RushOwl ECP On-Demand Bus (R50) from Bedok MRT Station to East Coast Lagoon Food Village
The RushOwl ECP On-Demand Bus (R50) is a new bus service connecting Bedok MRT Station to East Coast Park landmarks and attractions, operating on Saturdays, Sundays, and Public Holidays from 7.00 am to 9.00pm. Compared to a regular shuttle bus service, the RushOwl ECP On-Demand Bus (R50) operates with pre-booking via the RushTrail app, available for download on iOS and Android mobile devices.
Here’s my experience on using the RushOwl ECP On-Demand Bus (R50) from Bedok MRT Station to East Coast Lagoon Food Village.
How to book RushOwl ECP On-Demand Bus (R50)
Booking for the RushOwl ECP On-Demand Bus (R50) is done via the RushTrail app, available for download on iOS and Android mobile devices.
Bundle Deal > Single Ticket
A Single Ticket for the RushOwl ECP On-Demand Bus (R50) costs S$2.00 per passenger, regardless of the distance, and the Bundle Deal on offer goes for S$2.00 for 2 rides.
With such a pricing, it’s a no-brainer to purchase a Bundle Deal, really. Bundle Deal tickets are open-dated and you can use it at any time and on any RushOwl ECP On-Demand Bus (R50) route.
Payment is made directly on the RushTrail app by credit card.
Booking the Journey
The interface is pretty self-explanatory. You can tap on either the map or the list of stops to choose your pick up and drop off points.
Next comes the departure time. As compared with the LTA On-Demand Public Bus (ODPB) trial, the RushOwl ECP On-Demand Bus (R50) isn’t exactly on-demand per-se, but a fixed departure window with the route assembled 5 minutes before the departure window starts. As such, pick the departure time earliest to you, but don’t expect the bus to arrive earlier than scheduled, or even on schedule. Bookings close 5 minutes before the departure window starts.
Once done, select payment type. Remember to go for the Bundle Deal of S$2.00 for 2 credits!
When booked with credits, the confirmation for my ride was instant.
The departure info was not shown yet as it was still more than 5 minutes to the departure window.
Bedok MRT Station Exit A Pick Up / Drop Off Point
The RushOwl ECP On-Demand Bus (R50) uses Bedok MRT Station Exit A Pick Up / Drop Off Point. It will be nearer to use the lift from the Bedok MRT Station underpass to Exit A to access the Pick Up / Drop Off Point.
The Bedok MRT Station Exit A Pick Up / Drop Off Point is shared with the taxi stand.
My estimated departure time is assigned about 5 minutes before the departure window begins, and the live location of the RushOwl ECP On-Demand Bus (R50) can be tracked on the RushTrail app.
RushOwl ECP On-Demand Bus (R50) 12-Seater Van
The RushOwl ECP On-Demand Bus (R50) operates with a single 12-seater van, more than sufficient to cover each 30-minute departure window.
On boarding, tell the driver your boarding code, or show your RushTrail app ride screen.
The interior of the RushOwl ECP On-Demand Bus (R50) 12-seater van.
Departing from Bedok MRT Station Exit A
The RushOwl ECP On-Demand Bus (R50) takes Bedok South Road and Bedok South Avenue 1 to get from Bedok MRT Station to East Coast Park.
East Coast Lagoon Food Village is the nearest stop from Bedok MRT Station, so it’s just a short ride here on East Coast Park Service Road to get to my destination.
Turning in to the car park for East Coast Lagoon Food Village.
East Coast Lagoon Food Village
The RushOwl ECP On-Demand Bus (R50) dropped me off at the East Coast Lagoon Food Village car park.
East Coast Lagoon Food Village is a hawker centre at East Coast Park, popular among cyclists. With the RushOwl ECP On-Demand Bus (R50), East Coast Lagoon Food Village is a convenient access point to East Coast Park from Bedok MRT Station.
After the drop-off, the RushTrail app changes to reflect the actual times of departure and arrival at each stop. The RushOwl ECP On-Demand Bus (R50) journey from Bedok MRT Station to East Coast Lagoon Food Village took 7 minutes.
Conclusion
Overall, I see a good potential for the RushOwl ECP On-Demand Bus (R50) to be quite popular once COVID-19 restrictions are further eased. While it’s not truly on-demand, but more like a ride-share, the departure frequency during operational hours is fair enough for a leisure bus route.
However, the RushOwl ECP On-Demand Bus (R50) currently operates in 3 distinct windows:
Morning: 8.00am – 11.00am
Afternoon: 12.00pm – 2.30pm
Evening: 6.00pm – 9.00pm
As such, there is a 3.5-hour gap from 2.30pm to 6.00pm with no bus service. This is quite an issue when considering that this is a Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays leisure bus service. This afternoon gap is exactly the time when people are starting to head to parks to spend some leisure time after lunch and before dinner.
With SBS Transit Bus Service 401 continuing to be suspended, there is still no bus service serving East Coast Park in the afternoon. The RushOwl ECP On-Demand Bus (R50) will probably see more passengers if it closes this peak gap.