SINGAPORE: The Land Transport Authority (LTA) and bus operators in Singapore are assessing a proposal from Malaysia to start cross-border bus services from Johor Bahru an hour earlier than the current schedule.
In a statement to The Straits Times on July 29, LTA confirmed receiving the request from Malaysia’s Land Public Transport Agency on June 17 and said it is “working with our bus operators to review the request.” Public bus companies SBS Transit (SBST), SMRT, and several private operators are involved in the review.
According to The Star on July 24, Malaysia is in discussions with LTA to move the start time for such services from 5am to 4am. Johor state Works, Transportation, Infrastructure and Communication Committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh said long queues for Singapore-bound buses form at the Johor Bahru Checkpoint as early as 4am, and an earlier start could ease the pre-dawn congestion.
Currently, SBST’s service 160 departs Johor Bahru Checkpoint at 5am on weekdays and 5.50am on weekends and public holidays. Service 170 leaves Larkin Terminal at 5.20am on weekdays and 5.30am on weekends or holidays, while supplementary service 170X starts at 8.28am on weekdays. SMRT’s service 950 operates between Johor Bahru Checkpoint and Woodlands Temporary Bus Interchange, though its Singapore-bound start time is not publicly available. The Johor Bahru-bound service leaves Woodlands at 5.30am daily.
Private operators such as Singapore-Johore Express, Ridewell Travel, and Transtar Travel also run routes between Johor Bahru and Singapore. When contacted, SMRT and SBST referred all media queries to LTA.
Transport economist Associate Professor Walter Theseira of the Singapore University of Social Sciences cautioned that running buses outside standard hours could pose logistical and cost challenges due to labour constraints. Earlier shifts might be unattractive to drivers and could disrupt manpower planning, leading to higher operating costs and potentially higher fares, similar to the now-discontinued late-night bus services that charged over S$4 (US$3.10).
He also noted that Singaporeans might be reluctant to subsidise earlier services that mainly benefit Malaysian commuters. Private operators could adjust their schedules, but only if they remain profitable.
For daily commuters like Eerman Dzulkurnai, 39, the change would be welcome. The IT support officer typically arrives at Johor Bahru Checkpoint by 4am to beat traffic and reach his workplace in Pioneer by 9am. By 6am, queues become long, and boarding a bus can take an hour. He recalled that on July 21, when Malaysian operator Causeway Link’s drivers went on strike, he had to walk across the Causeway for 30 minutes.
The Johor Bahru–Singapore Rapid Transit System Link, scheduled to open by the end of 2026, will operate from 6am to midnight daily.
