平治O405 Mercedes Benz O405

平治O405 Mercedes Benz O405

平治一直在新加坡專營巴士市場佔有一個重要席位，從早年SBS成立之前所購買的LP1113，直到今天的Citaro，見證著這數十年來，新加坡交通發展的歷史轉變，而平治生產的O405更加得到兩間巴士公司的垂青，在這熱帶島國上曾經合共有過千架O405，穿梭往還接載新加坡居民及旅客。

一九九零年新加坡巴士進行車隊更新工作，一口氣向平治訂購七百架O405，以替換車隊中已屆退役之齡的巴士，包括富豪B57及同廠的OF1413。新加坡巴士亦憑藉此訂單，成為東南亞地區及國家中擁有最多O405 的車隊。新加坡巴士訂購的平治O405全屬第一型版本，底盤均由位於德國曼海姆的平治車廠製造成型，然後交付到新加坡，由新加坡巴士及順洲車身製造廠，裝配來自英國的亞歷山大及都普車身組件。在這七百個底盤中，其中二百個被安排裝上都普車身，並以非空調巴士形式示人；至於餘下五百個底盤，全屬空調巴士，當中都普替三百架O405提供車身，餘下二百架新車則裝配亞歷山大提供的PS型車身。當這五百架空調版平治O405投入服務後，迅即壯大新加坡巴士的空調巴士車隊，提高整體服務水平。

至於TIBS則較新加坡巴士遲四年才向平治引進O405，同時亦替新加坡帶來了第二型版本的O405，成為繼一九九零年購買DAF SB220之後，車隊中另一款歐洲巴士型號。自一九九四年開始的六年間，TIBS分批購買合共三百二十三架O405，儘管當時空調巴士已經廣受乘客歡迎，但當中七十三架新車仍然維持以非空調巴士示人。除了於一九九九年年底到二零零零年初，最後購入一批十五架的O405是由澳洲的Volgren提供車身外，其餘不論空調還是非空調版的O405，都跟首批DAF SB220一樣，裝配來自西班牙的Hispano Carrocera車身。 TIBS於二零零一年被SMRT收購後，最終於二零零四年更改名稱成SMRT Buses後，便陸陸續續替車隊換上全新的SMRT色彩，平治O405當然也沒有例外。

如前段所述，空調巴士服務在新加坡普遍被民眾所接受，加上可以收取較高的車費，所以不論新加坡巴士還是TIBS，都於大約二零零零年前後，替非空調版本的O405加裝空調系統。另外，新加坡巴士在替平治O405進行車廂翻新時，透過減少座位數目，以提高企位數目及整體載客量。

新捷運及SMRT的平治O405分別於二零一一年及一六年退出載客舞台，當中新捷運若干退役的O405被出售至泰國曼谷之後，經過改裝搖身一變成為以天然氣驅動的空調巴士。時至今日，平治憑藉全新的Citaro，延續O405在新加坡巴士市場的領導位置。

Mercedes Benz playing a significant role in Singapore public bus market since the introduction of LP1113 prior to the established of SBS and witness to the change in the transport system. Both SBS and TIBS acquired more than 1,000 O405 between 1990 and 2000 serving the commuters.

SBS purchased 700 Mercedes Benz O405 in 1990, the largest fleet of O405 in South-east Asia, as part of the fleet renewal to replace those aging single decker including Volvo B57 and Mercedes Benz OF1413. All O405 operated by SBS belonged to Mk I version and manufactured in the Mannheim plant in Germany and completed their bodyworks in Singapore either by SBS engineering division or Soon Chow. 300 of 700 samples were delivered as conventional bus with bodywork kits from Duple Metsec, while the remaining O405s were air-conditioned and half of them fitted with Duple Metsec bodyworks and the balanced were bodied by Walter Alexander with their PS-type bodywork. The service standard of SBS was upgraded after the commissioned of the O405 air-conditioned single decker.

When those SBS O405s already serving Singapore for four years, TIBS started to acquire Mercedes Benz O405 Mk II and these were the second European bus model in the fleet after the DAF SB220 new to TIBS in 1990. Total 323 O405 were introduced with 73 units were non air-conditioned, though air-conditioned bus already welcomed by the general public. Hispano Carrocera from Spain was the bodybuilder of O405 in TIBS with 15 samples entered service between the end of 1999 and early 2000 as an exception, they were completed bodyworks with kits from Australia builder Volgren. TIBS was taken over by SMRT in Dec., 2001 and finally re-branded as SMRT Buses in 2004 with a new corporate livery applied on the original TIBS fleet including Mercedes Benz O405.

As air-conditioned bus fare can charge at higher rate and commuters tends to enjoy a much comfortable journey, both operators converted their non air-conditioned O405 into air-conditioned circa 2000. In addition, the standees and carrying capacity of SBS O405 was increased as a result of reduction of seats after cabin refurbishment.

SBS Transit and SMRT withdrawn their O405 in 2011 and 2016 respectively and part of the SBS Transit retired fleet were sold to Bangkok, Thailand and converted into CNG-powered air-conditioned bus there. Mercedes Benz keeping it leading role in Singapore public bus market by the Citaro today.

[ SBS Transit Mercedes Benz O405 ] [ SMRT Mercedes Benz O405 ]

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SBS Transit Mercedes Benz O405

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