Double Deckers for SMRT
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Originally posted by TIB1218R:
MAN NL323F A22
yes very -
Originally posted by BusAnalayzer:
Citaros are horrible. I hate the way the seats are. The K230UB are so much better. I think SBST made the dumbest decision to bring in Citaros.
The SMRT MAN buses are definitely better. Somewhere, SMRT scores over SBST ;)
i have some concerns about how they maintain their MANs, with missing parts on side mirrors and 'gra gra gra' sounds coming from axle... luckily they are in the minority. definitely much better than the citaros. so much for 'award winning'
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I like MAN >> K230UB >> Citaro
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Originally posted by BusAnalayzer:
I like MAN >> K230UB >> Citaro
Mine is reversed... Citaro>>MAN>>K230UB.
Just my opinion because I enjoy taking Citaros on 123, especially that super chiongster SBS6148U on 123
!I often take MANs on 61/961. MANs are one of my favourites!
I took too many KUBs while I was in Primary School and got bored of them. No offense to the KUBs though, they are more suitable for high demand routes which can't take DDs, like service 131.
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Originally posted by TIB 501 D:
Mine is reversed... Citaro>>MAN>>K230UB.
Just my opinion because I enjoy taking Citaros on 123, especially that super chiongster SBS6148U on 123
!I often take MANs on 61/961. MANs are one of my favourites!
I took too many KUBs while I was in Primary School and got bored of them. No offense to the KUBs though, they are more suitable for high demand routes which can't take DDs, like service 131.
Citaros are perfect for Bukit Merah routes such as 123, 272, 273, 275 - hate that Citaros have been put on 87 and 168.
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Originally posted by BusAnalayzer:
Citaros are perfect for Bukit Merah routes such as 123, 272, 273, 275 - hate that Citaros have been put on 87 and 168.
Agree. 168 should have full fleet DD. Look at the WDL crowd... And 87...
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I am happy the topic shifted to SDs from bendy / DD. At least the flame war stopped
Anyone knows when the tender results will be out?
This will give a good idea if SMRT is purchasing DDs or / and if it is continuing with bendies.
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Originally posted by BusAnalayzer:
I am happy the topic shifted to SDs from bendy / DD. At least the flame war stopped
Anyone knows when the tender results will be out?
This will give a good idea if SMRT is purchasing DDs or / and if it is continuing with bendies.
Should we thank SMB228X for this?
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Originally posted by SBS8501U:
Should we thank SMB228X for this?
Can SMB228X talk anything beyond Citaro G. He really likes the "G"
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Originally posted by BusAnalayzer:
Can SMB228X talk anything beyond Citaro G. He really likes the "G"
He has a feitish for Citaros...
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Originally posted by SBS2601D:
When you consider that SBST controlled Tampines and Bedok with their huge loading that definitely exceeds the North's population density, survived with full SD fleets for those that lack DD......
The argument just falls apart like match-sticks.
And yes. Feeders like 293 etc also use small roads.
Say what?
Consider also the fact that SMRT is a significantly smaller competitor.
If it buys bendies, of course it will use it on trunk routes also. Flexibility with economies of scale to be exploited.
At the end of the day, the main root of problem lies not so much with SMRT's perceived ineptness, but the very real problems of competition in our context. What can SMRT do with the high density areas that shld use high capacity buses?
The ideal answer would be buy bendies only for feeder, and DD for trunks.
But you seriously think that is feasible when SMRT has a small market share?
SBST took the clear step to ditch bendies and it significantly made lives easier for all of us.
But SMRT?
Hedging?
With buses?
Seriously??
To those who keep calling for variety, flexibility....etc etc
I suggest you go buy Tamiya buses....one of each type to satisfy that ludicrous desire.
I have stated why it clearly didnt make sense to have this type and that type already.
Finally someone talk sense.
Bus companies operate bus services with good maintanance and scheduling, high efficiencies and reliabilities, not operate for varieties of bus models that does not concern the interest of the commuters at all.
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What I find most disappointing is that SMRT is carrying on TIBS's tradition of having all sorts of hodge-podge fleet.
They should have learnt that lesson, that having such a fleet makes for mainteinance woes.
But do you see what they do? Seats must have alternate colour, rims also all kinds of colour.
Their tender was also the same story!
Should we have bendy or DD, the contract seems to be asking.
I do not think SBST is a perfect company. I made a pretty strongly-worded complaint to SBST recently, and though I got 5 complimentary tickets (which I appreciate the gesture), was absolutely unfunny and left me fuming.
But SBST has in recent years, in particular, taken clear and decisive steps in many aspects. This is particularly true in their fleet renewal exercise. I cannot argue against the potential problem of "locked-in investments" with regards to bulk order of 1-2 types only, but it certainly is a lesser of two evils in the long run when it comes to day-to-day ops.
Do you order cai png with 6 sides and 3 strands of each type for lunch? I don't. Maybe you like it, but ordering in that manner wastes my time....and money.
