Premium Bus Service 555

Refer to Page 1 for the current Premium Bus Service 555 operated by City Bus Services

SBS Transit Premium 555 was a Premium service operated by SBS Transit from Bukit Panjang Ring Road to Fullerton Road. The route passed through Fajar Road, Senja Road, Bukit Batok Road, AYE and Cecil Street, operating one trip in the morning.

Premium 555 was withdrawn on 1 April 2017, with the last day of operations on 31 March 2017.

Route:

Route Overview
Route	Bukit Panjang Ring Road (Opp Bangkit Stn) → Fullerton Road (Fullerton Sq)
Passes Through	Fajar Rd, Senja Rd, Bt Batok Rd, AYE, Cecil St
Route Length	27.0 km
Travelling Time	60 mins
Operator Information
Former Operator	SBS Transit Ltd
Former Depot	Bukit Batok Bus Depot (BBDEP)
Former Fleet	Double Deck Bus – Volvo B9TL
Departure Times from Bt Panjang Ring Rd	07:45 (Weekdays, except Public Holidays)
Fare	$4.50 flat fare; Transfer rebates & concessionary travel are not applicable.

Premium 555 served the housing estates of Bukit Panjang Neighborhoods 2, 4, 5 and 6 with bus connections to the CBD, eliminating the hassle of transferring between different modes of transport. It provides a more convenient alternative route for residents who would otherwise rely on the MRT or other bus routes to reach the city.

Previously, the housing estates of Bukit Panjang have limited rail connections and no full-day bus service to the city, so competition between Premium operators is present. Premium 722 by Transcity Bus Services offers the Bukit Panjang – Shenton Way route at just $2.70, but SMRT’s Express 971E is by far the most popular option, charging only express fares (with a maximum of $2.37). Commuters who live near Bukit Panjang LRT Station can take SMRT Service 700 instead, which charges basic trunk fares.

One trip is operated in the mornings, departing Bukit Panjang Ring Road (Opp Bangkit Station) at 7:45am on weekdays. Since its introduction, the presence of multiple alternative bus routes with comparable journey times and lower fares has reduced the demand for this service.

Retracted Route Cancellation

On 14 December 2016, SBS Transit released information at bus stops regarding the withdrawal of Premium Bus Service 555 after 30 December 2016, the last weekday of the year. This is due to the full transition to the Bus Contracting Model (BCM), where operators SMRT Buses & SBS Transit Ltd operate under Negotiated Contracts (NCs) that do not contain Premium Bus Services.

Likely owing to feedback to the relevant authorities, the LTA has allowed SBS Transit to continue operating Premium 555 in Year 2017, with posters at bus stops spotted on 30 Dec 2016 reporting the continuation of operations from 3 January 2017 (refer to Poster Gallery).

This is the second Premium Bus Service operated by SBS Transit and SMRT to have its original withdrawal date retracted and continued to operate in Year 2017, after Premium 589.

On 20 Mar 2017, SBS Transit announced that Premium 555 will be discontinued after 31 Mar 2017. This signified the end of Public Bus Operators running Premium Bus Services.

Gallery:

Poster Gallery:

Operator History:

• 25 Feb 2008 – 31 Mar 2017: SBS Transit Ltd

History:

• 2008 (25 Feb): Introduced as a Premium Service from Bt Panjang Ring Rd → Fullerton Rd, with one trip departing at 0745hrs. Charges a flat fare of $3.60
• 2009 (01 Apr): Fare temporarily lowered to $3.40
• 2009 (05 Oct): Amended to ply Cecil Street (previously Robinson Rd)
• 2010 (01 Jul): Fare reinstated to $3.60
• 2010 (20 Sep): Second departure introduced at 0735hrs
• 2011 (08 Nov): Fare increased to $3.80
• 2014 (04 Aug): Fare revised to $4.50
• 2016 (27 Jun): Designated wheelchair-accessible bus route (WAB)
• 2016 (30 Dec): Announced last day of operations; later retracted
• 2017 (01 Apr): Service withdrawn; last day of operations on 31 Mar 2017

External Links & References:

• PublicTransport@sg
• TransitLink E-guide

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