Bird Rider Bus Fleet

## History

**Bird Rider**:(Previous name: **Abundant Bus Service [ABS]**)

In Apr 1984, Abundant Bus Service (ABS) was Founded as the 3rd public bus company in Singapore, In Oct 1984, Abundant Bus Service operator lodged applications with the Ministry of Communications to establish a 3rd bus operator and the registry of vehicles for Alexandra, Bukit Batok & Bukit Timah Depots. The applications were approved on 7th Apr 1986, with ABS to take over 24 services in Bukit Batok, Bukit Panjang & Choa Chu Kang from SBS.

In Apr 1985, ABS ordered a fleet of 96 buses which comprised 60 units of Hino HT238K, 24 units of Nissan Diesel U31SCN & 12 units of Leyland Atlantean.

In Jan 1990, ABS Introduced its 1st air-conditioner bus service 61 between Bukit Batok Interchange to Eunos Interchange comprised with 12 units of Scania N113CRB & 12 units of Leyland Olympian 3-Axles.

In 1994, ABS wanted to set a target to be fully air-conditioner buses by 2000, ABS were converted all its existing 156 non air-conditioner buses into air-conditioner by refurbishment.

In Feb 1996, as part of the government's plan to make the local bus system more competitive, When 25 of the north-west corridors towns of Bukit Batok, Bukit Panjang & Choa Chu Kang routes which handed over to Trans Island Bus Service (TIBS), In return, ABS were awarded to operate 26 routes in the western corridor towns of Jurong East & Boon Lay Routes whereas their original bus depot at Bukit Timah were relocated at Jurong.

In Apr 1997, ABS introduced 6 units of Scania N113ARB articulated buses with Soon Chow bodywork, these 6 buses started to trail on Feeder 242, 243W & 334 in May 1997. After successfully trail of Scania N113ARB, ABS were purchased another 4 more units of articulated buses in late 1997 which comprises 4 Renault PR118 buses with Ansair bodywork.

In Aug 1998, 44 of the existing Bukit Merah, Buona Vista, Clementi, Ghim Moh & Kent Ridge routes from SBS were handed to ABS, Their existing Leyland Atlanteans, Leyland Olympian 3-Axles & Volvo B10M MK2s from SBS were transferred over to ABS & continued operation until 2003 for Leyland Atlanteans, 2004 for Volvo B10M MK2s & 2007 for Leyland Olympian 3-Axles when Bird Rider purchased more millennium accessibility buses to replaced it.

In May 2000, Abundant Bus Service (ABS) was renamed to Bird Rider (BRD).

In Jun 2001, Service 66 between Jurong East Interchange to Bedok Interchange was the 1st Bird Rider Route to qualified Wheelchair-Accessible (♿) with first 15 units of Volvo B10BLEs. Following of the Month, Another 2 more Routes to qualified WAB, Namely Service 143 between Teban Gardens Terminal to Toa Payoh Interchange & Express 502 between Boon Lay Interchange to Sengkang Temporary Interchange with 20 units of Dennis Tridents.

In Jan 2002, fleet renewal programme was started with 317 additional units of Wheelchair-Accessible Buses (WAB)s which procure in the new millennium year, which comprises 20 units of Mercedes-Benz O405GNs, 162 units of Mercedes-Benz O405NHs, 30 units of Neoplan Centroliners, 25 units of Scania K94UDs & 80 units of Volvo Super Olympians on top of 60 units of Dennis Tridents & 105 units of Volvo B10BLEs which most them received Volgren bodywork from Australia.

In Dec 2002, Bird Rider had announced to operate 3 Citybuzz services with 3 units of Volvo Super Olympians with Volgren CR221LD bodywork. However due to insufficient amount of buses, the existing 6 units of Leyland Olympians with Alexander RH bodywork from ABS which were converted to open-top to operate these 3 services. All these open-top version of Leyland Olympians were phased out in 2006 & replaced by Soon Chow bodied Volvo B9TL.

