Gas-powered SBST Bus

the Bear SG

I think there's one running past Clementi. If my eyes didn't fail me this morning, the license plate is SBS 2989 M.

How many are there running on Singapore roads?

seems to be lots cleaner...

off_service SG

Hi there,

Currently there are 2, SBS 2988 M and SBS 2989 K. They are previously from Jurong Island services and are now on trial for 3 months on service 105 after 2 months off service.

Service 105 plies between Serangoon and Jurong East.

the Bear SG

hmm.. any idea if they will extend this service or have more of these buses?

i would think an LPG-powered bus would be cleaner than a diesel bus... considering diesel engines need to be tuned and all that to ensure clean and complete combustion of the diesel (which gives off very little pollution if done right)

most diesel engines are poorly maintained and put out a heck of a lot of black smoke...

would be good if more LPG-buses are around...

also, if it isn't too much of a stretch, are they more expensive to run?

SBS9818A SG

Supposed to be twelve of them to SBS 2999, but the other ten have yet to materialize.

Superbus SG

Shocked Shocked No No!!! Not LPG!! It's CNG! ahahahhahah Razz

There should have been 12 of them, but only 2 are in operation as we speak. Unless the Government or SBST/TIBS/LTA decides to set up CNG pump stations at bus depots, we can only see the buses operating services to/from Jurong areas.

Anyway, though CNG buses are a lot cleaner in terms of exhaust emissions, they are quite expensive to run. At least one city have been known to revert back to operating conventional buses from CNG buses due to the high operating costs.

Be it diesel-powered or CNG-powered bus, it's the maintenance team which determines how poorly maintained the bus is. Singapore's buses are governed, which leads to the engine's deterioration and 'ages' before it's time. Even the driver of the CNG bus claimed the CNG bus is underpowered.

If I'm not wrong, all SBST buses are engined with at least Euro-1 emission standards, with the exception of the Leyland Olympian 2-axles, the Volvo B10M MK2s, the Mercedes O.405s and the Scania N113CRBs. All of TIBS buses should be the same, but the Nissan UDs and the Hispano DAFs? Confused

Cheers and warm regards

the Bear SG

hmm... in Australia, they have converter kits for cars to use gas as a fuel too... most say there is less power (i would think torque and HP) but overall, it's almost a 1 for 1 in terms of mileage... and all taxis run on the stuff there coz it's about 1/3 the price of petrol... diesel is about the same price as petrol there..

i think running the buses on CNG would only become cheaper if and only if there is more infrastructure to maintain and fuel them... but seeing the way SBST runs the business, i think i can safely say that after the trial runs, we have seen the last of these cleaner buses... infrastructure costs of getting CNG fuelling stations and training of mechanics to maintain and repair the buses will be pretty high

which begs the question... why were they 'trialed' in the first place?

Windy_hates_B10TLs SG

The Bear,

These buses are powered by Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), not LPG. LPG buses are gutless, and have a history of absolutely wrecking engines, due to the lack of lubrication produced by petrol or diesel. Diesel engines produce their peak torque at a lower rpm than a CNG engine, thus causing more CNG to be wasted. I'm sure that when CNG engine technology improves, we will see even greater efficiency. The Volvo gas engines are alot better than the Mercedes Benz or M.A.N gassies which I have experienced here in Sydney and Adelaide. This is because they use a carburettor-stoichiometric engine, but if they were to go into supercharged direct injection and lean burn technology, which Merc offers in its run of OC500LE CNG and OC500LF CNG units the performance of a gas bus will certainly match the diesels for output and efficiency, with the added bonus of nearly no bad emissions.