Riding into history: Singapore’s last bendy buses on the road

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SINGAPORE: For Mr Wafi Ammar Ahsanul Kalam and his girlfriend, bendy buses played an unexpected but pivotal role in their love story.

When the couple were teenagers in secondary school, their daily commute was also their time together.

“We lived very near to each other, so every day, we would go to school and go back from school in a bendy bus. That was our time to have a date,” the 25-year-old bus enthusiast said.

They have been dating for close to a decade now.

Now working in the IT sector, Mr Wafi collects model buses. While his girlfriend usually has little interest in his collection, she makes an exception for bendy buses.

“She remembers those buses, which is quite interesting from the perspective of a normal commuter, because usually people will think a bus is just a vehicle to get from point A to point B.” 

To him, bendy buses have a special charm – one that may soon disappear from Singapore’s roads.

ONLY A SMALL FLEET REMAINING

Formally known as articulated buses, bendy buses were introduced in Singapore in 1996. The buses have two carriages connected by a flexible, accordion-like mid-section that allows them to manoeuvre sharp turns despite their length. 

At their peak in 2014, more than 250 bendy buses were in operation. According to the Land Transport Authority (LTA), these buses were primarily stationed at depots in Woodlands, Ang Mo Kio and Kranji, making them a common sight in northern Singapore.

Today, however, only 40 remain out of 5,800 public buses in Singapore.

So rare are these buses that public transport operator SMRT has mostly stopped training drivers to operate them.

Mr Mahendran Kanapathy, 61, has been driving bendy buses for over a decade. He told CNA that many bus drivers still ask about training opportunities.

But there is already a “big pool” of drivers and a limited number of buses for them to drive, Mr Mahendran said.

SMRT, which operates 23 of the remaining bendy buses in Woodlands and Chua Chu Kang, requires its drivers to undergo a five-day training programme to learn how to navigate turns and execute parking manoeuvres.

Patience, Mr Mahendran said, is key for a bendy bus driver. The buses need more space when turning and drivers need to make the right judgment calls, he said.

“You need some time to turn, filter out from the bus stop. Reversing also, you need to be patient.”

NOSTALGIA FOR FAMILIES AND ENTHUSIASTS

Land Transport Guru, a privately run website dedicated to Singapore’s public transport, states that among the remaining 40 bendy buses, one entered service in 2013 and the rest began operating in 2015.

Assuming they reach the end of their statutory lifespan, the buses will be decommissioned in about seven years.

While they are still in operation, some parents are taking their children to Woodlands to introduce them to bendy buses before they disappear.

These buses currently serve eight routes, mostly in Singapore’s northern and western regions, though bus service 858 takes commuters from Woodlands in the north to Changi Airport in the east.

Some families even travel from Toa Payoh or Tampines to Woodlands just to board a bendy bus, Mr Mahendran said.

“When they reach the interchange (at Woodlands), they want their children to take a photo with the bus.”

For another enthusiast, Muhammad Naz Farihin, bendy buses are a big part of his childhood memories.

“Anything related to my childhood, there will always be a bendy bus right there,” he said. “It’s not Woodlands without a bendy bus.”

Now a bus driver himself, Mr Naz fondly remembers taking bendy buses with his parents as a young boy. He recalls they often took bus 911, where he admired the blue interiors and the unique details on the fabric seats.

“It got me so excited that (I think I started becoming) a bus enthusiast from as young as five years old,” he said. “I would drag my dad to go around Singapore to catch the different types of bus models.”

DOUBLE-DECKERS MORE COST-EFFECTIVE

Beyond nostalgia, bendy buses offer practical advantages, enthusiasts said.

Unlike double-deckers, which require climbing stairs, bendy buses provide more seating on a single level – an advantage for elderly passengers or those who prefer a quick ride without the hassle of moving between decks.

Mr Wafi believes bendy buses are better suited for feeder routes, which are much shorter, than double-deckers.

Mr Mahendran likes that passengers can board and alight more efficiently due to the bendy bus’ three doors. 

“When we reach the bus stop, we open the door, everybody goes out,” he said, adding that it takes time for commuters on double-deckers to come down from the upper deck.

Of course, double-deck buses have their own advantages.

“For long journeys, (passengers) like to sit on top – better view, more privacy because nobody is standing (next to them),” Mr Mahendran said.

According to LTA, bendy buses and double-deckers can accommodate a similar number of passengers. However, bendy buses require more space on the roads and at bus stops, making them less suited to Singapore’s dense urban landscape, it said.

Double-deck buses are also more cost-effective because they have fewer mechanical complexities and are easier to maintain, LTA added.

THE BEST SEATS IN THE HOUSE

For casual commuters on bendy buses, the best seats are often near the doors for quick exits.

But for enthusiasts like Mr Naz and Mr Wafi, the true thrill lies at the back of the bus, where they can hear the hum of the engine and gearbox.

Children, meanwhile, gravitate towards the connecting joint between the two sections. “When you’re young, the centre part will be the most fun,” said Mr Wafi. “It’s bouncy and you want a bit of fun after school.” 

Mr Naz likened the ride at the back of a bendy bus to an amusement park attraction – “like a rollercoaster”. Those seats are located above the bus’ last set of wheels and passengers typically get a bumpier ride, he said.

“No doubt, the rear of a bendy bus is always the best.”

While bus enthusiasts and drivers will miss bendy buses when they are eventually retired, they are making the most of their remaining years. “What to do?” Mr Mahendran said. “We have to adapt.”