In Feb 2003, Bird Rider had announced that all the existing buses must meet at least Euro I standard by 2008, all the older pre-euro buses such as Volvo B10M MK2s & Scania N113CRBs which phased out from 2004 onwards, Leyland Olympian 3-Axles which phased out from 2005 onwards, Leyland Lynxes & MAN SL242s which phased out from 2006 onwards as well as Toyota Coaster which phased out from 2007 onwards. Bird Rider bought 212 units of Euro III compliment buses which comprised with 100 units of Volvo Super Olympian & 100 units of Volvo B7RLE which fitted with ComfortDelGro Engineering bodywork as well as 12 units of Optare Solo midibus for short distance & landed area routes. Another 100 units of Scania L94UBs with Euro III compliment which fitted with Volgren CR228L bodywork were purchased a year later in 2004, 100 units of Volvo B9TLs with Euro 4 compliment which fitted with ComfortDelGro Engineering bodywork were purchased 2 years later in 2005 as well as 30 units of Scania K310UDs which fitted with Gemilang Coachwork bodywork were purchased 4 years later in 2007 which meaned to replaced all the remaining of pre-euro buses by 2008.

In Sep 2004, a new multi-storey bus depot was located at West Coast Road & took over the previously Bukit Batok Depot which handed over to SMRT.

In Jun 2006, Cross Border Service 160 & 170 were handed over to Bird Rider from SBS Transit. Most of the Volvo B10BLEs & Mercedes-Benz O405NHs from Jurong Depot were transferred over to West Coast Depot with the 3rd brake light installed at the rear part of buses.

In Apr 2008, another new multi-storey bus depot was located at Queensway & took over previously Alexander Depot which was demolished after the contract had been expired.

In Dec 2009, the new color scheme has orange, grey, black & teal which resemble of the bird mouth. The launch of the new livery is expected to be in full swing in 2010, the tenth anniversary of BRD’s merger with ABS.

In Jul 2015, a new depot was located at Bulim Drive to supplement overcrowding buses parking at Jurong Depot for Jurong East routes. 4 of the Bukit Batok routes, such as Services 61, 77, 106 & 173 were also transferred to Bulim Depot from West Coast Depot.

In Mar 2017, a 3-Door double decker bus called Alexander Dennis Enviro500 was trailed on Service 143 Between (Jurong East Int > Toa Payoh Int). After successfully trailed, LTA were procured 40 units Production Batch of Alexander Dennis Enviro500 (3-Door) buses in 2019. These Buses were received new generation of Enviro500 City bodywork. LTA exercised an option for an additional 38 units of 3-Door double-deck buses, for totalling of 78 units of 3-Door double-deck buses.

In Jan 2018, West Coast Bus Depot was relocated to Ulu Pandan Bus Depot in order to demolished for re-development of new Housing Development Board (HDB) at West Coast Parkview. Cross Border routes, such as Service 160 & 170 as well as Paradise Transport private buses were parked at Gali Batu Bus Park.

In Aug 2021, the subsidiary of Bird Rider called Ryder Transit, which took over Bird Rider for Bulim & Ulu Pandan Package.

## Facilities

### Bus Interchange

#### Current

* Boon Lay Bus Interchange
* Bukit Merah Bus Interchange
* Joo Koon Bus Interchange

#### Former

* Bukit Batok Bus Interchange
* Clementi Bus Interchange
* Jurong Bus Interchange
* Jurong East Bus Interchange

### Bus Terminal

#### Current

* Buona Vista Bus Terminal
* Ghim Moh Bus Terminal
* Kampong Bahru Bus Terminal
* Marina Centre Bus Terminal
* Queen Street Bus Terminal
* Tuas Link Bus Terminal

#### Former

* New Bridge Road Bus Terminal
* Taman Jurong Bus Terminal
* Teban Gardens Bus Terminal

### Bus Depot

#### Current

* Gali Batu Bus Park
* Jurong Bus Depot
* Paya Lebar Bus Park
* Queenstown Bus Depot

#### Former

* Alexander Bus Depot
* Bukit Batok Bus Depot
* Bukit Timah Bus Depot
* Bulim Bus Depot
* Ulu Pandan Bus Depot
* West Coast Bus Depot

#### Upcoming

* Pasir Panjang Bus Depot
* Tuas West Bus Depot