I don't remember
any dates but the chronology of events is something like this. In
the beginning, the only access to JW N9 was via Pioneer Rd Nth.
Both 99 and 188 would turn in from Upp Jurong Rd (now JW Ave 3).
When N7 and N8 were occupied, it was 188 which was first amended
via Ave 5 & St 72. Eventually, 99 was also amended along the
same route and everything was cool until the opening of Boon Lay
Int/MRT.
175 was amended and
242 was introduced. So, for a while, JW St 91 was happily served by
4 services: 99, 175, 188, 242. Service 175 was a CMI case after its
amendment. The buses were always empty, although it was nice to see
an Albion Viking going round the bends. :-) And so, due to poor
ridership, its sayonara 175.
As for 188's case,
its duplication. The main purpose for 188 was for the JW Ext
residents to gain access to Jurong Bus Interchange and Lakeside
MRT. So when the MRT and interchange at Boon Lay was completed, it
became redundant and its ridership wasn't as strong as before. And
so, arrivederchi 188 and we are left with 2 services again; 99,
242.
Then somewhere
along the line came 243. If I'm not mistaken, when 243
came, it took over the route via JW St 72, Ave 5 & Pioneer
Rd Nth. 242 was amended to go via Upp Jurong Rd, Pioneer Rd
Nth. This chapter was a bit confusing as changes took place back
and forth between 242 and 243. Eventually when St 81 was
completed and 243 was made to serve that area while 242 got
back its original route.
Route enhancements
were made to 243 later on but as far as 99 and 242 were concerned,
that was the end of the story until 2009, when Pioneer MRT was
opened and I'm sure everyone knew what happened then.
;-)
That's the end of
my long winded tale. This is pure memory work from my experience as
a JW resident of over 20 years. There's bound to be mistakes and
some things which I've missed out. Hence, I'd like to
apologise beforehand. Thank you.
There's two errors in your history.
1st: Service 242 was not introduced in when 175 was amended
in 1990. It actually existed in 1978 from Jurong to Kang Ching Rd.
Amended to Boon Lay in 1990, but I'm not sure when is it amended to
St 91 & 92.
2nd: In this sentence '99 was also amended along the same route
and everything was cool until the opening of Boon Lay Int', this is
incorrect as you are making others to believe that 99 was amended
to Ave 5 & St 72 before the opening of Boon Lay Int. 99 was
actually amended in 1991.
