Singapore’s leading public transport operator SBS Transit has signed a SGD $14 million long term service support (LTSS) contract with Motorola Solutions to maintain and support critical radio communications across SBS Transit’s Downtown Line and Sengkang and Punggol Light Rapid Transit system for the next 15 years.

TETRA radio communications are used extensively throughout SBS Transit’s daily operations, from mobilising teams in response to incidents to keeping passengers safe and informed via public announcements and emergency call buttons on trains.

“Our TETRA radio solutions provide secure communication links between front-line workers and command centres, helping to strengthen awareness, collaboration and safety across entire operations,” said Rajat Gupta, vice president for Motorola Solutions Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa. “By accessing our solutions as a managed service, SBS Transit can remain focused on delivering its daily operations while planning for continued growth and expansion of its rail services over time.”

The contract will support and strengthen the Motorola Solutions TETRA radio system, which SBS Transit has used for the past decade to coordinate front-line teams and support the continued delivery of safe, smooth and successful rail operations. The reliability and resilience of the TETRA platform will be fortified in the long term with on-site and remote network monitoring, technical support from locally based teams, cyber resilience services and system updates. This will enable SBS Transit’s fleet of more than 8,700 radios to maintain peak performance at the highest levels of the TETRA standard.

It will also support further expansion of the Downtown Line in the future, providing two additional stations for more travel options and easier transfers, while reducing the commute from Singapore’s east to west by up to 15 minutes.

The contract extension comes as more Singaporeans turn to rail travel for reliable, accessible and sustainable public transport. Demand for SBS Transit’s rail services surged by more than 18 per cent to 428 million passenger trips in 2023.