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SMRT Buses

Public bus operator in Singapore From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

SMRT Buses
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SMRT Buses is the second largest bus operator in Singapore. A subsidiary of SMRT Corporation, it traded as Trans Island Bus Services until 10 May 2004.

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History

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Trans-Island Bus Services (1983–2004)

In April 1981, Communications & Labour Minister Ong Teng Cheong announced the government would grant a license to an operator that was willing to compete with Singapore Bus Service (SBS), that had operated all services in Singapore since 1973, with the aim of improving service levels.[1] In January 1982, City Shuttle Service operator Singapore Shuttle Bus (SSB) lodged applications with the Ministry of Communications to establish a second bus operator and the Registry Of Vehicles for four bus depots.[2] The applications were approved on 12 March that year, with SSB to take over 11 services in Woodlands and Sembawang from SBS.[3]

A new company, Trans-Island Bus Services, was founded on 31 May 1982, ordering a fleet of 250 buses including 90 Hinos.[4][5] Operations commenced on 3 April 1983 with 40 buses.[6][7]

On 12 March 1987, TIBS purchased its former parent company SSB.[8] On 27 April, TIBS was listed on SESDAQ, although Ng Ser Miang retained a majority shareholding.[9][10][11] By this stage it operated 361 buses.[12]

As part of the government's plan to make the local bus system more competitive and to cushion TIBS from the impact of its bus services being axed or truncated due to the Woodlands MRT Line, 16 SBS services in Bukit Panjang and Jalan Kayu were handed over to TIBS in 1995. TIBS was also allocated to operate bus services in the then upcoming new towns of Sembawang, Simpang, Sengkang and Punggol.[13][14]

In 1996, TIBS began operations at the Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange, Singapore's first underground bus interchange. It was also the first bus interchange designed to accommodate articulated buses. some of which were designed by world-renowned designer, Pininfarina and was known as the Habit articulated buses, on a large scale in its fleet, in contrast to the double-deckers used by SBS.[15][16]

In 1999, SBS Transit was awarded both bus and train services in the entire north-east corridor with the North East line, Sengkang LRT and Punggol LRT by the Land Transport Authority, both based in Sengkang.[17] Eight bus routes affected in the bus tender of Sengkang and Punggol were transferred to SBS Transit. In return, TIBS was awarded to operate 17 routes in the north-west corridor towns of Choa Chu Kang and Bukit Batok, where the handover was done in stages together with the opening of Bukit Panjang LRT.[18] Buses 61, 106 and 173 were the last services to be handed over mainly due to extra time involved.[19]

In February 2001, TIBS joined with RATP Group in an unsuccessful bid to operate the Marina MRT line (now known as Circle line).[20][21][22]

SMRT Buses (2004–present)

In 1999, TIBS and SMRT engaged in merger talks which failed.[23][24] In July 2001, SMRT launched a takeover bid for TIBS that was accepted.[25][26] The transaction was completed in December 2001, with TIBS being operated as a wholly owned subsidiary.[27][28] As part of a corporate rebranding programme, TIBS was rebranded as SMRT Buses in May 2004.

In 2008, SMRT's first new bus after rebranding, the Mercedes-Benz OC500LE, entered service. It is its first wheelchair-accessible bus & first in Southeast Asia to meet Euro V emission standard.

On 26 November 2012, 170 bus drivers (all of whom were foreign nationals from China), refused to leave their living quarters for work. This reduced bus services to 90% of normal levels. The Ministry of Manpower considered it an illegal strike since the group failed to give a 14 days notice prior to disrupting an essential public service, as is required by the local laws. As a result, five of the strikers were jailed for instigating the strike, and another 29 were deported.[29][30]

On 26 December 2012, SMRT relocated Bukit Panjang Interchange to Bukit Panjang Temporary Bus Park.

In 2014, SMRT bought its first double-decker buses, the Alexander Dennis Enviro500 MMC was made revenue service debut on bus 972.

