Singapore Bus Services (1973 - 2001)

Singapore Bus Services (SBS) 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.^[4][5][6] The government-sanctioned merger was undertaken to improve service standards of the bus transport system. On 26 June 1978, SBS was listed on the Stock Exchange of Singapore (SES) as Singapore Bus Service (1978) Limited.^[7][8]

Between 1995 and 2000, a series of route handovers took place between SBS and TIBS. 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 from TIBS.^[9][10] This was done as part of SBS Transit's upcoming operation of the North East line in the north east. The Sengkang and Punggol routes were previously operated by SBS until they were transferred to TIBS in 1995.

On 12 November 1997, Singapore Bus Services (1978) Limited was renamed DelGro Corporation, with SBS restructured as a subsidiary of DelGro Corporation and listed separately on the SES.^[11][8]

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.^[12][13][14]

SBS Transit (2001 - present)

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 the Sengkang LRT line and North East MRT line.^[8]

On 29 March 2003, DelGro Corporation merged with Comfort Group to form ComfortDelGro Corporation.^[8] ComfortDelGro Corporation owns 75% of the shares in SBS Transit.

On 20 June 2003, SBS Transit commenced operating the North East MRT line, followed by the Downtown MRT line on 22 December 2013.^[15][16]

Routes

Until the introduction of the Bus Contracting Model (BCM), SBS Transit operated the majority of routes in almost all areas of Singapore, with the notable exception of the North and Northwest areas, where bus services were mainly run by SMRT Buses. However, with the introduction of the BCM, some SBS Transit bus services were taken over by Tower Transit Singapore (Bulim Bus Package) and Go-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.^[17] It was announced in 2018 by LTA that SBS Transit had won the subsequent package, the Bukit Merah Bus Package.^[18]

On 29 May 2021, Service 974 was handed over to SBS Transit from Tower Transit, making it the operator's first 9xx route & the operator's return to daily service in Choa Chu Kang ever since it handed over to TIBS (now SMRT) in 1999.

Fleet

A MAN A22 bus that was transferred to SBS Transit from SMRT Buses in 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 at December 2019, SBS Transit operated more than 3,500 buses.^[19]

SBS Transit operates a mix of single decker, double decker and articulated buses.^[20]

Single deckers

• BYD K9 (Gemilang Coachworks)
• Linkker LM312
• MAN NL323F Lion's City (A22) (Gemilang Coachworks)
• Mercedes-Benz O530 Citaro (EvoBus)
• Scania K230UB (Gemilang Coachworks)
• Volvo B5LH (MCV Evora)
• Volvo B7RLE (Soon Chow) – used for driver training purposes

Double deckers

• Alexander Dennis Enviro500
• BYD K9RC (Gemilang Coachworks)
• MAN ND323F Lion's City (A95) (Gemilang Coachworks)
• Scania K310UD (Gemilang Coachworks) – used for driver training purposes
• Volvo B9TL (Gemilang Coachworks) – used for driver training purposes
• Volvo B9TL (Wright Eclipse Gemini II)^[21]

Articulated buses

• MAN NG363F Lion's City (A24) (Gemilang Coachworks)

A 1989 Scania N113CRB still bearing the original SBS livery at Bedok Bus Interchange.

SBS Transit purchased 12 Volgren-bodied CNG Volvo B10BLE buses.

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 the Albion Viking VK, Mercedes-Benz LP1113 and OF1413 and Nissan Diesel RX102K3 with small numbers of Ford R192 and 226, Seddon, Fargo-Kew, Bedford and Austin.^[22] Most of these buses were bodied by local coachbuilder Soon Chow although some were bodied by other companies such as Supreme Star and Strachan.^[23] Subsequent models that were purchased by SBS included Berliet and Guy Victory in the 1970s and the Volvo B57 and Mercedes-Benz OF1417 in the 1980s, the latter which were bodied by foreign coachbuilders like New Zealand Motor Bodies and Hawke Coachwork.^[22]

