Cross-Border Public Bus Services 160, 170 and 170X have been deployed with new buses. These buses have been operating on cross-border operations since 1 May 2022.
Previously solely operated with Scania K230UB (Euro IV) buses, the new cross-border fleet for Services 160 / 170 / 170X include the Mercedes-Benz Citaro, MAN A22 (Euro V) and MAN A22 (Euro VI).
In January 2022, SBS Transit retired 97 single-deck Scania K230UB (Euro IV) buses early. These included the vast majority of its existing cross border fleet; comprising 73 out of 80 buses registered with the Malaysia Land Public Transport Agency (Agensi Pengangkutan Awam Darat (APAD)) for use on its cross border services 160, 170 and 170X.
As a result, operators such as SBS Transit did not have enough buses to operate these cross-border services upon the reopening of the border crossing. The existing registrations also had expired after a prolonged period of border closure due to the Malaysia Movement Control Order since 18 March 2020.
Buses from Singapore-based cross-border bus operators have to undergo maintenance and inspections at Puspakom in Malaysia to be certified fit for cross-border operations.
Some of the requirements from APAD include:
- Vehicle information sticker on both sides of the bus (adjacent to front axle)
- Speed limit sticker (80km/h on roads; 90 km/h on Highways)
- Installation of third brake lights
- Sticker with the complaint hotline (Hotline SPAD)
- Fare information on deployed cross-border bus service displayed inside the bus
First spotted in April 2022, several new buses from Ulu Pandan Bus Depot were equipped with identification markings for cross-border bus operations. These were the same bus models leased by SBS Transit to replace early-retired Scania K230UB (Euro IV) buses in January 2022. SBS Transit Mercedes-Benz Citaro buses were also spotted in Johor Bahru by Zaobao undergoing training duties on 1 April 2022.
The Singapore-Malaysia land border was fully reopened on 1 April 2022. However, public bus services did not resume immediately as Public Transport Operators worked to fully restore the cross-border bus services. Interim measures were put in place to help commuters travel between the two countries.
- The Vaccinated Travel Bus Services (VTBS) and a special Causeway Link Cross-Border Shuttle Service provided commuters with transport between the Singapore & Malaysia checkpoints.
- Service 170A was reinstated to replace Service 170’s local sectors between Queen Street and Woodlands Train Checkpoint. Return trips towards Queen Street were also renumbered 170A.
- Electronic Display Signs onboard Service 160 buses were updated to reflect “> Marsiling Park” as its destination (previously JB Sentral)
- Commuter notices on the front windscreen of buses deployed on Services 160 & 170A to inform that bus services do not head into Johor Bahru.
Bus 170A – SBS Transit Mercedes-Benz Citaro (SG1045C) 
Bus 170A – SBS Transit Mercedes-Benz Citaro (SG1037B) 
Bus 160 – SBS Transit Mercedes-Benz Citaro (SG1029A) 
Bus 160 – SBS Transit Mercedes-Benz Citaro (SG1210S) 
Bus 170A – SBS Transit Mercedes-Benz Citaro (SG1213J) 
Bus 170A – SBS Transit Mercedes-Benz Citaro (SG1213J)
Revised Operator Information Sticker (SMRT Buses)
In April 2022, existing cross-border registered MAN A22 (Euro V) buses from SMRT Buses had their operator information sticker updated with the new address for SMRT Buses Ltd at “60 Woodlands Industrial Park E4, Singapore 757705” (address of Woodlands Bus Depot) following the closure of the former SMRT Buses headquarters at Ang Mo Kio Bus Depot.
However, as per the ACRA business registry, SMRT Buses Ltd’s official registered business address is at 2 Tanjong Katong Road, #08-01, PLQ3, Singapore 437161.
References
- Malaysia-Singapore stage buses fully operational by May 1 – New Straits Times
- 我国公共巴士试跑 准备恢复跨境服务 – Zaobao
So guess 950 will continue with its usual fleet.
Definitely.. These buses still have 7 to 8 years of remaining lifespan
I refer to the english reference in this article, which talked about the Stage Bus Service.
The Stage Bus Service (SBS) is an operating model in Malaysia, which is similar to the Bus Contracting Model (BCM) in Singapore.
This is the reason why the Singapore BCM buses with the SG❤️BUS livery can run in Malaysia, as the Malaysia SBS buses with the (myBAS) livery will be running in Singapore.
I read from a news article that the number of Singapore BCM buses that will run to Malaysia will be the same as the number of Malaysia SBS buses that will run to Singapore.
The Malaysia SBS programme will replace all the Causeway Link cross border bus routes that run to Singapore.
Honestly, the Malaysia SBS programme is essentially a bus contracting model like the Singapore BCM programme, which are all government plan the bus services and collect the revenue, while the operators are paid a fee to operate the bus services.
The (myBAS) in Johor Bahru is essentially the Johor Bahru version of the SG❤️BUS in Singapore.
I really like how this is turning out. 😊
Wasted to use Euro6 A22,Body will get damaged compared to Citaro..Should just use 60 Citaros and 20 Euro5 A22
Ikr…but in the future all old buses retire, have to use new ones so must get use to it. The thing is the MAN A22 E6 might look better than Citaros but Mercedes Benz is more expensive than MAN A22. Tbh i think the best choice would be Euro 5 KUB although they too dont have much time left, about 5 years although they might go earlier
Causeway purpose buses age faster than those non causeway purpose buses by 13 per cent in average. This has been proven for decades.
Just standardise €5 A22 as preferred model for all cross border ops. This means swapping UPDEP Citaros for SEDEP A22s in the case of SBST. SMB can get back its original fleet for 950.
I think that will be quite confusing since theres two operators & smrt 950 still uses MAN A22 E5. Besides 160 & 170 need at least 80 buses SPAD/APAD registered. If thats the case, SBS MAN A22 E5 should get repainted to lush green while smrt ones stay in their livery to avoid confusion. But i honestly think either 160 & 170 uses Citaros, 950 MAN A22 E5 or 160 Citaros, 170 MAN A22 E6, 950 MAN A22 E5.
Curious as of why the Euro 5 KUBS werent use…i am guessing the MAN A22 E5 & E6 are being pulled over from other UPD bus services. If so what will those bus services use? Tbh there is at least 55 Citaros in UPD that can use, might need to draw in more from other depots. Or will LTA take out more MAN A22 E6 in their storage for sbs? Also prepare to see these new cross border buses become all worn out like the previous k230ubs. Btw those Remaining K230UBS E4 might as well give to other services, i know their probably refurbished but they are left with 2 years left. On other hand, there are currently some KUBS E5 on 160 & 170, might as well use them as part of the fleet. If cannot, give them to the services which lost their buses
Actually, the Mercedes Benz Citaro buses, although they are very atas, the ones with the SG-prefix license plates are already at least 5 years old.
Honestly, I have been looking forward to seeing the cross border bus services use the lush green livery buses in Johor Bahru, ever since the Bukit Merah bus package was officially contracted in 2018.
I really hope that the Malaysia people would take good care of our Mercedes Benz Citaro buses.