Haha...come to think of it, they dont have a service to the Northeast area. Seems like trying to suck traffic from SMRT's territory lah. ;)

Haha....saw the CNY buses yet? :D

The Decorated CNY Bus :D
They have a few versions. This is one of them.

http://img184.exs.cx/img184/7637/cnybus5eg.jpg

There are more the one version meh? I tot that is only one! :D

Jan 29, 2005
Quick News

FREE SHUTTLE TO CHINATOWN

SMRT launched a free shuttle service to Chinatown yesterday.

The service, which will operate until Feb 8, runs at 15-minute intervals along South Bridge Road, Maxwell Road (Tanjong Pagar MRT station), Robinson Road, D'Almeida Street (Raffles Place MRT), Malacca Street, Chulia Street, South Canal Road and North Canal Road.

It will run between 7pm and 11.30pm until Feb 3; between 7pm and 12.30am from Feb 4 to Feb 7; and between 7pm and 1.30am on Feb 8.

SMRT will also extend its seven NightRider services to ply South Bridge Road/Eu Tong Sen Street via Cantonment Road from Feb 4 to 7.

Trains and selected bus services will run later during the festive period. Revellers can catch the last trains from Outram Park and Dhoby Ghaut MRT stations at 1.12am from Feb 4 to 7 and at 2.12am on Feb 8.

Hippo Bus (Orchard Road, 29/1/05):

http://img167.exs.cx/img167/5489/dscn207014nw.jpg

http://img167.exs.cx/img167/7392/dscn207113qe.jpg

Muahaah....got people sit meh? Noiw weather us so sucky!

Muahaah....got people sit meh? Noiw weather us so sucky!

Got.....the bus always full....:D

Roofless Double Deck Bus at Sentosa.....:D

http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/5125/pic0305617bg.jpg

Super HOT!!!!!!
http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/9942/pic0303319ln.jpg

Alighting
http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/1899/pic0303517nf.jpg

Hot and windy ride......but quite exciting since it's my first time on such a bus......:D

Most SMRT buses now come fitted with LED displays in its interiors. Seems like in the near future we are going to see ''Next Stop, B01 Bras Basah Road'' or ''Next Stop, After Singapore History Museum'' or something like that while we are travelling in the buses...like how we are already used to seeing ''Next Station, NE4 Chinatown'' on the LED displays in trains already... After all, buses are already fitted with GPS and bus stops have been labelled, and the fact that they installed these...it seems only natural that this would likely be the use of such displays...

All we need now are wheelchair friendly buses. Damned LTA. Invest in these buses already, sooner or later they have to anyway. They can't avoid it...

..

Merz Cab

http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/7489/dsc0081417qo.jpg

Free bus to Great World City from Orchard

http://img474.imageshack.us/img474/2751/dsc0083118lz.jpg

Picture taken by ^tamago^

http://tamago.iespana.es/dec05/101205/101205-2.jpg
Volvo B7RLE Bus at Sentosa. This bus was supposed to be serving internal lines, but somehow it made a lone trip out to HarbourFront Int before dashing back.

12 December 2005

SMART Auto launches Singapore's first fleet of CNG-powered taxis
By Yvonne Cheong, Channel NewsAsia

SMART Automobile has launched Singapore's first fleet of CNG-powered taxis.

It'll also set up at least two compressed natural gas (CNG) refuelling stations by the end of next year.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/imagegallery/store/phpbmkyZH.jpg

The Mercedes Benz E200 CNG-powered limousine taxis are bi-fuel and are environment-friendly as they emit pure water when running on natural gas.

The vehicles automatically switch to running on petrol when it runs out of gas.

But each of these taxis costs $115,000, a few thousand dollars more than its regular counterpart.

Thirty CNG taxis hit the road after the launch on Monday, the rest will do by year end.

The flag-down rate for a CNG taxi is $3, which is 60 cents more than the usual $2.40.

Steven Heng, a CNG taxi driver, said: "We haven't had any complaints so far. In fact, customers say it's quiet, stable and comfortable."

The cabbies stand to save some $10,000 each year, as the fuel for gas-powered taxis costs at least 30 per cent less.

But it has a drawback.