In 1976, SBS purchased its first 20 Leyland Atlantean AN68 buses to evaluate the suitability of double-decker bus operation, with the buses first entering service on 13 June 1977.^[22] 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 by Metal Sections or Walter Alexander Coachbuilders; SBS also conducted comparative trials of double-decker buses of other makes, namely the Leyland Olympian, Volvo Ailsa B55, Scania BR112DH, Dennis Dominator, Dennis Trident 3, Mercedes-Benz O305 and Volvo B10MD Citybus.^[24] In 1984, SBS purchased another 200 Leyland Olympian and 200 Mercedes-Benz O305 double-decker buses.^[24] 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 and Renault PR100 before its first bulk order for 50 Scania N113CRB buses in 1989.^[22][24]

In the 1990s, some bus makes on the roads included the Volvo B10M, Scania N113CRB, Mercedes-Benz O405, Leyland and Volvo Olympian and Dennis Dart.^[25] 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.^[24] The first low-floor bus, a Volgren-bodied Volvo B10TL demonstrator was brought to SBS by Volvo Buses for 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 Transit CNG buses began 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.^[26]

Interchanges & Terminals

SBS Transit is the anchor operator for 32 locations, Ang Mo Kio, Bedok, Bishan, Boon Lay, Buona Vista, Bukit Merah, Changi Airport, Changi Biz Park, Changi Village, Clementi, Compassvale, Eunos, Ghim Moh, HarbourFront, Hougang, Joo Koon, Kampong Bahru, Kent Ridge, Marina Centre, Queen Street, Sengkang, Serangoon, Shenton Way, St. Michael's, Sims Place, Tampines, Tampines Concourse, Tampines North, Toa Payoh, Tuas, Upper East Coast & Yio Chu Kang.

SBS Transit is the non-anchor operator for 12 locations, Beach Station (Sentosa), Bukit Batok, JB Sentral (Malaysia), Jurong East, Larkin (Malaysia), Lorong 1 Geylang, Pasir Ris, Punggol, Resorts World Sentosa, Sembawang, Woodlands & Yishun.

Depots

SBS Transit operates Ang Mo Kio, Bedok North, Bukit Batok, Hougang, Seletar, Soon Lee and Ulu Pandan bus depots. Some of the latest additions were also used for Bus Service Enhancement Programme since 17 September 2012.^[27]

Mass Rapid Transit (MRT)

SBS Transit manages two of Singapore's six MRT lines in the network, the North East Line (NEL) since its opening on 20 June 2003 and the Downtown Line (DTL) since its opening on 22 December 2013.^[28]

The NEL currently has 19.2 km and 16 stations, running from HarbourFront in the south-west to Punggol in the north-east. As of 2023, the NEL uses a fleet composed of three very similar series of 49 Alstom Metropolis train-sets, dubbed C751A, C751C and C851E by SBS Transit.^[29][30] The operating license for the NEL was awarded to SBS Transit in order to foster competition with SMRT Trains and to create multi-modal public transport companies, each specialising in their own district. In 2018, it has been confirmed that SBS Transit's contract for maintaining the NEL would last until 31 March 2033.^[31][32]

The NEL was Singapore's third metro line and the city's first automated and driverless system. 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^[33][34] Whereas driverless metro systems have existed long before (notably the Lille Metro since 1983, the Vancouver Skytrain since 1985 and the Paris Metro Line 14 since 1998), the NEL is the first application of a fully automated and driverless metro system with heavy rail characteristics such as an overhead catenary (in contrast to earlier systems using third rail) and 1,435 mm standard-gauge (in contrast to earlier systems featuring smaller rail profiles).

The DTL currently has 41.9 km and 34 stations as of October 2017, running from Bukit Panjang station in the north-west to Expo station in the east via the Central Area. The DTL is fully automated and driverless as well and consists of a fleet of 92 Bombardier Movia C951/C951A trainsets.^[35]

Fleet

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)

Out of three LRT lines in Singapore, two of which are maintained by SBS Transit, namely, the Sengkang LRT line and Punggol 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 of Crystal Mover APMs, namely the C810 and C810A, all summing up to 57 sets^[36] and is expected to increase in the future with the introduction of C810D APMs.^[37] The fleet serves a total of 29 stations on both lines, including Sengkang and Punggol stations. In 2018, it has been confirmed that SBS Transit's contract for both LRT lines would run until 31 March 2033.^[31][32]

Fleet

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

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

• Sengkang Depot which 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 Building which houses some trains of DTL.
• Gali Batu Depot which houses the majority of DTL trains. It has undergone expansion towards the end of 2010s.
• East Coast Integrated Depot which is expected to house DTL trains upon its opening in 2025.