Mercedes-Benz Citaro

The Mercedes-Benz O530 Citaro (or simply Citaro) is a low-floor, wheelchair-accessible, single-deck city bus built by Mercedes-Benz and EvoBus GmbH. As the successor to the older O405/O405N series, the Citaro is highly popular around the world, with over 45,000 units built from 1997 to 2015. These buses are manufactured in Germany and shipped completely built-up (CBU) to Singapore.

SMRT Buses first introduced the Citaro to Singapore in 2010, with a single demonstrator unit paving the way for a small batch of 50 buses which entered service the following year. SBS Transit procured Citaro buses in far larger quantities, ordering over 1000 buses delivered between 2011-2016, and later further increased by the Land Transport Authority (LTA).

In 2016, under the Bus Contracting Model (BCM), the LTA leased Mercedes-Benz Citaro buses (built to SBS Transit specifications) to Tower Transit, Go-Ahead Singapore as well as SMRT Buses.

All Citaro buses in Singapore are of the facelifted 1st-generation 12-metre urban model with two doors. The vast majority are built to similar interior and exterior specifications.

The hybrid-electric version of the Mercedes-Benz Citaro is covered in this article. This demonstrator bus was trialled from 2020 to 2021, but no bulk orders materialised.

Technical Information:

The Mercedes-Benz Citaro is the flagship of the Daimler city bus fleet. First unveiled in 1997 at the UITP Congress in Stuttgart, over 55,555 Citaro buses have been built from 1997 to 2019, making it one of the most successful models of city bus ever produced.

The Citaro is available in Urban and Suburban/Interurban models, but only the Urban model has made it to Singapore. Rigid buses are offered in lengths between 10.5-metre to 15-metre (with 2 or 3 doors), while articulated buses are offered between 18-metre to 21-metre lengths (with 3, 4 or 5 doors). With the exception of low-entry models, all Citaro buses are fully-low-floor as standard, which allows for smoother passenger flow within the bus.

The rigid bus entered the market in 1997 and the articulated version was launched in 2002. In 2005, the low-entry specification was offered, along with the first external facelift. In May 2011, a second facelift was unveiled, and the Euro VI engine option became available in 2013. In addition to its standard lineup, variants of the Citaro buses have been adapted for use on guided busways and as trolleybuses.

While most Citaros are diesel-powered, CNG-powered variants have previously been offered. A diesel-hybrid variant (BlueTec Hybrid) and a fuel cell variant (FuelCELL-Hybrid) have also been produced in small numbers. A battery-powered Citaro G has also been on trial since 2015 in Aachen, Germany, and in July 2018, the production battery-electric Citaro was launched, named the eCitaro.

Citaro Buses in Singapore:

All Citaro buses in Singapore are of the facelifted 1st-generation 12-metre urban model with two doors. They fulfil the requirements of the Euro V, VI and EEV emissions standards using BlueTec 5, the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology developed by Mercedes-Benz, hence requiring the use of AdBlue as a diesel additive.

It is worth noting that all Citaros are of the first-generation (2005/2006-facelifted) version, although Mercedes-Benz launched a newer second-generation Citaro in 2011 (also designated as Citaro C2). The older design was acquired in bulk likely as a cost-saving measure and to promote fleet standardization. As a result, Mercedes-Benz continued to keep the production line open for these 2005/2006-facelifted buses well past 2012, just to fulfil orders for the Singapore market.

Mercedes-Benz Citaro buses are only available as an integral product, and all elements of the bus are fully assembled in Europe before shipment to Singapore. Citaro buses built for the Singapore market roll off the EvoBus production line in Mannheim, Germany.

Contents:

1. SMRT Demonstrator Unit (SMB136C)
2. SMRT Production Batch 1
3. SBS Transit’s Citaros
4. SBS Transit Production Batch
5. SBS Transit BSEP Batch

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Overview of Singapore Operations

SMRT Buses brought the first Citaro into Singapore for demonstration purposes. A facelifted first-generation Citaro, it was registered as SMB136C, and entered service in March 2010, prided as “Southeast Asia’s 1st 100% Low Floor Euro V Bus”. The bus was a well-conceived continuation of SMRT’s legacy with Mercedes-Benz buses, following its long history of operating O405s and O405Gs. Positive public feedback paved the way for more Citaros in Singapore.

