Ulu Pandan Bus Depot

Ulu Pandan Bus Depot is a bus depot in Ulu Pandan, just off Boon Lay Way and Business Park Drive. The depot is presently leased to and operated by SBS Transit as the successful tenderer of the Bukit Merah Bus Package under the Bus Contracting Model (BCM).

Not to be confused with Ulu Pandan MRT Depot.

General Information
Name Ulu Pandan Bus Depot
Address 1 Business Park Drive, Singapore 608506
Depot Information
BCM Route Package Bukit Merah Bus Package
Incumbent Operator SBS Transit
Years In Operation 2018–Present
Catchment Bukit Merah, HarbourFront, Kampong Bahru, Queen StreetShenton WayMarina Centre

Introduction

Ulu Pandan Bus Depot is the fourth bus depot (after Seletar Bus Depot) LTA had developed and funded. The depot is intended to accommodate additional buses that are being introduced over the years, as the overall bus capacity increases under the Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP) and Bus Contracting Model (BCM). The depot is bordered by Sungei Pandan, Sungei Ulu Pandan and Boon Lay Way, with Business Park Drive bisecting the depot complex.

Phase I (West of Business Park Drive) is an open-air bus park, which was completed in early 2017, while Phase II (East of Business Park Drive) is the main depot building, complete with offices and facilities for day-to-day bus operations. The depot was completed in 1st Quarter 2018, equipped with facilities for daily bus operations, bus repair/ maintenance, bus parking, offices, rest areas for bus drivers and canteen, being able to accommodate 470 buses. Phase I of the Bus Depot has 206 bus parking lots, while Phase II has 264.

Contract RD300 for the design and construction of Ulu Pandan Depot was awarded to Tiong Seng Contractors Pte Ltd for roughly S$70 million. The bus depot spans 8.3 ha and was designed to accommodate about 500 buses. Located close to residential developments of Faber Hills across Sungei Ulu Pandan, a noise barrier wall along its south perimeter was constructed.

Design Features

Ulu Pandan Bus Depot features a solar roof with more than 2,000 solar panels, which generate 702.78 kWp (kilowatt-peak) of electricity. The Depot was also awarded the Building and Construction Authority’s (BCA) Green Mark Platinum for Super Low Energy Building in 2020.

Bus Technical Specialist Certification Centre (BTSCC)

Part of SBS Transit’s bid for the Bukit Merah Bus Package was to set up a new, modern Technical Assessment and Certification Centre at the Ulu Pandan Depot for the Singapore Bus Academy (SGBA). SBS Transit helped to establish the BTSCC at a cost of $2.3 million, tapping on its experienced engineering and training staff to develop its curriculum and certification assessments.

The Bus Technical Specialist Certification Centre (BTSCC) was officially opened on 27 August 2018 as a training facility for SGBA. The BTSCC offers a conducive environment for technical training and certification, with specialised training facilities incorporating innovative technologies, such as augmented reality and tablet devices, to provide an interactive learning experience. The comprehensive training facility creates opportunities for bus technicians’ training to go beyond classroom-based programmes.

The centre is equipped with various bus subsystems for training purposes, such as engines, transmissions, doors and brake systems etc. Several bus chassis are located at BTSCC for training purposes, such as a Volvo B5LH (Euro 6), Volvo B9TL (Euro 5) and MAN A95 (Euro 6).

Ulu Pandan Bus Depot Carnival

On Saturday, 27 October 2018, SBS Transit held a carnival at Ulu Pandan Bus Depot. The Bus Depot was also officially opened by Mr Khaw Boon Wan, Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Minister for Transport.

Operational History:

Whilst the main building of Ulu Pandan Depot is still under construction, the completed bus park (across the road from the main depot) was handed over to SMRT Buses for the overnight parking of buses, similar to Bulim Bus Depot (SMRT Buses), Loyang Bus Depot (SBS Transit) and Seletar Bus Depot (SBS Transit). SMRT Buses continued using Bulim after SBS Transit moved it, and this arrangement ended on 26 September 2021.

