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SMRT Buses

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SMRT Buses
ParentSMRT Corporation
Founded9 April 1983
Service areaSingapore
Service typeBus services
Routes95
Stations5
Depots5
FleetCirca 1,450 (2017)
Websitewww.smrt.com.sg

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

History

Trans Island Bus Service Duple Metsec bodied Dennis Lance
Alexander Strider bodied Scania L113 in November 2005
Alexander bodied DAF SB220 in July 2006
Mercedes-Benz Citaro in October 2011
Gemilang Coachworks bodied MAN NL323F in November 2017
Alexander Dennis Enviro500 MMC in April 2018
Land Transport Authority liveried Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 bodied Volvo B9TL in November 2017

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] This was granted to Trans Island Bus Services (TIBS) founded by Ng Ser Miang, who ordered a fleet of 250 buses including 90 Hinos.[2][3] Operations commenced on 9 April 1983 with 40 buses.[4][5]

On 27 April 1987, TIBS was listed on SESDAQ, although Ng Ser Miang retained a majority shareholding.[6][7][8] By this stage it operated 361 buses.[9]

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.[10]

In 1996, TIBS began operations at the now closed 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.[11][12]

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.[13] 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.[14] Services 61, 106 and 173 were the last services to be handed over mainly due to extra time involved.[15]

In February 2001 TIBS joined with RATP Group in an unsuccessful bid to operate the Marina line.[16][17][18]

TIBS and SMRT engaged in unsuccessful merger talks in 1999.[19][20] In July 2001, SMRT launched a takeover bid for TIBS that was accepted.[21][22] The transaction was completed in December 2001, with TIBS being operated as a wholly owned subsidiary.[23][24] As part of a corporate rebranding programme, TIBS was rebranded as SMRT Buses in May 2004.

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.[25][26]

Routes

See also: List of bus routes in Singapore

SMRT Buses operated in most areas of Singapore especially the north, west and north-eastern (Sengkang) areas. However, with the Bus Contracting Model, selected services which were run by SMRT were put out to tender with the Seletar Bus Package rutes take over by SBS Transit and Bulim Bus Package routes by Tower Transit Singapore.[27] SMRT Buses retained three regions.[28]

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.[29][30][31]

Fleet

As at 2017, SMRT Buses operates more than 1,450 buses.[32] It is the only operator of articulated buses in Singapore, and introduced double-decker buses in 2014.[33][34] It was the first operator to introduce electronic destination signage (EDS) on its buses since 1990, which is now standard equipment.[35] Some of these recently acquired buses are used for Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP) since 17 September 2012.[36]

Historical

TIBS commenced in April 1983 with Hinos.[2] Later purchases included DAF SB220s, Dennis Lances, Scania L113s and Volvo B10Ms.[5]

Current[37]

Single deck

Double decker

Articulated

Depots

SMRT Buses operates depots in Ang Mo Kio, Kranji and Woodlands and also partially occupies the Bulim and Loyang depots.[39]

References

  1. ^ Speech by [Ong Teng Cheong at the Inauguration of Trans Island Bus Services Information Division 9 April 1983
  2. ^ a b "Trans-Island buy first fleet of buses" Business Times 10 July 1982 page 6
  3. ^ "Trans Island buses gear up for operation Singapore Monitor 23 March 1983 page 4
  4. ^ 1983 Land Transport Authority
  5. ^ a b Singapore Transportation Policy & Regulations Handbook. International Business Publications. 2013. ISBN 9781433068157.
  6. ^ "Entrepreneur with a zest for buses and the sea" The Straits Times 17 March 1987 page 21
  7. ^ "Company briefs" The Straits Times 27 April 1987 page 15
  8. ^ "Tibs" The Straits Times 19 August 1988 page 32
  9. ^ "Trans-Island share prospectus out today" Business Times 25 March 1987 page 1
  10. ^ "TIBS to take over in Bt Panjang, Jalan Kayu|" The Straits Times 26 June 1995
  11. ^ "Designer look for bendy buses" The Straits Times" 13 June 2000
  12. ^ "Tibs buys 56 articulated buses,SBS says 'No' to extra-long buses" The Straits Times 18 August 1997
  13. ^ Bus operators share metro Railway Gazette International July 1999
  14. ^ "Tibs and SBS in routes swap] 15 July 1999 page 16
  15. ^ Kuar, Karamjit (21 May 1999). "SBS to run North-East line - Tibs to merge with SMRT". Straits Times. Factiva. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  16. ^ "Tibs inks deal with French metro operator" Business Times 13 February 2001 page 7
  17. ^ "Tibs' big move" The New Paper 13 February 2001 page 7
  18. ^ SMRT wins Marina line Railway Gazette International October 2001
  19. ^ "No merger" The New Paper 19 October 1999 page 6
  20. ^ "Tibs nosedives" The New Paper 20 October 1999 page 7
  21. ^ "Who gains in MRT-bus merger" The Straits Times" 11 July 2001
  22. ^ SMRT Looks to Expand Rail with Takeover Bid for TIBS Wall Street Journal 30 July 2001
  23. ^ "TIBS shares to be Delisted Today" The Straits Times 12 December 2001 page 10
  24. ^ Annual report for year ended 30 December 2001 SMRT Corporation
  25. ^ "No-show by SMRT's bus drivers an "illegal strike": Tan Chuan-Jin". Channel NewsAsia. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  26. ^ "SMRT strike situation explained to Chinese embassy: Tan Chuan-Jin". AsiaOne News. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  27. ^ "Bukit Batok Bus Interchange". Land Transport Guru. 23 April 2013. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  28. ^ Singapore transitions as bus contracting completes Coach & Bus Week 15 August 2016
  29. ^ Yeo, Ghim Lay (8 December 2008). "Premium bus services riding high". Straits Times. Factiva. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  30. ^ Tan, Christoper (16 December 2014). "Five more bus services during peaks in four towns". Straits Times. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  31. ^ Home Strides
  32. ^ SMRT Group Review SMRT Corporation 2017
  33. ^ a b SMRT orders Enviro500s Bus & Coach Professional 7 April 2014
  34. ^ SMRT to launch double deckers for 10 bus services Today 6 July 2014
  35. ^ Peralta, Claudette (21 November 1994). "Electronic signs on Tibs buses a hit with S'poreans". Straits Times. Factiva. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  36. ^ "Improvements to more than 50 bus services, better connectivity with five new bus services by end 2012". PublicTransport@SG. 13 September 2012. Archived from the original on 21 September 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  37. ^ Information Kit SMRT Corporation
  38. ^ 200 MAN lowfloor citybuses for SMRT Coach & Bus Week 13 September 2011
  39. ^ Locations SMRT Buses

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