By 2011, the exemption of Additional Registration Fee (ARF) for public buses made importing the foreign-built Citaros much more affordable. SMRT acquired 10 units in its first production batch in early 2011, followed by an additional 40 more units by late 2011, bringing a total of 51 units.

SBS Transit had put its confidence behind the Citaro with the first batch of 300 Citaros intended for fleet replacement and expansion, among the largest orders at the time. Technical specifications were highly similar to SMRT’s Citaros, and buses were delivered between 2011 and 2012 (Batch 1). A further order of 450 additional Citaros (Batch 2) was fully delivered by April 2015. In July 2014, SBS Transit placed an additional further order of 250 Citaros (Batch 3), bringing the total to 1000 units.

In December 2015, the LTA bought out SBS Transit’s contract for any remaining Citaros yet to be delivered. Together with the Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP) fleet, these buses have been gradually reassigned to other bus operators as part of BCM under a lease agreement. As a result, Tower Transit, Go-Ahead Singapore as well as SMRT Buses now operate Mercedes-Benz Citaro buses built to SBS Transit specifications in their fleet.

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SMRT Mercedes-Benz Citaro [Overview]:

SMRT brought in a single Demonstrator Unit and 50 Production Batch Mercedes-Benz Citaros (in two batches) between 2010 and 2011. These buses were built in Germany and shipped to Singapore completely-built-up. Formerly allocated to all bus depots, their limited numbers within the SMRT fleet led to these buses being eventually consolidated into Ang Mo Kio Bus Depot. These buses were redeployed to Woodlands Depot in 2021 due to the commencement of the Sembawang-Yishun Bus Package tendered package term which is operated by Tower Transit.

Many Citaro buses share similar technical specifications. Here’s a table at a glance:

	Demonstrator	Production Batch 1	Production Batch 2
Quantity	1	10	40
Registration no.	SMB136C	SMB139U – SMB148T	SMB149R – SMB188C
Registered	Mar 2010	Mar 2011 – May 2011	Oct 2011 – Nov 2011
—	Technical Specifications
Engine	Mercedes-Benz OM 906 hLA, turbocharged & inter-cooled, 6374cc Power/torque rating of 286 hp (210 kW) @ 2200 rpm / 1120 Nm @ 1200 – 1600 rpm
Emission Standard	Euro V compliant BlueTec Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) emissions control technology by Daimler AG, requiring diesel exhaust fluids such as AdBlue
Transmission	ZF Ecomat 6HP 592C (6-speed)	ZF EcoLife 6AP 1200B (6-speed) Voith DIWA 854.5 (SMB148T only)	Voith DIWA 854.5 (4-speed)
Electronic Display Signage (EDS)	Gorba imotion	LAWO BENEFIT
Air conditioning	Konvekta P700	Konvekta P800
Capacity	Seating: 37  |  Standing: 51  |  Total: 88  (With 1 Wheelchair bay)
Additional Features	Hopper windows Rear leaf doors Red fabric seat covers Mobileye 560 ADAS	Hopper window (SMB145B) SMRT Passenger Information System (PIS) Side EDS with route details Mobileye 560 ADAS (SMB141L)	SMRT Passenger Information System (PIS) Side EDS with route details Handlebars for wheel arch seats Third brake light (rear) Mobileye 560 ADAS (SMB187E)

In addition, Citaros built to SMRT specifications all feature:

• Bode doors
  • Entrance doors: Inwards swinging leaf doors
  • SMB136C’s rear door: Inwards swinging leaf doors
  • Production Batch rear door: Outward swinging plug doors
• City Star Eco (CSE) seats
• Independent wheel suspension system

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Demonstrator Unit (SMB136C):

Detailed write-up: SMB136C: The Mercedes-Benz Citaro Demonstrator Unit

After SMRT Buses brought in its first batch of wheelchair-accessible Mercedes-Benz OC500LE buses in 2008-2009, there was a need to procure more wheelchair-accessible buses for fleet renewal and expansion. In Mercedes-Benz’s lineup, the Citaro was the direct successor to the O405 series of buses, which SMRT operated in large numbers (along with the articulated O405G variant). Boasting a full low-floor design, good ride comfort, fuel efficiency and Euro V-compliant emissions standards, SMRT made the decision to procure one unit for trial purposes.

