Picture this: you’re seated right at the back of an impossibly crowded bus, and your stop is coming up next.
But the guy next to you is asleep, and your path to the exit door in the middle of the bus is obstructed by two rows of people tightly packed together like sardines, so much so that even the coronavirus might have trouble squeezing through.
And by the time you finally make it to the exit door, you’ve already missed your stop.
While such occurrences have not been as frequent in recent months due to the pandemic, relaxed restrictions means crowded buses could soon return.
Thankfully, the authorities have a solution to this problem.
3-Door Buses with 2 Staircases Will be Hitting the Road at the End of Jan 2021
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) will be introducing a new fleet of double-deck buses with three doors this year, in a bid to improve commuter flow.
A total of 100 of these buses will be introduced over the course of the year, with the first 50 from ST Engineering Land Systems (STELS) to hit the road in January.
The remaining 50, from Alexander Dennis (Singapore) Services (ADS), will be deployed from Q2.
Not only will these buses have a third door at the rear, but also a second staircase at the back as well.
This way, you don’t have to fight your way to the middle when it’s your turn to get off.
“With an additional staircase, commuters boarding the bus will be able to access the upper deck via the first staircase while alighting commuters are encouraged to make their way down via the second staircase,” LTA said in a media release.
These new buses will first operate the service 334, which plies a 9km route between Jurong East and Jurong West.
LTA said it will work with four public transport operators here – Go-Ahead, SBS Transit, SMRT, and Tower Transport – to determine the other routes for this buses.
Just like other new buses here, these vehicles will be equipped with:
- a ramp for wheelchair users
- a passenger information display system
- audio announcements for the visually impaired
- stroller restraint and wheelchair bays
- front doors with the centre pole removed, so parents with strollers can board easily
The buses cost a combined S$64 million, according to TODAY.
Successful Trials
Tower Transit previously operated these three-door buses for about seven months in 2017 as part of a trial.
SMRT also operated a three-door single deck bus on two services between June 2017 and January 2018 in a trial.
“Commuters who took these buses welcomed the additional door as it made boarding and alighting easier and faster,” said LTA.
The trial also showed an 8% reduction in alighting time for commuters, so not only will you alight quicker, your bus might arrive earlier too.
Featured Image: Facebook (LTA)
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