Making bus journeys safer: SMRT invests S$6 million to improve safety and reliability

SMRT aims to make bus journeys safer and more reliable with a S$6 million command centre that uses AI and real-time data. Dubbed Bus 4.0, it flags problems earlier and helps staff respond faster. The centre is at Gali Batu Bus Depot. Bus teams are co-located with those managing taxis and private-hire vehicles to coordinate transport resources from one place. This allows the centre to quickly deploy resources when train services are disrupted. Service controllers will receive a monthly skills allowance of S$160 to take on greater responsibility for identifying risks and stepping in when needed. So how does the new bus control technology work? And how does it make bus journeys safer for commuters? Charlotte Lim reports.