Registered as SMB136C, the bus was unveiled on 9 March 2010 at a launch ceremony in SMRT’s Ang Mo Kio Bus Depot, exactly one day after its date of registration. Along with a promotional livery, it was marketed as “Southeast Asia’s 1st 100% low-floor Euro V bus”.

SMB136C entered revenue service exactly a week later, appearing on SMRT Bus Service 855 on 16 March 2010. It was placed under a one-year trial on various trunk and feeder routes, and the trial was ultimately successful, with SMRT receiving positive feedback from passengers.

Technical Specifications:

Additional Specifications:

SMB136C has a licensed carrying capacity of 88 passengers, comprising 37 seating passengers and 51 standing passengers. The wheelchair bay accommodates a single wheelchair, and is equipped with a rear-facing foldable seat for two people when not occupied by a wheelchair user. Its interior layout would be duplicated in all future SMRT Citaro orders.

By end 2015, SMRT finally removed the promotional advertisement off SMB136C, which had been in bad shape after being stuck on for over five years. The bus appeared on revenue service in full SMRT livery for the first time in December 2015. The SMRT logo was replaced with a full-red version shortly afterwards.

Main Article: SMB136C: The Mercedes-Benz Citaro Demonstrator Unit

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SMRT Production Batch: SMB139U – SMB188C

Following the successful trial of SMB136C, SMRT Buses purchased a total of 50 production batch Mercedes-Benz Citaro buses as part of its fleet renewal programme. This was spurred by LTA granting public buses an exemption from the Additional Registration Fee (ARF), making importing the Citaros significantly more affordable.

Buses were delivered and registered in two phases: an initial 10 units (SMB139U – SMB148T) between 11 Mar 2011 and 6 May 2011, followed by 40 more units (SMB149R – SMB188C) between 7 Oct 2011 and 30 Nov 2011

The Production Batch buses retain the major technical specifications of SMB136C, with the exception of the transmission unit. The first 9 buses were fitted with a newer-generation six-speed ZF Ecolife gearbox, while the remaining 41 received four-speed Voith DIWA 854.5 gearboxes.

Technical Specifications:

Additional Specifications:

Production batch Citaros use LAWO BENEFIT electronic display signages, with an enlarged nearside display to show route details along with the service number. SMRT’s Passenger Information System (PIS), an LED screen, is integrated into the roof structure above the centre aisle and replaces the bus stopping indicator.

Hopper windows which featured on SMB136C (but with little use in a tropical country) were swapped for full-sized windows. The rear door has been changed to an out-swinging plug door, with an additional visual indicator that lights up when the doors are closing.

On the interior, the seat covers have also been changed to a blue and purple theme, with priority seats in red. similar to those used in the OC500LE, and priority seats with red seat covers. The PVC seat covers are easier to maintain compared to SMB136C’s fabric seats. On 21 March 2011, these production batch buses began their debut on services 75, 531, 920 and RWS8 Staff.

For the later-delivered buses (SMB149R – SMB188C), additional grab poles were installed above the wheel arch and at the side of the front wheel arch seats for added passenger safety. These buses are also fitted with a third brake light at the rear.

SMRT Production Batch Citaros have licensed carrying capacity of 88 passengers, comprising 37 seating passengers and 51 standing passengers. The wheelchair bay accommodates a single wheelchair, and is equipped with a rear-facing foldable seat for two people when not occupied by a wheelchair user.

SMB148T: The Unofficial SBS Transit Citaro Prototype

SMB148T was registered in May 2011 (while 139 – 147 were registered in March 2011). The bus was delivered with a four-speed Voith DIWA 854.5, different from its ZF EcoLife 6AP 1200B cousins in Batch 1. After delivery, it was retained by Mercedes-Benz’s local dealer, Jardine Cycle & Carriage (C&C) for two months where it was fitted with a mock-up interior for SBS Transit for trial purposes. It was later re-assembled with SMRT interior configuration, registered and handed over to SMRT in May 2011, making its debut on Premium 531.

The interior fixtures are similar to its Batch 1 cousins, and its most distinguishing feature is the Mercedes-Benz badge at the front of the bus, which was not filled up in black.

Post-Delivery

For reasons unknown, SMB145B was refitted with hopper windows despite being delivered with full-pane windows.

As SMRT Buses’ New Livery was rolled out, SMB140P & SMB179D were the only units to receive the new pixel livery.

