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SBS Transit

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SBS Transit
Company typePublicSubsidiary
SGX:S61
IndustryPublic transport
PredecessorAmalgamated Bus Company
Associated Bus Services
United Bus Company
Founded1 July 1973;51 years ago(1973-07-01)(as Singapore Bus Services)
1 November 2001;22 years ago(2001-11-01)(as SBS Transit)
Headquarters
Singapore
Area served
Singapore
Key people
Bob Tan Beng Hai[1](Chairman)
Jeffrey Sim[2][3](Group CEO)
ServicesBus & rail services
RevenueIncreaseS$1.19 billion (2017)
IncreaseS$59.3 million (2017)
IncreaseS$47.1 million (2017)
Number of employees
10,239 (2017)
ParentComfortDelGro Corporation(75%)
SubsidiariesSBS Transit Rail Pte Ltd
Websitewww.sbstransit.com.sg

SBS Transit Ltd(abbreviation:SBSorSBST) is a multi-modalpublic transportoperator inSingaporeoperating bus and rail services. With a majority of its shares owned by Singaporean multinational transport conglomerateComfortDelGro Corporationat 75%, it was formerly known asSingapore Bus Servicesbefore rebranding to SBS Transit on 1 November 2001.

It is the largest public bus operator in Singapore, as well as one of the two major operators of Singapore's rail services along withSMRT Corporation.It has a fleet of 3,656 buses and operates 261 routes, as of 2015.[4]

History

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Singapore Bus Services (1973 - 2001)

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Singapore Bus Services Limited was established on 1 July 1973 when the regional bus companies Amalgamated Bus Company, Associated Bus Services and United Bus Company (which were in turn results of amalgamations of privately run Chinese bus companies of the 1960s in 1971) agreed to merge their operations with each taking shareholdings of 53%, 19% and 28% respectively in the new company.[5][6][7]The government-sanctioned merger was undertaken to improve service standards of thebus transportsystem. The company was replaced by the Singapore Bus Service (1978) Limited on 17 February 1978, which was then listed on theStock Exchange of Singapore(SES) on 26 June the same year.[8][9][10]

Between 1995 and 2000, a series of route handovers took place between SBS andTIBS.SBS gave up its Bukit Panjang (1995), Choa Chu Kang (1999) and Bukit Batok (2000) routes to TIBS, in exchange for the Sengkang and Punggol (1999) routes fromTIBS.[11][12]This was done as part of SBS Transit's upcoming operation of theNorth East linein the north east. The Sengkang and Punggol routes were previously operated by SBS until they were transferred to TIBS in 1995.

In 1992, SBS were reorganised under a new subsidiary SBS Bus Services Pte Ltd.[10]On 12 November 1997, Singapore Bus Services (1978) Limited was renamed DelGro Corporation, with SBS Bus Services Pte Ltd listed separately as Singapore Bus Services Limited on 10 December that year.[13]

SBS also operated taxis as SBS Taxis. SBS Taxis merged with Singapore Commuter and Singapore Airport Bus Services on 1 July 1995 to form CityCab, which remained part of DelGro Corporation.[14][15][16]

SBS Transit (2001 - present)

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On 1 November 2001, Singapore Bus Services was rebranded as SBS Transit to reflect it becoming a multi-modal transport operator with the impending opening of theSengkang LRT lineandNorth East MRT line.[10]

On 29 March 2003, DelGro Corporation merged with Comfort Group to formComfortDelGro Corporation.[10][17]ComfortDelGro Corporation owns 75% of the shares in SBS Transit.

On 18 January 2003, SBS Transit commenced operating the Sengkang LRT, followed by the North East MRT line on 20 June the same year.[18]SBS Transit commenced operating thePunggol LRTon 29 January 2005, followed by theDowntown MRT lineon 22 December 2013.[19]

Bus

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Routes

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Until the introduction of theBus Contracting Model(BCM), SBS Transit operated the majority ofroutesin almost all areas of Singapore, with the notable exception of the North and Northwest areas, where bus services were mainly run bySMRT Buses.However, with the introduction of the BCM, some SBS Transit bus services were taken over byTower Transit Singapore(Bulim Bus Package) andGo-Ahead Singapore(Loyang Bus Package). As of September 2023, there are 222 wheelchair-accessible bus services that SBS Transit operates.

