Withdrawal of Service 603

Superbus SG

Service 603 will be withdrawn effective Sunday, 30th November 2003.

Low passenger riderships was cited as the reason.

tranquilice SG

After the service is withdrawn, passengers will have no more direct service between Shaw Plaza and Orchard.

off_service SG

This may smell the end of CSS soon. Profitable CSS services or rather those with reasonable ridership ( like CSS service 608 ) will be converted to Tibs services.

tranquilice SG

Do you mean that a Tibs service can be operated between Bt Merah and Bedok?

off_service SG

Maybe. CSS service 608 to Tibs service 608, or like SN and NR services, integrate.

SBS9816E SG

There's a rumour that CSS might be closed down by Mid 2004. In view of such comment, I suppose that CSS Sv 605 and CSS Sv 608 would be withdrawn over a gradual period of time. Either TIBS might get the two sv to integrate with other svcs, or they might introduce them as TIBS svcs.

DAF SB 220 would be sold away, and the UD U31RCN/SCN might be converted to TIBS fleet. However, the age of the U31RCN/SCN is rather old. Therefore, there would be a possibility that they would be scrapped.

th1988 SG

Sad Actually, many students studying at ACS (Barker) would be affected as many are pri sch students and they are no other services to Balestier Road.
603 is a important service for Balestier Road passengers to Orchard Road and Chinatown. Without it would be inconvient.

I think withdrawing it would get complaints from parents with kids studying at ACS.

SBS9818A SG

The Nissan Diesel U31RCNs are only 10 years old, mind you, not that much older than the O405s at 9 years old. Sv. 605 and Sv. 608 may be converted into TIBS services. Indeed CSS is really closing shop as quite a few TIBS staff have said.

th1988 SG

I called SMRT and they told me that 603 is not making momey. I blasted them telling that many students take the service and many passengers takes it from Orchard Road to OG along Upp Cross Street. They seem unwilling to reinstate the service. I even told them that SMRT has some profitable routes like 190, 700 to "tiap" money for the unprofitable service. This pratice is done in SBS where others services "tiap" services like 11, 68 in order to better serve passengers as their promise in 1973 when it first started to "provide a better and improved services to passengers".

Maybe I write to SBS and see whether do they want to take up the offer as the service is vital to some places.

SBS9818A SG

SBST won't reply or rather give some reply that avoids the question.

th1988 SG

But what if SBS replied and say that they are willing to "take" over the service as passenger loading is still ok with many passengers like students or city shuttle type of passengers.

Actually if 603 charges trunk fare instead of CSS fare structure, the service may still be able to earn money as trunk fare are more higher than CSS fares.

tranquilice SG

Is it possible for a Tibs service to be operated outside of Tibs area-of-control?

Is it possible that services 605 and 608 be operated by SBST if SBST is interested?

tranquilice SG

Also, passengers along Balestier Rd (between Thomson Rd and Kim Keat Rd) are affected too as service 603 is the only service there to Orchard Rd.

SBS9818A SG

I hope so.

th1988 SG

I think it is best that SBS take over CSS routes, in a sense that they may intergrate it in a better way like 162 and 605 at Sin Ming.

Actually 603 serves many passengers from Orchard Road to Upp Cross St (OG BS). I remember taking one bus days back and a passenger asked the driver whether is the service going to "Lor tang", sounds funny!

tranquilice SG

Anyone going to take this service for the last time tomorrow?