I have one article about TIB1049L =P I had written a very long
time ago but had no where to post it:
(The bus back then in the year
2007)
TIB1049L is one of the more iconic Mercedes 0405G Hispano Habit
in the SMRT fleet as many memorable events had happened on this
bus, both ill-fated and good events.
TIB1049L started life on 16 Jun 2000 as a bus based in Ang Mo Kio
depot. Being one of the buses among the first batch of Hispano
Habit bodied Mercedes 0405G buses to appear on the roads, they were
put on service 800 by AMDEP. Due to the introduction of these new
buses, the then TIBS (now known as SMRT Buses) placed the first
batch on a free ride campaign to let their commuters try out the
new bus.
Soon after, TIB1049L was redeployed to do service 859, also
controlled by Ang Mo Kio Depot (service 859 had been under the
hands of Woodlands Depot for a certain period of time as well).
After being with service 859 for a while, it was transferred to
Woodlands Depot to do Service 901, which is a feeder service in
Woodlands. In the year 2002, TIB1049L met an unfortunate accident
with a non air-con Mercedes 0405 Hispano serving Intratown feeder
service 912 in Woodlands Regional Interchange while turning out of
the berth. The accident the caused the windscreen to be smashed and
the non-aircon bus from 912 had its rear window damaged. If you had
noticed its license plate long enough, perhaps you will find the
wordings weirdly positioned due to the accident in 2002.
(The bus having the NEA: They Breed You Bleed advertisement
in March 2008)
5 years down the road after the accident in 2002, it is still
performing fine, however, it broke down on 5/10/07 (DD/MM/YY) in
the morning while serving feeder service 900. Pasengers were
diverted to TIB1106E on 913 that morning and TIB1049L was gone for
2 days, being replaced with TIB1194A on one day and TIB1142A for
another. Before the breakdown, the bus had been going on for a few
times of mantainance for serveral months because ever since the
accident, this bus had problems with its transmission. The
transmission problem was not yet fixed even after the breakdown,
but other than that the bus is working fine, though with some
graffiti at the back and is slightly slower than the other
buses.
(TIB1049L with the NEA: It's Closer Than You Think
advertisement)
2007 also marks the year where feeder service 900 and 901 share
their permanent buses together, switching buses within a few
weeks. March 2008 saw the time for it to get the NEA: They
Breed, You Bleed advertisement, and was the first ever bendy on 900
ever since the deployment of TIB855H to KJDEP to get a full body
advertisement. Since then it got 2 more advertiesments and the
current version is the NEA: What will Dengue Cost You Today?
advertisement. During June 2008, 900 and 901 ceased sharing
buses with each other and it was destinied that service 900
receives an ex KJDEP bendy, TIB878S, together with TIB904A,
TIB999B, TIB1049L and TIB1245L. As of now the bus is running well
on service 900 and rarely cameos around.
(The current look of TIB1049L, with the new NEA: What will
Dengue cost you today? advertisement)
Please correct me if any of the info above posted is wrong
because most of the parts about it on 800 and 859 were what I heard
last time.