On 13 March 2016, SMRT relocated Woodlands Regional Interchange to Woodlands Temporary Interchange. On 29 May, SMRT handed over management of Bukit Batok Interchange and Bukit Batok services under Bulim package to Tower Transit Singapore.[31]

On 4 September 2017, SMRT opened its first integrated transport hub, Bukit Panjang.[32]

On 18 and 25 March 2018, SMRT handed over Yishun services under Seletar package to SBS Transit. On 16 December, SMRT relocated Choa Chu Kang Interchange.

On 8 September 2019, SMRT opened its second integrated transport hub, Yishun.[33]

In November 2020, SMRT laid up its last non-wheelchair accessible bus, the Mercedes-Benz O405G Hispano Habit. 1 unit is currently preserved at Woodlands depot.

On 23 January 2021, SMRT relocated Bukit Panjang Temporary Bus Park to Gali Batu Terminal. On 13 June, SMRT opened its third and also largest integrated transport hub in Singapore, Woodlands.[34] From 5 September to 3 October, SMRT handed over management of Yishun Integrated Transport Hub & Sembawang Interchange and Yishun, Woodlands & Sembawang / Yio Chu Kang services under Sembawang-Yishun package to Tower Transit Singapore in 3 separate tranches. As a result; SMRT discontinued NightRider NR1, NR2 and Express 963R at the expiry of Mandai Package contract on 3 October 2021 and on February 2022, SMRT closed its Ang Mo Kio depot.

SMRT discontinued three more NightRider (NR3, NR5, NR6 & NR8), Resorts World (188R) and Zoo (926) on 30 June 2022. These services were suspended since 8 April 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore.

On 18 August 2023, the Land Transport Authority announced that SMRT had won the bid for the Jurong West Bus Package.[35]

On 1 & 15 September 2024, SMRT took over management of Soon Lee Depot, Boon Lay & Joo Koon Integrated Transport Hub and Tuas Terminal and Boon Lay, Joo Koon / Tuas / Soon Lee services under Jurong West package from SBS Transit.[36]

On 12 & 13 January 2025, Bus 912M was withdrawn and Bus 967 from Woodlands Temp Interchange was introduced.

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Routes

See also: List of bus routes in Singapore

SMRT Buses primarily operates services originating from Woodlands, Bukit Panjang, Choa Chu Kang, Bukit Batok, Jurong West, Joo Koon and Tuas.[37] SMRT Buses also operates Bus 110 from Buangkok, and 61 from Bukit Batok. Since 1999, 2018 and 2021, SMRT has transferred bus services to other operators such as SBS Transit and Tower Transit Singapore; these include Punggol, Sengkang, Yishun, Bukit Batok (except 61 and 991) and Sembawang.[38][39]

In September 2024, SMRT took over the Jurong West Bus Package from SBS Transit to operate their routes spanning from Joo Koon and Boon Lay Bus Interchanges, as well as Tuas Bus Terminal respectively.

In addition, SMRT Corporation has a minibus subsidiary Bus-Plus Services (now trading as Strides) which provides some premium, free shuttle, chartered, and peak-hour peak period bus services throughout Singapore.[40][41][42]

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Fleet

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Thumb
The MAN A24 Articulated Bus is the only model of Articulated Bus model left in the SMRT fleet. It is also the last batch of articulated buses in Singapore.
Thumb
A Volvo B9TL of SMRT Buses on service 241
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A SMRT Yutong E12 on service 172

As of 2024, SMRT Buses operates more than 1,450 buses.[43]

It was the only operator of articulated buses in Singapore until 2018, when the Seletar Package transitioned to a Tendered Contract (TC). SMRT Buses also introduced their first double-decker buses in 2014.[44][45] It was the first operator to introduce electronic destination signage (EDS) on its buses since 1990, which is now standard equipment on all new buses introduced to Singapore.[46] Some of these recently acquired buses are used for Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP) since 2012.[47]

SMRT Buses also had inherited buses from SBS Transit due to the Bus Contracting Model. These buses are Volvo B9TL (Wright Eclipse Gemini 2), Scania K230UB, and Mercedes-Benz O530 Citaro, all originally built to SBS Transit technical and interior specifications.

