SBS Transit Transforms a Decommissioned Bus into a First-of-a-Kind Classroom-in-a-Bus for ITE's Bus Engineering Lab
Most buses ferry students to school, but this newly-refurbished SBS Transit bus brings the classroom to the students! Instead of being sent to the scrapyard following the end of its statutory lifespan of 17 years, this first-of-a-kind double deck bus has found a new forever home in the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) College West's first Bus Engineering Lab.
The upper deck of the bus has been transformed into a sleek and modern training classroom equipped with working tables, TV screens and power-points, providing a conducive learning environment for up to 20 students. On the lower deck, specific sections of the bus have been cut open and fitted with acrylic panels for students to gain insights into the various bus components, such as the electrical control panel, chassis frame, fuel tank and propeller shaft, for training purposes.
The Bus Engineering Lab is a training centre equipped with a double deck bus where students learn essential bus engineering skills and knowledge. SBS Transit has also supplied three sets of training equipment for the Bus Engineering Lab - a half-height electrical door system, an air-conditioning system and Electronic Destination Signage - giving the students hands-on experience in diagnostics, repair and maintenance of the actual bus systems, fostering a deeper understanding of how these systems operate. The Bus Engineering Lab is part of the Memorandum of Understanding signed last year between SBS Transit and ITE to enhance the competency of ITE students and staff in land transport engineering.
As part of SBS Transit’s sustainability efforts, we are giving a second life to our decommissioned buses, as well as training the next generation of engineering professionals with the necessary expertise to meet the evolving demands of the land transport sector.
Executive Secretary of the National Transport Workers' Union (NTWU), Mr Melvin Yong, officiated the handing over of the refurbished bus and the training equipment to ITE College West today.
Muhd Dzikry Bin Jumahat, 23, who is currently enrolled under the 2023 intake of ITE’s work-study land transport engineering diploma programme in collaboration with SBS Transit, said: “I’m looking forward to the new training centre so that I can have hands-on practice on real bus systems. I think it’s a great idea to turn the bus into a classroom instead of scrapping it - it saves the environment and I also have a unique space to study in!”
Mr Jeffrey Sim, Group Chief Executive Officer of SBS Transit, said: “We are excited by our partnership with ITE in equipping future technicians with hands-on experience for the public transport industry. This collaboration not only emphasises our commitment to sustainability, giving new life to decommissioned buses and creating an immersive learning experience for the students but also complements our commitment to grow a pipeline of well-trained technicians, building a future-ready workforce capable of meeting the challenges of tomorrow.”