Singapore Shuttle Bus

Singapore Shuttle Bus
Start of Operation:	1975
End of Operation:	28 April 2007
Operated by:	SMRT Corporation

Singapore Shuttle Bus Pte. Ltd. (SSB) was introduced in 1975. It operated the City Shuttle Service (CSS), which plied from the fringe carparks to the CBD zones. In 1976, CSS services were extended to the public housing estates. Throughout its operation, SSB provided regular bus services to and from the housing estates through the CBD. It ceased operation after 28 of April, 2007.

History

Singapore Shuttle Bus was incorporated on 15 May 1975 under the "Park and Ride" scheme introduced by the government. The "Park and Ride" Scheme was aimed at reducing city traffic congestion by encouraging car owners to park their vehicles at allotted fringe carparks and make use of the CSS services plying between the fringe carparks and the Central Business District. This, however, proved unpopular with the car owners and was abandoned in 1976. With the abolition of this scheme, SSB was called upon to provide regular bus services from the housing estates like Bedok, St Michael’s, Queenstown, Bukit Merah and Sin Ming to the CBD and vice versa.

When it first started, SSB operated 6 out of a total of 9 CSS services, namely CSS services 2, 3, 5, 7, 8 and 9. Starting with an initial fleet of sixty single-door 25-seater buses on 6 services, its fleet was slowly replaced by larger and more spacious buses in 1985. On 12 March 1987, SSB was acquired by Trans-Island Bus Services Ltd. On 3rd November 1997, with the roll out of the Travel Information System by the authority, the CSS services were renumbered from CSS 2, 3, 5, 7 & 8 to CSS 602, 603, 605, 607 & 608. In 2001, SMRT acquired TIBS and SSB became a subsidiary of SMRT.

SSB provided public transport from the housing estates to the CBD areas. Services operated from interchanges and terminals like Bedok & Bt Merah Interchanges and Holland Dr, St. Michael's & Sin Ming Rd Terminals. The services used to operate from 6.30am to 7.30pm and does not operate on Sundays and Public Holidays. With the closure of Holland Dr Terminal, CSS 602 was re-routed to start from Shenton Way Terminal and loop at Holland Dr.

SSB’s only bus depot was at Lorong 1 Geylang (GLDEP). The central workshop was at Ang Mo Kio Depot (AMDEP) which handled all the preventive maintenance, repair works and major component overhauls.

Services

(As of time of withdrawal)

• 602 - Shenton Way Ter to Holland Dr (Loop)
• 603 - St. Michael's Ter to Upp Cross St (Loop)
• 605 - Sin Ming Rd Ter to Bt Merah Int
• 607 - St. Michael's Ter to New Bridge Rd (Loop)
• 608 - Bedok Int to Bt Merah Int

The services also served places that was exclusive to CSS services only, such as:

• 603 - Chancery Lane & Balmoral Rd
• 605 - Armenian St
• 608 - Marine Cres (Blk 15), Maxwell Rd (Aft MND Bldg) & Havelock Rd (Blk 29 & Blk 50)

Fleet

• DAF SB220 (CSS270B - CSS289Z)
  
• Dennis Lance 245 (CSS310U)
  
• Hino BF177 (Old CSS178K - CSS194M)
  
• Hino HT238 (CSS230S - CSS266P)
  
• Hino HT238K (CSS269G, CSS290T - CSS293K, CSS295E - CSS309A)
  
• Nissan Diesel U31RCN (New CSS178K - CSS211Y)
  
• Nissan Diesel U31SCN (CSS267L - CSS268J, CSS294H)
  

Withdrawal

The Withdrawal Poster of CSS 608

• Last day of operation: 28 Apr 2007
• Last SSB bus departing from Bedok Int: CSS195K
• Last SSB bus departing from Bukit Merah Int: CSS180C

Related Articles

• CSS Routes in 1975
  
• City Shuttle Services Guide 1981
  

External Links

• http://www.smrtbuses.com.sg/transport/ssb/DEFAULT.htm
  
• http://www.smrtbuses.com.sg/transport/ssb/shistory.htm