SBS Transit later became the first local operator to win a tender under the BCM in April 2017, and began operating the Seletar Bus Package on 18 March 2018.[20]It was announced in 2018 by LTA that SBS Transit had won the subsequent package, the Bukit Merah Bus Package.[21]

In 2023, it was announced that SBS Transit retained the Bukit Merah Bus Package for its second term, but lost the bid for Jurong West Bus Package, which was awarded toSMRT Buses.[22]

Fleet

[edit]
AMAN A22bus that was transferred to SBS Transit fromSMRT Busesin 2018 as part of the Seletar Bus Package
The three-door MAN A95 demonstrator, which was introduced in late 2015 and is currently operated by SBS Transit since 2018

As of December 2019, SBS Transit operated more than 3,500 buses.[23]

SBS Transit operates a mix of single decker, double decker and articulated buses.[24]

Single deckers

Double deckers

Articulated buses

A 1989Scania N113CRBstill bearing the original SBS livery atBedok Bus Interchange.
SBS Transit purchased 12Volgren-bodiedCNGVolvo B10BLEbuses.

When SBS was first formed in 1973, it inherited a wide variety of buses of various makes from its Chinese predecessors. Examples of such buses included theAlbion Viking VK,Mercedes-BenzLP1113 and OF1413 andNissan DieselRX102K3 with small numbers ofFord R192 and 226,Seddon,Fargo-Kew,BedfordandAustin.[26]Most of these buses were bodied by local coachbuilder Soon Chow although some were bodied by other companies such as Supreme Star and Strachan.[27]Subsequent models that were purchased by SBS includedBerlietandGuy Victoryin the 1970s and theVolvo B57and Mercedes-Benz OF1417 in the 1980s, the latter which were bodied by foreign coachbuilders likeNew Zealand Motor BodiesandHawke Coachwork.[26]

In 1976, SBS purchased its first 20Leyland Atlantean AN68buses to evaluate the suitability ofdouble-decker busoperation, with the buses first entering service on 13 June 1977.[26]Following the success of the trial, SBS ordered another 500 Leyland Atlantean AN68 buses from 1978 up to 1984, all of which were either bodied byMetal SectionsorWalter Alexander Coachbuilders;SBS also conducted comparative trials of double-decker buses of other makes, namely theLeyland Olympian,Volvo Ailsa B55,Scania BR112DH,Dennis Dominator,Dennis Trident 3,Mercedes-Benz O305andVolvo B10MD Citybus.[28]In 1984, SBS purchased another 200 Leyland Olympian and 200 Mercedes-Benz O305 double-decker buses.[28]SBS also conducted an evaluation of air conditioned buses (namely the ex-Singapore Airport Bus Services Mercedes-Benz OF1413 coaches) that year and conducted similar trials with other bus models like the Nissan Diesel U31S andRenault PR100before its first bulk order for 50 Scania N113CRB buses in 1989.[26][28]

In the 1990s, some bus makes on the roads included theVolvo B10M,Scania N113CRB,Mercedes-Benz O405,LeylandandVolvo OlympianandDennis Dart.[29]SBS also conducted trials of high capacity single decker buses, namely a superlong Volvo B10M Mark IV, an articulated Volvo B10MA and an articulated Mercedes-Benz O405G, in 1996 although the trial did not succeed.[28]The firstlow-floor bus,aVolgren-bodiedVolvo B10TLdemonstrator was brought to SBS byVolvo Busesfor trial purposes in 1999. After its successful trial, 51 Volvo B10TL chassis were further brought in by SBS Transit. 50 buses are bodied by Volgren between 2002 and 2003 while 1 remaining chassis is being reserved for a ComfortDelGro Engineering bodywork, which entered revenue service by 2005. The first wheelchair-accessible bus was also brought into service in 2006. SBS TransitCNGbusesbegan service in 2002. Hybrid and electric buses came into foray since 2019, although small-scale trials began in 2010.

