猛獅 NG363 MAN NG363

猛獅 NG363 MAN NG363

SMRT作為新加坡最早引進掛接巴士的營運商，二零一三年在首架平治O405G樣板巴士已屆十七年車齡時，從德國猛獅代理商ST Kinetics手上接過一架NG363(A24)掛接巴士樣板車作測試。測試猛獅NG363掛接巴士的故事，跟早年平治O405G巴士都是十分相似，都是先批量購入同廠十二米單層巴士，再引進掛接巴士作試驗。回頭再說這架猛獅NG363掛接巴士樣板車，同樣裝配了來自順豐，由猛獅廠方設計及授權的車身，與同廠的Lion's City Hybrid車身比較，裝配在NG363底盤上的車身欠缺了車頂的裝飾組件，至於空調系統採用了Spheros出品，以及Gorba電子路線牌。

樣板車獲得了SMB388S登記編號，載客量高達一百三十人，對比不同批次的O405G雖略嫌遜色，但NG363屬於低地台設計，中門備有上落斜板供有需要乘客上落外，車廂中間設有一個輪椅停泊位，完全徹合當局對無障礙運輸的要求。SMB388S於二零一三年四月十八日首航川行於SMRT其中一條需求極大，服務蔡厝港地區的190路線，而新車投入服務日跟平治O405G樣板車退役日期只差數日而矣。

經過一年左右試驗，SMB388S終於替猛獅爭取了新車訂單，合共三十九架配順豐車身的NG363新車於二零一五年三月開始陸續交付予SMRT，而樣板車亦同時正式成為SMRT車隊成員之一。量產型NG363規格上與樣板車相差無異，但整體載客量較樣板車多一人。另外量產版本新車全數採用日本電裝空調系統，至於電子路線牌亦使用了SMRT標準的Mobitec產品，而全數量產新車投入服務時已經披上SMART以銀色作主色的車身色彩，跟樣板車SMB388S的舊SMRT有色彩形成一個對比。另外，樣板車SMB388S的空調系統亦於稍後時間，換上標準的日本電裝組件，以進一步方便零件儲存及維修。隨著新捷運於二零一八年三月逐步接管實里達巴士項目中的路線及車隊，亦意味著部份NG363由SMRT轉由新捷運營運，令到後者再次營運掛接巴士。

就在SMRT落實訂購NG363掛接巴士同時，亦一同接收首架雙層巴士亞歷山大丹尼士Enviro500MMC，開始了使用雙層巴士的歲月，隨著政府合約模式下，巴士車隊全數歸陸路交通管理局所有，有關當局傾向購買雙層巴士，以提高車隊營運效率，在可見將來，掛接巴士該不會出現於購車訂單上，而這四十架猛獅NG363掛接巴士，亦將可能是新加坡這個島國上，最後一批掛接巴士。

SMRT was the first Singapore bus operator to introduce articulated bus and when the O405G prototype reached the end of it useful lifespan in 2013, a MAN NG363 articulated bus was sent to SMRT from the dealer ST Kinetics for evaluation. The story of MAN NG363 is more the same as the O405G with the background of the success of their rigid model NL323 and O405 in SMRT respectively. This MAN NG363 demonstrator was fitted with Lion's City G bodywork supplied and completed by Gemilang under the licensed from MAN, cabin was air-conditioned by Spheros unit and a Gorba electronic route display was installed. Compared to the Lion's City Hybrid bodywork fitted on NL323, bodywork on NG363 was missing the accessories parts at the roof.

This demonstrator was registered as SMB388S and can be accommodated 130 passengers with 54 seatings offered, less passengers can be carried than different batch of O405G. However, MAN NG363 was super low floor designed and wheelchair accessible with a parking bay provided within the compartment. SMB388S made it maiden trip on 18 Apr., 2013, just a few days after the retired of the first O405, serving trunk route 190 plying between Choa Chu Kong and New Bridge Road (later re-terminated at Kampong Bahru Terminal).

With the satisfactory performance of SMB388S during the one-year trial, MAN finally gained further purchasing order of 39 NG363 with Gemilang bodyworks from SMRT which were delivered since Mar., 2015. The production units shared the same mechanical specification with SMB388S but can accommodate 131 passengers with 51 seating offered. The air-conditioning unit of the production batch was came from Denso and standard Mobitec electronic route display was fitted. All NG363 production units were decorated with the “pixel” livery when new in contrast to the standard SMRT white and red livery applied on the prototype. For the ease of maintenance, the original air conditioning unit on SMB388S was also replaced with Denso unit. After the Seletar package awarded to SBS Transit, part of the NG363 were transferred from SMRT for the operation need and the former operating articulated bus again was resulted.

When the purchasing order of MAN NG363 was made in 2014, SMRT also received it first double deckers, the Alexander Dennis Enviro500MMC and starting the double deckers era afterwards. As all bus assets including buses were owned by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and they were focus on purchasing double deckers to enhance the operation efficiency, it can be expected that all these MAN NG363 would be the last articulated bus in Singapore.

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