On 28 January 2021, the latest 3-Door MAN A95 (Euro 6) bus was launched on Go-Ahead Bus Service 83, with SG6283Z entering service in the afternoon.
As of 28 January 2021, all four Public Transport Operators (SBS Transit, SMRT Buses, Tower Transit, and Go-Ahead) have received these buses.
According to mainstream media sites, Tower Transit was expected to deploy these buses on Bus Service 334 by the end of January 2021, without reference to other operators. The LTA made no mention of which bus route was slated for the bus’ deployment, but did state that the 3-door MAN buses would be deployed by the end of January 2021.
Background
In April 2019, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) procured 50 units of the MAN A95 (Euro 6) double-deck bus, configured with three doors and two staircases for smoother boarding and alighting.
These 50 buses were procured under Contract PT342 for ~S$30 million. In total, 100 three-door diesel buses were procured, with Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) fulfilling the other half of orders with its Alexander Dennis Enviro500 (3 Door) buses. The ADL buses are expected to commence revenue service from the 2nd Quarter of 2021.
Differences between the ADL and MAN 3-door buses are discussed here.
Due to design constraints arising from modifying the existing MAN A95 bus chassis as a three-door bus, the passenger cabin is not fully-low-floor. Alighting from the rear door requires passengers to descend from two steps.
In addition, the passenger aisle near the third door is raised by one step, and the additional headroom required on the lower deck protruded into the upper deck, necessitating a unique upper deck rear seating layout with side- and rear-facing seats.
On the other hand, the Alexander Dennis Enviro500 (3 Door) buses are better designed, featuring a full-low-floor layout without steps at the third door.
As with all new buses, the 3-Door MAN A95 buses are equipped with:
- Passenger Information Display Systems with audio announcements
- Driver collision warning system and anti-fatigue system
- Two wheelchair bays and stroller restraint
- Centre pole removed at the front door to facilitate stroller boarding
- Automatic passenger counters at all entrance and exit doors
According to information first released by Zaobao (later corroborated with other news sites), these buses would be rolled out on Bus Service 334 by the end of January 2021. Information regarding Bus Service 334 was not included in LTA’s press release.
References
- LTA | News Room | News Releases | LTA to Deploy Three-Door Double-Deck Buses from 2021 [Accessed 11 Jan 2021]
- Land Transport Authority – We Keep Your World Moving – Posts (facebook.com) [Accessed 11 Jan 2021]
- 三门双层巴士本月底起陆续开始在公路上载客 – Zaobao [Accessed 11 Jan 2021]
- Three-door double-decker buses to hit the road from this month, Singapore News & Top Stories – The Straits Times [Accessed 12 Jan 2021]
See also
- MAN A95 (ND323F) | Land Transport Guru
- The making of a bus – MAN Lion’s City DD | Land Transport Guru
- 3-Door Buses compared: ADL Enviro500 and MAN A95 | Land Transport Guru
The post 3-Door MAN A95 buses launched on Bus Service 83 first appeared on Land Transport Guru.