In 2020 to 2021, a unit of Mercedes-Benz Citaro C2 Hybrid, SG4004B, was brought in for trial purposes and was loaned from Daimler South East Asia under a Special Purpose License. The bus was on revenue service from 9 March 2020 to 8 March 2021 on 93 & 272 with SBS Transit under the Ulu Pandan Depot.

All single-decker Volvo B10BLE CNG buses were retired in 2019 except for the first two units which had been preserved, after that, both Volvo B10TLs and Volvo B9TL CDGEs were retired early and scrapped. Only 20 Volvo B9TL CDGE buses remained in operation until late September 2023 when they reached the end of their lifespan, with the last day of service being 22 September.[30]

In March 2024, several units of the Scania K230UB (Euro IV and V) buses were transferred to SMRT Buses from SBS Transit for some testings at Woodlands Depot before the Jurong West Bus Package begins operations in September that year.

Depots

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SBS Transit operates

Ang Mo Kio Depot

Bedok North Bus Depot

Bukit Batok Bus Depot

Hougang Bus Depot

Seletar Bus Depot

Soon Lee Bus Park

Ulu Pandan Bus Depot

Some of the latest additions were also used for the Bus Service Enhancement Programme since 17 September 2012.[31]

Rail

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Mass Rapid Transit (MRT)

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SBS Transit manages two of Singapore's sixMRTlines in the network, theNorth East Line(NEL) since its opening on 20 June 2003 and theDowntown Line(DTL) since its opening on 22 December 2013.[32]

The NEL currently spans 19.2 km and 16 stations, running fromHarbourFrontin the south-west toPunggolin the north-east. As of 2023, the NEL uses a fleet composed of three very similar series of 49Alstom Metropolistrain-sets, namely theC751A,C751CandC851E.[33][34]The operating license for the NEL was awarded to SBS Transit in order to foster competition withSMRT Trainsand to create multi-modal public transport companies, each specialising in their own district. In 2018, it was confirmed that SBS Transit's contract for maintaining the NEL would last until 31 March 2033.[35][36]

The NEL was Singapore's third metro line and the city's firstautomated and driverlesssystem. At times, it has been referred to as "the first driverless heavy metro line in the world" or the "world's first fully automated and driverless high-capacity rapid transit line" by some.[37][38]While driverless metro systems have existed long before (notably theLille Metrosince 1983, theVancouver Skytrainsince 1985 and theKelana Jaya LineandParis Metro Line 14since 1998), the NEL is the first application of a fully automated and driverless metro system with heavy rail characteristics such as anoverhead catenary(in contrast to earlier systems usingthird rail) and1,435 mm standard-gauge(in contrast to earlier systems featuring smaller rail profiles). Till today, it is the only MRT line in singapore using the overhead catenary electrical system while the rest of Singapore's MRT uses the third rail.

The DTL currently spans 41.9 km and 34 stations as of October 2017, running fromBukit Panjangstation in the north-west toExpostation in the east via theCentral Area.The DTL is fully automated and driverless as well and consists of a fleet of 92Bombardier MoviaC951/C951Atrainsets.[39]

Fleet

[edit]
Name Image Maximum Speed (km/h) Trains built Cars built Cars per set Lines served Built Number in service Introduction into service
Design Service
C751A 100 90 25 150 6 North East Line 2000 – 2003
2019 – 2026[nb 1] 		25 20 June 2003
C751C 18 108 2014 – 2016 18 1 October 2015
C851E 6 36 2020 6 28 July 2023
C951(A) 90 80 92 276 3 Downtown Line 2012 – 2017 92 22 December 2013
  • The trains are classified as contracts unlike other countries which use "class".

Light Rail Transit (LRT)

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Out of three LRT lines in Singapore, two of which are maintained by SBS Transit, namely, theSengkang LRT lineandPunggol LRT line(SPLRT). Both lines are served to provide feeder connections in their respective towns to two northernmost stations of the North East line. As of 2016, those lines use a fleet composed of two series ofCrystal MoverAPMs,namely theC810andC810A,all summing up to 57 sets[40]and is expected to increase in the future with the introduction ofC810DAPMs.[41]The fleet serves a total of 29 stations on both lines, includingSengkangandPunggolstations. In 2018, it was confirmed that SBS Transit's contract for both LRT lines would run until 31 March 2033.[35][36]

Fleet

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Name Image Maximum Speed (km/h) Trains built Cars per set Lines served Built Number in service Introduction into service
Design Service
C810 80 70 41 1 or 2 Sengkang LRT
Punggol LRT 		2000 – 2003 41 18 January 2003
C810A 16 2012 – 2016 16 5 April 2016
C810D — 34 2 2024 – 2027 0 From 2025 onwards
  • The trains are classified as contracts unlike other countries which use "class".

