| City Shuttle Services (CSS) started operation in 1975 with 11 routes linking Park and Ride fringe carparks and the Central Business District (CBD), in conjunction with the setting-up of the Area Licensing Scheme (ALS). Due to unexpected low demand, CSS services were subsequently amended into 9 services linking housing estates and the CBD.
5 CSS services (602, 603, 605, 607, 608) operated by Singapore Shuttle Bus Pte Ltd (SSB) survived into the 21st century. However, demand for these services had fallen over the years due to demographic changes and unfortuantely they were progressively withdrawn. The withdrawal dates are as follow: Service 602 - 30 Dec 2001 Service 607 - 3 Aug 2003 Service 603 - 30 Nov 2003 Service 605 - 5 Sep 2004 The last surviving CSS service, service 608, remained operational for another 3 years. It was originally scheduled for withdrawal on 1 April 2007, but the withdrawal was postponed for 4 weeks due to appeals by residents. With service 608 making its last journey on 28 April 2007, it marks the end of CSS, and the closure of a chapter in the public transport history of Singapore. |
Service 608 plied between Bedok and Bukit Merah, passing by the historical Padang area en route. Prominent landmarks in the area include the former Supreme Court Building, ... 2007-04-14 11:28:00 |
... Vicotoria Concert Hall, ... 2007-04-21 12:08:00 |
... and Anderson Bridge. The building in the background was the site of the General Post Office, now occupied by The Fullerton Hotel. 2007-04-14 12:39:00 |
On 30 June 2007, 2 months after the bus in the foreground, the 34-year-old National Stadium walked into history after a grand farewell ceremony, the "Field Of Dreams", to make way for a new mega sports hub to be completed in 2010. 2007-04-28 15:51:00 |
Even though there are alternative SBS Transit services, the withdrawal of service 608 results in the loss of local links, such as between Marine Crescent... 2007-03-17 12:03:00 |
...and East Coast Road. 2007-03-17 13:03:00 |
Service 608 served Havelock Road (between Zion Road and Lower Delta Road), where there were no other bus services. With the withdrawal of service 608, affected residents have to walk to Ganges Avenue for bus services. 2007-03-03 15:50:00 |
The scene of CSS buses parked at Geylang Lorong 1 Depot is nostalgic, as these buses had been absorbed into the fleet of SMRT and deployed on mainstream services. 2007-04-22 14:57:00 |
A few days before the withdrawal of service 608, most of the metal bus stop plates had been removed and replaced with acrylic ones. Being temporary, they are placed on the lowest slot on the bus stop poles for easy removal. 2007-04-28 15:11:00 |
Almost 3 years after the withdrawal of service 605, the faded route details can still be seen at the disused bus stop at Armenian Street. 2007-04-07 11:26:00 |
On 28 Apr 2007, the last bus of service 608 from Bukit Merah Interchange, CSS180C, pulled at the boarding berth amidst great fanfare amongst the group of bus enthusiasts lining up aroud the area and equipped with cameras. 2007-04-28 19:38:00 |
CSS195K did the last trip from Bedok Interchange and returned to depot after CSS180C. With the last bus returning to Geylang Lorong 1, it officially marks the end of 32 years of CSS services. 2007-04-28 21:18:00 |
Former SSB staff put up a mini-exhibition on the notice board at the SSB Depot, dedicated to the company they worked for, some of whom had been with the company for its full 32 years of existance. 2007-04-28 21:37:00 |
This newspaper article highlights the constraints and difficulties faced by CSS services. when SSB announced the withdrawal of service 9, hot on the heels of the decision by Comfort Bus to discontinue all 3 of its CSS services. 2007-04-28 22:03:00 |
Of particular significance is this Chinese caligraphy work to commemorate the effort and sacrifices by the former SSB team of bus captains, and the hope of better days as the team will be disolved to join various SMRT mainstream routes. 2007-04-28 22:01:00 |
