Serious Tower Transit Starts Bus Operations Today! Compete With SBS!

[JohnTan]

SINGAPORE - Tower Transit, Singapore's third bus operator, launched its first nine services on Sunday (May 29) morning, heralding a new start for the country's bus sector.

The Anglo-Australian firm is the inaugural operator under the Government bus contracting regime, which aims to deliver higher bus standards for commuters.

At around 5.30am, bus number 945 pulled out of Bukit Batok bus interchange, the first-ever Tower Transit service operated here.



Despite the early start, close to 20 bus spotters - enthusiasts who are passionate about catching every make and model of bus on the roads - turned up at the bus interchange to catch the first Tower Transit buses arriving from the depot.


The buses were painted in lush green, the colour chosen by the public in a recent voting exercise for buses under the contracting model.

Under the new regime, all buses and infrastructure will be owned by the Government, with routes tendered out to operators to run for a fee.

In May last year, Tower Transit was awarded the inaugural tender to operate 26 routes in the western part of Singapore, beating incumbents SBS Transit and SMRT.

The nine services it launches today were previously operated by SMRT, while the other 17 - which it will take over in June in two batches - are currently run by SBS.

Mr David Yeo, 42, a technician was one of the commuters onboard Tower Transit's first services, number 106. "The service so far is okay, I didn't not notice any change. But let's see how it goes," he said.

Tower Transit begins operations

Tanjong Pagar MP Melvin Yong, who is also executive secretary of the National Transport Workers' Union, said in a Facebook post that he was at Bulim bus depot early Sunday morning to observe operations.


Mr Yong also boarded the first Tower Transit double-decker bus (service 106) at Bukit Batok bus interchange.

He wrote: "We wish TTS all the best as we mark a new milestone in Singapore's public bus industry, and we will continue to work closely with the operator to improve the working conditions and welfare of all our bus professionals."

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapo...rce=Facebook&link_time=1464502266#xtor=CS1-10

 

[fanta]

How's the Oz bus service? Better than local?

 

[scroobal]

Here is a side story. Note that they featured MP Melvin Yong who is also the executive secretary of the National Transport Workers Union. Melvin Yong was an SAC with the Police and was asked to take early retirement not specifically to be an MP but to run the National Transport Workers Union. Ong Ke Yung failed in this post and tendered his resignation in Nov 2012. Shortly after and while serving his notice PRC bus workers went on a wildcat strike, the first in 25 years breaking industrial harmony. The Police and ISD was called in. It was a national crisis and a severe embarrassment for the Govt.

It also explains why Lim Swee Say was moved as previous NTUC SGs were lifers.

Notice that the Press covers Yong which in the past they don't for this Union position. He was also on site when the 2 SMRT workers died. So do except to see him more often in the press when a bus interchange install water coolers for thirsty bus drivers or when toilet roll quality is upgraded for workers working in SMRT.


And we have given Ong Ke Yung the responsibility of looking after our children's future as one of 2 Ministers of Education. Thankfully he would not be covering school, just tertiary and skills.

 

[kukubird59]

......It also explains why Lim Swee Say was moved as previous NTUC SGs were lifers.

hahaha....telling grandmother story and talking cock again....
if u looked the past NTUC SGs...even with the wildest imagination.....none of them can be considered lifers...

Devan Nair 1961–1965
ST Nagayan 1965–1966
Ho See Beng 1966–1967
Seah Mui Kok 1967–1970
Devan Nair 1970–1979
Lim Chee Onn 1979–1983
Lim Boon Heng 1993–2006
Lim Swee Say 2007–2015
Chan Chun Sing 2015–present

 

[GoldenDragon]

hahaha....telling grandmother story and talking cock again....
if u looked the past NTUC SGs...even with the wildest imagination.....none of them can be considered lifers...

Devan Nair 1961–1965
ST Nagayan 1965–1966
Ho See Beng 1966–1967
Seah Mui Kok 1967–1970
Devan Nair 1970–1979
Lim Chee Onn 1979–1983
Lim Boon Heng 1993–2006
Lim Swee Say 2007–2015
Chan Chun Sing 2015–present

Back to your cage, kuku.

 

[glockman]

Despite the early start, close to 20 bus spotters - enthusiasts who are passionate about catching every make and model of bus on the roads - turned up at the bus interchange to catch the first Tower Transit buses arriving from the depot.

Are you kidding me? Bus spotters? What is wrong with these people??? They could easily find better things to do with their lives. Un-fucking-believable.

 

[mojito]

Are you kidding me? Bus spotters? What is wrong with these people??? They could easily find better things to do with their lives. Un-fucking-believable.

Can be car enthusiast cannot be bus spotter? Filthy bourgeoisie scum.

 

[GoldenDragon]

Here is a side story. Note that they featured MP Melvin Yong who is also the executive secretary of the National Transport Workers Union. Melvin Yong was an SAC with the Police and was asked to take early retirement not specifically to be an MP but to run the National Transport Workers Union.

Bro, MY only an AC, not SAC. I retired with the same rank as MY!

 

[scroobal]

Sorry got that wrong.

Bro, MY only an AC, not SAC. I retired with the same rank as MY!

 

[scroobal]

Bro, these guys are good at what they do. They usually have extensive collections and liked first day covers of the past is to be there for the first launch of a new vehicle, new service. Its a hobby I suppose to keep them occupied.

Are you kidding me? Bus spotters? What is wrong with these people??? They could easily find better things to do with their lives. Un-fucking-believable.