RushOwl Sungei Kadut Eco Bus (R70) from Hay Dairies Goat Farm to Stickies Bar @ Sungei Kadut
The RushOwl Sungei Kadut Eco Bus (R70) is a new bus service serving the Sungei Kadut Industrial Estate and the Kranji Countryside, operating daily. Compared to a regular shuttle bus service, the RushOwl Sungei Kadut Eco Bus (R70) 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 Sungei Kadut Eco Bus (R70) from Hay Dairies Goat Farm to Stickies Bar @ Sungei Kadut. This on-demand journey finally connects the Kranji Countryside on both ends, allowing public transport connections between SMRT Bus Service 925 and SMRT Bus Service 975. which currently serves both ends of the Kranji Countryside but without connections within.
How to book RushOwl Sungei Kadut Eco Bus (R70)
Booking for the RushOwl Sungei Kadut Eco Bus (R70) 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 Sungei Kadut Eco Bus (R70) costs S$2.00 per passenger, regardless of the distance, and the Bundle Deal on offer goes for S$15.00 for 10 rides, or S$20.00 for 20 rides. Bundle Deal tickets are open-dated and you can use it at any time and on any RushOwl Sungei Kadut Eco Bus (R70) route.
If you are travelling in a group (within Safe Management Measures please), or will use the RushOwl Sungei Kadut Eco Bus (R70) often, you should consider picking up a Bundle Deal.
Payment is made directly on the RushTrail app by credit card.
Booking the Journey
I’ve explained the booking part in my previous journey from Yew Tee MRT Station to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve Visitor Centre. The booking flow is quite self-explanatory. Just follow the steps as indicated on the RushTrail app.
Hay Dairies Goat Farm Pick Up / Drop Off Point
The RushOwl Sungei Kadut Eco Bus (R70) picks up and drops off right in front of Hay Dairies Goat Farm itself, inside the premises.
However, do expect to pick up and drop off from Hay Dairies here at the junction of Lim Chu Kang Road in case of traffic jams on weekends and public holidays.
Booking Experience
Compared with my previous 2 rides here and here, this journey’s booking experience was rather seamless. My ride was shared with another journey from Gardenasia to Yew Tee MRT Station.
My RushOwl Sungei Kadut Eco Bus (R70) arrived 2 minutes before the scheduled departure window and time.
The RushOwl Sungei Kadut Eco Bus (R70) cuts through the Kranji Countryside from Lim Chu Kang Road to Neo Tiew Road via Lim Chu Kang Lane 3.
Making a brief stop at Gardenasia to pick up another set of passengers.
Crossing the Kranji Dam with a view of Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
Heading down to Stickies Bar @ Sungei Kadut and Yew Tee MRT Station on Sungei Kadut Drive and Sungei Kadut Street 1.
Stickies Bar @ Sungei Kadut
With a slightly wonky GPS and a lack of a proper stopping area since this is an industrial area, the RushOwl Sungei Kadut Eco Bus (R70) dropped me off along Sungei Kadut Street 2 for Stickies Bar @ Sungei Kadut.
Stickies Bar @ Sungei Kadut is located at 18 Sungei Kadut Street 2, #01-06, Singapore 729236, but the outlet is facing Sungei Kadut Central.
Conclusion
Despite having just launched on 11 September 2021, there are already passengers using the RushOwl Sungei Kadut Eco Bus (R70) on a weekday afternoon, as seen from the original routing that was issued to me. I see a good potential for the RushOwl Sungei Kadut Eco Bus (R70) 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 of 20 minutes during operational hours is quite good for a leisure bus route.
However, the RushOwl Sungei Kadut Eco Bus (R70) currently operates in 3 distinct windows:
Morning: 7.00 am to 9.00 am
Afternoon: 11.30am to 2.30pm
Evening: 6.30 pm to 9.30pm
This schedule looks more geared towards staff working in Sungei Kadut Industrial Estate and the Kranji Countryside, rather than being for visitors. With a lack of public transport in Sungei Kadut Industrial Estate and the Kranji Countryside, this schedule looks fine for a weekday, but for weekends and public holidays, this is still a significant gap in service.
With this gap in service for quite a big chunk of the afternoon, there are still no other transport alternatives, as taxis and Grab are unwilling to travel to the Kranji Countryside even with surge fares. I know because I’ve tried booking a Grab from Kranji Marshes for 45 minutes before, to no avail, until the NParks Pilot Loop Shuttle Bus Service showed up anyway.
It is crucial for the RushOwl Sungei Kadut Eco Bus (R70) to close up the gaps in the morning and afternoon on weekends and public holidays to ensure connectivity to the Kranji Countryside when the demand is the highest.