Latest news with #BusConnectivityEnhancementProgramme
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat: Singapore's Public Transport Sector to Create 3,000 Jobs by 2030, ETHRWorldSEA
Advt By , Agencies Join the community of 2M+ industry professionals Subscribe to our newsletter to get latest insights & analysis. Get updates on your preferred social platform Follow us for the latest news, insider access to events and more. Singapore will create over 3,000 new jobs in its public transport sector in the coming years, driven by major rail network expansions and a national push towards electric buses. Of these, 2,000 roles will be in the rail sector and over 1,000 in the bus sector, according to Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat The upcoming Jurong Region Line (2027–2029) and Cross Island Line (by 2030) are fuelling demand for technicians, engineers, and specialists in data analytics and cybersecurity. In the bus sector, the shift to electric buses is creating workforce needs for bus drivers, technicians, and engineers equipped to handle new vehicle support this transition, the government is working with tertiary institutions to prepare students and is offering Continuing Education and Training (CET) programmes for mid-career entrants. Companies like Go-Ahead Singapore are also upskilling current workers to meet the EV $900 million Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme , launched in July 2024, will expand bus services in new housing areas, further increasing hiring needs. To attract talent, the government and operators are offering sign-on bonuses, referral incentives, and outreach efforts targeting both fresh graduates and mid-career emphasised that public transport offers 'meaningful work' and noted that the sector is evolving with 'new technologies' that appeal to younger talent, particularly in areas like predictive maintenance and data-driven talent mobilisation reflects Singapore's dual focus: future-proofing transport infrastructure and building a skilled, tech-ready workforce.
Straits Times
20-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Over 3,000 job openings in public transport sector to be added over next few years: Chee Hong Tat
Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat, accompanied by MPs for Punggol GRC Yeo Wan Ling, Janil Puthucheary and Sun Xueling, with staff from Go-Ahead Singapore after a tour of Punggol Coast Bus Interchange on May 20. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM Over 3,000 job openings in public transport sector to be added over next few years: Chee Hong Tat SINGAPORE – More than 3,000 job opportunities will be added to the public transport sector over the next few years, as Singapore's rail network expands and bus services are enhanced. A bout 2,000 new job openings are in the rail sector, and more than 1,000 in the bus sector, said Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat during a visit to the new Punggol Coast Bus Interchange on May 20. Technicians and engineers, as well as those specialising in data analytics and cyber security, are required in the rail sector. The Jurong Region Line is slated to open in three stages from 2027 to 2029 , while the first 12 stations on Cross Island Line are expected to be completed by 2030 . The bus sector will need bus captains, technicians and engineers, all of whom have to be equipped with skills to support the shift to electric buses, as the Government targets to refresh Singapore's public bus fleet so that half of them will run on batteries by 2030. Mr Chee also noted that public transport operators will need to hire more people due to the expansion of bus services under the Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme (BCEP), a $900 million initiative launched in July 2024 to improve public bus connectivity for residents of new housing projects. Asked how the Government hopes to attract workers to the public transport sector , Mr Chee said it will work closely with its partners – including National Transport Workers' Union – to reach out to fresh graduates and mid-career entrants. There will b e sign-on bonuses and various incentives, such as a referral programme for existing public transport workers to recommend their friends to join the sector. 'It's a very meaningful area of work, and we hope that with this expansion in our rail network and bus services, more Singaporeans will be able to join us as public transport workers,' he said. On training workers to handle electric buses, Mr Chee said the Government has been partnering tertiary institutions to equip students with the necessary skills. For mid-career entrants or people who may have missed such courses, he noted that there are programmes available under the continuing education and training scheme. Mr Chee said that this is an ongoing process, and that many students are interested in working with new technologies – including the use of data analytics to improve decision-making and maintenance processes. The transport minister also fielded questions from the media on other topics, including the adoption rate of electric vehicles here. He said the stronger take-up of EVs here was a 'good trend', and expressed hopes for prices of EVs to continue dropping over time as the technology improves, and for the battery performance of EVs to continue improving. EVs accounted for 40.2 per cen t of total car registrations in the first three months of 2025, hitting a new high. Mr Chee added that the Ministry of Transport and the Land Transport Authority will continue to support the installation of EV charging points in public carparks and condominiums. When asked if he expects to stay in the Ministry of Transport or move to another ministry after the upcoming Cabinet reshuffle, Mr Chee said: 'You should wait for the Prime Minister to announce the Cabinet reshuffle. Whichever role I take up, whether in transport or in another capacity, I will continue to do my best.' Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
New Paper
19-05-2025
- General
- New Paper
New bus service 230M linking Kim Keat and Toa Payoh Bus Interchange to start on June 8
From June 8, Toa Payoh residents living in Kim Keat estate will be able to travel directly to Toa Payoh Bus Interchange on a new supplementary bus service. Service 230M will operate from Toa Payoh Bus Interchange, ply Lorong 6 Toa Payoh and Toa Payoh East, before looping at Kim Keat Avenue and returning to the interchange. Operating from 6.30am to 9pm on weekdays and 9am to 9pm on weekends and public holidays, the new service is a variant of service 230 and takes commuters from Kim Keat to the Toa Payoh interchange directly. It is a shorter route serving 10 selected bus stops along the Service 230 route. Service 230 serves only bus stops close to Toa Payoh HDB Hub and no longer stops at the interchange after a recent route revision. Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC MP Saktiandi Supaat, who oversees Toa Payoh East area, told The Straits Times on May 19 that he had received feedback from some residents who wanted a direct service from Kim Keat to Toa Payoh Interchange, instead of merely the bus stops outside Toa Payoh HDB Hub. He noted that service 230M would let residents access Toa Payoh HDB Hub and Toa Payoh Interchange without crossing the road or taking the underpass. As the new supplementary bus service does not ply Lorong 7 Toa Payoh and Lorong 8 Toa Payoh, Mr Saktiandi said some residents may enjoy the shorter commute to and from Toa Payoh Interchange. Introduced in September 2023, service 230 is a loop service that originally served 12 bus stops along Lorong 6 Toa Payoh, Toa Payoh East, Kim Keat Avenue as well as Toa Payoh Interchange. Its route was extended and amended in January under the Land Transport Authority's Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme (BCEP), so the service now starts and ends at Caldecott MRT station - an interchange station on the Thomson-East Coast Line and Circle Line. Following the amendment, service 230 covers more stops in Lorong 7 Toa Payoh and Lorong 8 Toa Payoh, and no longer serves Toa Payoh Interchange. Launched in July 2024, BCEP is a $900 million initiative to improve public bus connectivity for residents of new housing projects. Service 230M, which will be run by public transport operator SBS Transit, was one of the new bus services announced in April under the BCEP. He added that they will also have an alternative bus service to take if they want to get to Toa Payoh Polyclinic, Pei Chun Public School and Kim Keat Palm Market and Food Centre. "Residents in the wider Toa Payoh East area, not just those in Kim Keat, will have access to both Caldecott MRT station and Toa Payoh interchange," said Mr Saktiandi, adding that both 230 and 230M services will benefit residents beyond those in the newer Build-To-Order (BTO) estates, including Kim Keat Beacon. Residents interviewed by ST welcomed the new service, with most saying that having another bus service is always beneficial. Mr Lim Jin Xing, 35, a Kim Keat resident of over three decades who will be moving into the new BTO estate Kim Keat Ripples, said the reintroduction of a bus service that takes people to and from Toa Payoh interchange will alleviate the overcrowding on buses during the morning peak hour. As the software engineer frequently commutes to Toa Payoh HDB Hub for meals and Toa Payoh interchange to get to work, he said he was happy when the launch of the parent service 230 was announced as the other available bus service - 238, which begins its route at Toa Payoh interchange - is often crowded. When the route of service 230 was amended in early 2025 to exclude Toa Payoh interchange, Mr Lim said residents living in the area were affected, although he was not personally inconvenienced. He is glad that there will now be more buses connecting Toa Payoh interchange to Kim Keat Avenue. Ms Karen Siow, 62, echoed this, adding that it is good that the new bus service will remove the need to walk from the bus stop near Toa Payoh interchange, which is tiring for elderly persons with mobility issues. The procurement executive said she takes service 230 to Toa Payoh Swimming Complex, before alighting and getting onto another bus that can take her to Toa Payoh Interchange. So she was happy to find out that service 230M will stop at Toa Payoh Interchange, and said it was "much needed".
