New Tibs service 985

last SG · 2003-07-18T17:15:48+00:00

You mean bcos of the circuitous loop at CCK/Bt. Batok that 989 makes, MRT might be faster? Well, i'm pissed too. Now i can only take 858 to airport... 989 d...

SBS9362Y SG

*nods her head* Accordin to my observations.... Ever since Service 985 started its service... There had been less than 10 passengers seen by me headin towards Kallang via PIE from Jalan Jurong Kechil... Confused No, no, no.... Not another bus service to Marina Centre Terminal again?!

TropicalSQ744 SG

I think 985 should also be marketed as a fast link to Toa Payoh instead of Kallang Bahru as the loads have already proven that not many people wish to go to Kallang Bahru/Geylang. I believe CCK-Toa Payoh has a a much bigger market.

SBS9818A SG

Wrong. Noone takes Sv. 985 to Toa Payoh.

TIB1186Z SG

I second that. During my illegal jaunts to Changi during hyper-long free periods, no one alights at the Jalan Toa Payoh stop where I always board it from. The only exception are the Bangladeshi workers who work at the new industrial building after MacPherson Road. The rest continue on to Changi, but there's always at least 5 or 6 pax on that route, compared to the current 985.

SBS9818A SG

Yes, with Sv. 989 around there are at least 6-10 passengers, compared to Sv. 985 when there is NONE!

TropicalSQ744 SG

I'm quite sure there are people from Choa Chu Kang, Bukit Panjang and Bukit Batok areas who work at HDB hub! Rolling Eyes Plus there are popular schools in the Balestier/Toa Payoh/Bishan area like Catholic High, RI, ACS... I'm sure there is a market even though it is currently not visible. Smile

SBS9818A SG

I'm quite sure my eyes don't play a fool on me when I see empty Sv. 985 buses pull up at the bus stop next to Trellis Towers. Anyway the MRT is faster, as Sv. 985 winds through CCK and Bukit Batok first.

tranquilice SG

Service 985 load comes mainly from former service 185 route (CCK - Jln Jurong Kechil).

The service also has a very small "market" along Boon Keng Rd. They are those who take this service to connect to and from Kallang MRT if other services has not arrived yet. In other words, they view service 985 as another alternative to and from Kallang MRT.

SBS9818A SG

Yes. After Jln Anak Bukit the bus is rarely filled with pax. Maximum of 5 I would say.

tranquilice SG

I hope Tibs will amend service 985 route from Jln Toa Payoh onwards (in the direction of Lor 1 Geylang terminal), because the route duplicates SBST service 31 from Jln Toa Payoh up to Lor 1 Geylang.

In my opinion, I think Tibs has no good idea where to terminate service 985, so in the end, it "anyhow" goes to Lor 1 Geylang terminal since the terminal already has 3 Tibs services (ie. 853, 961 and 980)

SBS9818A SG

Yes, Geylang Lor 1 terminal is almost entirely controlled by TIBS(except for that stupid Sv. 11). Sv. 985 should continue on its path to Changi Airport, with Hinos too as they are considerably lower-floor than their O405 counterparts.

tranquilice SG

Why do you say that service 11 is "stupid"? Although it's a short-distance service connecting the national/indoor stadiums area and Kallang MRT station, but is useful for those transferring to/from MRT trains.

SBS9818A SG

Stupid because that service should belong to TIBS since TIBS now has control over Lor 1 Geylang, before it had Sv. 9, Sv. 5 and others!

tranquilice SG

Blame SBST? Laughing Recently SBST has services 11, 70X and 401 terminating at Lor 1 Geylang, while Tibs has services 853, 961 and 980. That means an equal number of SBST and Tibs services. Now SBST is left with service 11, while Tibs have 4 services there. But just because Tibs have more services terminating at Lor 1 Geylang terminal does not mean that Geylang is Tibs territory.

Also take a look at the services that ply near the terminal (ie. Sims Ave and Geylang Rd), there are more SBST services compared to Tibs, Tibs only has 3 services (ie. 67, 853X and NR7) plying these road. Overall, SBST has more services than Tibs in Geylang.

Reason why SBST does not want to add more services in Lor 1 Geylang terminal is because those services can terminate at places like New Bridge Rd (city-bound) or Eunos (Changi-bound) to serve more passengers, like what it did to services 9, 70X and 401.

AntiDennisLance SG

WRONG!! HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAH Yes Geylang is by no means TIBS territory as a town... but Geylang Lor 1 Terminal IS WELL AND TRULY TIBS Property. Geylang Lor 1 Terminal is actually the THIRD TIBS depot after Kranji and AMK.. while Woodlands is the fourth. Unlike all other terminal and interchages, Geylang Lor 1 Terminal has refueling facilities and underground fuel reservoirs. Plus Geylang Lor 1 is the main SSB/CSS Depot. The other one is AMK. And certain TIBS service buses esp svc 853 sometimes are stored in Geylang Lor 1 like in other depots.

The actual reason why SBST shun Geylang Lor 1 is because the terminal is TIBS territory. The terminal is actually very strategically placed to spring short working trips into the city area during peak hours and if SBST owns it they would surely have made very good use of it.

tranquilice SG

Ok, I can agree with you that Tibs has control over the terminal. But your second point that SBST shun the terminal as it's Tibs territory, I don't agree. Woodlands and Yishun belong to Tibs territories, but SBST services still go there. I believe SBST shun Lor 1 Geylang terminal due to other reasons.

oliver_yuen87 SG

TIBS srv 9??

AntiDennisLance SG

SBST still have service 11 at Geylang Lor 1 Terminal in the same way as they have 161/168 and 39 at Woodlands and Yishun respectively.

They do not have to shun these TIBS territories but I do believe they pay for berthing and parking rights to TIBS and it eats into their revenue directly... if that is true then it would be a valid reason why SBST minimise incursions into TIBS terminals and interchanges.

Which makes service 11 a uniqe dilemma.... Geylang is not TIBS territory and there are no neighbouring TIBS towns for a TIBS service to pass through before going to the stadium area.. but Geylang Lor 1 is the most suitable staging place because people would likely want to change to the service from Kallang MRT....so the only non-policy-compromising solution would be for SBST to operate the service and perhaps pay TIBS the parking rights??

SBS9818A SG

Yes, the district of Geylang per se is not TIBS territory, but Geylang Lor 1 terminal is. It has fueling facilities and parking lots for its buses, so the terminal belongs to TIBS, with only that pathetic Sv. 11 of SBST.

« Previous Page