Refurbishment

In August 2021, several refurbished buses were deployed back on revenue service. They feature repainted interior panels as well as new floor covers.

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SBS Transit Mercedes-Benz Citaro [Overview]:

While SMB136C was still under trial by SMRT Buses, SBS Transit announced its purchase of 300 facelifted 1st-generation 12-metre Citaros (similar in appearance to SMRT’s Production Batch) to replace its retiring Volvo B10M Mk III buses. Back then, this was the largest order of Citaro buses for the Asian market. These initial production batch of 300 buses, hereby referred to as ‘Batch 1’, were procured at a cost of $110 million and registered between April 2011 to August 2012.

Following the first production batch order, SBS Transit announced a follow-up bulk order of 450 Mercedes-Benz Citaros as part of its fleet renewal programme, identical to Batch 1 units barring minor interior details. An eventual 474 buses were procured under this batch order, with the additional 24 buses likely via exercising of an option held by SBS Transit. Buses in Batch 2 were registered from January 2013 to April 2015.

In July 2014, a third bulk order of 250 Citaro buses was placed, with buses identical to Batch 2 units. Deliveries started in April 2015 and slated for completion by 2016; but midway through deliveries, the LTA bought out SBS Transit’s contract for any remaining Citaros yet to be delivered, and increased the order for 80 more buses as part of fleet expansion. A total of 330 buses were thus procured, with deliveries through to 2017.

SBS Transit’s Mercedes-Benz Citaro orders are made complicated by their parallel registration under two separate registration number sequences: one for SBS Transit-owned units, and another for LTA-owned units under the Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP) and later the Bus Contracting Model (BCM). A breakdown of orders is as such:

	Production Batch	Purchased under BSEP or BCM	Year / Total Units
Batch 1	SBS6000L – SBS6285G with gaps in registration numbers (258 units)	BSEP buses: SBS6300X – SBS6341C (42 units)	2011 – 2012 (300 units total)
Batch 2	SBS6600E – SBS6865H (269 units)	BSEP buses: SBS6342A – SBS6549X (229 units)	2013 – 2015 (474 units total)
Batch 3	SBS6866E – SBS6893B (28 units)	BSEP buses: SBS6546D – SBS6599B, SBS2000M – SBS2004C (55 units) BCM buses: SG1000G – SG1071B, SG1080A – SG1245S, SG1691L – SG1699R (247 units)	2015 – 2017 (330 units total)

BSEP-registered buses (326 units):

Back in 2012, when the Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP) was launched, some newly-delivered Mercedes-Benz Citaro buses were transferred over to Government ownership, as funded by the BSEP budget. These buses were registered using the SBS63xx registration numbers, from SBS6300X to SBS6599B in numerical order. The last 5 units were registered SBS2000M–SBS2004C as the SBS66xx registration numbers had already been used up by Batch 2 Citaros.

A total of 326 buses were registered between 2012 to 2015.

BCM-registered buses (247 units):

In 2015, the Bus Contracting Model (BCM) was launched. To support the gradual implementation, Citaro buses were procured by tapping into SBS Transit’s existing orders, and along with BSEP-registered Citaros, these government-owned buses would thereafter be leased out to successful tenders of the various route packages. In line with standardizing all future bus buses under the SG-registration prefix, buses were registered from SG1000G onwards in numerical order. Breaking with this sequence is a small batch of 9 buses registered SG1691L–SG1699R, which were initially repainted to SMRT colours.

A total of 247 buses were registered between 2016 to 2017.

Finally, it is worth noting that SBS Transit’s Citaros are of the facelifted first-generation model which was released in 2005, although Mercedes-Benz had launched the second-generation Citaro in 2011 (also called the Citaro C2). The older design was acquired in bulk likely as a cost-saving measure and to promote fleet standardization.

