Amendments to Express 520

TIB1186Z SG

Today, I saw that cardboard posters about service 520 were put up at bus stops, but I was travelling home on 806, and couldn't get a good look at it.

Do anyone know what is it about? I hope it is high time it is withdrawn....its a blood- sucking service that is not even fast at all.

TropicalSQ744 SG

Hey,

Im not sure if the poster i saw was about 520. But I think it should be.. Im not sure how are the 520 loads doing, could you u brief me? Smile

off_service SG

It could be another service 521 >> 963 thing. I hope it will be extended to serve Sembawang, but it's just a hope anyway.

TIB1186Z SG

Basically, during the peak hours, the load is not fantastic, but all I can say is that during the evening peak, about half of the seats are taken at Khatib MRT in a Hispano 0405. I have seen buses with only 3 pax when 520 goes onto SLE during the morning peak.

However, Bendys are commonly deployed during the morning peak, but I think its the case of like using Double Decks on svc 501 or 502 during normal times.

It takes a loop round the entire Ring Rd, and is super curcitous, hence the fare goes sky high, and it takes a very long time to reach Chinatown.

TropicalSQ744 SG

Ic.. I totally agree, TIBS is showing us that it is cash greedy by putting 520 on a feeder route which not only wastes time but also cheats those passengers who do not know it is an express service.

Plus now with the NEL, I'm not surprised that TIBS is reviewing its operations on 520, considering that taking the NEL to Dhoby Ghaut and then MRT to Yishun would take almost the same time as 520 or maybe be even faster. The bendies on 520 during morning peak is definately a waste of resources. With service 39 coming up now, TIBS should transfer those bendies to 969 in order to compete with SBS.

AntiDennisLance SG

FYI 520 have NOT have had any bendies since beginning of this year already... so all talk about 520 bendies going to 969 or any other service is just castles in the air because 520 has NO bendies at all!

And in case you dont know, 520 draws buses from the 851 fleet to operate during the morning and evening peak hours. Each of these buses revert back to 851 after one trip on 520. These are usually Dennis Lances or O405 CAC's.

And I end the speculation here - 520 is to be withdrawn on 24th Aug. Thats what is said in that poster some of you saw from faraway but could not see clearly.

And ya lay your hands off my 851 bendies will ya? Razz Those buses should remain in 851 where they are REALLY needed and not go to 969 to join in some wasteful tit-for-tat fight with SBST.

AntiDennisLance SG

There u said it yourself - first 3 months of the year. Now it is August. So it is true that 520 have no Bendys.

What you observed were Saturday treats - 1058 is permanently on 812 and 1019 is permanently on 854. They were merely cameos and do not belong to the 851/520 fleet. 1138 is permanently 851 so there is no suprise that once in a blue moon it appears on 520.

I take 520/851 almost every morning so I definitely know better.

If you dont believe me, I invite u for one weekday morning and one Saturday morning to sit with me at a 520 bus stop, sip coffee/tea with breakfast and talk about buses while spotting the whole 520 fleet. You will be appalled to find that they are mostly Dennis Lances with almost every seat filled by the time they leave Yishun.

SBS9818A SG

Aiya Gerald, don’t need to get so work up lahz! So Sv. 520 is to be withdrawn 2 weeks from now? Actually I support withdrawal of ALL express services, they are Express in NAME only, and charge insane fares when I can take the MRT down faster and cheaper.

AntiDennisLance SG

No lah I am not worked up... just want to debunk some myths regarding that Bendy on 520 thing.

520 is actually quite useful... when you are in a hurry to get home and is totally anti-MRT. But as you said the downside is that it is ridiculously expensive plus the 20 minutes headway if you just missed one.

Now that 520 is going to be withdrawn, 851 should be having a less constantly changing fleet.

tranquilice SG

Express 520 will be operating its last day of service on Saturday 23 August. I believe the reason why it is to be withdrawn is to reduce waste of resources, due to the duplication of route of service 851, and Little India, Bugis Junction, Chinatown is easily accessible by MRT.

tranquilice SG

SBS3688Y SG

I think the bus companies shouldn't call any of their services Express anymore...with traffic jams and top speed restriction of only 60kmh even on expressways, which's rediculous.

Melbourne's(Aus) public buses are allowed to travel on Freeways(expressways) just like any other vehicle with speed limit of 100kmh, and some services are indeed express coz they travel on Freeways and have limited stops during peak hours, yet they did not call it Express or charge higher fares...

TIB1186Z SG

Yes, esp some svc such as "Express" 502 that does not even goes on expressway and only skips a few bus stops.

Some normal trunk svc travel much faster than express services, such as 969,965,161,168,858,36 etc.

Express services are just to earn back their cash after purchasing new buses fast, for example, VSOs like SBS9888 and 9800 were put on express 502 and 501 when it was first introduced and continue until it was withdrawn, and SBS2888 still remains with express 518.

SBS9818A SG

Express 502 after amendment is HARDLY express anymore.

SBS3688Y SG

Remember the SBS svc390 incident few years back??
many people complained abt this service withdrawal...
and SBS Leisure introduced the AIRBUS which eventually received poor response and was withdrawn....

SBS later played ard with the alternatives to the airport with svc16, 16E&36.....

TIB1186Z SG

I dun recall anything abt svc 390....Can anyone pls tell me abt the route?

I still recall that a lot of advertising went into the blue Airbuses.....response initially was quite good but tapered off sharply after some time, and a lot od $ was spent advertising the unique"kneeling" of the bus chassis.

However, I still recall vividly abt. svc 16E with its Volvo Mk 3s, and svc 36 seemed like a premier svc when it was first introduced not very long ago.....used all the new buses at that time like 9xx Mk4s, SBS1688T etc.

tranquilice SG

Service 390 was withdrawn in 1993. It is a full-air-con service. It's route: Changi Airport PTB Coach Park - Tomlison Rd [loop]

Changi Airport PTB 1 and 2, Airport Blvd, ECP, Temasek Blvd, Raffles Blvd, Raffles Ave, Stamford Rd, Orchard Rd, Penang Rd, Somerest Rd, Orchard Link, Orchard Blvd, Tomlinson Rd, Tanglin Rd, Orchard Rd, Bras Basah Rd, Raffles Blvd, Republic Blvd, ECP, Airport Blvd and Changi Airport PTB 1 and 2.

Current service 36 is former service 16E, with a change in route to become mostly similar to former service 390.

TIB1186Z SG

Hmmmm.... I see that it does not operate from the basement terminal like the rest.....and SBST added in the MArine Parade sector to generate more pax and $$, but it also makes it very convenient and fast for pax to go from the city to Marine Parade straight.

Thanks very much for the info, but is it a normal trunk svc or express, and what buses does it use? Scania L113s or the usual Volvos?

off_service SG

In my memory, service 390 uses Scania N113 OACs throughout it's lifetime with SBS. Only services 16 and 16E uses Volvo MK3s. If I'm not wrong, Scania N113s also appeared on service 16 and 16E.

SBS9818A SG

Sv. 390 used OAC N113CRBs during the last days of its life. XYZ will be able to give you the regos. I thought Sv. 390 turned into Sungei Rd from Selegie Rd?