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 An SMRT Buses Alexander Dennis Enviro500 MMC on service 985 in February 2024 | |
| Parent | SMRT Corporation |
|---|---|
| Founded |
|
| Headquarters | Woodlands Bus Depot 60 Woodlands Industrial Park E4 Singapore 757705 |
| Service area | Northern and Western Singapore |
| Service type | Bus operator |
| Routes | 48 |
| Hubs | 5
|
| Stations | 13 |
| Depots | 5 |
| Website | www.smrt.com.sg |
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.
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]
In 1995, as part of the government's plan to make the local bus system more competitive, 16 SBS Transit services were handed over to TIBS along with the tender to operate bus services in the north-east corridor, mainly the developing towns Sengkang and Punggol as well as Bukit Panjang. [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] Services 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]
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.
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 some 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. But the anchor operator was handed over to Tower Transit Singapore for the operations of the Sembawang-Yishun Bus Package on 5 September 2021. [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.
In February 2022, SMRT closed its Ang Mo Kio Depot. On 30 June, SMRT withdrew its special services. They are NightRider (NR1, NR2, NR3, NR5, NR6 & NR8), Resorts World (188R & 963R) and Zoo (926). 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, which is previously operated by SBS Transit. SMRT will take over these bus services from September 2024 onwards for at least 5 years. [35]
SMRT Buses operates services originating from Woodlands, Bukit Panjang, Bukit Batok and Choa Chu Kang. It also operates out of its dominated areas with 1 service originating from Sengkang. [36] Since 1999, SMRT has transferred bus services to other operators such as SBS Transit and Tower Transit Singapore; these include Punggol, Jalan Kayu, Yishun, Bukit Batok (the exception is 61 and 991) and Sembawang. [37] [38] This was also the first time night services (later withdrawn) and the minibus service 825 were transferred together under the BCM Package.
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. [39] [40] [41]
As of 2017, SMRT Buses operates more than 1,450 buses. [42] It was the only operator of articulated buses in Singapore until 2018, when the Seletar Package transitioned to the Tendered Contract (TC) and introduced double-decker buses in 2014. [43] [44] 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. [45] Some of these recently acquired buses are used for Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP) since 2012. [46]
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) [47]
In 1990, TIBS purchased its first European-built bus, the DAF SB220. [48] Subsequent bus purchases during the 1990s included the Mercedes-Benz O405, the Scania L113CRL, Dennis Lance and Hino HS3KRKK.[ citation needed ]
In 1996, TIBS purchased Singapore's first articulated bus, a Mercedes-Benz O405G which was specially airflown from Spain using a Spain Airlines cargo plane. [49] The success of this bus saw TIBS purchase another 314 of such buses from 1996 to 2004. [49]
SMRT Buses operates
Kranji Bus Depot
Woodlands Bus Depot
Soon Lee Bus Depot
From September 2024, SMRT will operate the Soon Lee Bus Depot under the Jurong West bus package. [52]
SBS Transit Ltd is a multi-modal public transport operator in Singapore operating bus and rail services. With a majority of its shares owned by Singaporean multinational transport conglomerate ComfortDelGro Corporation at 75%, it was formerly known as Singapore Bus Services before rebranding to SBS Transit on 1 November 2001.
Public buses form a significant part of public transport in Singapore, with over 3.6 million rides taken per day on average as of December 2021. There are 352 scheduled bus services, operated by SBS Transit, SMRT Buses, Tower Transit Singapore and Go-Ahead Singapore. The newest bus operator, Go-Ahead Singapore started operation on 4 September 2016. There are also around 5,800 buses currently in operation as of 2020.
Ang Mo Kio Bus Interchange is located in Ang Mo Kio Town Centre, Singapore. The interchange is within AMK Hub which is in turn linked to Ang Mo Kio MRT station via a pedestrian underpass below Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8. The interchange was opened by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
The Light Rail Transit (LRT) is a series of localised automated guideway transit systems acting as feeder services to the heavy rail Mass Rapid Transit, which together forms the core of Singapore's rail transport services. The first LRT line was opened in 1999 and the system has since expanded to three lines, each serving a new town, namely Bukit Panjang LRT line, Sengkang LRT line and Punggol LRT line. Trains on these lines have at least one station interchange link to the MRT.