Depots

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Out of ten operational rail depots in Singapore, SBS Transit maintains three, namely:

  • Sengkang Depotwhich houses NEL and SPLRT trains. The depot is undergoing an expansion program which is targeted for completion on 2027 in order to accommodate more trains, after being in operation since 2003.
  • Tai Seng Facility Buildingwhich houses some DTL trains.
  • Gali Batu Depotwhich houses the majority of DTL trains. It has undergone expansion towards the end of 2010s.
  • East Coast Integrated Depotwhich is expected to house DTL trains upon its opening in 2026.

Notes

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  1. ^Refurbishment.

References

[edit]
  1. ^Ng, Hong Siang (29 April 2021)."SBS Transit appoints former SMRT board member as new chairman".CNA.Archivedfrom the original on 29 April 2021.Retrieved5 May2021.
  2. ^SBS Transit (1 January 2023)."SBS Transit Announces Leadership Change".SBS Transit.Archivedfrom the original on 5 May 2021.Retrieved21 March2023.
  3. ^"SBS Transit Singapore".
  4. ^https://cms.uitp.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/The-Governance-of-PT-Market-Singapore-report.pdf
  5. ^"Merger plan by the 3 bus firms".The Straits Times.Singapore. 14 April 1973. p. 15.
  6. ^"Bus firms agree to a big merger".New Nation.Singapore. 26 May 1973. p. 2.
  7. ^"Better deal for bus commuters".The Straits Times.Singapore. 1 July 1973. p. 1.
  8. ^"Conversion of SBS into a public company"(PDF).Singapore Government - The Ministry of Communications and the Ministry of Finance. 20 March 1978.Archived(PDF)from the original on 18 January 2024.
  9. ^"Active Trading in SBS Shares".The Straits Times.Singapore. 27 June 1978. p. 1.
  10. ^abcd"Proposed merger of Comfort Group Ltd and DelGro Corporation Limited"(PDF).Zaobao.Comfort Group Limited and DelGro Corporation Limited. 21 November 2002. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 7 March 2022.Retrieved3 April2020.
  11. ^"Tibs takes over services".The Straits Times.Singapore. 11 August 1995. p. 32.
  12. ^"Tibs and SBS in routes swap".Business Times.Singapore. 15 July 1999.
  13. ^"SBS Limited changes its name to DelGro".The Straits Times.13 November 1997.Archivedfrom the original on 25 September 2019.Retrieved25 September2019.
  14. ^"New cab fleet".The New Paper.Singapore. 19 May 1995. p. 4.
  15. ^"SBS, ST Automotive sign deal to merge taxi arms".The Straits Times.Singapore. 19 May 1995. p. 19.
  16. ^"Milestones".ComfortDelgro Taxi. Archived fromthe originalon 6 December 2019.Retrieved28 July2019.
  17. ^Corporate ProfileArchived28 August 2018 at theWayback MachineComfortDelGro
  18. ^SBS Transit Celebrates First Anniversary of North East LineArchived29 August 2018 at theWayback MachineSBS Transit 20 June 2004
  19. ^SBS Transit selected to operate Downtown LineArchived29 August 2018 at theWayback MachineMetro Report International30 August 2011
  20. ^"LTA Awards Third Bus Package to SBS Transit Ltd".Land Transport Authority. 19 April 2017.Archivedfrom the original on 20 April 2017.Retrieved29 May2017.
  21. ^SBS Transit wins Bukit Merah bus package for S$472 millionArchived23 February 2018 at theWayback MachineChannel NewsAsia23 February 2018
  22. ^Lee, Nian Tjoe (18 August 2023)."SBS Transit retains Bukit Merah bus package, loses Jurong West package to SMRT".The Straits Times.ISSN0585-3923.Retrieved28 March2024.
  23. ^"Archived copy"(PDF).Archived(PDF)from the original on 18 November 2021.Retrieved29 May2020.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  24. ^"In Pictures: Bus Models".Land Transport Guru.Archivedfrom the original on 16 August 2016.Retrieved1 July2016.
