The trial is meant to assess if the chargers at the depot can be efficiently used by private operators when they are not needed by the public buses.
The Land Transport Authority said the trial is meant to assess if the chargers at the depot can be efficiently used by private operators when they are not needed for public buses.As the chargers are inside the depot, the private bus drivers must undergo safety protocol training before they can enter the premises, where Tower Transit has a workshop to maintain its vehicles.
Instead, its fleet of five electric buses – a sixth is on the way – has to rely on third-party charging service operators, including high-speed chargers located on the fifth floor of a multi-storey industrial building in the Woodlands industrial area that were set up by Shell and Busways, an engineering firm.
Tong Tar Transport has one charger at its own compound in Soon Lee Road in the Pioneer district. The operator has three electric buses, with another 12 on the way. Besides considering the different maintenance requirements, the companies must also modify bus deployments around the charging needs, including where the chargers are located and how far the electric buses can travel before they need to be charged.
An electric bus can cost between $450,000 and $600,000, compared with a diesel alternative at around $270,000. PHOTO: TOWER TRANSIT