丹尼士長矛 Dennis Lance

丹尼士長矛 Dennis Lance

丹尼士產品不常見於新加坡公共巴士中，一九九四年新加坡巴士購入十架丹尼士飛鏢後，SMRT前身八達巴士(TIBS)亦於一九九八年引進長矛，比對香港九巴同款巴士出現時間，相隔了五年光景，但總數目卻是九巴三倍之多，TIBS先後透過三個批次購入了七十二架長矛。

全數TIBS丹尼士長矛都是原裝空調巴士，首批丹尼士長矛跟香港的長矛最大分別是來源地。丹尼士於九十年代尾於馬來西亞跟當地UMW設置聯營公司，組裝長矛及飛鏢底盤，並配上都普車身，供應馬來西亞巿場。回頭再看看TIBS購入的長矛，首批五十架本是供應予馬來西亞Naelia巴士公司的新車，但這批已建成巴士最後因該巴士公司被清盤而未能付運，隨後改為轉售予TIBS。由於新馬兩地對公共巴士設備標準有所不同，這批長矛大部份都曾經修改上落車門的闊度，以配合新加坡當局要求。首批長矛車頭牌箱較之後的同型車輛細小，當中若干新車投入服務時仍用塑膠路線牌，餘下則配電子路線牌。

首架長矛新車並不是交付TIBS，而是其子公司Singapore Shuttle Bus(SSB)，車牌亦登記成CCS310U，這架長矛最終成為該公司二零零七年結束營運前，最後一架新車。餘下的長矛則陸續投入TIBS服務乘客，若干登記作私人巴士用途的，車牌登記不是以TIB開首，而是PA字頭。在首批長矛巴中，最後一架於建造完成付運到SMRT車廠之後，未有即時登記，一直到二零零三年始獲登記成私家巴士，車牌PA4076K。

二零零零年，TIBS再訂購二十架長矛，雖然同配都普車身，但底盤全數於英國製造完成，而都普車身亦有些微改良，車頭路線牌箱面積較大，並配以電子路線牌。這批長矛中最後五架本應使用TIBS為首的車牌，但最終則改為登記作私家巴士，唯一跟上一批私家巴士用途的UMW長矛不同是，曾出現TIBS字樣於車身上。除了這二十架長矛，TIBS翌年再購入兩台UMW-Dennis製造的長矛底盤，由位處馬來西亞新山的Support Trans裝配由澳洲Volgren提供的車身散件。值得一提是TIBS全數配用Volgren車身的巴士，均由Support Trans裝配，除了首台日野HS3KRK樣板車是一個例外，由Volgren裝嵌完成後才付運往新加坡。

當TIBS於二零零四年重組成SMRT之後，全數丹尼士長矛亦陸續安排換上SMRT標準車身色彩，而服役於SSB的CSS310U亦於二零零六年轉回TIBS，車牌亦按TIBS標準，重新登記成TIB1257C。當中部份配都普車身的長矛頭幅因不同程度損毀而曾作出替換，而原配塑膠路線牌的長矛亦被換上電子路線牌。截至二零一二年四月為止，SMRT仍然擁有六十八架長矛，當中配用Volgren車身的長矛被用作訓練巴士。由於維修成本高企，加上更多全新環保低地台巴士加入，距離長矛全面退役日子將不遠矣。

Dennis is not a common brand in Singapore public buses market with only 10 Dennis Drat served in Singapore Bus Service. After their introduction in 1994, next Dennis product entered this market is Lance ordered by TIBS in 1998, a full-sized single decker and already had 24 samples operated with KMB in Hong Kong since 1993. Form 1998 to 2000, total 72 Dennis Lance were acquired. All Dennis Lance of TIBS are original air-conditioned.

Dennis set up a plant in Malaysia associated with a local based corporation UMW in late 90s. The plant assembled the the chassis kits of Dart and Lance from UK and supplied for various local operators. The first batch of 50 TIBS Dennis Lance with Duple Metsec bodies introduced in 1998 were built at Malaysia, a major difference between the KMB sample. This batch of Lance were originally destined for Naelia in Malaysia, however, when the order was completed, Naelia declared bankrupt and the Lance was subsequently sold to TIBS. The width of the doorway need to modify for complying the regulation of Singapore and a narrower destination screen was fitted. Some of the Dennis Lance were using plastic plate while remaining a electronic route display was fitted.

Though Dennis Lance were ordered by TIBS, the first was entered service with it subsidiary Singapore Shuttle Bus(SSB) and registered as CCS310U. CCS310U is the last brand new bus acquired by SSB before it demise in 2007. The following 48 samples were then entered service since late 1998, several units were registered as private bus with PA-prefix registration. The last of the batch was delivered in 1999 but not yet registered as PA4076K until 2003.

A further 20 Dennis Lance were ordered in 2000 but this time all were built in UK. Duple Metsec bodywork was still chosen on the Lance but with a larger destination screen and all were fitted with electronic route display. Among these 20 Dennis Lance, 5 of them were registered as private bus. Unlike the UMW-Dennis Lance for private bus purpose, the brand name of TIBS was applied as they were purposed as public bus before registered. The last 2 Dennis Lance were joined in 2001 and manufactured in UMW-Dennis plant. This pair received their Volgren bodyworks in Support Trans plant located at Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Instead of the demonstrator of Hino HS3KRK was assembled by Volgren in Australia, all TIBS buses with Volgren bodyworks were assembled by Support Trans.

When TIBS merged into SMRT in 2004, the SMRT colour scheme was applied on all Dennis Lance and CSS310U was transferred to SMRT in 2006 with it new registration no. TIB1257C. Due to different level of damaged, the front panel of some Duple Metsec bodied Lance were replaced and all Lance with plastic route display were later changed to electronic route display. There were 68 Dennis Lance served in SMRT fleet with the Volgren samples as training bus in Apr., 2012. It is not surprised that all Dennis Lance would be phased out and replaced by brand new low emission super low floor bus very soon as the result of their high maintenance cost.

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