It needs refuelling twice a day, and the only natural gas station is on Jurong Island.

So SMART plans to set up two or three refuelling stations - in east, north and central Singapore - using the National Environment Agency's (NEA) innovation grant.

Each refuelling station could cost $2 million.

SMART Automobile's managing director, Johnny Harjanto, said: "To set up the station, NEA has granted us a total of $2 million for the entire project, the criterion is to have to set up two refuelling stations by the end of the year, next year."

Environment and Water Resources Minister Yaacob Ibrahim, who was at the launch of the CNG-powered taxis, said: "This move will be something that the government welcomes because it will help to set in place a viable system and I hope other fleets will consider doing a similar changeover towards CNG vehicles or even diesel vehicles which have the Euro 4 standards that we have set for ourselves." - CNA/ir

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

Alot of Singapore's buses are very similar to Hong Kong! Though HK doesn't have Mercedes for a taxi!

Alot of Singapore's buses are very similar to Hong Kong! Though HK doesn't have Mercedes for a taxi!

I see....:yes:

London cab

http://tinypic.com/e7f0o6.jpg

(Picture by Rafflecity)

A lot of Singapore's buses are very similar to Hong Kong!

In fact, HK and Singapore are the largest overseas market for British buses! ;)

Dec 16, 2005
No need to greet, just lend passengers a hand

IT IS heartening to learn about taxi operators trying to improve customer service.

As a frequent passenger travelling with a toddler, a baby and a pram, may I suggest an amendment to SMRT Taxis' five golden rules for its drivers.

It should consider replacing 'Greet passengers when they board the taxi' with 'Get out immediately and help passengers with their bags or prams'.

While there are kind taxi drivers who would hop out of their seats immediately to help me, more often than not the drivers would remain in their seats or, at most, make a show of unbuckling their seat belts and opening their doors. By then, I would have got every- one out and retrieved the pram from the boot. The drivers would then happily close their doors and get on with their journey.

Greeting me will not make my journey more pleasant. Helping me would.

Serene Goh (Mrs)

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Dec 16, 2005
Asking commuters to tip cabbies a bad idea

I WAS amused to read the report, 'The five golden rules for SMRT taxi drivers' (ST, Dec 9).

I just cannot understand the rationale behind SMRT's suggestion that commuters tip its drivers who follow the five rules.

Is it not the responsibility of taxi drivers to ensure the safety of commuters and charge them correctly, among other basic things?

While I do not mind tipping or letting a cabby keep the change, the public announcement encouraging passengers to do so may not go down well with others. In fact, this could open up a Pandora's box of expectations from similar cases. A delivery worker may want to be rewarded for taking merchandise to a customer promptly and with great care and tact. Ditto the salesman who goes the extra mile in providing service.

If tipping cabbies becomes the norm, it may lead to discriminatory picking of passengers. Most drivers would then prefer Caucasians and well-dressed passengers to school children and shabby-looking commuters.

With regard to the refund system, I do not think that most commuters will take the trouble to complain about poor service to get their fare back. Neither will they feel good to redeem the voucher on the next trip in an SMRT cab.

While most taxi commuters would usually tip the drivers, they prefer the unwritten rule on this practice rather than be encouraged to do so.

Jeffrey Law Lee Beng

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

22 December 2005

SBS Transit introduces special bus services to Kallang Stadium
By Jason Tan, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : SBS Transit will introduce special bus services to Kallang Stadium during special events when the demand for public transport is high.

Called Stadium Direct, they will serve commuters in Ang Mo Kio, Bedok, Boon Lay and Tampines, providing direct links from the housing estates to the stadium.

The first special bus service will operate on Friday for the 'Very A-Do Live' concert.

Two other services will operate next year - for the Stephanie Sun Live concert on January 14 and for the Backstreet Boys Tour concert on January 24.

At the end of each selected event, the buses will pick up passengers at the bus stop after Kallang Theatre along Stadium Walk for return trips back to the housing estates.

Stadium Direct services will charge a flat fare of $2 for adults and $1 for students, children or senior citizen paying by ez-link card or cash.

