(Defunct) SBS Transit Chinatown Direct Bus CT28

Chinatown Direct CT28 was a Chinatown Direct service operated by SBS Transit, running from New Bridge Road Terminal and looping at Clementi Avenue 4 via Chinatown. It was one of three Chinatown Direct services in operation, and only operates during the Chinese New Year period.

CT28 has been withdrawn as part of the Land Transport Authority’s transition to the Bus Contracting Model in September 2016.

Route Information
Route	New Bridge Road Bus Terminal ↺ Clementi Avenue 4
Passes Through	Clementi Avenue 2, AYE, CTE, Chinatown
Route Length*	28.0km
Travelling Time	70mins
Operator Information
Current Operator	SBS Transit
Current Depot	Bukit Batok Bus Depot (BBDEP)
Current Fleet	Any 3 BBDEP/ARBP buses
Departure Times from T1	Operates during Chinese New Year Period Only. See below for timings.
Departure Times from looping point	Operates during Chinese New Year Period Only. See below for timings.
Frequency	Direction 1	—
	0630-0830: – 0831-1659: 30mins 1700-1930: – After 1930: –	—

History:

• 2005 (21 Jan): Introduced between Clementi Avenue 4 and New Bridge Road Ter. Charges flat fares.
• 2008 (21 Jul): Downgraded from daily service to pre-Chinese New Year period service only. Converted to loop at Clementi Avenue 4 (previously bi-directional)
• 2016 (28 Mar): Designated wheelchair-accessible bus route (WAB)
• 2016 (01 Sep): Bus Service Operating License terminated from 01 Sep 2016. Route withdrawn.

Chinatown Direct CT28 was introduced in Jan 2005 along with CT8 and CT18, connecting residential estates in Clementi with the City areas of Chinatown and Outram Park. Incorporating an express sector along the AYE and CTE, the route offers fast and direct connection for commuters who would otherwise have to rely on feeder buses and transfers between MRT lines to reach Chinatown.

Originally using the red-background destination signs for easy distinction, they have been phased out on newer buses with electronic route displays. Due to severely insufficient demand, CT28 was converted to operate only during the pre-CNY period from July 2008, but still experiences low demand during its operational days.

As part of the full transitioning to the Bus Contracting Model in September 2016, the Bus Service Operating License for CT28 was not renewed and not allocated in any of the Negotiated-Contract (NC) Bus Packages. This indicated that CT28 could be withdrawn. In Jan 2017, before the Chinese New Year 2017 period, SBS Transit released an official press release stating that CT28 has ceased operations (since 8 Feb 2016).

Special Departures:

• Clementi Avenue 4 (Bet Blks 315/318) → New Bridge Road Terminal
  Operating Days Only: 1000hrs, 1030hrs, 1100hrs

Operational Days:

• 2009: 16 Jan to 25 Jan
• 2010: 05 Feb to 13 Feb
• 2011: 24 Jan to 02 Feb
• 2012: 01 Jan to 22 Jan
• 2013: 19 Jan to 09 Feb
• 2014: 11 Jan to 30 Jan
• 2015: 31 Jan to 18 Feb
• 2016: 16 Jan to 07 Feb

Route Information:

* – Route length is calculated starting from New Bridge Road Ter.

Gallery:

External Links & References:

• TransitLink E-Guide

Back to Chinatown Direct
Back to Bus Services