I guess the main problem between SBS and SMRT is the number of
WAB buses in each company.
SMRT have services that always fail to reach WAB quota because
until now I suppose they do not have enough WAB buses to cater to
all WAB services yet. Well you could argue that they could have
taken those WAB buses from non-WAB services and fulfil the WAB
quota for these services. However, there has to be abit of fairness
as non-wab bus services deserves new buses as well. So, in my
opinion, its not that SMRT does not want to fulfil the WAB quota
but its just that it is undergoing fleet renewal currently and it
needs time to stabilise the WAB fleet.
As for SBS wise, it is often puzzling that old buses(mk4s)
replaces the mk4s that are going off, especially in a WAB service.
For 70's case, not like AMDEP has no more SP KUBs or Citaros to
spare to replace the outgoing 1986A, but why 891X? I guess thats
the main reason why SBS8676Z is fretting about. Coincidentlly,
there were 2 citaro perms on 70 recently, making them look like
they are replacing the 2 outgoing mk4s (1986A and 2625K), however,
891X and 2625K were still spotted despite the addition of citaros.
Now the question is, the citaros are replacing which buses? Till
now, no one actually knows.
So i guess, we all need time to let the bus companys manage
their fleet. I was rather unhappy when HGDEP treat 163 quite badly
before it turned WAB but it is only fair at that time because 163
wasnt a WAB service yet. Since 70 is a WAB service, there is a
reason to be unhappy about, especially when 70 already started off
without a very good WAB quota, not like other AMDEP bus
services.
It's just a matter of perspectives.
For SMRT ones the ones I am satisfied or find it acceptable are 171
851 855 857 858 859 970 980, more or less. Indeed svcs like 61 are
really the ones to question with, they still do have problems with
their quota. I feel the current issue lies with AMDEP for not
taking in MANs(Not inclusive of BSEP MANs and 246T 247R), still
dilly-dally around and indeed the citaros came in last time out,
did help a little bit, but not much literally. I do not have
questions with SBST's standards with the way they do their things,
But SMRT I still have lots of question.