Many Citaro buses share similar technical specifications. Here’s a table at a glance:

	Production Batch 1	Production Batch 2	Production Batch 3
Quantity	300	474	330
Registration no.	SBS6000L – SBS6285G (with gaps in registration numbers) SBS6300X – SBS6341C	SBS6600E – SBS6865H SBS6342A – SBS6549X	SBS6866E – SBS6893B SBS6550R – SBS6599B SBS2000M – SBS2004C SG1000G – SG1071B SG1080A – SG1245S SG1691L – SG1699R
Registered	Apr 2011 – Dec 2012	Jan 2013 – Apr 2015	Apr 2015 – Dec 2017
—	Technical Specifications
Engine	Mercedes-Benz OM 906 hLA, turbocharged & inter-cooled, 6374cc Power/torque rating of 210 kW (286 hp) @ 2200 rpm / 1120 Nm @ 1200 – 1600 rpm
Emission Standard	Euro V compliant BlueTec Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) emissions control technology by Daimler AG, requiring diesel exhaust fluids such as AdBlue
Transmission	Voith DIWA 854.5 (4-speed)
Electronic Display Signage (EDS)	LAWO HIGHLED
Air conditioning	Konvekta P800
Capacity	Seating: 35  |  Standing: 55  |  Total: 90  (With 1 Wheelchair bay)
Additional Features	—	—	—

In addition, Citaro buses built to SBS Transit specification all feature:

• Bode doors
  • Entrance doors: Inwards swinging leaf doors
  • Rear exit doors: Outward swinging plug doors
• City Star Eco (CSE) seats
• Independent wheel suspension system

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SBS Transit Production Batch

SBS Transit Batch 1:

SBS Transit’s first batch of Citaros were registered between April 2011 and August 2012, intended to replace their retiring Volvo B10M MkIIIs. 300 facelifted first-generation​ Citaros were ordered a cost of $110 million, which was then the largest Asian order of Citaros to date. Technical specifications of the new batch are very similar to those in SMRT’s production batch, with the only differences being interior configuration and the high density LAWO HIGHLED electronic display signage.

A total of 300 buses fall under the Batch 1. 258 units, namely SBS6000L – SBS6285G (with unused registration numbers in between), were registered to SBS Transit. Midway through deliveries and registration, 42 units of this batch were reallocated to the then-newly-launched Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP), for deployment on new BSEP routes, as well as the service enhancement of existing routes. BSEP Buses were registered as SBS6300X – SBS6341C. All buses were registered between 26 April 2011 to 3 December 2012.

The large order of Citaros was made possible with LTA’s exempting public transit buses from the Additional Registration Fee (ARF), enabling SBS Transit to acquire the Citaros at a much cheaper price and in bulk. A handover ceremony was organised on 16 May 2011 at SBS Transit’s Ang Mo Kio Depot with the first two SBS-registered Citaros, SBS6000L and SBS6001J. SBS6000J entered revenue service on 1 June 2011 on Service 28 between Tampines and Toa Payoh.

Technical Specifications:

Additional Specifications:

On the outside, the most distinguishing feature is the LAWO Electronic Destination Signage (EDS) which appears more defined than SMRT’s Citaro EDSes. The LAWO HIGHLED used in SBS Transit Citaros are a much denser array of LEDs to display clearer text, and they are able to form images such as those used in Express and Fast-Forward routes. The swinging-plug exit door is same as those on SMRT’s production batch.

The seating configuration slightly differs from SMRT’s Production Batch of Citaros, with the exclusion of two seats and the foldable seat at the wheelchair bay, allowing for a larger standee area. The foldable seat is replaced with a simple backrest. Seats use PVC covers in SBS Transit’s colour scheme; yellow seats between the front and rear doors, and red seats for the rear half of the bus. A manual wheelchair ramp is fitted at the rear door as a standard specification.

The first few buses in this batch were equipped with a larger palm-type bus stopping bell pushes, but subsequent buses had reverted to the normal push-button-type bus stopping bell. The larger bus stopping bell could be easily triggered by leaning on it, causing frequent false indications to the driver, and these were eventually replaced with normal push-button-type bells.

From SBS6150L onwards, larger and more air-conditioning vents were installed to cope with the tropical climate.

Finally, the bus stopping sign has been integrated into the design, similar to SMB136C, but instead just shows the word “STOPPING”.

SBS Transit Batch 1 Citaros have licensed carrying capacity of 90 passengers, comprising 35 seating passengers and 55 standing passengers. The wheelchair bay accommodates a single wheelchair.

SBS6103Z is fitted with a next stop reporting system (with audio) and electronic screens as part of an LTA-initiated trial. The bus is not on revenue service. More on this bus at this news article.

SBS Transit Batch 2:

With the success of the first batch of Citaros, SBS Transit decided to follow-up with a second batch of Citaros as part of its fleet renewal programme. 450 Mercedes-Benz Citaros and another 550 Volvo B9TL Wrights were added at a cost of $433 million SGD. Of the 1,000 new buses, 260 were funded by the Government under the Bus Services Enhancement Programme (BSEP), while SBS Transit will fund the 740 buses under its growth and fleet replacement plans.