Straits Times
19-05-2025
- Straits Times
New bus service 230M linking Kim Keat and Toa Payoh Bus Interchange to start on June 8
Service 230M, which will be run by public transport operator SBS Transit, will operate from Toa Payoh Bus Interchange and loop at Kim Keat Avenue. PHOTO: ST FILE New bus service 230M linking Kim Keat and Toa Payoh Bus Interchange to start on June 8 SINGAPORE – From June 8 , Toa Payoh residents living in Kim Keat estate will be able to travel directly to Toa Payoh Bus Interchange via a new supplementary bus service. Service 230M will operate from Toa Payoh Bus Interchange, ply Lorong 6 Toa Payoh and Toa Payoh East, before looping at Kim Keat Avenue and returning to the interchange . Operating from 6.30am to 9pm on weekdays and 9am to 9pm on weekends and public holidays , the new service is a variant of service 230 and takes commuters from Kim Keat to the Toa Payoh interchange directly. It is a shorter route serving 10 selected bus stops along the Service 230 route. Service 230 serves only bus stops close to Toa Payoh Hub and no longer stops at the interchange after a recent route revision. Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC MP Saktiandi Supaa t, who oversees the Toa Payoh East area, told The Straits Times on May 19 that he had received feedback from some residents who wanted a direct bus service from Kim Keat to Toa Payoh Interchange, instead of merely the bus stops outside Toa Payoh Hub. He noted that service 230M would allow residents to access Toa Payoh Hub and Toa Payoh Interchange without crossing the road or taking the underpass. As the new supplementary bus service does not ply Lorong 7 Toa Payoh and Lorong 8 Toa Payoh, Mr Saktiandi said some residents may enjoy the shorter commute to and from Toa Payoh Interchange. Introduced in September 2023 , service 230 is a loop service that originally served 12 bus stops along Lorong 6 Toa Payoh, Toa Payoh East, Kim Keat Avenue as well as Toa Payoh Interchange. Its route was extended and amended in January under the Land Transport Authority's Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme (BCEP), so the service now starts and ends at Caldecott MRT station – an interchange station on the Thomson-East Coast Line and Circle Line. Following the amendment, service 230 covers more stops in Lorong 7 Toa Payoh and Lorong 8 Toa Payoh, and no longer serves Toa Payoh Interchange. Launched in July 2024 , BCEP is a $900 million initiative to improve public bus connectivity for residents of new housing projects. 230M, which will be run by public transport operator SBS Transit, was one of the new bus services announced in April under the BCEP. He added that they will also have an alternative bus service to take if they want to get to Toa Payoh Polyclinic, Pei Chun Public School and Kim Keat Palm Market and Food Centre. 'Residents in the wider Toa Payoh East area, not just those in Kim Keat, will have access to both Caldecott MRT station and Toa Payoh interchange,' said Mr Saktiandi, adding that both 230 and 230M services will benefit residents beyond those in the newer Build-To-Order (BTO) estates, including Kim Keat Beacon. Residents interviewed by ST welcomed the new service, with most saying that having another bus service is always beneficial. Mr Lim Jin Xing , a Kim Keat resident of over three decades who will be moving into the new BTO estate Kim Keat Ripples, said the reintroduction of a bus service that takes people to and from Toa Payoh Interchange will alleviate the overcrowding on buses during the morning peak hour. As the software engineer , 35 , frequently commutes to Toa Payoh Hub for meals and Toa Payoh Interchange to get to work, he said he was happy when the launch of the parent service 230 was announced as the other available bus service – 238, which begins its route at Toa Payoh Interchange – is often crowded. When the route of service 230 was amended in early 2025 to exclude Toa Payoh Interchange, Mr Lim said residents living in the area were affected, although he was not personally inconvenienced. He is glad that there will now be more buses connecting Toa Payoh Interchange to Kim Keat Avenue. Ms Karen Siow , 62 , echoed this, adding that it is good that the new bus service will remove the need to walk from the bus stop near Toa Payoh Interchange, which is tiring for elderly persons with mobility issues. The procurement executive said she takes service 230 to Toa Payoh Swimming Complex, before alighting and getting onto another bus that can take her to Toa Payoh Interchange. So she was happy to find out that service 230M will stop at Toa Payoh Interchange, and said it was 'much needed'. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
