Service 88 when newly introduced in Feb 1999 did not have a
fanciful fleet. Started off as a PAC fleet with only a mixture of
NAC Scania N113CRBs as well as 0405s and MK3s. There were no DDs
and MK4s then. As Sengkang and Punggol were still under Tibs, 88
was then the only SBS service to pass thru Punggol Road
corridors.
Think it was only after when SBS announced the plans to take
over Sengkang and Punggol services from Tibs, SBS wanted to show
off good by deploying new and fanciful fleets along these areas.
From then, 88 started getting all the brand new MK4 DM3500s and
eventually the older buses got booted out, eventually 88 became a
FAC fleet. And after Sengkang services were taken over by SBS in
Jul 1999, 88 started getting new VO3x DDs together with newly taken
over services 864 and 865.
Look man, I dont need such a long reminder since I've been
taking 88 since day 1 till now. A good 13 years already.
And no. Getting those new buses hasn't had as much to do as the
friggin amounts of crowd 88 had since that day 1. There was no way
a 20 min frequency (!) and only SDs could in any way handle that
then. NAC buses on 88 did not stay very long. Just a couple of
months.
So can you explain why 88 still remains a recipient for new
buses many times?
And then tell me how 74 BCs must have offended the
higher-ups?
Anyway, since you wanted to provide so much information, I find
it amazing that you did not include MK4 DMs as part of 88's initial
fleet.
