General Rules on Tags
The Tags/Keywords features allows you to quickly locate all the photos that are labelled under a particular bus route or service.
Bus routes and services can change often, and so certain tags/keywords rules are explained here to help you understand and
locate the correct bus route, service, or feature more quickly.
Click here to access all tags of bus routes/services or specific features.
a) Current Bus Operator Rule
In locations where there is a unified identity for public transport by the local authority, bus services would be labelled under that city regardless of the current bus operator.
Singapore Bus (BCM/GCM/SG Bus) services are a notable exception: Photos under all former operators are categorized together with the current operator for simplicity, subject to the continuity rule [refer to section c) below].
This is for historical reasons as this website was created back in 2004. Before the introduction of the Government/Bus Contracting Model (GCM/BCM) in 2016, public buses were operated with a level of autonomy similar to private operators.
For example: 'Go Ahead Singapore Service 2' includes photos of buses previously operated by SBS Transit.
b) Historical tag - Cancelled/Discontinued Bus Services/Routes
As new railway lines are built, governments decide to privatize or rationalize services, or there is change in operator or governments (especially overseas),
existing bus services and routes may be cancelled/discontinued and resources reallocated elsewhere. Bus routes or services where there is verifiable confirmation that it
has been cancelled will be labelled with a (Historical) suffix at the end of the tag/keyword.
Cancelled/discontinued bus routes will use the last bus operator's name where there is verifiable evidence that it has operated at least one revenue service run under its management.
For example: 'SMRT Buses Express 963R (Historical)' was transferred
to Tower Transit Singapore in 2021, but Tower Transit Singapore never operated Express 963R up to the point of its cancellation in 2022 due to COVID19.
Therefore SMRT Buses is deemed as the last bus operator of Express 963R.
This rule also applies to short-working bus services/routes, which are frequently amended/cancelled/created in response to peak demand.
c) Bus Services with renames/significant changes over time
Sometimes bus service numbers may be recycled even though it represents a significant deviation/amendment in routing over time.
Where there is
(i) continuity in operations of that bus service/route, and
(ii) at least one existing terminus/starting point is retained, and
(iii) the bus service/route number does not change
the bus service/route is deemed to have retained its history and will be categorized as such, and the current bus operator rule will apply in such instances.
Example 1: SBS Transit Express 506 has its routing changed many times over the years (from Bedok, then Changi Airport,
then Upper East Coast, and most recently to Serangoon), but has consistently retained its starting point from Jurong East. There is no break in service.
Example 2: Tower Transit Singapore Service 941 in its current form differs significantly from the original short routing via Bukit Batok Street 11 when it inherited the service from SMRT Buses.
However, as Bukit Batok is still its terminus and as it has always been operated continually, there is no break in service. Hence, this tag includes photos from the SMRT Buses era as well.
Example 3: SMRT Buses Cross Border 950 is not the same as Trans-Island Bus Service 950, as the latter was discontinued in 1996 and the former was created in 2004.
Where there is no change to its routing but the service/route number is renamed, the tag will indicate both the new and the old bus route/service number if the numbering difference is substantial. Photos will contain both the old and new numbering.
For example: 'Sydney Buses Express 190X (former L90)' is one of the limited-stop routes massively renamed in Sydney to achieve commonality in its bus route numbering system.
Where there is substantial change to its routing or/and nature of its operations when the service/route number is renamed, then it is deemed that the old service is discontinued and a new service is created to take its place. Two separate tags will exist to reflect this change.
For example: 'SMRT Buses Service BPS1 (Historical)' was a peak-directional service that serves Segar Road. 'SMRT Buses Service 976' is an all-day service that serves Senja Road.
While both services are designed to supplement the Bukit Panjang LRT and 976 is a direct successor to BPS1, they are regarded as two distinct bus services due to differences in routing and operational hours.
Explanation of specific Tags
(C) Chartered Bus
Public buses that are hired/booked exclusively by organizations for their members' transport between locations, e.g. tours and excursions.
In Singapore, public buses are not generally offered for charter to the public but may be used as a charter under very limited circumstances (e.g. driver's funerals, operator's family day).
(D) Corrupt/Damaged EDS
Buses spotted with Electronic Destination Signs that has visible "dead pixels" or displays where it is obvious that the data has not been uploaded correctly causing it to display in an incomplete or patchy manner.
Such issues have become increasingly prevalent with newer LED-based destination signs, but older dot-matrix displays can also have stuck "dead pixels" through wear and tear.
(D) Returning to Depot
Bus has completed its revenue service and is now returning back to its depot for washing and refuelling.
In Singapore and Hong Kong, the actual depot name that the bus is returning to will be displayed on the destination sign.
(E) Employee Bus
Employee buses are prevalent in Singapore and Hong Kong due to the high cost of private transport to transport bus drivers from their homes to their depot and vice-versa.
In recent times, Singapore bus operators also offer a "Ferry Service" between a popular set location and the bus depot during daytime, as newer bus depots no longer have revenue bus services that directly start or end there.
