Volvo B9TL

One of the common bus model in Singapore this was first ordered in 2002. Now SBST TT and GAG are the current operators

Design:The Volvo B9TL chassis was designed based on the existing Volvo B7TL. A key difference from its B7TL and B10TL predecessors is its new 9.3-liter engine originally designed by Renault Trucks. The larger engine delivers more horsepower, an advantage over the Volvo B10TL which was notorious for its poor performance on steep ascents. Another major design change over the B10TL was the relocation of the water tank from the front of the bus (near the right front wheel) to the rear, next to engine components.The B9TL was initially offered only in a 12-meter 3-axle format. The 2-axle variant was introduced in 2006 to fully replace the B7TL, with various chassis lengths available (10.3m, 10.4m and 10.6m).The driveline comprises a Euro III-compliant Volvo D9A engine (rated at 300 or 340 horsepower), which was later replaced by the Euro V-compliant Volvo D9B engine, which relies on Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology, requiring diesel additive fluids such as AdBlue. Two versions were offered – the D9B260 rated at 260-horsepower for the 2-axle version, and a higher powered D9B310, rated at 310-horsepower, for the 3-axle version. Transmission options include a ZF 5/6-speed gearbox or a  Voith 4-speed gearbox. Wheel rims are typically supplied by Alcoa.
History As mentioned the chassis was bought by SBST Engineering counterpart Comfortdelgro Engineering in 2002. They started to build a bus.. A trial bodywork had previously been tested on a Volvo B10TL (SBS9889U), developed by SBS in cooperation with PSV International. In 2006 CDGE unveiled the first WAB and also the first purely made in Singapore CDGE bus. It started plying route 21 as it had a lot of benefits. The launch date was delayed from April to June to prepare bus stops for wheelchair boarding and alighting activities. Finally, on 27 June 2006, SBS Transit Service 21 became the first wheelchair-accessible bus service with 10 Volvo B9TL CDGEs in its fleet.SBST later ordered 50 more buses after putting some of the first B9TLs into revenue service and brought the total fleet size to 200. These buses come with the same Euro III-compliant Volvo D9A300 engine, but a four-speed Voith gearbox instead of the six-speed ZF. All units were registered just days before the government-set deadline for Euro-IV compliant diesel engines. Volvo B9TL CDGE units were registered from SBS7300P to SBS7499A. Govt. had subsidized the costs as CDGE built everything from scratch like from chassis to bodywork .

Safety features:

1. Interlocking system which means bus will not go beyond 5 kmh if doors are not closed or if wheelchair ramp is still deployed
2. Additional blinkers to be visible to motorists when bus exits bus bay

BS7321D had its ZF 6HP602 gearbox replaced with a ZF EcoLife 6AP 1410B gearbox for reasons unknown. The same make of gearbox is fitted to ZF Volvo B9TL Wrights .

Volvo B9TL CDGE transmission
ZF Ecomat 6HP 602	SBS7300P – SBS7341X, SBS7347E – SBS7402D, SBS7448Y – SBS7499A, excluding SBS7321D
Voith DIWA 864.3	SBS7342T – SBS7346H, SBS7403B – SBS7447A
ZF EcoLife 6AP 1410B	SBS7321D

However in 2010 AMDEP bus fire SBS 7440 T(AMDEP 25) was badly burnt and destroyed hence it deregistered marking the first deregistered Volvo B9TL

2011 saw an upgrade of plastic destos to LECIPs Signage which faced a outcry from public as the fonts were small.

Volvo B9TL for CDGE was completed in 2007 and 2008. 

SBST ordered another type of Volvo B9TL called Wright Eclipse Gemini 2. LTG and Sgwiki renamed into Batches. However we will label them by type of gearbox,

Gearbox	Quantity	Registration number
6 speed ZF Ecolife	150 415	BS7500D – SBS7686B SBS1Z – SBS23K SBS3449X – SBS3482Z, SBS3487K – SBS3523P SG5000E – ?
4 speed Voith DIWA 864.5	865	Low Entry, SBS7700T – SBS7729L Low Floor, SBS3000G – SBS3238M, SBS3269Z Purchased under BSEP, Low Floor, SBS3300R – SBS3329J SBS3240E – SBS3268B, SBS3270T – SBS3299L, SBS3600A – SBS3986L SBS3330D – SBS3448Z

Well which is better?

6 speed is better as the bus can have a quicker acceleration can climb hill swiftly and results in less dwelling time.

4 speed is slow in accleration as it picks up speed after 5 seconds or so

There has been a major change as the buses varies from registration numbers to numbers

The first 75xx and 76xx have seats facing each other in lower deck however after that there were two pairs of  seats with low level built,

Another feature is that after 2015 orders buses started to have straight staircases, priority seats having headrests 

BSEP buses have onboard equipments to track all kind of bus movements activities and passenger loading, GCM buses will have these too. 

There is no diff in exterior but there have been changes in interior,

They all have same aircon which is Carrier Sutrak same engine Volvo D9B310 EC06B engine

Some buses are exceptional. While other buses have SMC transit doors SBS 3921 Z has for some unknown reasons have a Ventura door sliding function. Some have Mobileye 500 for better driver guidance and enhanced road safety.Some have Volvo Bus I-Coaching equipment for driver guidance and enhanced road safety

These buses even have cooling fans and some have different EDS

SBS3189X, SBS3385X to SBS3448Z were equipped with Hanover EDS units, not LECIP units

Gemilang Coachworks also delivered a prototype. After failing LTA road tests it debuted on BBDEP 7 and has made cameo also.

SBST owns over 1600 buses but some are owned by the two new operators TT and Go Ahead. Will SMRT operate? Nobody knows.

But the 1000th Volvo B9TL is SBS 3971 D on BNDEP 168.

So this is the post about Volvo B9TL.

Thanks to LTG