A&S Transit has launched its People Mover Deluxe Volvo B8L double-decker bus!
A large crowd, mostly transport enthusiasts, turned up for the bus’s official launch on 3 July 2022, at 2pm, at Raffles Boulevard. Registrations were open to the public via this form. An official handover ceremony was held with staff from Volvo Buses, A&S Transit and ComfortDelGro in attendance.
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The Volvo B8L bus was formerly a trial bus operated by SBS Transit, registered as SG4003D. Between April 2018–April 2020, the bus was regularly deployed on Bus Service 94 and 71, and thereafter returned to Volvo Buses, concluding its trial period on Singapore roads.
In June 2022, the bus was subsequently re-registered to private bus operator A&S Transit as PD169L.
Before the People Mover Deluxe official launch, photos of the bus being repainted into the A&S Transit livery were circulated online.
The bus’s former lush green livery was replaced with a Cyan Blue and White livery, with the A&S logo diagonally across the bus. The A&S logo is also plastered all across the bus.
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Previously, A&S Transit also purchased 18 MAN A22 (Euro V) buses, formerly owned by SMRT Buses. These vehicles were also converted to COVID-19 patient transporters (COMET MAXI) before being acquired by A&S Transit. These buses are currently used on ad-hoc charter services.
Livestream
Video posted to A&S Transit’s Facebook page:
Bus Enthusaists’ Feature
Main Article: 从爱拍巴士到考照驾巴士 巴士迷为兴趣疯狂到底 – 8world
An online piece by local Mandarin news publication 8world featured bus enthusiasts and their attendance at the official launch ceremony. Also interviewed in the article were bus enthusiasts who were working as A&S Transit drivers, several of whom joined the company after it acquired the ex-SMRT MAN A22 buses.
The article also quotes a local manager for A&S Transit, expressing his support for bus enthusiasts’ pursuit of their hobby and their potential to contribute to the local bus industry.
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Gallery (Bus Photos):
Actually the Man A22 and volvo b8L DD Buses could have been easly taken over by strides former (Busplus). Would have prefered that. And can give RWS8 back to SMRT to operate under strides buses. And deploy all this buses on rws8. Cos if u see private operators dont know how to take care of public buses most of them after while under private ops become run down n get scrapped fast. So atleast if under SMRT In some form it will serve its full lifespan all public can ride it. Just look at the former dennis lence buses when under busplus served its full lifespan just as gd as a normal public bus.
I still prefer this bus to just belong to SBST. Its just suites SBST the best. Feel so sad.
B8Ls not a hit in SG but popular in KL.
A side note, an ex-SMB A22 now owned by Leisure Frontier was used for a demonstration of how our special forces rescue hostages from a public bus at the upcoming NDP.
I’m not suprised if they buy MAN A95 second hand from SMRT(SMB5889/5890)…
No wonder the ex-SMRT BC join A&S…