Bulim bus services and 29 Sembawang-Yishun bus services. They are operated mainly from Tengah, Bukit Batok, Jurong East, Jurong Town Hall, Yishun Integrated Transport Hub and Sembawang Bus Interchanges, with a handful of routes operating from Clementi Bus Interchange and Woodlands Integrated Transport Hub.
Tower Transit is operating the Bulim bus package for another term on 29 May 2021 as continuous to commemorate its 5th anniversary of operations in Singapore, with bus services 653, 657 and 944 handed over to Tower Transit from SMRT Buses.[18] It also handed over services 665 and 974 to SMRT Buses and SBS Transit respectively as they were not part of the new contract.
Between September and October 2021, bus services were handed over from SMRT Buses in three tranches as part of the Sembawang-Yishun Package. City Direct service 663, which was under the bus package, was already operated by Tower Transit. The bus package was based at Mandai Bus Depot.[17][18][20] New bus services were also introduced by Tower Transit Singapore, beginning with Service 974 on 8 April 2018 (now operating under Jurong West Bus Package).
Timeline of Bus Services under Tower Transit
29 May 2016: Transfer of 77, 106, 173, 177, 189, 941, 945, 947 & 990
12 June 2016: Transfer of 66, 78, 79, 97, 97e, 143 & 143M
26 June 2016: Transfer of 41, 49, 96, 98, 98M, 183, 282, 284, 285, 333, 334 & 335
26 September 2017: Transfer of 663
12 October 2017: Transfer of 665
8 April 2018: Introduction of 974
13 January 2020: Transfer of 651
5 September 2021: Transfer of 171, 670, 853, 853M, 854, 854e, 855, 856 & 857
19 September 2021: Transfer of 169, 858, 963, 963e, 965, 966 & 969
3 October 2021: Transfer of 167, 656, 825, 859, 882, 883, 883M, 980 & 981
23 January 2022: Introduction of 801
24 September 2023: Introduction of 992 (replaced Service 944)
26 November 2023: Introduction of 870
21 July 2024: Introduction of 871
Bus fleet
During the transfer of the Sembawang-Yishun bus package, Tower Transit also took over a number of buses from SMRT, such as this Mercedes-Benz OC500LE.An Alexander Dennis Enviro500 MMC operated by Tower Transit