Concession rates and e-stamps will not be applicable. - CNA/de

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

Posted by busfreak_162 @ http://buses.sgforums.com

LED Display In An SMRT Bus (Showing The Name Of The Next Bus Stop)
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b226/busfreak/MB0405HispanoCarocerra_488J_SMRT_sv.jpg
* Installed On Most SMRT Buses

Alot of Singapore's buses are very similar to Hong Kong! Though HK doesn't have Mercedes for a taxi!


Hong Kong's buses still look better though, mainly because HK has more types of double deck buses.

Dec 27, 2005
Smart taxi most lacking in quality standards

SMART Automobile faces the most financial penalties after failing to meet some quality service standards and accident rate requirements set by the Land Transport Authority (LTA).

The company faces a fine of $2,000 for not keeping its accident rate down to no more than two accidents for every 10 million-km travelled for a period of three months.

Smart Automobile will also face financial penalties of $6,697 for failing to comply with 2 performance indicators set under the Taxi Quality of Service (QoS) standards.

The company was unable to meet the 'Call Answer Rate' standard between June and September 2005 and 'Cater Rate' for the months of June, July and August 2005.

Under the 'Call Answer Rate' measurement, the percentage of calls answered by the taxi despatch system should hit at least 90 per cent.

Cater Rate on the other hand sets the benchmark for calls that lead to a taxi being allocated to a caller, and this should be at least 90 per cent of the time.

Two other newcomer taxi companies were also given penalties for not meeting the 'Call Answer Rate ' standard.

Trans-Cab failed in two consecutive months and will pay penalties of $3,180 while Premier Taxis will pay $2,988 for failing to comply for three consecutive months.

Yellow-Top Cab was fined $3,471 for not keeping its accident rate down from April to June 2005.

Under the Taxi Operator Licence framework, licensees must comply with a set of Quality of Service standards, which were introduced in June 2003 to improve taxi services for commuters.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) monitors the performance of the taxi companies in three areas, namely Availability of Taxis via Radiophone Booking, Safety and Customer Satisfaction.

Financial penalties may be imposed if the taxi companies fail to meet the standards in two consecutive months.

The quantum is computed based on the company's taxi fleet size and degree of non-compliance.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

^^Nice taxis. ;)

28 December 2005

New job scheme allows SMRT bus drivers to work 5-day week

SINGAPORE : From January 3 next year, SMRT bus drivers can enjoy a five-day shift work week, dual career option and $1,200 starting pay, along with attractive medical benefits and incentives.

All these have been made possible through the company's Job Recreation Programme (JRP) Service Leader Scheme.

The scheme was launched on Wednesday by Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and NTUC Deputy Secretary-General, Mr Lim Swee Say.

The SMRT said the scheme was designed to enrich the job content and provide more career options for the bus driver, as well as meet the company's business and operational needs.

The highlights include a five-day shift work week and the dual career path, where drivers can choose to enrich their skills to perform first-line technical trouble shooting on the road, or convert to be a technician with SMRT Automotive Services.

In line with the initiative, SMRT bus drivers, currently known as Service Captains, will be renamed as Service Leaders.

SMRT said it had been working closely with the union to enhance the welfare, wage structure and career prospects of its service staff.

Under the new scheme, SMRT bus drivers would be enjoy a balanced work life, competitive remuneration package as well as given opportunities for growth, skills enhancement and career progression. - CNA/de

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

By the way, how's the airconditioning in SG buses? Are they as cold as HK buses?

Like anywhere else, it generally depends on the weather and time. On rainy nights, it feels as though I am inside the refrigerator compartment.

I guess I consider Singapore's buses generally warm (when their air conditioning has only just been switched on after leaving the bus interchange) or acceptable (not cool, but certainly not warm either)...buses here too me are generally old as compared to HK's & the heat really penetrates the buses at times...

The trains are definitely cooler. I don't complain at all. The number of times I complain about the heat in buses is around 4/10 whereas when it comes to trains its about 2/10.

I prefer bus to train sometimes......more relaxed.....:yes:

depends...for me riding on the bus with numerous stops is more exhausting than the MRT....which is swift.....then again I dont have to make too many stops usually...

If you have a seat, a bus is usually more comfortable.