24 Additional Citaros were delivered as part of this batch on top of SBS Transit’s initial announced order.

A total of 474 buses fall under the Batch 2. 266 units were registered to SBS Transit namely SBS6600E – SBS6865H. 208 units were allocated to the Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP), registered as SBS6342A – SBS6549X, for deployment on new BSEP routes, as well as the service enhancement of existing routes. All buses were registered between 2013 and 2015.

Technical Specifications:

Additional Specifications:

Buses in this batch have minor additional features compared to the Batch 1, such as extra CCTVs and an extra grab pole at the front of the bus, beside the driver’s cab. They were registered from SBS6600E to SBS6865H.

SBS Transit Batch 2 Citaros have licensed carrying capacity of 90 passengers, comprising 35 seating passengers and 55 standing passengers. The wheelchair bay accommodates a single wheelchair.

SBS Transit Batch 3:

In July 2014, SBS Transit announced orders worth S$311 million for 250 Mercedes-Benz Citaro buses and 415 Volvo B9TL Wright buses, a total of which 296 will be funded by the Government under the Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP). These 250 Mercedes-Benz Citaros fall under the Batch 3, with deliveries starting in April 2015.

However, in December 2015, the LTA bought out SBS Transit’s contract for any remaining buses yet to be delivered, transferring these buses to the Bus Contracting Model (BCM).

The Batch 3 Mercedes-Benz Citaro were registered from 23 Apr 2015, using the registration numbers SBS6866E – SBS6893B for SBS Transit-owned buses, SBS6550R – SBS6599B, SBS2000M – SBS2004C for BSEP buses and SG1000G – SG1071B, SG1080A – SG1245S, SG1691L – SG1699R for BCM buses.

80 Additional buses were ordered by LTA on top of SBS Transit’s order of 250 buses.

Technical Specifications:

Additional Specifications:

They feature:

• Same flooring design for raised parts of the bus and the floor of the bus.
  (The first 23 batch 3 buses, batch 2 & 1 buses had a grey floor design on the raised part of the bus at the seating area after the exit door)
• Leg safety panel directly after exit door and standee area changed from frosted glass to black glass.
• Reduced height of exit door sensor

As announced in December 2015, LTA bought over 12 Citaros from SBS Transit to expand the BCM bus pool. These buses are SBS6882H to SBS6893B.

SBS Transit Batch 3 Citaros have licensed carrying capacity of 90 passengers, comprising 35 seating passengers and 55 standing passengers. The wheelchair bay accommodates a single wheelchair.

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SBS Transit BSEP Batch

For background information on the BSEP, read the Bus Service Enhancement Programme article.

Before the Bus Contracting Model (BCM) was launched, the LTA had directly funded the purchase of buses under the Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP) launched in 2012, where these resources were used to launch new bus routes and enhance existing ones. Whilst registrations for Batch 1, 2 and 3 Mercedes-Benz Citaro were ongoing, a portion of buses from each batch were diverted to the BSEP, where they were registered as SBS6300X – SBS6599B and SBS2000M – SBS2004C.

Technical specifications of the BSEP-registered Citaros are identical to the Production batches that they were taken out from.

• Initial batch: SBS6300X – SBS6341C
  = Similar to Batch 1 specs
• Second batch: SBS6342A – SBS6549X
  = Similar to Batch 2 specs
• Third batch: SBS6550R – SBS6599B, SBS2000M – SBS2004C
  = Similar to Batch 3 specs

Deliveries ended in early 2016 with the remainder of buses registered under the BCM instead. BSEP Mercedes-Benz Citaros were also the first buses to spearhead the transition to the BCM as these buses were owned by the Government.

Additional Specifications:

Under the BSEP, these buses are subject to strict deployment regulations, such as being barred from commercial advertising, and deployment only on BSEP bus routes or enhanced bus routes under the BSEP scheme. The LTA can track bus positioning, passenger loading statistics and other parameters in real time.

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Transition to Bus Contracting Model (BCM)

For a more detailed guide, please refer to this article.

