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 27 April 1987, TIBS was listed on SESDAQ, although Mr Ng Ser Miang retained a majority shareholding.[8][9][10] By this stage it operated 361 buses.[11]

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.[12]

In 1996, TIBS began operations at the now closed 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.[13][14]

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.[15] 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.[16] Services 61, 106 and 173 were the last services to be handed over mainly due to extra time involved.[17]

In February 2001, TIBS joined with RATP Group in an unsuccessful bid to operate the Marina MRT line (now known as Circle line).[18][19][20]

TIBS and SMRT engaged in unsuccessful merger talks in 1999.[21][22] In July 2001, SMRT launched a takeover bid for TIBS that was accepted.[23][24] The transaction was completed in December 2001, with TIBS being operated as a wholly owned subsidiary.[25][26] As part of a corporate rebranding programme, TIBS was rebranded as SMRT Buses in May 2004.

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.[27][28]

On 4 September 2017, SMRT opened its first integrated transport hub, Bukit Panjang.[29]

On 8 September 2019, SMRT opened its second integrated transport hub, Yishun.[30] It did not last long as Tower Transit Singapore took over the integrated transport hub on 5 September 2021.

On 13 June 2021, SMRT opened its third and also largest integrated transport hub in Singapore, Woodlands.[31]

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) [43]

In 1990, TIBS purchased its first European-built bus, the DAF SB220.[44] 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.[45] The success of this bus saw TIBS purchase another 314 of such buses from 1996 to 2004.[45]

• MAN NL323F Lion's City (A22) (Gemilang Coachworks)[47]
• Mercedes-Benz O530 Citaro (EvoBus)
• Mercedes-Benz OC500LE (Gemilang-Thonburi)
• Volvo B5LH (MCV Evora)
• Yutong ZK6128BEVG (E12)
• Linkker LM312 (3 door)

• Alexander Dennis Enviro500 MMC[39]
• MAN Lion's City A95
• Volvo B9TL
• Yutong ZK6125BEVGS (E12DD)

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