(F) Stadium Shuttle
Buses that are used for mass sporting events, such as football. In Singapore, this was once offered by SBS Transit under "Stadium Direct" but has since been discontinued.
Buses that display slogans of sports teams in their destination signage may also be categorized under this, as it is popular practice for stadium shuttle buses to do so.
(H) SBS Classic Destination Sign
Between 1990s and 2000s, SBS Transit (and its predecessor Singapore Bus Services) made plastic destination signs that would feature the bus terminuses on the sign itself.
A handful of these signs survived up into the mid-2010s, just before all non-wheelchair accessible buses were withdrawn from service. Such examples are classified under this tag.
(I) Corporate Identity
Where the name of the operator or its parent company is displayed on the destination sign.
(J) Driver Recruitment
In recent years (especially after COVID19), a chronic shortage of bus drivers have driven many bus operators to now openly advertise to recruit new bus drivers using the electronic destination sign when the bus is not in service.
(L) Training Bus/Driver Under Instruction
Indicates the bus driver is currently receiving training or is a learner driver. The instructor will usually be visible as well. Some operators will display an "L" sign using the electronic destination sign (even though they must also separately display the physical Learners plate).
(M) Bus Full
Indicates that the bus has been filled by passengers to the door (for Asian countries) or is up to the maximum legal loading point (in Western countries, where passengers by law cannot stand near the drivers cab area as it blocks the side mirrors) and is unable to pick up any more passengers.
It was once common practice for bus drivers to drive past bus stops when the bus is obviously full and this sign was designed to reduce complaints relating to such instances.
(M) Last Bus
Indicates that this is the last revenue passenger bus for that service on that day. Was once commonly used by SMRT Buses.
(M) Seasonal Messages
The bus is displaying messages for a certain festival, commemorative occasion, or short-term campaign messaging. In Singapore, this was popularized by SMRT Buses but since GCM/BCM has now been adopted by all bus operators as a customer service quality initiative.
(M) Set Down Only
Means the bus is currently only allowed to alight passengers only. Can occur in one of the two scenarios:
(i) Planned set downs buses are usually on long distance express routes or services where the bus is nearing the end of the route, and and the operator deems that there is no meaningful reason to pick up passengers for short-distance trips.
This concept may appear unusual in Singapore and Hong Kong, as bus operators are more than happy to collect the extra charges that come with express routes to allow you to ride even one stop.
(ii) Unplanned set downs may be ordered on drivers by bus operation centres if some form of disruption (e.g. traffic jam caused by severe motor accident) results in the bus to become excessively late and buses from the same service to bunch together.
Formerly known as "fan pai" (flipping the destination sign over) but is no longer used as a valid practice since GCM/BCM.
(O) Not in Service/Off Service
Bus is not in service and not picking up passengers as it has completed its journey, is deadheading, or the bus driver is going on his/her scheduled break.
(P) Public School Bus
Public buses used as school buses, where the bus only allows schoolchildren in uniform to board to the exclusion of the general public. Public bus services that offer school detours do not receive this tag as everyone is welcome to board.
(R) Rail Replacement Bus
In Singapore, this is popularly known as "MRT Breakdown Shuttle", "LRT Breakdown Shuttle", "Free Bridging Bus" deployed when massive disruption or/and delays on Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) railway lines occur.
In other countries, rail replacement buses can be used during weekends or quieter period where a portion or even the entire railway line may be shut down to allow for major repair or/and upgrading works to occur without interruption.
(S) Special
Bus reserved for special use, service, or occasion. Sometimes used in place of "Chartered" if the bus service may be used by the general public for a major event that day, but the bus operator has not managed to program the event into the destination sign.
(T) Road Test/Repairs
Bus is being driven by the depot's mechanic after repairs or maintenance to ensure that it is roadworthy for revenue service before it is released from the workshop and back into operations.
(W) Wrong/Error EDS
Where it is apparent the bus driver is displaying something on the destination sign that is different from what he/she is actually meaning to convey, or due to technical issues is displaying a contradictory or unusual message on the destination sign.
This could be displaying on its destination sign a route number completely different from its actual one, a route with the correct number but has a destination on it that is obviously nowhere near part of the route, or entering an extra digit or missing one digit in the code resulting in unusual messages on the destination sign.
(Y) Operator's Driver Substituted
The bus and service/route belongs to Operator A legally but is driven by bus drivers on loan from Operator B on short notice due to an unforeseen emergency.
(Z) EzLink Out of Order
SMRT Buses used to display this message when all the EZ-Link (contactless card) readers on the buses were found to be faulty. While the correct procedure technically is to pay cash (hence what is displayed on its sign),
bus drivers in practice are instructed to offer free rides to prevent disruption to schedules as forcing every passenger to fumble for cash tend to cause severe delays to services.
(Z) Spare/Standby Bus
Additional buses that are placed on standby ready to substitute any duty or service, where it is anticipated that bus operations on that day may face severe delays. Such buses are usually driven by senior drivers or depot managers.