  25. ^More SBS Transit Volvo B9TLsArchived29 August 2018 at theWayback MachineCoach & Bus Week11 July 2014
  26. ^abcdYork, FW; Davis, Mike; Phillips, Ron (2005).Singapore Buses Volume 1 Singapore Bus Service Part 1: Early Single-Deck Buses and the First Double-Deckers.DTS Publishing.ISBN9781900515757.
  27. ^ILee, Imm Yew; Lee, Hong Meng; Lim, Joseph PK; Poon, Ngai Seng (2007).The Soon Chow Story: 80 Years of Bus and Coach[email protected].ISBN9789810589721.
  28. ^abcdDavis, Mike; Phillips, Ron (2005).Singapore Buses Volume 1 Singapore Bus Service Part 2: Double and Single-Deck Buses from the 1980s to 2005.DTS Publishing (published 2006).ISBN9781900515269.
  29. ^"SBS Transit".SGBuses.com.Archivedfrom the original on 25 February 2022.Retrieved1 March2022.
  30. ^"Farewell. Volvo B9TL (CDGE) Buses".Land Transport Guru.21 September 2023.Retrieved2 October2023.
  31. ^"Improvements to more than 50 bus services, better connectivity with five new bus services by end 2012".PublicTransport@SG. 13 September 2012. Archived fromthe originalon 21 September 2012.
  32. ^Land Transport Masterplan: Downtown Line Stage 1 to open on Dec 22Archived3 December 2013 at theWayback MachineThe Straits Times7 October 2013
  33. ^First North East Line trains arrive in SingaporeArchived29 August 2018 at theWayback MachineInternational Railway Journal23 July 2014
  34. ^Driverless trains delivered to SingaporeArchived28 August 2018 at theWayback MachineRailway Gazette International23 July 2014
  35. ^abNorth East Line, Sengkang and Punggol LRTs to move to new financing frameworkArchived29 August 2018 at theWayback MachineChannel NewsAsia14 February 2018
  36. ^abFinal Singapore metro lines transferred to new concession modelArchived29 August 2018 at theWayback MachineMetro Report International16 February 2018
  37. ^"Alstom in Singapore"(PDF).8 December 2019. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 8 December 2019.Retrieved8 December2019.
  38. ^"DNV GL cable monitoring system to enhance Singapore rail reliability".DNV GL.Archivedfrom the original on 18 January 2021.Retrieved17 January2021.
  39. ^Bombardier delivers first Downtown Line trainArchived2 April 2023 at theWayback MachineMetro Report International15 October 2012
  40. ^"Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Mitsubishi Corporation Receive Order for Design, Manufacture, Installation and Commissioning of Singapore Light Rapid Transit Capacity Expansion — Vehicles and Electrical and Mechanical Systems for Sengkang and Punggol LRT Systems (C810A)".Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.22 May 2013.
  41. ^"MHI Receives Follow-up Order for 8 Two-Car Trains for Sengkang-Punggol LRT (SPLRT) — Additional 16 Cars to Boost Capacity of SPLRT Serving Sengkang and Punggol Districts —".Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.9 May 2023.

Further reading

[edit]
  • Ilsa Sharp, (2005), SNP:Editions,The Journey — Singapore's Land Transport Story.ISBN981-248-101-X
  • York, FW; Davis, Mike; Phillips, Ron (2005).Singapore Buses Volume 1 Singapore Bus Service Part 1: Early Single-Deck Buses and the First Double-Deckers.DTS Publishing.ISBN978-1-900515-75-7.
  • Davis, Mike; Phillips, Ron (2005).Singapore Buses Volume 1 Singapore Bus Service Part 2: Double and Single-Deck Buses from the 1980s to 2005.DTS Publishing (published 2006).ISBN978-1-900515-26-9.
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