平治OC500LE Mercedes Benz OC500LE

平治OC500LE Mercedes Benz OC500LE

當TIBS於二零零四年五月正式改名為SMRT Buses，陸續替原先TIBS車隊換上全新的企業色彩，同一時間卻未有引進新車，直到四年後才出現首款以新公司名義訂購的新車，平治製作的OC500LE。OC500LE底盤跟其他歐洲巴士製造商底盤一樣，以「縮水」形式付運，整個底盤分開成五個部份，當中中間部份可按買家需要而組合成不同長度底盤，再交由車身製造商裝配車身。

平治OC500LE跟新加坡結緣，源於平治安排一架屬於澳洲珀斯Transperth配Volgren CR228L車身，以液態天然氣作燃料的OC500LE，於二零零四年五月四日至十一日，到訪新加坡供新捷運，SMRT及有關當局作測試。代理方面更於二零零四年五月八日，舉行公眾免費試乘活動，安排樣板巴士穿梭行走烏節路一帶。這輛樣板巴士在運回珀斯之前，除了新加坡之外，亦有安排到吉隆坡及布里斯班作推廣。不幸地，這部樣板巴士於二零一零年因發生火警而被焚燬。

至於平治在完成這次推廣及測試之後，未有馬上得到任何OC500LE訂單，直到二零零八年，SMRT為著擴展服務所需，加上車隊中部份早年引入的Scania L113CRL退役，分兩個批次購入共一百三十四架平治OC500LE巴士。於二零零八年四月三十日，SMRT Buses向外界展示首部OC500LE新車，同時是整批新車的樣板車，新車選配了由馬來西亞順豐車身提供的散件，再由位於泰國的Thonburi完成車身組裝，全數新車獲得授權使用平治設計的頭幅，這部樣板車更加貼上「Go Green with SMRT」車身廣告，以宣傳公司在環保方面所作出的努力。

終於在二零零八年六月十九日，這部樣板巴士獲得富有歷史意義的SMB1H車牌編號，除了是首架使用SMB為字首的車牌號碼外，亦代表著是SMRT首架引進的新車，以及首架可供輪椅上落的低地台巴士。SMB1H於同月二十九日正式投入服務，相隔三個多月後量產型新車亦陸續接受登記，服務新加坡大眾市民。量產新車與樣板車最大分別在於車頂空調機組件，以及樣板車車側及車尾路線牌較量產型新車為細。至於兩批量產新車，分別在於車廂內的配置，包括座椅顏色，扶手及冷氣出風口數量等。

不論樣板車還是量產版本，全數OC500LE配備有歐五排放標準平治OM457hLA引擎及ZF全自動波箱，亦令新加坡成為東南亞首個國家地區營運歐五排放巴士，而空調系統由德國Konvekta提供，但於稍後時間換成日本電裝產品，與稍後時間引進的猛獅A22看齊。至於電子牌箱則由LAWO BENEFIT提供，除了SMB91Y因意外而換上Mobitec 產品。

踏入二零一三年十一月中，SMRT採用以銀色為主的企業色彩，除了新購的巴士，部份現伇車隊包括平治OC500LE，亦有翻鬆這種車身色彩。到了二零一七年，SMRT更開始替部份OC500LE，翻鬆陸路交通管理局的標準綠色車身色彩。截至二零一九年六月上旬為止，SMRT車隊中的OC500LE，未有因政府合約模式而調到其他營運商手上，除了樣板車及SMB4A成為了訓練巴士外，其他成員仍然活躍於路面上服務乘客。

二零零九年初，平治原欲向新捷運提供一架同樣配上順豐車身的OC500LE樣板車，跟SMRT成員相比，車頭設計稍有不同，儘管這架樣板車已經披上新捷運標準色彩，但最終未有投入服務便被退回代理手中，隨後被轉售予一間私人巴士公司Chitson Transport作出租之用。

After SMRT acquired TIBS in May, 2004, TIBS was rebranded as SMRT Buses and it fleet was gradually repainted with the standard SMRT Buses livery, however, there were no new buses joined the fleet until we saw it took the delivery of Mercedes Benz OC500LE in 2008. The OC500LE chassis were divided into five parts and delivered in "buggy" mode as other European manufacturers did, the middle section can be lengthened according to the customer's need and completed bodywork at bodybuilders.

Mercedes Benz OC500LE was first seen in Singapore when a CNG demonstrator with Volgren CR228L bodywork in Trasnperth livery was delivered for evaluation by SMRT and SBS Transit as well as the authorities between 4 and 11 May, 2004. A free ride to the general public along Orchard Road was held on 8 May, 2004 and before it returned to Perth, it was also visited Kuala Lumpur and Brisbane for promotion. This demonstrator finally was destroyed by fire in 2010.

No immediate order for OC500LE was made after this evaluation tour and finally SMRT placed an order of 134 OC500LEs in two batches as a replacement of the aging Scania L113CRL and the expansion of it networks. The demonstrator of the batch was first shown to the public on 30 Apr., 2008. The bodywork kits of OC500LE including a CapaCity licenced front from Mercedes Benz was supplied by Gemilang of Malaysia and assembled by Thonburi Busbody Limited of Thailand. This demonstrator was decorated with a "Go Green with SMRT" allover advertisement to promote SMRT’s commitment to the environment.

The demonstrator was registered on 19 Jun., 2008 with registration SMB1H, reflected it identity as the first new bus acquired by SMRT and with SMB-prefix registration number as well as the first wheelchair accessible bus in the fleet. SMB1H entered service on 29 Jun. 2008 and followed by the production batch 3 months later. It was easy to distinguish the demonstrator from the production units with the roof-mouted air conditioning unit and smaller electronic display at the nearside and rear. In addition, there was difference in the interior design between the first batch and second batch of the production units such as colour schemes applied on the seat, number of handrails and the air conditioning vents.

The OC500LE was the first Euro 5 bus model in the Southeast Asia as all of them were powered by Euro 5 standard Mercedes Benz OM447hLA engine with ZF fully automatic gearbox. Moreover, OC500LE was air conditioned by Konvekta from Germany and later replaced by Denso product as fitted on the MAN A22 in the fleet. Electronic route display was provided by LAWO BENEFIT except SMB91Y replaced with a Mobitec display after involved in an accident.

A new colour scheme for SMRT, silver as the base colour, was introduced in mid. of Nov., 2013 and instead of new buses, some of the current fleet including the OC500LE also received the new corporate livery. SMRT started to repaint the OC500LE with the standard LTA Lush Green livery in 2017. As at early Jun., 2019, SMRT was still the only bus operator of the OC500LE under BCM, except SMB1H and SMB4A were used as training bus, the remaining members still actively serving commuters around Singapore.

Apart from SMRT, private operator Chitson Transport Service Co. also operated a Mercedes Benz OC500LE in Singapore. This sole OC500LE was a Gemilang bodied demonstrator for SBS Transit delivered in early 2009 with standard livery applied, however, the trial was rejected and backed to the dealer before it was eventually sold to Chiston Transport and registered as PA9588S.

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