Operator History
  • 22 Apr 2017 – 26 Sep 2021: SMRT Buses Ltd (Bus Park)
  • 29 Jul 2018 – Present: SBS Transit Ltd

Bus Contracting Model (BCM)

Under the BCM, Ulu Pandan Bus Depot is bundled together with several bus services as part of the Bukit Merah Bus Package. These routes operate mainly from Buona Vista, Bukit Merah, HarbourFront, Kampong Bahru, Queen Street, Shenton Way and Marina Centre Bus Interchanges and Terminals, with the Depot handling the operations of most buses operating on these routes, as part of SBS Transit’s winning alternative bid.

Dual Depot arrangement

As part of SBS Transit’s awarded alternate tender for the Bukit Merah Bus Package, several bus services are dual-depot controlled to reduce dead mileage. SBS has been using dual-depot schemes since 1979.

These bus services are:

  • Dual-control with Bedok North Bus Depot
    5, 16 & 93
  • Dual-control with Ang Mo Kio Bus Depot
    57, 131, 145
  • Dual-control with Soon Lee Bus Park
    198

In addition, several SBS Transit bus services from other Bus Packages also garage at Ulu Pandan Bus Depot. These bus services are 10, 33, 65, 80, 95, 132, 151 & 201.


Tower Transit Layover

Buses on Tower Transit Bus Service 78 perform layover at the bus depot from 6 December 2020 till 25 November 2023.

This was due to the lack of layover space available with the relocated of Jurong East Bus Interchange on 6 December 2020, where Service 78 was amended to start and terminate along Jurong Gateway Road.

With the opening of the Jurong Town Hall Bus Interchange on 26 November 2023, Service 78 was extended there and now has proper layover facilities. As such, the layover arrangements at Ulu Pandan Bus Depot was ceased.


Bus Models

SBS Transit currently houses the following models of buses in Ulu Pandan Bus Depot:

Single Deck Buses
Double Decker Buses

Depot Facilities Gallery

Gallery (October 2018)

Gallery: (December 2017 | Completed)

Gallery: (Apr 2017)

Gallery: (Feb 2017)


External Links & References:


See Also:

14 thoughts on “Ulu Pandan Bus Depot

  • 12 August 2023 at 9:35 AM
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    Depot will be demolished in 2028 and moved to Pasir Panjang.

    Reply
    • 20 November 2023 at 8:02 PM
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      BBDEP and UPDEP can be interchangable.

      Reply
    • 20 November 2023 at 8:10 PM
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      UPDEP can use this bus depot while BBDEP is converted into a sub-depot of UPDEP called BBBP (Bukit Batok Bus Park)

      Reply
    • 20 November 2023 at 8:53 PM
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      UPDEP can be used for Clementi Bus Package rather than abolishing it. Can retain 3/4 to Clementi Bus Package and 1/4 to non-Clementi Package Services

      Reply
  • 28 March 2021 at 1:47 AM
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    After SMRT move out,Buona Vista service like 32,48,74,74e,91,191 @ 200 can park here.
    Kent Ridge service like 33 & 95 maintain here while 201 back to Bbdep.

    Reply
  • 9 January 2021 at 10:49 AM
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    Might as well make 79 layover here too

    Reply
  • 12 July 2020 at 11:36 PM
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    I think in future better Clementi package take over Ulu Pandan Depot.Bukit Merah can just move further South for a new bus depot.

    Partial Buona Vista & Ghim Moh service like 32,48,74,74e,100 & 145 can just input into Bukit Merah bus package.In return Clementi take over svc 160/M & 170/A/X.

    Clementi Bus Package.
    7,33,91,92/M,95,96,99,111,147,156,160/M,166,170/A/X,175,191,197,200,201,282,285 & 285.

    Bukit Merah Bus Package.
    5,16,32,48,57,74,74e,93,100,120,121,122,123/M,131/M,145,195,198,272,273 & 400.

    Reply

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