Go‑Ahead Singapore Cuts Five Bus Routes Amid COVID‑19 Staff Shortage
Listen up, folks! The bus folks over at Go‑Ahead Singapore are pulling the plug on five routes starting Wednesday, September 15. Why? A pesky shortage of drivers courtesy of the ongoing pandemic.
Which Stops Are Slipping?
- Express Service 12e – one of the high‑speed lines.
- Express Service 43e – another fast‑track route.
- Express Service 518 – short for the coast‑to‑coast packet.
- City‑Direct 661 – a quick hop across the city.
- City‑Direct 666 – the other speedy sibling.
Don’t worry about the main trunk lines 12 and 43; they’re still running as usual.
Why the Cut‑back?
Delivering news on Sunday’s Facebook post: the shortage is because “the impact of COVID‑19 on available manpower.” In plain English, more drivers are sick, quarantining, or otherwise out of action.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) stepped in as part of a roll‑out plan to brace for a new COVID wave. They approved the pause‑down for the lower‑traffic Express and City‑Direct buses, freeing up captains to crunch the bus‑code on the busier trunk and feeder services.
What to Do If You’re on Those Routes
Our friendly LTA advises:
- Take a different bus and ride the rails of the city with MRT.
- Keep an ear out – updates may keep coming as more crew return.
On Friday, four big operators – Go‑Ahead, SBS Transit, SMRT, and Tower Transit – warned commuters that average wait times could slip up to five minutes, with a few rare cases reaching 10 minutes.
The Straits Times is keeping tabs on whether the other operators will defer their routes as well.
Heads Up
Don’t panic; the bus-supply deficit is temporary, you’ll get back to normality soon. Until then, hop on, hop off, or simply enjoy the new rhythm of the city’s flow!
