An SBS Transit bus and a taxi were involved in an accident, leaving both vehicles badly damaged. The incident unfolded on the afternoon of Sunday, 28th May 2017, along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3, at the junction with Yio Chu Kang Road. The bus involved was SBS3216B, an SBS Transit Volvo B9TL plying Service 132 at the time of the incident.
| Incident | Accident involving SBS Transit Double-decker Bus and Taxi |
| Bus Involved | SBS Transit Volvo B9TL Wright (SBS3216B) Operating on Bus Service 132 (Revenue service) |
| Location | Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 (eastbound), at the junction with Yio Chu Kang Road |
| Date/Time | 28th May 2017, afternoon |
| Injuries (non-fatal) | 8 |
Details regarding how the accident unfolded are unclear, but the SBS Transit Bus (SBS3216B) is understood to have been running on Bus Service 132 at the time, travelling along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 (eastbound) towards Hougang Avenue 2, when it collided with a taxi at the junction with Yio Chu Kang Road.
Initial pictures of the accident show that the SBS Transit bus ploughed into the kerb, knocking over a traffic light and a crash barrier. It sustained damage to its front and side body panels, with its upper deck front windscreen fractured upon impact with a tree. Its front doors were knocked out of position, with several other front and side body panels crushed inwards. A smashed window on the upper deck left pieces of glass strewn over the road.
The taxi also sustained damage to its front components, with its bonnet crushed and front axles knocked out of alignment after impact with another traffic light.
The bus came to a stop in the midst of some vegetation, just metres away from a steep embankment. Traffic police were dispatched to the accident scene to direct traffic, as the traffic lights damaged by both vehicles were inoperable. As reported by Stomp, 8 passengers were taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
Bus Involved:
The bus involved was a Volvo B9TL Wright (Registration number SBS3216B), a double-deck bus operated by SBS Transit, running on Bus Service 132 and assigned to Hougang Bus Depot at the time of the incident. Registered in September 2012, the bus had been plying the roads for slightly under 4 years and 9 months, with another 12 years and 3 months of useful service life until the end of its 17-year statutory lifespan.
Close ups:
The impact sustained to the bus is more evident up close, with body panels crushed inwards and glass elements shattered upon impact with a crash barrier. A tree on the left side was slightly uprooted, while an overhead traffic light on the right side was knocked out of position, slanting to one side with its color lights damaged. The entrance door was also knocked out of position.
At the front, the damage to the bus is more evident. The impact of the fractured the lower deck front windscreen and broke several of its lower body panels. The upper deck fared less well, with its windscreen smashed and a side window shattered upon impact with a cluster of trees. Both mirrors also detached in the accident.
Our Take
While we do not have details on how the accident unfolded, we can guess that both vehicles collided at speed and veered off the road, leading to the accident. Luckily for the bus, it came to a stop a short distance away from a steep embankment leading to a vehicular underpass.
While damage to the Volvo B9TL double deck bus is certainly repairable, it remains unknown if and when it will return to revenue service.
Recovery Process
At 1330hrs, a tow truck from Yishun Towing arrived at the scene. At the same time, maintenance staff from SBS Transit were preparing the bus for towing by removing loose pieces of debris.
At 1338hrs and 1342hrs, the bus made two attempts to reverse out under its own power, but to no avail.
At 1355hrs, the bus is prepared for towing, with a large tow chain attached to the chassis frame by opening a small panel at the rear of the bus. At the same time, a smaller tow truck arrives to remove the damaged taxi.
Finally, at 1405hrs, the bus was successfully freed with the assistance of the tow truck. After the tow chain was removed, the damaged bus was slowly driven to the next bus stop (Blk 634 along Hougang Ave 2), where it was prepared for towing.
More loose debris were either secured or removed, before the bus was hooked up to the tow truck and towed away at 1420hrs.
Video:
Gallery (Miscellaneous):
This bus has returned back on Service 132. Saw it at about 2.15pm at AMK Station bus stop.
2nd incident for buses in 1 week liao… 1st in yishun now in amk…
Taxi involved?