An SBS Transit Volvo B10BLE CNG registered SBS2989K, formerly a public bus, has been converted for patient rehabilitation use and preserved at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH). The bus is currently residing at TTSH Integrated Care Hub.
This bus is one of two known Volvo B10BLE CNG buses to have been preserved, the other being SBS2988M, which resides at St. Andrew’s Autism Centre.
SBS2989K Preservation
In December 2019, it was announced that Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) would be getting a decommissioned single-deck SBS Transit bus, slated to be part of a mobility circuit located at the hospital’s future Integrated Care Hub. Online sources also hinted that SBS2989K would be the decommissioned bus slated for use at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
The preserved Volvo B10BLE bus was registered on 18 July 2002 as SBS2989K (Chassis Number YV3R4E3102A008496), and was one of twelve CNG buses brought in by SBS Transit. The bus was de-registered on 17 July 2019 after reaching its statutory lifespan of 17 years.
The “TTSH Rehab Bus” bears a white vinyl wrap, advertising its role as a gift from SBS Transit and ComfortDelGro to help patients re-integrate back into the community. The vinyl wraps also cover sections of the bus where the destination signs would have been placed.
As a deregistered vehicle used for static display, the registration plates use white letters on a brown background, with a metal seal affixed to each plate.
Donated for Rehabilitation use
The decommissioned bus was donated by SBS Transit to help patients rehabilitate as they integrate back into the community and resume regular routines such as boarding/alighting from public buses. References to SBS2989K’s TTSH preservation can also be found in SBS Transit’s 2o2o Sustainability Report.
A similar patient rehabilitation facility with public transport items is the Mobility Park @ Jurong Community Hospital, where mock-ups of a low-floor bus and train were commissioned and installed by SMRT in late 2015, as part of its corporate social responsibility initiatives.
Modifications
An air-conditioning unit is mounted on both the front and rear headwalls of the bus, with the condenser unit mounted in the engine bay. All revenue service equipment has been removed.
The TTSH Rehab Bus is also modified with a manually-operated wheelchair ramp and wheelchair backrest to aid with the patient rehabilitation process. Although Volvo B10BLE buses were low-entry, they were never fitted with wheelchair accessibility features during their operating lifespan.
To accommodate the wheelchair backrest and enlarge the existing standing area, a pair of seats were removed from the offside of the bus. A photo of the original standing area is in the gallery below.
In addition, a wheelchair bell was installed on the stanchion pole beside the wheelchair bay.
Holding Area
The bus was originally parked at TTSH’s loading bay beside Irrawaddy Road before its relocation to TTSH’s Integrated Care Hub in 2022, which is located approximately 300 m away. The mobility circuit at the Integrated Care Hub will also feature an old taxi (Hyundai Sonata) donated by ComfortDelGro.
The bus was subsequently covered with a tarp in June 2021.
Official Opening
The Integrated Care Hub officially opened on 2 October 2023. According to SBST, the retired bus is part of ICH’s Living Resource Studio, providing patients and caregivers a safe and controlled space for them to practise boarding and alighting from a bus.
Preserved Singapore buses
- Leyland Olympian (SBS7196Z) – Children’s playbus. Static display at Pat’s Schoolhouse (Jubilee Park)
- Nissan RX102K3 (STC 609) – LTA restoration; former Singapore Traction Company bus
- Leyland Olympian (SBS9168S) – Bought by a private collector and shipped to United Kingdom; local registration L888 SBS.
- Leyland Olympian (SBS6907X) – “The Red Bus” static display outside National Youth Council (Grange Road)
- Volvo B10BLE Bus (SBS2988M) – Used for special needs education at St. Andrew’s Autism Centre
- Volvo Olympian (SBS7227T) – Former student lounge at Temasek Junior College, scrapped in 2018
- Volvo B10TL (SBS9817C) – Used for special needs education at APSN Chaoyang School
- Volvo B10TL (SBS9844Z) – Bought by a private collector and shipped to Hong Kong
- Volvo B9TL (SBS7376X) – Preserved at ITE College West
Gallery:
External Links & References:
- Old cab gets new life in rehabilitation of TTSH patients – Tan Tock Seng Hospital [Accessed 15 May 2021]
- New rehab complex to be built next to TTSH; opens in 2022 – The Straits Times [Accessed 15 May 2021]