Woodlands Bus Interchange is a bus interchange in Singapore. Located in Woodlands, the interchange is linked to Woodlands MRT station and adjacent to Causeway Point shopping mall. It is the largest and among the busiest bus interchange in Singapore. The interchange is also known as Woodlands Integrated Transport Hub.
Sembawang MRT station is an elevated Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station on the North–south line (NSL). Located in Sembawang, Singapore along Sembawang Road, the station is close to the Sun Plaza shopping centre and Sembawang Bus Interchange. The station is operated by SMRT Trains.
Rail transport in Singapore mainly consists of a passenger urban rail transit system spanning the entire city-state: a rapid transit system collectively known as the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system operated by the two biggest public transport operators SMRT Trains and SBS Transit, as well as several Light Rail Transit (LRT) rubber-tyred automated guideway transit lines also operated by both companies. In addition, local specialised light rail lines are in operation in places such as the Singapore Changi Airport and Sentosa.
Tampines Bus Interchange is a bus station in Tampines, Singapore. It serves as the primary bus interchange for Tampines New Town, with feeder and trunk services operating at high frequencies. It is owned by the Land Transport Authority and operated by SBS Transit Ltd.
Sembawang Bus Interchange is a bus interchange located in Sembawang, Singapore. Opened on 20 November 2005, it provides hassle-free transfer to the nearby Sembawang MRT station.
Boon Lay Bus Interchange is an air-conditioned bus interchange located in Jurong West Central, in the West Region of Singapore. It is situated within Jurong Point and integrated with the nearby Boon Lay MRT station on the East–West line. This interchange serves a variety of passengers, including those from Nanyang Technological University, Jurong Industrial Estate and Tuas Industrial Estate. The interchange has been among the largest and busiest bus interchanges in Singapore, handling 31 services in the past until a few services were amended to the newer Joo Koon Bus Interchange in 2015.
Yishun Bus Interchange is a bus interchange primarily serving residents in Yishun in northern Singapore, integrated with the Northpoint City shopping mall. The interchange, also referred to as “Yishun Integrated Transport Hub (ITH)” opened on 8 September 2019.
Bukit Batok Bus Interchange is an interchange bus station located at Block 631 Bukit Batok Central, Singapore, near West Mall Shopping Centre and Bukit Batok MRT station. The sheltered concourse is built underneath a multi-storey carpark similar in design to Bishan Bus Interchange.
HarbourFront Bus Interchange is located within HarbourFront along Seah Im Road off Telok Blangah Road in Bukit Merah planning area, Singapore. The interchange serves the nearby residential estates of Telok Blangah and Bukit Purmei and also the HarbourFront commercial district, including HarbourFront Centre and VivoCity. The interchange is directly connected to Seah Im Food Centre and HarbourFront MRT station. It is the southernmost bus interchange in Singapore.
Choa Chu Kang MRT/LRT station is an elevated Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT) interchange station in Choa Chu Kang, Singapore. Serving the North South line (NSL) and the Bukit Panjang LRT line (BPLRT), the station is located near the Choa Chu Kang Bus Interchange and Lot One shopping centre. Other surrounding landmarks include Keat Hong Community Club and Choa Chu Kang Park.
Tower Transit Singapore is a contracted bus operator operating in Singapore. It commenced operations on 29 May 2016 and it is a subsidiary of Kelsian Group.
Go-Ahead Singapore is a contracted bus operator operating in Singapore. It commenced operations on 4 September 2016 and it is a subsidiary of the Go-Ahead Group.
The Bus Contracting Model (BCM), formerly known as the Government Contracting Model, is a contracting model introduced by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) in 2014 for public buses in Singapore, implemented in 2016. The BCM is based on the Transperth model in Perth, Western Australia with quality incentive elements from London Buses. Under the BCM, local and overseas bus operators bid for contracts to operate public bus services on behalf of LTA. The LTA has also adopted a new unified lush green livery and logo for all buses, and now procures and owns the bus fleet for all public bus services in Singapore.
Kampong Bahru Bus Terminal is a bus terminal in Singapore. It is situated along Spooner Road off Kampong Bahru Road in Bukit Merah, and is located near Outram Community Hospital, as well as the Singapore General Hospital.
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Media related to SMRT Buses at Wikimedia Commons
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