As part of the BCM, LTA would purchase buses from both SBS Transit and SMRT Buses to lease them to the winning transport operators of the various route packages. The bus models for this scheme include SBS Transit’s Mercedes-Benz Citaros, SBS Transit’s Volvo B9TL Wrights, SMRT’s MAN A22s, SMRT’s Alexander Dennis Enviro500s as well as SMRT’s MAN A95s.

LTA has initiated the BCM initially using buses destined for SBS Transit but registered under the Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP). These buses, destined for service with SBS Transit fleet but owned by LTA, were rerouted to operators of the first few BCM packages such as Tower Transit, the initial operator of the Bulim Bus Package. As such, several new Citaro buses built to SBS Transit (Third Batch) specifications would be registered from SG1000G onwards.

To further expand the BCM bus pool, the LTA said on 29 December 2015 that it would take over SBS Transit’s bus purchasing contracts worth S$164 million for 346 new bus purchases, scheduled for delivery in 2016 and 2017. It will also directly buy 50 buses, worth about S$23 million, which were delivered to SBST between June and December in 2015.

Among the 346 buses to be procured under the contracts, 100 are single-deck Citaro buses, and among the 50 buses to be bought from SBS Transit, 12 are single-deck Citaro buses. These 12 buses from SBS Transit were SBS6882H – SBS6893B.

SBS Transit Specification Citaros for SMRT

On 11 Feb 2016, 9 Mercedes-Benz Citaro buses were registered as SG1691L – SG1699R for SMRT Buses. These buses were originally to be registered SG1011A – SG1019D for Tower Transit under the Bulim Bus Package. However, for various reasons, they were passed on to be operated by SMRT Buses for the short term, possibly to offset smaller quantities of MAN A22 buses ordered under the BSEP. With insufficient MAN A22 BSEP buses, new BSEP bus services such as Service 805 were introduced running on non-BSEP buses.

Main Article: New Mercedes-Benz O530 Citaro for SMRT Buses

Some of these buses in the SMRT Pixel Livery were later returned to LTA Bus Storage in June 2022. In September 2023, SG1695B was transferred to SBS Transit from SMRT Buses.

 

 

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SG1000G – 1000th Mercedes Benz Citaro Celebrations

To celebrate the delivery of the 1000th Citaro, SG1000G had a large “1000th Citaro Celebrations” text pasted across the windows, on both sides of the bus. First spotted in early March 2016, the bus was also programmed with a custom “1000th Citaro Bus In Singapore” Electronic Display Signage message used for Daimer’s opening of a regional center for Commercial Vehicles in South East Asia in Singapore.

When SG1001D was the first Citaro to be registered under the BCM, as compared to SG5000E being the first Volvo B9TL, we gather that SG1000G was likely reserved by the LTA for the 1000th Citaro delivered to Singapore.

The bus is currently operated by SBS Transit, sporting an early version of the Lush Green livery with a grey section at the front. The operator logo was added in early 2017.

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Cross Border Operations

In 2022, several SBS Transit Mercedes-Benz Citaro buses were registered with Malaysia for cross-border operations, replacing the previous fleet of Scania K230UB (Euro IV) buses.

These are:

• SG1020Z – SG1022T, SG1028C – SG1033L, SG1035G – SG1040R, SG1042K – SG1050L, SG1103T, SG1104R, SG1117D – SG1119Z, SG1121R – SG1123K, SG1128Y – SG1130P, SG1134D, SG1135B, SG1137X, SG1142E, SG1198U – SG1201T, SG1209Y – SG1224C

See also: New Bus Fleet for Cross-Border Public Buses – Land Transport Guru

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Mercedes-Benz O530 Citaro (SMRT Buses order)
Batch	Registration	Engine	Gearbox	Introduced	Retired	Notes
D	SMB136C	Mercedes-Benz OM906hLA	ZF 6HP592C	2009	–	Demonstrator Unit Gorba Imotion
P1	SMB139U – SMB147X		ZF EcoLife 6AP 1200B	2011	–	Production Batch / LAWO BENEFIT
	SMB148T		Voith DIWA D854.5
P2	SMB149R – SMB188C			2011	–
Mercedes-Benz O530 Citaro (SBS Transit order)
1	SBS6000L – SBS6285G	Mercedes-Benz OM906hLA	Voith DIWA D854.5	2011-2012	–	LAWO HIGHLED
2	SBS6600E –  SBS6865H			2013-2015	–	LAWO HIGHLED
3	SBS6866E – SBS6893B			2015	–	LAWO HIGHLED
B1	SBS6300X – SBS6341C			2012	–	BSEP Batch / LAWO HIGHLED
B2	SBS6342A –  SBS6549X			2013-2015	–
B3	SBS6550R – SBS6599B, SBS2000M – SBS2004C			2015	–
Mercedes-Benz O530 Citaro (Registered under Bus Contracting Model)
BCM	SG1000G – SG1071B, SG1080A – SG1245S, SG1691L – SG1699R	Mercedes-Benz OM906hLA	Voith DIWA D854.5	2015 – 2017	–	BCM Batch / LAWO HIGHLED

