City Shuttle Service

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A CSS Nissan Diesel bus on the last operating route 608, taken in November 2005.

Singapore Shuttle Bus Private Limited was a subsidiary of SMRT Corporation in Singapore that operated bus services under the name of City Shuttle Service (CSS) between 15 May 1975 and 28 April 2007.

1 History
2 Demise
3 References
4 See also

[edit] History

City Shuttle Service (CSS) was an initiative introduced in 15 May 1975 by the government, which intended to be part of a Park and Ride scheme aimed at reducing traffic congestion in the city. It was originally hoped the car owners would park at designated car parks and transfer to the bus services that begin from there to the Central Business District (CBD). 6 services began operation with sixty-odd 25-seater single door buses. This arrangement, however was not popular with car owners and the scheme was terminated, resulting in the company being allowed to operate regular services from housing estates to the CBD. As its purpose was to serve the working crowd, no services were operated on Sundays and Public Holidays.^[1]

The initial fleet was replaced with larger Hino, DAF SB220 and Nissan Diesel buses. The company was the first bus operator in Singapore to introduce senior concessionary fares, a scheme that eventually extended to the other operators. On 12 March 1987, Singapore Shuttle Bus was purchased by Trans-Island Bus Services (TIBS). When TIBS in turn was purchased by SMRT Corporation on 2001, the company came under the control of SMRT. At point of merger, the company was operating five routes and its depot based at Lorong 1 Geylang Bus Terminal.^[1]

[edit] Demise

In the new millennium saw the fall in ridership numbers, the main reason resulting in the withdrawal of services. The last route 608 lasted till 28 April 2007 plying between Bedok and Bukit Merah via Shenton Way, in which SMRT made the decision to withdraw the route. The parent company justified the action on the grounds of reduced ridership of up to 40% and lower fares which made it not viable to continue operations.^[2]

With the withdrawal of the route, Singapore Shuttle Bus was liquidated and its remaining buses being transferred to SMRT Buses for continued operations.