Go-Ahead Singapore will soon operate Volvo B5LH and ADL Enviro500 (3-door) buses.
With six months remaining before the scheduled commencement of the Tampines Bus Package (Contract PT220) on 5 July 2026, the awarded operator, Go-Ahead, would lease buses from the Land Transport Authority (LTA) for driver training and route familiarisation.
Existing buses operated by SBS Transit have been spotted with their company logos removed and a notice on the windscreen that states “Bus pending transfer to Go-Ahead Singapore. Do Not Deploy.”
The current Tampines Bus Package includes several bus models that have not previously operated by Go-Ahead Singapore. These include the three-door ADL Enviro500 (3-Door), Volvo B5LH, Scania K230UB, and Linkker LM312.
While the transfer of the Enviro500 and B5LH fleets has been observed, it remains to be seen whether the Scania and Linkker buses will also be handed over as part of the transition.
Six months to go
In previous bus package handovers, training buses have typically been transferred to the new operator roughly six months ahead of the transition date.
When Tower Transit took over the Sembawang Bus Package in September 2021, it took in Mercedes-Benz OC500LE, Volvo B5LH and MAN A24 buses in March 2021, six months ahead of the transition date. These bus models were new to its fleet.
Similarly, SMRT Buses took in Scania K230UB buses in March 2024, six months before the handover of the Jurong West Bus Package in September that year.
Transfer of buses
A small number of Volvo B5LH buses formerly operated by SBS Transit under the negotiated contract term of the Tampines Bus Package have been redeployed to Go-Ahead Singapore. Identified units slated for transfer include SG3046L and SG3047J.
Similarly, ADL Enviro500 (3-door) have been sighted with SBS Transit logos removed, in preparation for transfer to Go-Ahead Singapore.
Gallery
See More at ADL Enviro500 (3-door) / Volvo B5LH.
That’s probably why 72 has so many SDs now.
Remember for this package there are around 405 buses excluding spare buses and over 250 buses will be EV so diesel buses just make up around 140 the most… Those KUBs will stay the most 1 year and gradually will be replaced by EVs… I got a feeling there will be no A22 involved.
With these ADL out of service, SBST basically left with the 4 ADLs in SWDEP.
Very likely suspecting G-AS will intake more KUB than expected. Taros are likely to make up a small portion from batch 3.
Reason being, they can just retire them and replace with the new EV buses expected to arrive around that same period, rather than get the citaro/A22s, then throw them back to another operator.
Right now, SBST replacing KUBs with KUBs or taros kicked from SWDEP.
SMRT gotten way too much excess fleet when taking into acocunt of the minor OC500LE buses, with A22s kicked to TTS.
So far:
7 Citaros (Pixel Citaro SG1692J + SG1114L SG1124H SG1132J SG1144A SG1227U SG1232D), 2 KUB E4 (SBS8331T SBS8367R), 2 B5LH (SG3046L SG3047J), 1 B9TL (SG5332Y), 1 A95 E6 (SG6076E) & 1 ADL E500 3D2S (SG6353E) have been transferred.