SMRT Buses

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]

• MAN NL323F Lion's City (A22) (Gemilang Coachworks)^[51]
• Mercedes-Benz O530 Citaro (EvoBus)
• Mercedes-Benz OC500LE (Gemilang-Thonburi)
• Scania K230UB
• Volvo B5LH (MCV Evora)
• Yutong E12
• Linkker LM312

• Alexander Dennis Enviro500 MMC^[43]
• MAN ND323F Lion's City (A95) (Gemilang Coachworks)
• Volvo B9TL
• Yutong E12DD

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

SMRT Buses operates

Kranji Bus Depot

• • Subsidiary: Bulim Bus Depot and Woodlands Bus Park
    • Catchment: Boon Lay, Bukit Batok, Bukit Panjang, Choa Chu Kang and Gali Batu

Woodlands Bus Depot

• • Subsidiary: Seletar Bus Depot
    • Catchment: Compassvale, Lor 1 Geylang, Marina Centre, Tampines, Woodlands

Soon Lee Bus Depot

• • • Catchment: Boon Lay, Joo Koon, Tuas

From September 2024, SMRT will operate the Soon Lee Bus Depot under the Jurong West bus package.^[52]