It is easy to blame SMRT management. But we have to remember that being the smaller competitor, it can't really be purchasing in such quantities as SBST.
BUT
There's absolutely no excuse in looking indecisive (as they have ALWAYS been) now! Not when the real chance to do something about their fleet is here.
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Originally posted by SBS2601D:
What I find most disappointing is that SMRT is carrying on TIBS's tradition of having all sorts of hodge-podge fleet.
They should have learnt that lesson, that having such a fleet makes for mainteinance woes.
But do you see what they do? Seats must have alternate colour, rims also all kinds of colour.
Their tender was also the same story!
Should we have bendy or DD, the contract seems to be asking.
I do not think SBST is a perfect company. I made a pretty strongly-worded complaint to SBST recently, and though I got 5 complimentary tickets (which I appreciate the gesture), was absolutely unfunny and left me fuming.
But SBST has in recent years, in particular, taken clear and decisive steps in many aspects. This is particularly true in their fleet renewal exercise. I cannot argue against the potential problem of "locked-in investments" with regards to bulk order of 1-2 types only, but it certainly is a lesser of two evils in the long run when it comes to day-to-day ops.
Do you order cai png with 6 sides and 3 strands of each type for lunch? I don't. Maybe you like it, but ordering in that manner wastes my time....and money.
It is easy to blame SMRT management. But we have to remember that being the smaller competitor, it can't really be purchasing in such quantities as SBST.
BUT
There's absolutely no excuse in looking indecisive (as they have ALWAYS been) now! Not when the real chance to do something about their fleet is here.
SMRTB past purchasing orders has really been poorly managed by the old management which resulted in really bad state it has now. I agree that as a smaller company, it shouldn't have order so much of different kinds of buses due to smaller scale of operations. It should have just standardise with OC500s and MAN A22s while forsaking Citaros for OC500s instead. Being a smaller company, economies of scales is even more important. More varieties means more different parts to source for and more money to spend and more kinds of skills and personnel to train and spend on. No wonder SMRTB is always in the red these years.
Now they have changed to a new CEO. I am still accessing his contributions for the company as of now.
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I am of the opinion that "competition" in our context is rubbish.
A single operator makes more sense for us, the same way that cross-modal transport operators make sense from the POV of streamlining operations.
Other countries that adopt "competitive tendering" have been more successful because they divide the different regions into zones and tender zone-by-zone. The market is segregated into intra and inter-zonal bus services, and this is how competition is injected.
SG practically qualifies as a single zone. We attempted to further zone our little zone and the result has been less than happy. Worse, our connection between the little zones have been compromised to an extent, although you could argue that trains take the role of inter-zonal connections.
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Agreed,For bus management SBST is way smarter than SMRT.
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In terms of operations, frequency and bus maintenance, SBST wins hands down.
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Originally posted by BusAnalayzer:
In terms of operations, frequency and bus maintenance, SBST wins hands down.
SMRT maintenance is getting better. The MANs are much better maintained than the OCs and Citaros when they arrived.
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Originally posted by SBS6301T:
SMRT maintenance is getting better. The MANs are much better maintained than the OCs and Citaros when they arrived.
Maintenance is getting better...
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Originally posted by SBS8501U:
Maintenance is getting better...
Maintenance as in bodywork and engine, not advertisements...
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Originally posted by dan474:
Maintenance as in bodywork and engine, not advertisements...
Nope, I'm referring to the EDS
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Originally posted by SBS8501U:
Nope, I'm referring to the EDS
Appears to be more of a formatting mistake than an EDS fault in itself.
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Originally posted by TIB 501 D:
Agree. 168 should have full fleet DD. Look at the WDL crowd... And 87...
Aiyo only additional bus..ok mah
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I observed that the Citaros on 87 and 168 follow the DDs with a gap of 3 mins from interchange. At both Sengkang and Bedok, the Citaro left within 3-4 mins of the previous bus.
87 and 168 often have loading that could exceed 120 pax. I believe the Citaro will be able to cater to the other few pax that cannot board the first bus. Hence, may be in terms of loading it might just have 30-40 pax. I call this "clearing bus" to clear off the additional pax that the previous bus does not take.
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I suspect more or less like off schedule trip just like SMRT style.Sometimes you will see a Lance suddenly appeared just 3 min gap of the front bendy.
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Originally posted by carbikebus:
I suspect more or less like off schedule trip just like SMRT style.Sometimes you will see a Lance suddenly appeared just 3 min gap of the front bendy.
I agree. I think the Citaros are extras on these routes to accommodate passengers that the DD in front has not taken.But sometimes scheduling is bad that they send a SD before DD. Saw this on 163. At Toa Payoh 163 SD came and 3 mins later there was a Dennis Trident. Ofcourse, went with only 2 pax from interchange, whereas the SD ahead took at least 40 pax from interchange.
Going ahead SD will get fully packed, and DD will not take more than 40 pax in its route.