Historical

In the 1980s, TIBS operated buses that were mostly of Japanese build such as Hino (such as the initial RK176 and the later HT238K) and Nissan Diesel (mostly the U31 series) [48]

In 1990, TIBS purchased its first European-built bus, the DAF SB220.[49] Subsequent bus purchases during the 1990s included the Mercedes-Benz O405, the Scania L113CRL, Dennis Lance and Hino HS3KRKK.

In 1996, TIBS purchased Singapore's first articulated bus, a Mercedes-Benz O405G Hispano Mark I which was specially airflown from Spain using a Spain Airlines cargo plane.[50] The success of this bus saw TIBS purchase another 314 of such buses from 1996 to 2004.[50]

Current Fleet

[51]

Single deck

Double decker

Articulated

Former Vehicle Fleet

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Depots

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SMRT Buses currently operates three bus depots.

Kranji (KJ)

Located in the north-west region of Singapore, Kranji Bus Depot is the second bus depot to be built under Trans-Island Bus Services. Operations started in 1982 at a temporary site. The permanent depot was completed in 1989. Throughout the years, it served Admiralty, Boon Lay, Bukit Batok, Bukit Panjang, Choa Chu Kang, Gali Batu, Marsiling, Sembawang & Woodlands. It currently serves routes under the Choa Chu Kang-Bukit Panjang package. It is planned to be replaced by Gali Batu Bus Depot.

Woodlands (WL)

Located in the north region of Singapore, Woodlands Bus Depot is the third bus depot to be built under Trans-Island Bus Services and Singapore's first multi-storey bus depot. Opened in 1999, It consists of two floors, workshop on first floor and parking on both floors. Another building housed the Operations Control Centre. Throughout the years, it served Boon Lay, Bukit Panjang, Choa Chu Kang, Woodlands, Sembawang & Yishun. It currently serves routes under Woodlands package. To cope with insufficient parking, additional parking was built on a separate site nearby known as Woodlands Bus Park in 2013. It was assigned as the new Headquarters for the company after the closure of Ang Mo Kio Depot in 2022.

Soon Lee (SL)

Located in the west region of Singapore, Soon Lee Bus Depot was the first multi-storey bus depot built under SBS Transit and Singapore's second multi-storey bus depot. Opened in 2002, it replaced the former Jurong Depot. It consists of four floors, workshop, refuelling and washing on the first floor and parking on all floors. It also housed the Operations Control Centre for SBS Transit West District. Throughout the years, it served Boon Lay, Jurong East, Joo Koon & Tuas. It currently serves routes under Jurong West package. In September 2024, SBS Transit handed over the depot to SMRT Buses for Jurong West package. SBS Transit stayed on as a tenant due to insufficient parking at Bukit Batok & Ulu Pandan Depots. In December 2024, SBS Transit left Soon Lee and took over SMRT Buses's tenancy at Bulim depot.

Former tenant depots

To cope with insufficient parking, SMRT Buses formerly occupied the following depots as a tenant:

Bulim (BU)

From 2014 to 2024, supporting Kranji

Loyang (LY)

From 2016 to 2018, supporting Ang Mo Kio

Seletar (SE)

From 2018 to 2024, supporting Ang Mo Kio (2018-2021), Woodlands (2021-2024)

Ulu Pandan (UP)

From 2018 to 2021, supporting Kranji

Former Depots

Ang Mo Kio (AM)

Located in the north-east region of Singapore, Ang Mo Kio Bus Depot was the first bus depot to be built under Trans-Island Bus Services and the headquarters for the company. Operations started in 1982 at a temporary site. The permanent depot was completed in 1985. Throughout the years, it served Admiralty, Lorong 1 Geylang, Jalan Kayu, Marsiling, Punggol, Sembawang, Sengkang, Woodlands & Yishun. In its final years, it served routes under Sembawang-Yishun package. The depot closed in 2022 and Woodlands Depot was assigned as the new headquarters.

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Notes

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