SMRT/SBST evaluation of buses

Halide SG

How do they evaluate a new bus type before actually purchasing it? What areas do they look in and look out for?

SBS9828X SG

*waits for bus expert tranquilice, tamago and others Laughing

Airbus330Captain SG

Good question .

Well what SBST and SMRT are looking for a few factors.

The most important is the cost of the bus.

The maintainance cost, the purchase cost and the cost of the spare parts.

These are the following factors they are looking when evaluating .

1. Chassis , low floor body and configuration must suit SBST or SMRt's needs.
2. Engine : The engine must be fuel effiency , reliable and enviroment friendly. They are probably looking at Euro 4 engines.
3. When it comes to bus types, they will more or less stick to the same brand for example like SBST = Volvo and SMRT = Mercedes because they are already operating the brand and makes maintainance easier. Unlikely they will get a new type . And some more they get discounts from the companies they purchase most of their buses so this is another plus point why SBST had been buying mainly Volvo buses .
4. Tyres : Probably stick to the same company.
5. During evaluating the new bus , the following factors must be considered:
Is the bus suitable for singapore roads ? Is the engine able to run more then 12 hours per day ? Is the engine powerful enough to climb up the steep slope with a full load of passengers ? All these are considered during evaluation and there are trials on the new buses before the companines make a decision.

SBST's choices = Volvo , Mercedes, Scania or Dennis (I doubt)
SMRT's choices = Mercedes , Scania , Dennis or DAF

You can't see SBST purchasing DAF buses or SMRT buying Volvo buses.

There are some areas I have missed out, I hope some bus experts can carry on where I left out. Smile

Cheers !
Hope this helps.

SBS9828X SG

What tyres do the companies use for their buses? Seen Bridgestone on SBST's onli

Volvo Olympian SG

SBST's choice = Volvo , Mercedes , Scania, MAN, Renault or others
SMRT 's choice = Mercedes, Hino , Nissan , DAF, or other

SBS9828X SG

Rolling Eyes Then y dont SBST go on with the buses?

Halide SG

Hmmm…so is SBS 9889U still under evaluation now? And by the way, why don’t SBST/SMRT buy more japanese buses(Hino/Nissan/Mitsubishi) since they are cheaper than european buses?

Airbus330Captain SG

SBST is buying 150 more DD volvo buses , believed to be the same body as 9889 but different engine.

hseochin SG

They may be cheaper but ultimately don't measure up to the same standards as European buses, then it's still out, as far as a 1st world place like Singapore is concerned, where expensive private car prices leave people with few alternatives to public transport here such that only the best vehicles deserve deployment here ! So that people then have less case to complain of 'lousy' public transport here !

Buses of european makes don't always have to end up as more expensive than Japanese makes. The largest bus makers in the world like Mercedes-Benz, Saab-Scania etc. have manufacturing & design facilities in cheaper places like Brazil & the models (in whole or in part) from such non-european locations can be very price competitive too with the rest of the world's makes.

SBS1908B SG

Nissan? I doubt so. SBST, Renault? Not so sure about that. For SMRT, the buses are more homogeneous compared to SBST.

MBHawke SG

Ps how about the selection of seats, for example, there seems to be diifferences within the SBS Transit buses ... Very Happy

pkchukiss SG

I get this feeling that European buses are more classy and comfortable...

Perhaps it might be due to my poor experience with the old Nissan buses that Trans Island had deployed many years back... Volvo buses seem to have a solid construct, an unwavering bulldozer through the roads in comfort.

carbikebus SG

Volvo buses are excellent in safety aspects but not for speed,Only a handful can speed and quite confidence in raining days compared to Mercedes,Scanias or other brands.I've ever drive a few Mercs and most of them skidded sideways during hard/Last minutes brakes.Scanias are superb in acceleration but most of the brakes fails.

I still hopes that SBST Would purchase some Mercedes Diesel besides Volvos.

Halide SG

Does SMRT/SBST look into the ease of handling/driving of the buses they choose? The drivers work long hours so im sure they’ll look into that too, don’t they?