24-470: 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
48-560: 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. As of 2017, SMRT Buses operates more than 1,450 buses. 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. It
72-935: A takeover bid for TIBS that was accepted. The transaction was completed in December 2001, with TIBS being operated as a wholly owned subsidiary. 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
96-484: A License and Operating Agreement, which stated the maintenance obligation of SMRT Limited covering the infrastructures and assets of the transit system. On 26 July 2000, SMRT Limited was listed on the Singapore Exchange as SMRT Corporation, with Temasek Holdings selling 33% of its shares. In July 2001, SMRT launched a takeover bid for Trans-Island Bus Services (TIBS) that was accepted. The transaction
120-529: Is a multi-modal public transport operator in Singapore operating bus and rail services. A subsidiary of the Government of Singapore 's Temasek Holdings , it was established on 6 August 1987 and listed on the Singapore Exchange from 26 July 2000 until 31 October 2016. It is one of the two major operators of Singapore's rail services along with SBS Transit . Besides public transport, SMRT Corporation
144-561: Is involved in leasing advertising and commercial spaces within the transport network it operates, as well as in engaging operations and maintenance services, project management and engineering consultancy in Singapore and overseas. It also operates other transport services under its subsidiary Strides. In 1967, city planners forecast a need for a rail-based urban transport system in Singapore by 1992. Initial opposition by prominent ministers, among them Finance Minister Goh Keng Swee and Trades and Industry Minister Tony Tan , nearly shuttered
168-1088: 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 started operating bus services in this package, as well as Boon Lay and Joo Koon bus interchanges and Tuas bus terminal in September 2024. SMRT Buses primarily operates services originating from Woodlands, Bukit Panjang, Bukit Batok, Boon Lay, Joo Koon and Choa Chu Kang. SMRT Buses also operates service 110 from Sengkang, and 61 from Bukit Batok. Since 1999, 2018 and 2021, SMRT has transferred bus services to other operators such as SBS Transit and Tower Transit Singapore ; these include Punggol, Jalan Kayu, Yishun, Bukit Batok (except 61 and 991) and Sembawang. In addition, SMRT Corporation has
192-506: The Ministry of Communications, merged to form the Land Transport Authority . The operations of the MRT system were regrouped under SMRT Limited, as a private state-owned company owned by the government's investment arm Temasek Holdings . In 1998, ownership of the rail assets encompassing the operation of the MRT system network were transferred to SMRT Limited. The process was executed under
216-878: The U31 series) In 1990, TIBS purchased its first European-built bus, the DAF SB220 . Subsequent bus purchases during the 1990s included the Mercedes-Benz O405 , the Scania L113CRL , Dennis Lance and Hino HS3KRKK. 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. The success of this bus saw TIBS purchase another 314 of such buses from 1996 to 2004. [REDACTED] Media related to SMRT Buses at Wikimedia Commons SMRT Corporation SMRT Corporation
240-555: The aim of improving service levels. 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. The applications were approved on 12 March that year, with SSB to take over 11 services in Woodlands and Sembawang from SBS. A new company, Trans-Island Bus Services,
264-1196: The anchor operator was handed over to Tower Transit Singapore for the operations of the Sembawang-Yishun Bus Package on 5 September 2021. 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. 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
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#1732790719688288-468: The government under the Land Transport Authority 's new Rail Financing Framework. The bus operating assets were also sold to the government under Land Transport Authority 's Bus Contracting Model. Being asset light will allow SMRT to focus on the operational reliability of the public transport system and its business ventures overseas. The buy-out was approved by the High Court of Singapore and
312-907: 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. 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 . On 4 September 2017, SMRT opened its first integrated transport hub, Bukit Panjang. 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
336-499: The initial construction of the system. Singapore's MRT infrastructure is built, operated, and managed in accordance with a hybridised quasi- nationalised regulatory framework called the New Rail Financing Framework (NRFF), in which the lines are constructed and the assets owned by the Land Transport Authority , a statutory board of the Government of Singapore . The Mass Rapid Transit Corporation (MRTC)
360-409: The last day of trading of SMRT shares was 18 October 2016. From 1 October 2016, the Land Transport Authority assumed all the rail operating assets from SMRT under a New Rail Financing Framework that allows the company to focus on its operational reliability. In 2023, SMRT Corporation merged its taxi operations under Strides Taxi with Premier Taxis to form Strides Premier. SMRT's primary business
384-408: The program due to financial grounds and concerns of jobs saturation in the construction industry. Goh instead endorsed the idea of an all-bus system recommended by Harvard University specialists, who argued would reduce the cost by 50% compared to the proposed MRT system. Public opinion was split on the matter, with several expressing concerns on the high cost and others being more focused on increasing
408-403: The standard of living. Following a debate on whether a bus-only system would be more cost-effective, Communications Minister Ong Teng Cheong came to the conclusion that an all-bus system would be inadequate, as it would have to compete for road space in a land-scarce country. Ong was an architect and town planner by training and through his perseverance and dedication became the main figure behind
432-515: The tender to operate bus services in the north-east corridor, mainly the developing towns Sengkang and Punggol as well as Bukit Panjang . 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
456-576: 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 . Services 61, 106 and 173 were the last services to be handed over mainly due to extra time involved. In February 2001, TIBS joined with RATP Group in an unsuccessful bid to operate the Marina MRT line (now known as Circle line ). In 1999, TIBS and SMRT engaged in merger talks which failed. In July 2001, SMRT launched
480-563: Was completed in December 2001, with TIBS being operated as a wholly owned subsidiary. As part of a corporate rebranding programme, TIBS was rebranded as SMRT Buses in May 2004. In September 2016, Temasek Holdings completed a successful takeover bid for the 46% of SMRT that it did not own which resulted in SMRT being delisted from the Singapore Exchange and returning to government control. All its train operating assets were sold to
504-588: Was established on 14 October 1983 and took over the roles and responsibilities of the former provisional Mass Rapid Transit Authority. On 7 November 1987, the MRTC commenced operating services on Singapore's first Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) section, consisting of five stations from Yio Chu Kang to Toa Payoh . On 1 September 1995, MRTC, along with Roads & Transportation Division of the Public Works Department and Land Transportation Division of
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#1732790719688528-487: Was founded on 31 May 1982, ordering a fleet of 250 buses including 90 Hinos . Operations commenced on 3 April 1983 with 40 buses. On 12 March 1987, TIBS purchased its former parent company SSB. On 27 April, TIBS was listed on SESDAQ , although Ng Ser Miang retained a majority shareholding. By this stage it operated 361 buses. 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
552-621: Was known as the Habit articulated buses, on a large scale in its fleet, in contrast to the double-deckers used by SBS. 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. Eight bus routes affected in the bus tender of Sengkang and Punggol were transferred to SBS Transit. In return, TIBS
576-440: 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. Some of these recently acquired buses are used for Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP) since 2012. 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
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