SMRT purchased MAN buses valued at S$65 million

[Wubb]

ST Engineering's Land Systems Arm Secures Contract to Provide MAN Buses to SMRT Buses

 

Singapore, 12 July 2011 - ST Engineering today announced that its land systems arm, ST Kinetics, has won a contract worth over S$65m from SMRT Buses Ltd (SMRT Buses), a subsidiary of Singapore's premier multi-modal public transport service provider, SMRT Corporation Ltd. This is the first city bus contract for ST Kinetics and it calls for the supply of the state-of-the-art low floor MAN A22 bus. ST Kinetics is the sole distributor for MAN Truck & Bus AG, as well as the exclusive authorised service support and spares provider in Singapore. Delivery is expected to begin in August 2011 and it will be completed by end of 2012.

 

Equipped with a patented PM- Kat

[Proton_neutron]

 

 

I've taken a trial unit before.

 

The engine makes this strange whooing, robotic noise. Not exactly good for passenger comfort. So is the rather unsettled ride.

 

The older MErcedes buses are much better in terms of NVH =)

 

 

[13177]

More importantly does it give SMRT a good reason to increase bus fare?

[Proton_neutron]

  On 7/13/2011 at 3:37 PM, 13177 said:

More importantly does it give SMRT a good reason to increase bus fare?

 

 

 

I believe it's a done deal already.

 

We can do s--t about it.

 

=(

 

 

[The_young_once]

If proton-neutron says so, I am inclined to agree..

 

What happened, where are the days of Mercedes, Volvo, Scania, Leyland buses? Nowadays seems a lot, most, if not all, private bus operators (those cater for chartered bus, excursion, shuttle bus service etc) using the (IMO) terrible King Long or Yu Tong buses, the seats are uncomfortable and smaller, the ride i perceive to be rough, but all got those rubbish LED DRL style "eyelids", fancy but tasteless blue LED strips in the interior, I don't like these Chinese buses at all, sat a long haul one in Shanghai before, a King Long HIGER, hated it, at first I thought "must be the hotel shuttle, or transfer to interchange right?" but no!! it was the long haul traveller, very poor;

 

and last rant is just me, and purely cosmetic, seems they want to have badges for the sake of badges at the bus rear: ABS (as if is something to boast about, have then have--standard nowadays, don't have then don't have, drive carefully), and arbitrarily (imho) conceived long model names, XML12356H or something XMQ309u so arbitrary it doesn't have any bearing on length of bus, or engine capacity, or seating capacity, it seems very arbitrary long for the sake of long, and have them all in silver badge! yay badges FTW,

 

 

Kenny

[Proton_neutron]

 

 

Oh, and not to forget, the MAN bus looks so stupid, with curved, round headlights.

 

The interior is also a fair bit smaller than the older Mercedes buses from SMRT, let alone the new Mercedes LE500 =(

 

How's that good for peak period schedules?

 

That'll be good for SMRT's profits again once again though.....=(

 

 

[Kangadrool]

I find those buses on traditional springs and shocks gave better ride comfort and stability (when standing) compared to those on air suspension.

 

Perhaps air suspension bus is more suited for long distance travel, and not suitable for our stop-start traffic.

 

All these bus companies should just stick to the basics and stop adding unnecessary and unsuitable frills, thereby increasing the costs and fares.

[Pcslim]

How come the bus companies keep changing new buses? Thought the condition for most of the existing buses is quite ok.

 

An excuse to increase fare I think.

[Kangadrool]

There are a lot of new SBS Transit buses parked at Republic Auto building in Teban Gardens.

[Proton_neutron]

  On 7/14/2011 at 1:26 AM, Pcslim said:

How come the bus companies keep changing new buses? Thought the condition for most of the existing buses is quite ok.

 

An excuse to increase fare I think.

 

 

 

They're scrapping the really old 1980's buses which they use it for Training L-Plate buses not too long ago.

 

And they're hoping to replace the existing fleet of Mercedes Buses with new ones as well as to buy more buses 'to meet the demands of passengers'.

 

But seriously, the new MAN and Low-Chassis-Throughout Mercedes Citaro are really much much smaller than the existing ones.

 

Why do they want to downsize new buses??

 

 

[Happily1986]

  On 7/14/2011 at 1:26 AM, Pcslim said:

How come the bus companies keep changing new buses? Thought the condition for most of the existing buses is quite ok.

 

An excuse to increase fare I think.

 

SMRT is operating a fleet of only 400 buses. it is way too lean considering the loading capacity is sacrificed by eventually laying up the bendy buses. furthermore making the bus drivers drive fast to make up for the shortfall of buses in order to meet, frequency standards is a poor solution.

Edited July 14, 2011 by Happily1986

[Tom_kkh]

  On 7/14/2011 at 1:54 AM, Proton_neutron said:

Why do they want to downsize new buses??

 

cheaper? and smaller size buses means they have to buy more to satisfy passengers, so buying more bus is a good excuse to up fares. its all planned.

 

government bodies also plans ahead to earn money, no one can beat them.

 

[Proton_neutron]

  On 7/14/2011 at 1:59 AM, Tom_kkh said:

cheaper? and smaller size buses means they have to buy more to satisfy passengers, so buying more bus is a good excuse to up fares. its all planned.

 

government bodies also plans ahead to earn money, no one can beat them.

 

 

 

I don't believe the new buses are cheaper in any way....

 

Each of them will probably cost $150-$200k....

 

 

And I agree, all this is a conspiracy to reason for themselves [sMRT and SBS] to increase fares.

 

=(

 

 

Edited July 14, 2011 by Proton_neutron

[Sash1401]

I'm rather surprise... Both SBS and SMRT have brought in Citaro.... I saw quite a no on the road already... But why on earth did SMRT wanted to buy Man buses when in compare with merc, dis Man really no fight....I guess we r all on for a rough ride.... Provided, can the buses last? If it happens those new buses does break down often, den it will be a headache for us commuters...

[Proton_neutron]

  On 7/14/2011 at 2:01 AM, Sash1401 said:

I'm rather surprise... Both SBS and SMRT have brought in Citaro.... I saw quite a no on the road already... But why on earth did SMRT wanted to buy Man buses when in compare with merc, dis Man really no fight....I guess we r all on for a rough ride.... Provided, can the buses last? If it happens those new buses does break down often, den it will be a headache for us commuters...

 

 

 

 

New buses somehow don't last as long as the older ones. I mean what is built to last these days?

 

Another reason for SMRT and SBS to increase bus fares- Cost of maintaning buses is on the rise.

 

=(

 

 

[Proton_neutron]

 

 

A link to the existing lineup of SMRT Buses....

 

http://cptdb.ca/wiki/index.php?title=Singa..._-_Bus_Division

 

 

[KARTer]

  On 7/13/2011 at 3:37 PM, 13177 said:

More importantly does it give SMRT a good reason to increase bus fare?

their reported profits run into millions for 2008/9 etc.... yet even our Public Transport Committee will more or less support the increase in fares....

[Mike1234]

  On 7/14/2011 at 2:14 AM, KARTer said:

their reported profits run into millions for 2008/9 etc.... yet even our Public Transport Committee will more or less support the increase in fares....

 

On top of that...

 

recently their CEO got huge bonus...

 

don't believe me? Google it out