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Summary of SBS Transit Batch deliveries:

Batch 1

• Original order of 300 units
• Later split into Batch 1 (285 units) and BSEP Batch 1 (42 units)
• BSEP buses are funded by the BSEP scheme

Batch 2

• Original order of 450 units
• Later split into Batch 2 (263 units) and BSEP Batch 2 (187 units)
• BSEP buses are funded by the BSEP scheme
• Addtional 24 buses delivered (3 units to Batch 2, 21 units to BSEP Batch 2)

Batch 3

• Order of 250 units, to be split between Batch 3, BSEP Batch 3 and BCM batch
• Split into 31 Batch 3, 76 BSEP Batch 3 and 143 BCM Batch.
• BSEP buses are funded by the BSEP scheme and may be used also under BCM.
• BCM batch buses funded by the Government and leased to operators of BCM route packages.
• 80 more buses ordered by LTA for BCM Batch.

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Major Accidents & Incidents:

Registration	Service	Incident Date	Description	Location	Link
SBS6145C	TBC	26 Oct 2016	Hit by prime mover. Bus subsequently de-registered and scrapped.	Clementi Rd, outside Kent Ridge Bus Terminal	[1]
SBS6403H / SBS6329P	945	11 Jul 2021	SBS6403H was hit by SBS6329P and flipped on its side. A total of 17 people were injured. SBS6403H subsequently laid up and scrapped on 18 Aug 2023 (see: Tower Transit Bus Collision at Bukit Batok Bus Interchange)	Bukit Batok Bus Interchange	[1]
SBS6132P	27	22 Sep 2021	Collided with Skytrain viaduct pillar at Changi Airport. Driver & two passengers injured. Bus subsequently de-registered in Jun 2022 and scrapped.	T3 Basement Drive	[1]
SBS6093T	53	25 Dec 2021	Collided with tree. Bus subsequently de-registered & scrapped in Feb 2023.	TPE (slip road to KPE)	[1]
SG1226Y	Employee Bus	9 Oct 2022	Fatal accident with tree; no passengers onboard. Bus subsequently scrapped in Feb 2024.	Defu Avenue 1	[1]
SBS6406A	TBC	10 Apr 2023	Fatal accident with cyclist; bus impounded	Pasir Ris Drive 3 x Pasir Ris Central junction	[1]
SBS6042R	137	21 Nov 2024	Fatal accident – bus lost control and collided with a tree. Driver subsequently died in hospital & 5 passengers were sent to hospital.	Kaki Bukit Avenue 2 x Kaki Bukit Road 2 junction	[1]

 

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Gallery (Interior):

 

 

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Gallery:

40,000th Citaro sticker on SBS6818U

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See Also:

• BYD K9
• Go-Ahead Singapore trials BYD Electric Bus
• Volvo 7900 Hybrid
• Volvo Diesel Hybrid Buses procured by LTA

External Links & References:

• Mercedes-Benz Citaro for South-East Asia: SMRT to test the Citaro in Singapore for the local market – Daimler [Accessed 16/04/20]
• The Citaro city buses – Mercedes Benz [PDF] [Accessed 14/01/18]
• Mercedes-Benz Citaro G BlueTec Hybrid – Mercedes-Benz [Accessed 14/01/18]
• The future has arrived: World premiere of the Mercedes-Benz Citaro FuelCELL-Hybrid bus – Mercedes-Benz [Accessed 14/01/18]
• Bus charging ahead. Countdown for the Mercedes-Benz Citaro E-Cell – Mercedes-Benz [Accessed 14/01/18]
• Daimler opens new regional center for Commercial Vehicles in South East Asia – Mercedes-Benz [Accessed 14/01/18]

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